Behavioral Problems in Children

Mental health problems in childhood are often categorized into two broad categories of symptoms. The first involves externalizing behavioral problems (conduct disorder and oppositional defiant disorder); the second involves internalizing behavioral problems (emotional disorder) [1] that manifest as depression, anxiety, withdrawal, and psychosomatic diseases. Behavioral problems include repeated deviant behavior or aggression among children. Such conduct problems often lead to criminal behavior or substance abuse and place the society as a whole under substantial financial burden and distress. Thus, these conditions are serious public health concerns. Such mental health problems in children may be caused by developmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders (also known as ADHD), and mental disorders such as schizophrenia. Externalization and internalization may occasionally coexist, as seen in individuals who withdraw from society and subsequently engage in domestic violence.