[The self-portrait of neurotic-dyssocial adolescents and its modification by therapeutico-paedagogic guidance in a special Youth Care Home (author's transl)].

This empirical article describes, first of all, the self-portrait given by neurotico-dyssocial adolescents hospitalized in the Youth Care Home "Haus Sommerberg" for therapeutico-paedagogic guidance. This self-portrait, determined by means of the so-called "Giessen Test" as a diagnostic tool, is characterized by psychosocial incompetence. After the youngsters had been treated for about 2 1/2 to 3 years both psychotherapeutically and with the help of sociopaedagogic guidance effected at the "Haus Sommerberg" home, self-assessment by the adolescents was largely adapted to that of the corresponding comparative population group. In other words, treatment and guidance created a self-portrait of psychosocial competence. To test the stability of this induced change in the mental condition and ability to establish a social condition of reference, the treated persons were questioned once again 6 years after their treatment had ended. The results of this questioning showed that the changes persisted provided the duration of treatment was at least two years.