[Operationalized psychodynamic diagnosis in childhood and adolescence--a contribution to quality assurance]

Adopting a therapeutic view on diagnosis in child and adolescent psychiatry a psychodynamic diagnostic manual seems to be necessary, that may provide reliability in the assessment of intrapsychic processes. Multiaxial diagnosis of children's and adolescent's psychiatric disturbances may thus be completed with additional psychodynamic assessment procedures. In adults an operationalized procedure of psychodynamic assessment (OPD) already exists. In child and adolescent psychiatry a working group for psychodynamic diagnostic (OPD-KJ) has been founded. In 4 areas (subjective experiences of disturbances, relationships, intrapsychic conflicts and psychic structure) diagnostic manuals are being worked out. Fundamental questions of developmental psychopathology and diagnostic procedures have to be addressed. The basic proposition takes into account that children should not be psychodynamically compared with adults, but normally have a basic capacity to adapt to environment on a high level of psychic organisation in all developmental stages. Reports of the ongoing work are being given.