Psychopathological symptoms in schoolchildren: Analysis in a sample from a state in the Brazilian Amazon.

OBJECTIVE This study sought to identify and analyze the psychopathological symptoms of schoolchildren from a state in the Brazilian Amazon region. METHODS This is a convergent parallel mixed study conducted with school-age children (6 to 12 years) from Amapa, located in the Brazilian Amazon region. For data collection, the Psychopathological Symptom Identification Scale was used with schoolchildren in addition to individual interviews. RESULTS Most children had few psychopathological symptoms, and 12.65% required referral to a specialist. The symptoms were positively and significantly related to age and negatively and significantly related to the frequency of physical exercise. Participants who had relatives with mental disorders and who used psychoactive substances had significantly more symptoms. Some symptoms related to anxiety, mood, social behavior, attention and eating patterns had an average of answers that was higher than expected (1.5), which, in the children's discourses, were likely related to family situations such as poverty, violence, illness, abandonment, and social pressure due to aesthetic standards. CONCLUSION Psychopathological symptoms such as anxiety, mood, social behaviors, and eating patterns were the most frequent among the students investigated, suggesting a relationship between these symptoms and the greater social vulnerability to which these children are exposed. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS This study supports the promotion of a social practice based on the use of observational power for the transformation of reality, with pediatric nurses, primary care providers and health and education systems as important agents of social change through actions designed to promote mental health in schools, families and society.