Abstract
Admission, discharge, and follow-up evaluations of 110 children admitted to a child psychiatric unit (mean 14 days) showed that the children's psychological functioning improved significantly during hospitalization. Gains were not fully maintained at follow-up (1 and 6 months), but the children were still significantly less impaired after discharge that at admission. A nonsignificant difference existed between follow-up scores, indicating no loss of progress or decline in functioning from 1- to 6-month follow-up. The results are consistent with an ABA (A = no inpatient intervention, B = inpatient intervention, A = no inpatient intervention) treatment effect. They are not explained by removal from and return to an unsatisfactory home environment. Psychological functioning after admission was significantly better than after 1 to 6 months of post-discharge psychiatric services. This study offers a clinically feasible approach to evidence-based practice by documenting patient improvement during and after inpatient treatment using a simple, empirically supported assessment instrument.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Sourander A, Helenius H, Leijala H, et al. Predictors of outcome of short-term child psychiatric inpatient treatment.European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 1996;5:75–82.
Stout C. An examination of inpatient treatment outcome and follow-up of a psychiatric children's unit. In: Squire MB, Stout CE, Rubin DH, eds.Current Advances in Inpatient Psychiatric Care: A Handbook. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press; 1993:185–214.
Fineberg BL, Kettlewell PW, Sowards SK. An evaluation of adolescent inpatient services.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 1982;52:337–345.
Kazdin AE, Bass D. Parent, teacher, and hospital staff evaluations of severely disturbed children.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 1988;25:512–523.
Klinge V, Piggott L, Knitter E, et al. A follow-up study of psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents.Adolescence. 1986;21:697–701.
Oliver JPJ, Knight DJ. An evaluation of an inpatient psychiatric unit for children.Child: Care, Health and Development. 1984;10:141–155.
Gerardot RJ, Thyer BA, Mabe PA, et al. The effects of psychiatric hospitalization on behaviorally disordered children: a preliminary evaluation.The Psychiatric Hospital. 1992;23:65–68.
Robinson RM, Powers JM, Cleveland PH. Inpatient psychiatric treatment for depressed children and adolescents: preliminary evaluations.The Psychiatric Hospital. 1990;21:107–112.
Sourander A, Heikkila T, Leijala H, et al. Follow-up of short-term child psychiatric inpatient treatment.Nordic Journal of Psychiatry. 1995;49:95–101.
Sourander A, Helenius H, Piha J. Outcome of short-term child psychiatric hospitalization: teacher evaluation at 5-month and 12-month follow-up.European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 1996;5:204–211.
Sourander A, Piha J. Three-year follow-up of child psychiatric inpatient treatment.European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 1998;7:153–162.
Dalton R, Forman MA. Efficacy studies: a review. In: Dalton R, Forman MA, eds.Psychiatric Hospitalization of School-Age Children. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press; 1992:15–23.
Pfeiffer SI, Strzelecki SC. Inpatient psychiatric treatment of children and adolescents: a review of outcome studies.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 1990;29:847–853.
Mayes SD, Calhoun SL, Krecko VF, et al. Outcome following child psychiatric hospitalization. Paper presented at annual meeting of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Anaheim, CA. October 1998.
Bird HR, Shaffer D, Fisher P, et al. The Columbia Impairment Scale (CIS): pilot findings on a measure of global impairment for children and adolescents.International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research. 1993;3:167–176.
Leslie DL, Rosenheck R. Changes in inpatient mental health utilization and costs in a privately insured population, 1993 to 1995.Medical Care. 1999;37:457–468.
Wickizer TM, Lessler D. Do treatment restrictions imposed by utilization management increase the likelihood of readmission for psychiatric patients?Medical Care. 1998;36:844–850.
American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 4th ed. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 1995.
Rey JM, Singh M, Hung S, et al. A global scale to measure the quality of the family environment.Archives of General Psychiatry. 1997;54:817–822.
Shaffer D, Gould MS, Brasic J, et al. A Children's Global Assessment Scale (CGAS).Archives of General Psychiatry. 1983;40:1228–1231.
Mayes SD, Krecko VF, Calhoun SL, et al. Variables related to outcome following child psychiatric hospitalization.Comprehensive Psychiatry. Manuscript submitted for publication.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mayes, S.D., Calhoun, S.L., Krecko, V.F. et al. Outcome following child psychiatric hospitalization. The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research 28, 96–103 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02287238
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02287238