High-risk adolescents admitted to acute inpatient psychiatric care: a retrospective clinical analysis of severe externalizing psychopathology and readmission

High-risk adolescents admitted to acute inpatient psychiatric care exhibit an exceptionally high burden of psychiatric disorders, dominated by severe externalizing and substance-related conditions. The findings suggest that acute hospitalization in this population reflects cumulative developmental and psychosocial vulnerability rather than isolated behavioral crises. These results underscore the need for integrated, trauma-informed, and developmentally sensitive psychiatric care pathways, with particular emphasis on early identification, continuity of care, and relapse prevention in clinically unstable adolescents.