Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10620/18551
Longitudinal Study: LSIC
Title: Characteristics and treatment outcomes of children and adolescents accessing treatment in Child and Youth Mental Health Services
Authors: Lu, Zhen Qi
de Geus, Hanna
Roest, Sanna
Payne, Leanne
Krishnamoorthy, Govind
Littlewood, Robyn
Hoyland, Margaret
Stathis, Stephen
Bor, William
Middeldorp, Christel M
Publication Date: 3-Feb-2022
Journal: Early intervention in psychiatry
Abstract: To provide insight into the characteristics and treatment outcomes of children and adolescents accessing outpatient Child and Youth Mental Health Services (CYMHS), and to explore whether outcomes differ by age, sex, and ancestry background. This information can guide how to optimize the treatment delivered at these services. An observational retrospective study was performed based on data from 3098 children and adolescents between age 5 and 18 who received treatment at Brisbane, Australia, community CYMHS between 2013-2018. Patient characteristics, service use, and clinician and parent rated Routine Outcome Measures (ROM) were extracted from electronic health records. Anxiety and mood disorders were the most common mental disorders (37% and 19%). In 1315 children and adolescents (42%), two or more disorders were diagnosed, and the far majority (88%) had experienced at least one psychosocial stressor. The ROM scores improved between start and end of treatment with Cohen's d effect sizes of around 0.9. However, ~50% of the children still scored in the clinical range at the end of treatment. Outcomes did not differ over gender and Indigenous status. Children and adolescents accessing CYMHS have severe and complex mental disorders as reflected by high rates of comorbidity, exposure to adverse circumstances and high symptom scores at the start of treatment. Despite the clinically relevant and substantial improvement, end ROM scores indicated the presence of residual symptoms. As this increases the risk for relapse, services should explore ways to improve treatment to further reduce mental health symptoms.
DOI: 10.1111/eip.13275
URL: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/eip.13275
Research collection: Journal Articles
Appears in Collections:Journal Articles

Show full item record

Page view(s)

92
checked on Mar 29, 2024

Download(s)

34
checked on Mar 29, 2024
Google icon

Google ScholarTM

Check

Altmetric


Items in DSpace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.