Psychiatric hospitalization of adolescents for conduct disorder

OBJECTIVE: The authors' goal was to review current published literature on the psychiatric hospitalization of adolescents with a diagnosis of conduct disorder. METHODS: The English-language literature from 1980 to 1991 cited in the MEDLINE database was searched using the key words conduct disorder, adolescent psychiatric hospitalization, psychiatric hospitalization criteria, adolescent psychiatric inpatient hospitalization, and adolescent psychiatric admissions. RESULTS: A diagnosis of conduct disorder or presenting symptoms and behaviors consistent with that diagnosis are commonly reported for adolescent psychiatric admissions. Estimates of the percentage of admissions to psychiatric inpatient treatment facilities of adolescents with conduct disorder or symptoms consistent with that disorder range from 30 to 70 percent. There are no research-based criteria for hospitalization of adolescents for conduct disorder, and systematic studies of the outcome of psychiatric hospitalization for this group have not been published. Comorbid psychiatric diagnoses and similar behavioral symptoms in conduct disorder and comorbid disorders complicate inpatient treatment of adolescents with conduct disorder. CONCLUSIONS: Studies of the outcome of psychiatric hospitalization of adolescents for conduct disorder are needed to determine the appropriate use of this modality.