Differential treatment planning for young adult chronic patients.

An assessment of 110 young adult chronic patients on six variables related to their social interactions indicates that social behavior may be an important indicator of treatment needs. The assessment delineated four treatment profiles--subgroups of patients who share a common cluster of social behaviors and who require distinct treatment approaches. This paper describes the four treatment profiles by outlining each subgroup's salient characteristics and modal patient and the treatment approaches that are most and least appropriate for its members. The authors suggest that outpatient programs may need to accommodate the characterologic and personality variables of young chronic patients to make treatment tolerable and comfortable for them, rather than deny them admission because they do not demonstrate responsible, appropriate, and independent behavior.