Mental health problems of children of migrant and seasonal farm workers: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE

Children of migrant and seasonal farm workers constitute important populations for study because they chronically experience extreme poverty and parental unemployment. Also, migrant children are exposed to chronic residential and school mobility.

METHOD: Mothers and children were interviewed using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children Version 2.1.

RESULTS

The results indicated that 66% of the children had one or more psychiatric diagnoses based on mother or child reports, with anxiety disorders being the most prevalent diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest the need for a larger, epidemiological study of the psychiatric morbidity of rural children of farm workers.