Keywords
forensic case
mental health
evaluation
How to Cite
Abstract
Objective: Evaluation of the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of children and adolescents referred to Karabük Education and Research Hospital Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Diseases outpatient clinic as forensic cases.
Methods: The ethical approval for the study was obtained from the Non-Interventional Ethics Committee of Karabük University with the decision dated April 16, 2025, and numbered 2025/2203. The files of all cases that applied to the Karabük University Education and Research Hospital Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Diseases outpatient clinic as forensic cases between January 2020 and December 2024 were retrospectively examined and 51 cases with complete information in their files were included in the study.
Results: The mean age was obtained as 14.19±2.69. 26 of the cases were male and 25 were female. While 38 of the cases (74.5%) were attending any educational institution, 13 of them (25.5%) were not continuing their education. 42 of the cases (82.4%) were living with their families. 23 of the cases (45.1%) were referred for psychiatric evaluations, and 13 of them (25.5%) were referred for evaluation of whether they were aware and discerning. While 26 of the cases (51%) did not have any psychiatric disorders, 25 of them (49%) had psychiatric disorders. The most common psychiatric disorder was determined to be Mental Retardation. Mental Retardation was determined in 8 of the cases (15.7%).
Conclusion: In children and adolescents referred as forensic cases, socioeconomic risk factors, psychiatric difficulties, and difficulties related to continuing education are at the forefront.
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