Behavioral disorders in children from different cultures

Abstract

Behaviour disorders in children of different ages have been studied in three different countries, Sweden, Sudan and Nigeria. In each country both urban and rural areas were included. The same methods and procedures were applied. The similarities of frequencies of behaviourally disturbed children were more striking than the differences. Rural children generally had less behaviour problems than urban ones. The frequencies of various stress factors known to co-vary with behaviour problems in children in the different localities could not alone explain the results. Specific stress-reducing, supportive factors in the cultures of the two African areas were discussed.