Clinifal Features of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Outpatients

This study aims to investigate the domographic characteristics, main clinical problems, diagnoses and treatments of child and adolescent psychiatric outpatients.

The statistical analyses were based on the clinical reports and medical records of 111 child and adolescent psychiatric patients who wisited to the outpatient clinic during current 6 months.

1)The sex ratio(male : female) of these 111 patients was 1.1:1 and the most frequent age group was adolescent period(13-18 years of age). In sibling order, the first born child was more prevalent. Almost all the patients had both parents and was accompanied by a mother on the first visit. The most living place of the patients was in Seoul. 2) The main problems visiting our coinic were in following order : somatic symptoms, learning problems, anxiety, fear & restlessness, attention deficits, conduct problems and substance abuse etc. 3) Diagnostic distribution of the patients was in following order : conduct disorder, mood disorder, organic mental disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety disorder etc. 4) The patients who visited to the outpatient coinic above 5 times were more frequent. The more frequently used method for treatments was in the sequence of pharmacotherapy combined with psychotherapy and behavior therapy.

These results suggest that the necessity of the space of special therapy(such as play and behavior therapy) for the children and division of child and adolescent psychiatry is very important in current situation.