The authors compared the psychiatric symptoms, socioeconomic status,
family structure, family size, and occurrence of treated parental mental
illness in 136 children referred to a juvenile court and 82 children
referred to a child guidance clinic. The prevalence of psychiatric and
organic symptoms and treated parental psychopathology in both groups of
children did not differ significantly. Juvenile court clinic children,
however, tended to come from larger families and to lack a biological
mother in the home. The authors explore explanations for the routing of
sick children to the juvenile court rather than to a treatment
facility.Abstract Teaser