Original scientific paper

Do We Need the »Adolescent Crisis« Diagnosis?

Ana Dvornik-Radica
Vlasta Rudan
Vesna Jureša
Davor Ivanković
Mirjana Rumboldt
Elvira Smoje
Davorka Vrdoljak
Nataša Mrduljaš-Đujić

Abstract

The aim of the study was to examine patients in adolescent crisis at the beginning of treatment and after a period of 12
months in order to evaluate the relative diagnostic and therapeutic validity. The study included 153 Split University students
in adolescent crisis; 90 of them were treated by counseling and 63 served as controls. For diagnosis, Hampstead index
and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) multiaxial evaluation were
used, allowing a wider insight into personal functioning. The study sample was split in 7 significantly different diagnostic
subgroups. The counseling-treated examinees had better personality functioning after 12 months, but did not differ
significantly from the control group. Some of their single functions were more severely disturbed at the very beginning.
Counseling is a valuable therapeutic and diagnostic tool for adolescent crisis. The assessment must evaluate the
entire person, because looking at only one aspect, due to different development and its place, a wrong conclusion may be
reached. The »adolescents crisis« entity is clinically relevant.

Keywords

students; adolescent crisis; counseling

Hrčak ID:

27572

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/27572

Publication date:

12.5.2006.

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