Adjustment Disorders in Hospital Treated Adolescents: A Follow-up Study

Introduction Adjustment disorders represent a frequent diagnostic entity especially among adolescents. They involve a wide spectrum of various emotional and behaviour problems. Objective The aim was to investigate characteristics of diagnostic category known as adjustment disorders among hospital treated adolescents for the first time at the Clinical Department for Children and Adolescents of the Institute of Mental Health in Belgrade, during five consecutive years, as well as to investigate the outcome of the disorder in follow-up period. Methods We conducted a retrospective investigation of the first time hospital treated adolescents from Belgrade with discharge diagnosis of adjustment disorders during 2000-2004. The follow up was conducted 5-10 years after a first discharge from the hospital. Results During the investigated period 75 adolescents from Belgrade were hospitalized for the first time with diagnosis adjustment disorder. From the studied patients the main sample was formed that included 24(32%) males and 51(68%) females. After 5-10 years a follow-up of 52 patients was conducted (sample at follow-up) which included 16(30.77%) males and 36(69.23%) females. Of the main sample, 70% of the patients were under follow-up. After the first hospitalization 58% of adolescents continued with further psychiatric treatment, either as rehospitalized or out-of-hospital patients. Conclusion Our findings showed that 38% of adolescents under follow-up for 5-10 years after the first discharge from hospital with the diagnosis adjustment disorders had multiple hospitalizations. The outcome of the disorder among these patients was the worst, because three-quarters of the patients were rediagnosed in the follow-up period with a new psychiatric disorder, often from psychotic spectrum.