Author:
Supervisor:
Degree: BS
Year: 2004-2008
University: Centre for Clinical Psychology, Punjab University, Lahore, Pakistan
Abstract
The present research followed a cross sectional research design to estimate the prevalence of psychological disorders among adults (19-onwards) and adolescents (13-18 years) of Lahore city. A total sample of 2,496 including 1248 adults (624 men and 624 women) and 1248 adolescents (624 boys and 624 girls) was recruited from different areas of Lahore city for which Lahore was divided into 30 zones. Later, each zone was further divided into 25 sections and a sample of 4 participants, 2 adults and 2 adolescents,was collected from each section through- purposive sampling. In face-to-face interviews, a detailed comprehensive questionnaire was administered to each participant. The detailed comprehensive questionnaire consisted of three sections: Demographic Questionnaire, Screening Questionnaire and Diagnostic Questionnaire for Psychiatric Disorders- Adults and Adolescents. The questionnaire was developed by a group of students with four research supervisors. In this context, different criteria of psychopathologies based on DSM-IV-TR were translated in Urdu language and then questions were formulated accordingly. The results were derived by using descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages. The results show an overall prevalence for psychological disorders in Lahore city is 12 among adults and 4.08 among adolescents. In adult population, the most frequently occurring psychological disorder was reported to be Adjustment Disorder(6) followed by Anxiety Disorders (2.56), Mood Disorder (1.36), Somatoform Disorder (1.20) and Schizophrenia (0.88). While for adolescents, Adjustment Disorder (1.68) was seen as the most prevalent psychopathology followed by Anxiety Disorders (0.88), Mood Disorders (0.72), Schizophrenia (0.56) and finally Somatoform Disorder (0.24). In men the most common disorder was found to be the Adjustment Disorders (6.57) followed by Anxiety Disorder (1.12) while women experienced four times more Anxiety Disorders than men. They were also twice more likely to experience Mood Disorder than men. Conversion disorder was also seen as 3 times more prevalent in women as in men. For boys the most common disorder was Mood Disorders (0.40) and for girls it was Anxiety Disorders (0.56). Adjustment Disorders, Anxiety disorders and Somatoform Disorder were seen more common in girls than in boys.
Keywords: Prevalence, Psychological Disorders, Adolescents, Adults, Anxiety, Depression, Somatoform, Adjustment, Schizophrenia.
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