Predictors of psychopathology in young adults referred to mental health services in childhood or adolescence.
BACKGROUND
For children referred to mental health services future functioning may be hampered.


OBJECTIVE
To examine stability and prediction of behavioural and emotional problems from childhood into adulthood.


METHODS
A referred sample (n = 789) aged 4-18 years was followed up after a mean of 10.5 years. Scores derived from the Child Behavior Checklist, Youth Self-Report and Teacher Report Form were related to equivalent scores for young adults from the Young Adult Self-Report and Young Adult Behavior Checklist.


RESULTS
Correlations between first contact (T1) and follow-up (T2) scores were 0.12-0.53. Young adult psychopathology was predicted by corresponding T1 problem scores. Social problems and anxious/depressed scores were predictors of general problem behaviour.


CONCLUSIONS
Problem behaviour of children and adolescents referred to outpatient mental health services is highly predictive of similar problem behaviour at young adulthood. Stability is higher for externalizing than for internalizing behaviour and for intra-informant than for inter-informant information. Stabilities are similar across gender. To obtain a comprehensive picture of the young adult's functioning, information from related adults may prove valuable.
Heijmens Visser
J H
JH
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Sophia Children's Hospital/Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
van der Ende
J
J
Koot
H M
HM
Verhulst
F C
FC
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires