Age as a factor in identifying young adult chronic patients who are difficult to treat

Age younger than 35 years has been used as a factor in identifying young adult chronic mentally ill patients, a group considered difficult to treat due to their rebelliousness, lack of insight about their mental illness, and increased likelihood of showing symptoms of borderline or antisocial personality disorder. In a sample of psychiatric outpatients, the authors found that a subgroup of patients under age 35 fit this profile, while other patients under age 35 and nearly all patients over age 35 did not. The authors conclude that age is a legitimate factor in identifying a subgroup of challenging patients and that such patients may outgrow many troublesome characteristics as they age.