Psychiatric outcomes following severe deprivation in early childhood: Follow-up of a randomized controlled trial at age 16.

Objective: Early psychosocial deprivation is associated with increased risk for psychopathology, yet few studies have examined outcomes in adolescents. Method: At baseline (M age 22 months), 136 children from Bucharest, Romania, living in large institutions, were randomized into foster care (FCG) or to care as usual (CAUG). Caregivers completed psychiatric interviews regarding their children (52 FCG; 51 CAUG) at age 16 years (M = 16.67 years; SD = 0.78) to assess past year diagnoses and symptom counts. In addition, never-institutionalized community comparison children (n = 47) were included. Results: Ever-institutionalized children had higher rates of meeting criteria for any psychiatric disorder and higher symptom counts of internalizing, externalizing, attention-deficit/hyperactivity, and substance use disorders compared to never-institutionalized children (ps
Source: Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research