Abstract
Objective:
The aim of this study was to assess developmental and mental states of children who were referred to a child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic for school readiness assessment as a result of change in the starting age of compulsory schooling and to examine socio-demographic characteristics of the parents.
Method:
Medical files of200 cases that were referred to Tekirdag State Hospital's child psychiatry clinic for this purpose between dates July 2012 and October 2012 were reviewed retrospectively.
Results:
Mean age of children included was 65.82 ± 5.5 months. Fifty-three and half percent (n=107) of mothers had middle school or lower education level. Ninety-one percent of families (n=181) had an average monthly income under 3000 TL. Eighty-seven and half percent of children (n=175) were found to have not attended kindergarten. Thirteen percent of cases (n=26) were diagnosed with an axis 1 psychiatric disorder or cognitive delay. Fifteen percent of children (n = 30) had a chronic medical illness and 61.5 % (n=123) failed to fulfill self-care skills alone.
Discussion:
There are many factors affecting the children's school readiness. Preschool education programs and learning opportunities at home should be increased and widened to whole community to provide school readiness adequately.
Keywords: Child psychiatry, school starting age, school readiness.
