The research sample included 28 in-patients adolescents (n=28) and whose demographic data included the following. The patients were male or female with gender identification as trans-male, cis-male, cis-female, and gender fluid. The participants’ ages ranged from 13 to 17 years old. The race of the participants included White (n=15), Afro-Lantinx (n=1), Latinx (n=5), Mixed (W+Blk.) (n=1), Mixed (W+His.) (n=1), African-Am./Black (n=2), Chinese Korean (n=1), Arabic (n=1), Mixed (W+Afghani) (n=1). The reported diagnoses were major depressive disorder (MDD) alone or combined with other disorders. The research also collected data regarding the status of patient’s admission as either voluntary or involuntary. The following graphs summarize the descriptive statistics.
Figure 1: Sex
Figure 2: Gender
Figure 3: Age
Figure 4: Race
Figure 5: Admission Status
Figure 6: Diagnosis
The following table shows the correlations results for the variables in the study. It indicates none of the correlations were significant p<0.05, except for the relationship of sex and gender variables a negative moderation correlation r = -0.474.
Table 1: Correlations
Correlations
Sex
Gender
Age
Race
Diagnosis
Admit. Status
Sex
Pearson Correlation
1
-.474*
.294
-.216
.060
.309
Sig. (2-tailed)
.011
.129
.269
.762
.110
N
28
28
28
28
28
28
Gender
Pearson Correlation
-.474*
1
-.216
.265
.156
-.079
Sig. (2-tailed)
.011
.269
.174
.427
.688
N
28
28
28
28
28
28
Age
Pearson Correlation
.294
-.216
1
.187
.167
-.031
Sig. (2-tailed)
.129
.269
.340
.394
.875
N
28
28
28
28
28
28
Race
Pearson Correlation
-.216
.265
.187
1
.103
-.043
Sig. (2-tailed)
.269
.174
.340
.603
.827
N
28
28
28
28
28
28
Diagnosis
Pearson Correlation
.060
.156
.167
.103
1
.158
Sig. (2-tailed)
.762
.427
.394
.603
.421
N
28
28
28
28
28
28
Admit. Status
Pearson Correlation
.309
-.079
-.031
-.043
.158
1
Sig. (2-tailed)
.110
.688
.875
.827
.421
N
28
28
28
28
28
28
Analysis of Findings
Findings show that a majority of the participants had MDD, which stands for major depressive disorder. The classification of disorders follows a range of characteristics including the chronicity, characteristics, and symptoms. The different disorders noted in the research vary in their qualitative differences as shown by the symptoms. Somatic symptoms are those dealing with bodily sensations affecting the individual and they can be unpleasant and worrisome (Kapfhammer 2006).
The diagnosis results showed a mix in the distribution of mental problems affecting the adolescent participants. Notably, five of the diagnoses had significant physical manifestation that is notable by the changes in the behavior of the patient. These five diagnoses were GAD+PTSD, ADHD + Schizophrenia, Autism + Explosive Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, and ADHD + Anxiety + Bipolar Disorder + Depression + Deregulation Disorder.
The diagnoses occurred in one instance each to indicate a low prevalence in the studied sample. However, they collectively represent about 18% of the total diagnoses. Therefore, the interpretations of the findings from the studied sample are that only 18% of inpatient adolescent population aged between 13 and 17 years are likely to have mental disorders associated with severe physical characteristics that could be fatal to the patients and people around them.
The practical implications of these findings are that many inpatients adolescents will need significant medical attention to prevent them from sliding into the more serious cases mental illness. Health practitioners should focus more on diagnoses and care of the adolescent patients to prevent their slide towards the dangerous diagnoses.
References
Kapfhammer, H.-P. (2006). Somatic symptoms in depression. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 8(2), 227–39.
