CHILDRENS BEHAVIORAL ADAPTATION EARLY IN PSYCHIATRIC-HOSPITALIZATION

Behavioral patterns over time were assessed during the first 24 days o f hospitalization for 98 child psychiatric inpatients. Staff completed daily behavioral monitoring and ratings. Patients were categorized as improved, unchanged or deteriorated during this time. Thirty-four per cent of patients initially exhibited well-controlled behavior, but the n significantly worsened after a period averaging 6.8 days. This resul t empirically supports the ''honeymoon'' phenomenon, Other patients sh owed either improvement during the initial period (15%), no change (30 %), or could not be reliably classified (21%). Therefore, many child i npatients show rapid symptom stabilization after admission, but a larg e number then worsen. Clinical, scientific and administrative implicat ions of these results are discussed.