From Childhood to Adulthood, a Longitudinal Study

In Sweden there are prospective and longitudinal studies describing child and adolescent psychiatry (CAP) patients in different time periods, from 1928 until today. The book describes 1,400 Swedish CAP-patients and their outcome as adults. Psychosocial risk factors and social maladjustment in childhood seem to be important predictors of early death. An increased risk of later criminality is hypothetically the result of rising alcohol consumption, the comorbid use of illegal drugs, and changes in the organization of child social welfare work, the school system, and CAP-methods that has occurred since 1970. Patients with onset of schizophrenia before 13-17 years of age showed typical symptoms upon admission to CAP while late-onset psychosis could not be predicted from information gathered during CAP care. There is a group of patients treated in paediatrics and in CAP before becoming later patients in general psychiatry. These patients can most likely be identified during childhood if a closer collaboration is developed between paediatrics and CAP-services. Improved co-operation between the psychiatric settings and other authorities influencing mental well being is also required.