Schizophrenia in children and adolescents. An investigation of 305 consecutive inpatient treatment cases

This paper analyses sociodemographic, clinical, and descriptive data and data concerning cooperation in a sample of 305 consecutively treated inpatients with schizophrenia. The data of this group were compared with those from two other diagnostic groups (affective disorders, n = 318; conduct disorders, n = 982) who were treated as inpatients at the same time. Schizophrenic patients were significantly older at admittance (mean 17.6 years) than patients in the other two diagnostic groups (affective disorders 15.9 years, conduct disorders 13.1 years). On average,the inpatient treatment stay was longer in schizophrenic patients (by approximately I month) than in both of the other groups,and dropout was less frequent (5% vs 9% in affective disorders and 11% in conduct disorders). The treatment of the three patient groups was based on a multidimensional program following a model including five components: individual psychotherapy, family-centered measures, functional therapies, sociotherapeutic measures, and medication.