A comparison of two types of psychiatric hospitalization for adolescents

Typescript (photocopy).The present investigation was to determine the academic achievement of two groups of inpatient adolescents three to six years after discharge. One group had not received structured educational curriculum during treatment while the other group attended a traditional education program in the hospital. Comparisons were made to evaluate differences at follow-up. The second objective was to compare patients' social adjustment three to six years later with place of discharge from the hospitals. Traditional viewpoint in adolescent psychology and psychiatry usually urge families to reconcile and live together following residential treatment. The final objective was to evaluate predictive variables that relate to treatment programs and their patients with rated adjustment at follow-up. The methodological process was primarily correlational and comparison of means. The two treatment groups included the entire patient population discharged in the years 1974 through 1977 from two very different psychiatric hospitals. Only patients who remained in treatment for at least six months were included in the study. These included 71 patients from Discovery Hospital and 56 patients from John Sealy Hospital, Graves Unit. Length of stay ranged from six months to 20 months of treatment, and follow-up reports were made three to six years following discharge. A social adjustment scale was developd to rate four categories of adjustment: work/school, family relationship, social relationships, and community relations. Severity of chemical abuse was evaluated at time of follow-up and educational achievement was rated. ..