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Prevalence and Etiology

In a Non-referral Outpatient Setting

Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Lady Hardinge Medical College and associated Kalawati Saran Children's and Shrimati Sucheta Kriplani Hospitals, New Delhi-110001, India

N.K. Dhar, MD

Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Lady Hardinge Medical College and associated Kalawati Saran Children's and Shrimati Sucheta Kriplani Hospitals, New Delhi-110001, India

P.K. Singhal, MD

Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Lady Hardinge Medical College and associated Kalawati Saran Children's and Shrimati Sucheta Kriplani Hospitals, New Delhi-110001, India

V.R. Nigam, MD

Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Lady Hardinge Medical College and associated Kalawati Saran Children's and Shrimati Sucheta Kriplani Hospitals, New Delhi-110001, India

S.C. Malik, MD

Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Lady Hardinge Medical College and associated Kalawati Saran Children's and Shrimati Sucheta Kriplani Hospitals, New Delhi-110001, India

D.N. Mullick, MD

Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Lady Hardinge Medical College and associated Kalawati Saran Children's and Shrimati Sucheta Kriplani Hospitals, New Delhi-110001, India

Of a total of 800 children (aged 3-12 years) attending a pediatric outpatient department, 182 (22.8%) were found to be having temper tantrums (mean age, 4.7 years). Temper tantrums were found to be most common at 3-5 years (75.3%), less common at 6-8 years (20.8%), and least common at 9-12 years (3.9%). Children aged 3-5 years were more likely to be of a lower social class (p < 0.01), whereas in other age groups (6-8 years and 9-12 years) children were more likely to be of an upper social class. Boys dominated the study significantly: the ratio of boys to girls was 3.1:1. Boys having temper tantrums were more likely to be of an upper social class (p < 0.001) compared with girls, who tended to be of a lower social class (p < .01).

Children showed a higher incidence of history of postnatal trauma and seizure disorder compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Parental overprotection and marital discord were found to be stress factors in a significantly higher number of boys than girls (p < 0.01); parental negligence was a significant stress factor for girls (p < 0.01). Associated behavioral problems, such as thumb sucking, enuresis, tics, head banging, sleep disturbances, and hyperkinesis were found to be significantly higher among children with tantrums.

Clinical Pediatrics, Vol. 29, No. 6, 311-315 (1990)
DOI: 10.1177/000992289002900603


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