Eight month follow-up of delinquent adolescents: predictors of short-term outcome

Clinicians working with young delinquents are concerned with finding method s to predict recidivism in these subjects. It has not been investigated yet to what extent psychiatric assessment can be of any help in this field. In this study, we investigated whether psychiatric assessment can help to p redict recidivism in already delinquent adolescents. By means of semi-struc tured psychiatric assessment (Child Assessment Schedule), developmental int erview of the parents and self-report instruments? we assessed the psychiat ric status of 72 delinquent adolescents, adjudicated before the Juvenile Co urt of Antwerp (Belgium). A follow-up of criminal status after eight months was conducted. Self-report questionnaires by the subjects did not differentiate recidivist s from non-recidivists, while parent questionnaires did. Through a semi-str uctured interview, we found that a diagnosis of conduct disorder significan tly predicts recidivism, while subjects with ADHD and substance abuse show a tendency towards more recidivism. We were unable, however, due to the sma ll number of subjects showing a psychiatric disorder (e.g. ADHD and PTSD) u nrelated to conduct disorder, to assess the relative contribution of these disorders to the recidivism rate. This study found that psychiatric assessment of delinquent adolescents coul d be of help in predicting recidivism. The necessity of gathering informati on from parents and teachers is demonstrated. Future research should includ e a more extensive group of a delinquent adolescent and should focus on the effect of therapeutic interventions.