Studied the clinical records of 1,272 children admitted over a 5-yr period to the Child and Adolescent Unit of the state psychiatric hospital of Bahrain in the Arabian Gulf. Bahrain was selected for the study because of the small population (less than 500,000) and the presence of only 1 child psychiatric facility. The complex relationship between different levels of social class and the use of health services is discussed. There was a higher prevalence of psychiatric disorders in adolescence as compared to childhood. Most children received diagnoses of mental handicap, reactive disorder, and psychoneurosis. Boys outnumbered girls in conduct disorders, while girls outnumbered boys in reactive and neurotic disorders.