TREATMENT GOAL-PLANNING - OUTCOME FINDINGS OF A BRITISH PROSPECTIVE MULTICENTER STUDY OF ADOLESCENT INPATIENT UNITS

A set of 16 treatment goals, related to 4 areas of adolescent function ing, were defined and employed in the initial and discharge assessment s of 276 patients, admitted to 4 inpatient units, examined during a mu lti-centre prospective study of adolescent psychiatric hospitalisation s. At discharge, subjects showed a substantial improvement across all treatment goals; least improvement was observed amongst those goals mo st frequently targeted. The clinical investigators consider the treatm ent goal definitions used in this study a meaningful way of measuring psychiatric disturbances in adolescence as well as a useful measure of change in an inpatient population. Further development of the treatme nt goal definitions would produce a robust clinical and audit tool.