Prevalences and configurations of mental disorders among institutionalized adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
To assess prevalence figures for psychiatric disorders among institutionalized adolescents due to behavioural problems and/or delinquency.


METHODS
Participants were recruited from consecutive referrals to/or treated at two Swedish adolescent units, SIS1 (n = 60) and SIS2 (n = 70) with ranging age of 12-20.3 years (mean age = 16.2; SD = 1.8) during 1 year. Clinical and diagnostic information was used to generate DSM-IV diagnoses.


RESULTS
One or several neuropsychiatric disorders were diagnosed in 53% of all subjects: 39% met DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD), 15% for a pervasive developmental disorder (referred to as autism spectrum disorders, ASDs) and 8% had a mental retardation (referred to as a learning disability, LD). The collapsed prevalence for psychiatric disorders requiring specialist attention was 66%, counting severe depression and psychotic disorders but not substance use. About one in three of all adolescents in the study were given psychopharmacological treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Published studies and this clinical survey clearly indicate that systematic studies of mental health needs among institutionalized adolescents are warranted to form the basis of adequate treatment and support measures.
Anckarsäter
Henrik
H
Forensic Psychiatric Clinic, Malmö University Hospital, University of Lund, Sweden. henrik.anckarsater@skane.se
Nilsson
Thomas
T
Ståhlberg
Ola
O
Gustafson
Mats
M
Saury
Jean-Michel
JM
Råstam
Maria
M
Gillberg
Christopher
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000299:Adolescent, Institutionalized / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000453:epidemiology; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000453:epidemiology; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012737:Sex Factors; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
D011619:Psychotropic Drugs