Differences between girls and boys admitted to a child psychiatry ward

Forty-one girls consecutively admitted to a child psychiatric ward were compared with a similar series of boys. The girls were referred for somatic symptoms more often than the boys, and more often complained of spells, abdominal pain and loss of appetite. Fighting and poor concentration were more common among the boys. Fewer girls than boys were diagnosed as having conduct disorder, while more had anorexia nervosa. The combination of somatic complaints and conduct problems occurred only in the girls. The authors believe that some of these patients may have had hysteria. The backgrounds of the two groups were remarkably similar but conduct disorder in the girls was not associated with alcoholism or antisocial behavior in their parents. On the other hand more girls seemed to have experienced psychological stresses that might have precipitated their disorders.