Report Shows More Than One Million UK Children Suffer From Disorders

A report from the Children's Society in Britain shows the number of adolescents suffering from emotional or behavioral problems doubled between 1974 and 1999.

The fifth report in a six-part series on the state of childhood by the Children's Society in Britain is expected to reveal that more than one million children in the UK suffer from some form of mental disorder. The report states that pressure on children to grow up and fit in is leading to a range of problems like depression, anorexia, and anxiety.

Stephen Scott, a professor of child health and behavior at the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, has led the study, which provides a "snapshot" into the state of mental health of children in the UK. Last year, the Institute of Psychiatry released statistics showing that the number of teenagers with diagnosed emotional or behavioral problems doubled in the 25 years from 1974 to 1999.

The report has implications for the study of children's mental health in the U.S. and other countries, where "binge drinking, drug-taking and pressure to look fashionable" contribute to kids' emotional states as much as they do in Britain. It also suggests a need for greater children's services, from early intervention through adolescence.