Hallucinations in adolescents with post-traumatic stress disorder and psychotic disorder.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to compare the phenomenology of hallucinations in hospitalized adolescents diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and psychotic disorder.


METHODS
Diagnoses were ascertained in 66 adolescents consecutively admitted to an acute adolescent unit in Australia. Hallucinations were examined to compare their phenomenology in PTSD with psychotic disorder.


RESULTS
On most measures, hallucinations did not differ significantly in form or content between those adolescents with PTSD and those with psychotic disorder. In a minority of patients with PTSD, the hallucinations reflected a previous traumatic experience.


CONCLUSIONS
Hallucinations were found to be unreliable in distinguishing adolescent inpatients with PTSD from those with psychotic disorder.
Scott
James Graham
JG
Kids in Mind Inpatient Unit, Mater Children's Hospital, South Brisbane, Qld 4101, Australia. James.Scott@mater.org.au
Nurcombe
Barry
B
Sheridan
Judith
J
McFarland
Margaret
M
D000293:Adolescent; D015897:Comorbidity; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation