TY - JOUR
T1 - Gender variation in the identification of Mexican children's psychiatric symptoms
AU - Brewis, Alexandra
AU - Schmidt, Karen L.
PY - 2003/9
Y1 - 2003/9
N2 - We test empirically how caregiver reports of DSM-IV symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) vary by child's gender in a sample of 206 middle-class Mexican children, ages 6-12 years. Objective measures of children's hyperactive and inattentive behavior, derived from ethological observation and activity monitoring, are used as a control in regression analyses. When these objective measures of behavioral differences are taken into account, teachers ascribe more inattention symptoms to boys than girls. Parents, by contrast, do not display a significant gender difference in identification of children's ADHD symptoms. This study provides an empirical demonstration that children's ADHD symptoms can be, but need not always be, reported differently based on cultural models expecting behavioral differences. In this case, child's gender influences the way psychiatric symptoms are ascribed to them by some, but not all, groups of involved social actors.
AB - We test empirically how caregiver reports of DSM-IV symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) vary by child's gender in a sample of 206 middle-class Mexican children, ages 6-12 years. Objective measures of children's hyperactive and inattentive behavior, derived from ethological observation and activity monitoring, are used as a control in regression analyses. When these objective measures of behavioral differences are taken into account, teachers ascribe more inattention symptoms to boys than girls. Parents, by contrast, do not display a significant gender difference in identification of children's ADHD symptoms. This study provides an empirical demonstration that children's ADHD symptoms can be, but need not always be, reported differently based on cultural models expecting behavioral differences. In this case, child's gender influences the way psychiatric symptoms are ascribed to them by some, but not all, groups of involved social actors.
KW - ADHD
KW - Culture
KW - Gender
KW - Mexico
KW - Psychiatric disorders
KW - Symptoms
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0037639526&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0037639526&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1525/maq.2003.17.3.376
DO - 10.1525/maq.2003.17.3.376
M3 - Review article
C2 - 12974203
AN - SCOPUS:0037639526
SN - 0745-5194
VL - 17
SP - 376
EP - 393
JO - Medical Anthropology Quarterly
JF - Medical Anthropology Quarterly
IS - 3
ER -