Psychiatric Assessment of Preschool-Aged Children

QUALIFICATION OF THE TRAINING

Infancy and early childhood, defined as the play age or preschool period, represent one of the most critical stages in mental health development. An increasing body of scientific evidence demonstrates that brain development during infancy and early childhood differs qualitatively and quantitatively from all other life stages, and that the brain—shaped by early life experiences during this period—affects an individual’s lifelong health, personality, behavior, and learning. Therefore, interventions during this stage are more effective and vital than those implemented later in life. Research on children with psychopathology also indicates that interventions provided before school entry may be more effective than later treatments and can yield long-term gains, underscoring the importance of this period. Considering both childhood and economic outcomes, early interventions are regarded as highly important and necessary—representing a gain for the child, a gain for the family, and a significant gain for society.

Children under the age of 6 have rates of mental disorders (14% to 20%) comparable to those of older children and adolescents. Young people and their families often report that mental health difficulties began during the preschool years. Studies in the literature indicate that between 16% and 26% of preschool children aged 2–5 without prior psychiatric referral meet criteria for “any psychiatric disorder.” With increasing awareness of the intergenerational transmission of major psychiatric disorders and evidence of temperamental and biological differences in young children at risk for these disorders, identifying the earliest manifestations of illness has become critically important for research, prevention, and treatment. Numerous studies have also demonstrated that mental symptoms and relational difficulties emerging during this period are associated with various social, emotional, and behavioral problems in childhood and are significant predictors of later psychopathology.

In conclusion, early diagnosis and intervention during infancy and early childhood are considered among the most effective preventive and protective strategies for reducing the burden of mental disorders in childhood. However, one of the greatest challenges in preschool mental health—despite its critical importance in mental health development—is accurately assessing children’s mental symptoms and reaching valid diagnoses. Given the inconsistencies and biases inherent in unstructured evaluations in the field of mental health, progress in developing standardized, structured diagnostic assessments has accelerated in recent years. Structured clinical interviews are suggested as a means to overcome assessment challenges (such as frequent changes in diagnosis over short intervals, different interviewers assigning different diagnoses to the same patient, and variability in the interpretation of diagnostic criteria by clinicians with different diagnostic approaches). These interviews differ from conventional clinical evaluations in both style and content. Ensuring that all evaluators follow the same interview structure and content increases the reliability of the diagnoses reached. Although structured interviews may take slightly longer than conventional interviews, accurate diagnoses achieved through structured methods enhance treatment effectiveness and ultimately represent a more efficient use of time.

The Psychiatric Assessment of Preschool-Aged Children (Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment – PAPA- OÖÇ-PD), an interview developed for diagnosing psychiatric symptoms and disorders in children aged 2–7 years, was developed by Egger, Ascher, and Angold in 1999, and its test–retest reliability study was conducted in 2006. Updated in accordance with evolving diagnostic systems since its development, the OÖÇ-PD has been used in numerous studies in the field of preschool child mental health and is considered the gold standard method for diagnosing mental disorders in the preschool period.

The use of the OÖÇ-PD as a diagnostic tool in the field of preschool child mental health is anticipated to promote the development of effective prevention and early intervention programs.

Within the scope of a TÜBİTAK project (220S389) previously conducted by the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Ankara University, training for this diagnostic interview was received from Duke University in the United States by the program developers. The training has been translated into Turkish and prepared for implementation in Türkiye.

TRAINERS

• PROF. DR. DİDEM BEHİCE ÖZTOP
• ASSOC. PROF. DR. ESRA YÜRÜMEZ
• ASSOC. PROF. DR. MERVE ÇIKILI UYTUN
• ASSIST. PROF. DR. GÖKÇE YAĞMUR EFENDİ

DURATION

12 hours

TRAINING DATES AND HOURS

31 May – 1 June 2025
Saturday and Sunday (09:00–17:30)

VENUE

Ankara University Classrooms

WHO CAN ATTEND

Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists (Residents and Specialists) – Limited to 35 participants

The training will be opened once a sufficient number of participants is reached.

CERTIFICATE TO BE AWARDED

At the end of the 12-hour training, participants who fulfill the 80% attendance requirement will be entitled to receive a “Certificate of Participation.”

12,000 TL