Predicting hospitalization in child psychiatry: The influence of diagnosis and demographic variables

The case records of 849 children seen at the University of Michigan Children's Psychiatric Hospital have been examined to determine which factors are associated with hospitalization. Of all variables considered, diagnosis proved to be the single best predictor of hospitalization. This relationship was moderated by age, sex, social class, and the presence or absence of environmental stress. Of note was the decreased likelihood of hospitalization among 11-12 year old children with psychotic disorders, and the decreased likelihood for children with psychophysiologic disorders to be hospitalized at the 13 and older age group. Environmental stress was most strongly associated with children hospitalized with developmental and psychophysiologic disorders. Sex was not associated with the hospitalization status of children with personality disorders, while girls were more likely than boys to be hospitalized with psychophysiologic and developmental disorders, and boys more likely to be hospitalized with neurotic and psychotic disorders. Finally with respect to social class, there was an increased likelihood of hospitalization for those with personality and psychotic disorders as social class fell from managerial to blue collar to unskilled/unemployed. A curvilinear relationship between social class and hospitalization was found for those with psychophysiologic disorders.