Diagnostic Continuity From Preschool to Middle Childhood

Results indicated that children with developmental delay or ADD were most likely to receive the same diagnosis at follow-up, whereas conduct-type and neurotic children showed less diagnostic stability.

Abstract

Most previous studies of preschool outcome have examined a limited range of psychiatric disorders and have used short-term follow-up intervals. The present investigation reports on the 5-year diagnostic and symptom outcome of 98 children who attended a therapeutic preschool program. Time I diagnoses, based on DSM-III criteria, fell into five broad categories: no Axis I diagnosis, conduct-type disorders, attention deficit disorder (ADD), emotional disorders, and developmental delay. Results indicated that children with developmental delay or ADD were most likely to receive the same diagnosis at follow-up, whereas conduct-type and neurotic children showed less diagnostic stability. Most previous studies of preschool outcome have examined a limited range of psychiatric disorders and have used short-term follow-up intervals. The present investigation reports on the 5-year diagnostic and symptom outcome of 98 children who attended a therapeutic preschool program. Time I diagnoses, based on DSM-III criteria, fell into five broad categories: no Axis I diagnosis, conduct-type disorders, attention deficit disorder (ADD), emotional disorders, and developmental delay. Results indicated that children with developmental delay or ADD were most likely to receive the same diagnosis at follow-up, whereas conduct-type and neurotic children showed less diagnostic stability.