Adolescents' use of mental health services in a comprehensive treatment facility: age, sex and mode of entry.

Data are presented from the clinical records of 185 adolescents who were admitted to the mental health service of a youth health center serving a community of military dependents. Eight and one-half per cent of the population made a first visit to the center during an eight month period. Midadolescence (ages 15-16) was the age period when patients began to refer themselves to mental health services in significant numbers. The importance of parents as referral sources decreased with age, while medical and school sources were important in all ages. The psychological morbidity in the target population was greater in midadolescence than in early and late adolescence and higher in females than in males. Females presented with more somatic and family problems, males more often with aggressive behavior problems.