Access to Psychiatric Service in Students with Reading or Spelling Problems

Abstract

Objectives: To report the rate of access to psychiatric service in elementary students with reading or spelling problems and related factors.

Methods: This was a retrospective study. Participants were students in Prathom 2 – 6 who teachers referred to Ramathibodi hospital with reading and/or spelling problems. The rate of access to psychiatric service and associated factors has been assessed from medical records and document recorded from special education teachers.

Results: There were 1,426 eligible students in 2 schools. Teachers referred 56 students with reading or spelling problems to the hospital. Male to female ratio was 3:1. Mean age was 9.9 years. ( 7.6 – 12.7 years). Access to psychiatric service group meaned group of students who complied the psychological test (IQ test, Achievement test) and had at least one visit to see psychiatrist. Access to psychiatric service rate was 35.7% and 28.6% of referred students came to hospital to do the psychological test but did not meet psychiatrists. However, we did not find the association between access to psychiatric service and age, sex,year, grade, IQ scores, severity of reading, and spelling problems. The access to service students were diagnosed learning disorder with the rate of 90%.

Conclusion: The rate of access to psychiatric service in children with reading or spelling problems was 35.7%.

Keywords: elementary students, learning problems, access to psychiatric service