Youth aged 16–25 years with severe and enduring mental health problems (SEMHP) who receive treatment in child-and-adolescent psychiatry often experience multiple, overlapping mental health problems that affect various domains of their lives and fall outside traditional classifications. These mental health problems may include trauma, anxiety, depression, suicidality, and profound hopelessness. Many of these youth drop out of school and become trapped within fragmented care systems. Due to the number of problems they face, they are frequently labeled as “too complex” and are excluded from both treatment programs and scientific research. Consequently, knowledge about this population and effective support remains limited.
This dissertation seeks to deepen understanding of the characteristics of youth with SEMHP in child-and-adolescent psychiatry by integrating the perspectives of youth, caregivers, and clinicians. Using an explorative mixed-methods design, we first...
Show moreYouth aged 16–25 years with severe and enduring mental health problems (SEMHP) who receive treatment in child-and-adolescent psychiatry often experience multiple, overlapping mental health problems that affect various domains of their lives and fall outside traditional classifications. These mental health problems may include trauma, anxiety, depression, suicidality, and profound hopelessness. Many of these youth drop out of school and become trapped within fragmented care systems. Due to the number of problems they face, they are frequently labeled as “too complex” and are excluded from both treatment programs and scientific research. Consequently, knowledge about this population and effective support remains limited.
This dissertation seeks to deepen understanding of the characteristics of youth with SEMHP in child-and-adolescent psychiatry by integrating the perspectives of youth, caregivers, and clinicians. Using an explorative mixed-methods design, we first conducted a systematic review of the international literature to identify biopsychosocial factors contributing to the development and continuation of SEMHP. Next, a qualitative study explored how SEMHP manifest in clinical practice, followed by a quantitative survey to validate these findings in a larger sample. Finally, we explored how SEMHP characteristics are recognized and assessed within current diagnostic practices in child-and-adolescent psychiatry.
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