A retrospective study of adolescents' visits to a general hospital psychiatric emergency service

Characteristics of 100 visits by adolescents (less than 18 years old) to a psychiatric emergency service were examined and compared with those of 100 visits by adults. Adolescents were less likely than adults to receive diagnoses of psychosis and personality disorder but more likely to receive diagnoses of adjustment and conduct disorders, were less likely to have had previous psychiatric treatment but equally likely (40%) to be in current-treatment, and required more time to evaluate. Self-destructive ideation or behavior was present in 40% of the adolescents. Nearly all visits were judged to have represented genuine emergencies.