Follow-up of adolescents treated in a psychiatric hospital. Predictors of outcome.

In the context of a long-term follow-up of 60 hospitalized adolescent psychiatric patients (26 months to four years after discharge), we examined correlates of outcome. The variables were as follows: (1) severity of psychopathology; (2) onset of symptomatology (process or reactive); (3) type of hospital treatment termination; (4) continuation of individual psychotherapy following discharge; (5) physically destructive behavior before hospitalization; and (6) energy level. Follow-up was by personal clinical interview exploring the expatient's current living conditions, peer relationships, current psychopathology and drug or alcohol use, legal difficulties, academic and work functioning, subjective contentment, and plans for the future. An evaluation was also obtained from parents and/or spouse. Statistical analyses of the interrelationships among the predictor variables and outcome demonstrated the importance of a multivariate approach.