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QuickStats: Percentage of Children with Serious Emotional or Behavioral Difficulties,* by Age Group and Family Income Group† --- National Health Interview Survey,§ United States, 2004--2009
* Emotional or behavioral difficulties of children were based on parents' responses to the following question: "Overall, do you think that [child] has any difficulties in one or more of the following areas: emotions, concentration, behavior, or being able to get along with other people?" Response options were 1) "no"; 2) "yes, minor difficulties"; 3) "yes, definite difficulties"; and 4) "yes, severe difficulties." Children whose parents responded "yes, definite difficulties" or "yes, severe difficulties" were defined as having serious emotional or behavioral difficulties.
† Family income group is based on family income and family size using the U.S. Census Bureau poverty thresholds. Family income was imputed when information was missing, using multiple imputation methodology.
§ Estimates are based on household interviews of a sample of the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population. Denominators for each category exclude persons for whom data were missing.
¶ 95% confidence interval.
During 2004--2009, approximately 5.1% of all U.S. children aged 4--17 years were reported by parents as having serious emotional or behavioral difficulties. Across all age groups, poor children (i.e., those living in families with incomes <100% of the poverty level) more often were reported to have serious emotional or behavioral difficulties compared with the most affluent children (i.e., those living in families with incomes ≥400% of the poverty level). For example, among children aged 11--14 years, approximately 9.3% of poor children were reported by parents to have serious difficulties, compared with 3.5% of the most affluent children.
Source: National Health Interview Survey, 2004--2009. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nhis.htm.
Alternate Text: The figure above shows the percentage of children with serious emotional or behavioral difficulties, by age group and poverty status in the United States during 2004-2009, according to the National Health Interview Survey. During 2004-2009, approximately 5.1% of all U.S. children aged 4-17 years were reported by parents as having serious emotional or behavioral difficulties. Across all age groups, poor children (i.e., those living in families with incomes <100% of the poverty level) more often were reported to have serious emotional or behavioral difficulties compared with the most affluent children (i.e., those living in families with incomes ≥400% of the poverty level). For example, among children aged 11-14 years, approximately 9.3% of poor children were reported by parents to have serious difficulties, compared with 3.5% of the most affluent children.
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