[The Prevalence of Mental Disorders Among Care Leavers].

The Prevalence of Mental Disorders Among Care Leavers Abstract:

Objective

Formerly out-of-home placed young adults (i. e., care leavers) were exposed to a variety of cumulative psychosocial stress factors during their childhood. However, the knowledge about the prevalence of mental disorders among care leavers in German-speaking countries is scarce. This article addresses the prevalence of mental disorders among care leavers and discusses the implications for care systems. Method: Mental disorders, including personality disorders, were assessed using structured clinical interviews among 175 Swiss care leavers (mean age = 26.53 years, 32.00 % women). Descriptive information was presented as absolute and relative frequencies, and correlations and group comparisons were calculated using t-tests and χ2-tests.

Results

58.29 % of participants met the diagnostic criteria for at least one mental disorder, with substance use disorders (37.71 %), personality disorders (35.43 %), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (19.43 %) being the most common diagnoses. In comparison, women were more likely to have anxiety disorders and Cluster C personality disorders, while men were more likely to have alcohol use disorders.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that approximately half of the Swiss care leavers meet the criteria for the diagnosis of at least one mental disorder in young adulthood. Young adulthood thus represents a sensitive phase for care leavers regarding mental disorders - similar to their peers in the general population. This poses a challenge for residential care institutions and psychiatric care systems to design and further expand preventive services for care leavers with high mental health burdens throughout the transition to adulthood.