Patients in child and adolescent psychiatric care: psychopathology and background factors.
All 142 consecutive patients born between January 1, 1947 and February 28, 1949 who were cared for at the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at General Hospital in Uppsala are described. The patients' symptoms, family situation, early development, CNS dysfunction and social situation are presented. The negative factors were numerous: 78% of patients had some form of family affliction, 60% had minimal brain dysfunction (MBD) factors which, while not associated with a clinical diagnosis of MBD, included hyperactivity, motor handicap, reading and writing difficulties, poor fine muscle activity and pathological EEG, and 58% had negative factors in their home environment. The majority were judged as having been subjected to negative parental attitudes. When psychotic symptoms were present, there was a high prevalence of psychotic illness in the family. A negative social situation in the home environment was most common for maladjusted patients. The presence of MBD factors was associated with disturbances in the child's early development. Nevertheless, many background factors continually affected one another and contributed to the mental disorder.
Ostman
O
O
Department of Psychiatry, General Hospital, Västerås, Sweden.
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000523:psychology; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000523:psychology; D019965:Neurocognitive Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D012114:Residential Treatment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012917:Social Adjustment; D013548:Sweden