Matos Padilla F, Lingamchetty T, Waxmonsky JG, Baweja R. Predictors of readmission in child and adolescent psychiatry. World J Psychiatry 2026; 16(3): 113468 [DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v16.i3.113468]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Felix Matos Padilla, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Penn State College of Medicine, 500 University Drive, Hershey, PA 17033, United States. fmatospadilla@pennstatehealth.psu.edu
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Psychiatry
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Minireviews
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This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Mar 19, 2026 (publication date) through Feb 27, 2026
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Publication Name
World Journal of Psychiatry
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2220-3206
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Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Matos Padilla F, Lingamchetty T, Waxmonsky JG, Baweja R. Predictors of readmission in child and adolescent psychiatry. World J Psychiatry 2026; 16(3): 113468 [DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v16.i3.113468]
World J Psychiatry. Mar 19, 2026; 16(3): 113468 Published online Mar 19, 2026. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v16.i3.113468
Predictors of readmission in child and adolescent psychiatry
Felix Matos Padilla, Thejasvi Lingamchetty, James G Waxmonsky, Raman Baweja
Felix Matos Padilla, Thejasvi Lingamchetty, James G Waxmonsky, Raman Baweja, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, United States
Author contributions: Matos Padilla F performed the majority of writing and prepared the final graph; Matos Padilla F and Lingamchetty T contributed to the literature review; Lingamchetty T, Baweja R, and Waxmonsky JG contributed to writing; Waxmonsky JG and Baweja R contributed to editing and format. All authors approved the final version to be published.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Corresponding author: Felix Matos Padilla, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Penn State College of Medicine, 500 University Drive, Hershey, PA 17033, United States. fmatospadilla@pennstatehealth.psu.edu
Received: August 26, 2025 Revised: November 4, 2025 Accepted: December 12, 2025 Published online: March 19, 2026 Processing time: 185 Days and 11.8 Hours
Abstract
Psychiatric readmission represents the most intensive level of care, aimed at stabilizing severe psychiatric symptoms. However, many youths are readmitted soon after discharge, leading to further disruption in social, academic, and family functioning. This narrative minireview synthesizes current evidence on predictors of psychiatric readmission among youths, with the goal of informing targeted interventions to reduce readmission. A search of major databases, including PubMed and PsycINFO, was conducted for English-language studies published between 2003 and 2025. Search terms included readmission, rehospitalization, predictors, psychiatry, children, and adolescents. Multiple factors were linked to increased risk of psychiatric readmission in youths. Psychosocial risk factors included childhood adversity and trauma, family factors, and environmental factors. Clinical characteristics included diagnostic categories, suicidal ideation/suicide attempts, neurodevelopmental disorders, and substance use. Treatment-related factors included prior hospitalizations, longer length of stay, treatment non-adherence, discharge and disposition planning, and aftercare services. System-level factors and sociodemographic factors also influenced the risk of readmission. Understanding predictors of psychiatric readmission can guide targeted prevention strategies. Addressing psychosocial vulnerabilities, improving discharge planning, and enhancing access to community-based services are essential for reducing readmission among high-risk youths. Future research should systematically evaluate both risk and protective factors and develop reliable methods for predicting readmission.
Core Tip: Psychiatric readmissions among children and adolescents are common and influenced by multiple risk factors. There is no single factor that predicts readmission by itself, but some of the risk factors that have been described include prior psychiatric hospitalizations, non-compliance with treatment recommendations, and exposure to traumatic experiences. In contrast, some factors such as having a higher educational level and compliance with aftercare services appear to reduce the likelihood of readmission. Reducing psychiatric readmissions requires interdisciplinary strategies that include comprehensive aftercare planning and expanding access to outpatient resources.
