Impact of mental disorders

Impact of mental disorders

Mental disorders impact on individuals in a wide variety of ways and to varying extents. Assessment of the impact on functioning at school, with family and with friends, and the personal distress symptoms caused was used as the basis for determining the severity of disorders.

• • Three fifths (59.8%) of 4-17 year-olds with a mental disorder or 8.3% of all children and adolescents had a mild disorder.
  • One quarter (25.4%) of 4-17 year-olds with mental disorders or 3.5% of all children and adolescents had a moderate disorder.
  • Just over one in seven (14.7%) 4-17 year-olds with a mental disorder were assessed as having a severe mental disorder. This is equivalent to one in 50 (2.1%) or approximately 82,000 Australian children and adolescents.
  • Adolescents were almost three times more likely to experience a severe mental disorder - 23.1% of 12-17 year-olds with a mental disorder had a severe disorder compared with 8.2% of 4-11 year-olds with a mental disorder.
  • Major depressive disorder had a greater impact on functioning than the other disorders, with two fifths or 42.8% of cases being severe and another 35.8% assessed as moderate.
  • The majority of anxiety disorders, ADHD and conduct disorder cases were mild. Two thirds (65.7%) of 4-17 year-olds with ADHD, 53.8% with anxiety disorders and 58.7% with conduct disorder were assessed as having a mild disorder.
  • 3.3% of 12-17 year-olds had a severe mental disorder compared with 1.1% of 4-11 year-olds.