{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T01:03:39Z","timestamp":1760058219902,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,18]],"date-time":"2025-03-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1742256000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Italian Ministry of Health Ricerca Corrente 2024\u20132025 to IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: The prevalence of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders in children is a growing concern in developed countries. However, data from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) remain scarce. The objective of this study was to ascertain the prevalence of such conditions in the school-aged children residing in Sahrawi refugee camps. In particular, the objective was to develop a bespoke screening instrument for the collection of epidemiological data and the examination of the impact of these disorders on academic performance and school life. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in 13 primary schools within Sahrawi refugee camps, with a target sample size of 3425 children aged 7\u201314. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was administered to teachers to identify any neurodevelopmental issues. Results: A total of 74 (2.2% [95% CI: 1.7\u20132.7%]) of the 3425 children displayed positive SDQ results for neurodevelopmental or psychiatric difficulties. The most frequently identified issues were emotional and conduct problems, which often co-occurred. Boys exhibited higher hyperactivity rates than girls. Conclusions: This study\u2019s findings revealed significant neurodevelopmental and psychiatric challenges in Sahrawi children, with implications for their academic and social development. The results emphasize the necessity of enhancing teacher training and mental health interventions to facilitate early identification and support.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm14062080","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,19]],"date-time":"2025-03-19T06:10:53Z","timestamp":1742364653000},"page":"2080","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Screening of Neurodevelopmental and Psychiatric Disorders in School-Aged Children from Sahrawi Refugee Camp: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-9127-1646","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ilaria","family":"Accorinti","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy"},{"name":"Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-6994-9229","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Linda","family":"Bonezzi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy"},{"name":"Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy"},{"name":"School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0435-2962","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gianluca","family":"Sesso","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy"},{"name":"Social and Affective Neuroscience Group, Molecular Mind Lab, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, 55100 Lucca, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Simona","family":"Pipino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Residency School of Pediatrics, University of Rome \u201cTor Vergata\u201d, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Francesca","family":"Pignatelli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Residency School of Pediatrics, University of Rome \u201cTor Vergata\u201d, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Alessandra","family":"De Angelis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3170-1187","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Annarita","family":"Milone","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7889-1355","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Roberta","family":"Battini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy"},{"name":"Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"608","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tins.2020.05.004","article-title":"Neurodevelopmental Disorders: From Genetics to Functional Pathways","volume":"43","author":"Parenti","year":"2020","journal-title":"Trends Neurosci."},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"WHO (2022). 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