SCREENING FOR PSYCHOSOCIAL DYSFUNCTION IN PEDIATRIC INPATIENTS

Screening pediatric inpatients for psychosocial dysfunction offers phy sicians an opportunity to identify emotional and behavioral problems t hat might otherwise go unrecognized. In this study, the Pediatric Symp tom Checklist (PSC), a brief, parent-completed questionnaire, which ha s been validated in a variety of outpatient settings, was used to scre en 98 pediatric inpatients. Results indicated that the PSC can be easi ly administered in a busy inpatient setting and is well-tolerated by b oth house staff and patients' parents as a routine part of the admissi ons process. The percentage of children who screened positive with the PSC in this inpatient setting was similar to the percentages generate d by using the PSC in outpatient settings. Routine use of the PSC in i npatient settings serves to heighten house staff awareness of psychoso cial concerns and facilitate parent-physician discussion of pediatric mental health issues.