Long-term outcome of psychopathology in childhood and adolescence : a clinical epidemiological study

Very different populations were used in these studies, two populations consisting of adolescents only (Otto and Otto, 1978 and Rey et al., 1995, 1997), one population existing of males only (Steinhausen, Meier, and Angst, 1998), and all studies differing on in- and exclusion criteria. This leads to difficulties in comparing results. Excluding the all male sample (Steinhausen, Meier, and Angst, 1998), populations consisted of an average of 64.5% males and 35.5% females. Response rates were on average 90.4% for studies using records or registers only, and 65.9% for studies using direct assessment. Only one study used standardized measures with well-validated, empirical syndromes at both times of assessment (Stanger, et al., 1996). This was also the only study in which multiple informants were used, but unfortunately at follow-up only. Analytic strategies were very different across studies, so comparison at result level is extremely difficult. Still, some general conclusions can be drawn. Among others, these studies seem to confirm the stability and continuity of psychopathology found in general population samples, especially for externalizing problems. Unfortunately no average figures can be given, because different analytic strategies resulted in incomparable measures (e.g., percentages and stability coefficients). Furthermore, most authors agree that other domains of functioning are likely to be hampered as well, e.g., family relations, educational and professional achievements, and social functioning, and that other indices of poor functioning are increased, e.g., mental health service use and judicial contacts. Results indicate that prognosis can to some extent be predicted from factors known at initial assessment, such as age at intake, gender, length of follow-up period, socio-economic status, or initial type of problem. However, the inconsistency of results across studies on these related factors hampers drawing firm conclusions on their influence. Results led us to expect considerable stability of psychopathology, and to expect the type of problems to remain mostly the same across time, and at follow-up to be predicted by comparable problems at intake

Predictors of psychopathology in young adults referred to mental health services in childhood or a

BACKGROUND: For children referred to mental health services future functioning may be hampered. AIMS: To examine stability and prediction of behavioural and emotional problems from childhood into adulthood. METHOD: 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