The British Journal of Psychiatry (2006) 188: 547-553. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.104.007625
© 2006 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
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Economic cost of severe antisocial behaviour in children – and who pays it

RENEE ROMEO, MSc

Centre for the Economics of Mental Health, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College, London

MARTIN KNAPP, PhD

Personal Social Services Research Unit, LSE Health and Social Care, London School of Economics

STEPHEN SCOTT, FRCP, FRCPsych

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK

Correspondence: Dr Stephen Scott, Box PO 85, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK. E-mail: s.scott{at}iop.kcl.ac.uk

Declaration of interest None.

Funding detailed in Acknowledgements.

Background Persistent antisocial behaviour is the most common mental health problem in childhood and has widespread effects, yet little is known about what it costs.

Aims To identify the costs incurred by children with antisocial behaviour in the UK, and who pays these costs.

Method Eighty children aged 3–8 years referred to mental health services were studied using the Client Service Receipt Inventory for Childhood.

Results The mean annual total cost was £5960 (median 4597, range 48–19 940). The services used were mainly the National Health Service, education and voluntary agencies, but the greatest cost burden, £4637, was borne by the family. Higher cost was predicted by more severe behaviour and being male.

Conclusions The annual cost of severe antisocial behaviour in childhood in the UK is substantial and widespread, involving several agencies, but the burden falls most heavily on the family. Wider uptake of evidence-based interventions is likely to lead to considerable economic benefits in the short term, and probably even more in the long term.


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