The new Eysenck Personality Questionnaire was administered to 441 male and 441 female subjects, 63 in each of seven groups (normal, criminal, schizophrenic, endogenous depressive, personality disorder, anxiety state, reactive depression). Means and SDs are reported for the groups, and a discriminant function analysis was performed to estimate the relative positions of the groups in three-dimensional space. The groups were significantly separated (1) along a dimension ranging from normality to abnormality, (2) a dimension ranging from neurotic to psychotic, and (3) a dimension ranging from antisocial behaviour to socialized behaviour. The results are interpreted as showing that personality traits characterize psychiatric groups in a manner not dissimilar to that in which they are characterized by “signs and symptoms” and suggesting that dimensional description of psychiatric abnormality may be superior to categorical nosology.

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SummaryThis article outlines the rationale for dedicated specialist services for high-risk young people about whom there may be family or professional concerns in relation to mental disorder. It provides an overview of the development and remit of such services and emphasises the need for them to form part of overall service provision for children and young people.Learning Objectives• Greater understanding of the scope and emphasis of forensic child and adolescent mental health services (FCAMHS)• Greater understanding of the different statutory jurisdictions that frequently apply in the cases of high-risk young people• Greater understanding of the importance of initial service accessibility for concerned professionals and for authoritative understanding by FCAMHS of the wide variety of circumstances in which high-risk young people may find themselves

There has been increased research in recent years on incidents within adolescent inpatient psychiatric units, although findings to date have been somewhat inconsistent. We analysed all reported incidents by 37 consecutively discharged patients from a mixed sex adolescent forensic hospital. Findings include a very high overall rate of incidents. A small number of female patients with emerging emotionally unstable personality disorder accounted for the majority of violent incidents and other incidents. Almost all the patients assaulted someone during their admission. Patients on civil sections of the Mental Health Act had just as many incidents as patients on forensic sections. The vast majority of assaults were on staff. Peak times for incidents were the end of each day when education sessions were timetabled and the beginning of the night shift.

Children and young people in contact with forensic child and adolescent mental health services present with more complex needs than young people in the general population. Recent policy in child and adolescent mental health has led to the implementation of new workstreams and programmes to improve service provision. This research examines the characteristics of children and young people referred to recently commissioned Community Forensic Child and Adolescent Services (F:CAMHS) and service activity during the first 24 months of service. The study is a national cohort study to describe the population and investigate service provision and access across England. Secondary data on 1311 advice cases and 1406 referrals are included in analysis. Findings show that 71.9% of the sample had accessed mainstream CAMHS before their referral, 50.9% had experienced/witnessed multiple traumatic events and 58.4% of young people presented with multiple difficulties. The results of the study highlight the complexity of the cohort and a need for interagency trauma-informed working. This is the first study to describe the characteristics of children and young people referred to Community F:CAMHS and provides valuable information on pathways and needs to inform service policy and provision.