Objective: The aim was to investigate predictors of hospitalization of adolescents with conduct disorder (CD) seen in emergency service of a mental health hospital.
Method: Patients were evaluated retrospectively by age, gender, school status, family structure, presenting symptoms and their duration, comorbid psychiatric diagnoses, prior emergency service or outpatient clinic use, prior psychiatric hospitalization and family history of any mental disorder, according to first presentation during a 6-month period.
Results: Mean age was 15.69±1.26 (12-17) years. Of the total of 144 patients, 61.8% (n=89) were female and 50 (34.7%) were hospitalized. Adolescents admitted to the inpatient unit presented significantly more often with suicidal ideation, had longer symptom duration, and were more likely to have a comorbid psychiatric disorder and a family history of a psychiatric disorder compared to those not admitted. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, suicidal ideation, having a comorbid psychiatric disorder, and having family history of a mental disorder predicted admission to the psychiatric inpatient unit.
Conclusion: Clinicians in emergency settings should be aware of the prediction of hospitalization in adolescents with CD who have suicidal ideation, a comorbid psychiatric disorder and family history of a mental disorder. Suicide attempt seems to have an indirect effect, rather than a direct effect, on the prediction of hospitalization in youths with CD.
Key words: Adolescent, conduct disorder, emergency, hospitalization, predictor
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