title: [Psychopathological and comorbid disorders of incarcerated adolescents in Austria].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Incarcerated adolescents show a high prevalence rate of psychopathology and comorbid psychiatric conditions. Child and adolescent psychiatrists working in the penal system are confronted with the need to provide care and to develop specific treatment plans.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data gathered from incarcerated juveniles were analyzed with a special focus on gender-specific treatment aspects. The Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview for children and adolescents was used to assess psychopathology in detained juveniles in Austria. The final study sample consisted of 333 juveniles (58 girls and 275 boys).
  
  
  RESULTS
  90 % of the juveniles in our sample suffered from at least one psychiatric disorder, and more than 60 % were diagnosed with two or more simultaneous psychiatric disorders. Using factor analyses we found three clinically relevant disorder patterns according to psychopathological characteristics for males: ADHD/conduct disorder and drug abuse; anxiety and depression; separation anxiety disorder/PTSD and alcohol abuse. In females, we found four disorder patterns: separation anxiety disorder/social phobia/dysthymia; PTSD and drug abuse in combination with either ADHD or conduct disorder; depression and alcohol abuse.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Considering that juvenile detainees are burdened by high rates of psychopathology and comorbidity, it is essential to develop a substantiated diagnostic procedure in order when making treatment decisions; different disorder patterns must be considered in conjunction with detained juveniles. The patterns of psychopathology observed might be related to different characteristics in the development of delinquent behavior, in treatment needs, and legal prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Fachstelle für Kinder- und Jugendforensik am Zentrum für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie, Universität Zürich, Schweiz. belinda.plattner@kjpdzh.ch
authors.forename: Belinda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Plattner
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aebi
authors.forename: Hans-Christoph
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Steinhausen
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bessler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001317:Austria; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011599:Psychopathology; D011859:Radiography; D012737:Sex Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology