Children's behavioral adaptation early in psychiatric hospitalization.
Behavioral patterns over time were assessed during the first 24 days of hospitalization for 98 child psychiatric inpatients. Staff completed daily behavioral monitoring and ratings. Patients were categorized as improved, unchanged or deteriorated during this time. Thirty-four percent of patients initially exhibited well-controlled behavior, but then significantly worsened after a period averaging 6.8 days. This result empirically supports the "honeymoon" phenomenon. Other patients showed either improvement during the initial period (15%), no change (30%), or could not be reliably classified (21%). Therefore, many child inpatients show rapid symptom stabilization after admission, but a large number then worsen. Clinical, scientific and administrative implications of these results are discussed.
Child Psychiatry Inpatient Unit, Schneider Children's Hospital, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY 11042.
J C
JC
Blader
H
H
Abikoff
C
C
Foley
H S
HS
Koplewicz
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D015897:Comorbidity; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D010343:Patient Admission; D010552:Personality Assessment