Diagnostic characteristics of child psychiatric service utilizers.

Sex, age and diagnostic characteristics of a consecutive series of first contact children seen over a period of one year at a psychiatric center was analyzed Most of (he referrals were for male adolescents. "No diagnosis on Axis I" was quite common, especially in the younger age group; most of them had mental retardation. "Hysteria " was uncommon, and this was the only category which was slightly more common in girls. Manic depressive psychosis was the most common disorder among adolescents.