Transition symptom management careers: Historical patterns of mental health symptoms and service use among young adults experiencing a psychiatric crisis

Young adults access mental health services at lower rates than both older and younger age groups despite high levels of need. Mental health service use is known to be influenced by prior experiences with treatment, with episodes of symptoms and treatment producing patterns of service use over time, or what we call a “symptom management career”. This qualitative study examined the symptom management careers of 55 young adults (ages 18–25) who were admitted to an inpatient, short term, crisis stabilization unit. Participants completed research interviews at the hospital following a psychiatrist's assessment. During semi-structured qualitative interviews, participants retrospectively narrated their experiences of mental health symptoms and service use from symptom onset to the current episode. The research team used an inductive qualitative approach to identify distinct patterns of symptom management, while also examining factors that contributed to service use. Six distinct types of symptom management careers were identified based on the timing of symptom onset and service participation. Notably, none of the participants experienced an uninterrupted pattern of service use from adolescence into young adulthood. The team identified a set of themes that influenced these patterns including traumatic experiences, social supports, social service systems, and substance use. Findings highlight the developmental nature of service connection and disconnection and suggest potential points of intervention in non-specialty settings, such as schools, child welfare, and the juvenile legal system. Findings also demonstrate the need for flexible services that respond to the developmental need for autonomy and self-determination as youth transition into young adulthood.