[Childhood Experiences of Adolescents in Boarding Schools. A Comparison with Adolescents in Residential Care and with the General Population]. / Kindheitserlebnisse von Jugendlichen in Internaten. Ein Vergleich mit Jugendlichen aus Jugendhilfeeinrichtungen und der Allgemeinbevölkerung.

Childhood Experiences of Adolescents in Boarding Schools. A Comparison with Adolescents in Residential Care and with the General Population Various studies indicate that students in boarding schools experience a lot of violence during their accommodation. However, it is not proved whether adolescents in boarding schools are also a burdensome group regarding early childhood experiences such as neglect and abuse. The aim of the study was to find out more about the experiences of adolescents in boarding schools and to determine whether there are differences between adolescents in residential care and between the general population. Furthermore, it should be examined whether boys and girls differ in their experiences. In the study, adolescents of boarding schools and of residential care all over Germany, starting at the age of 15 (n = 322), were asked regarding physical and emotional neglect/abuse, light/severe parent violence, negative/positive educational behavior of the parents. The results show that students in boarding schools were less likely to be affected by childhood maltreatment and more likely to have experienced positive parental behavior compared to children in residential care. Compared to the general population, students in boarding schools were more often and more severely affected by parental violence. Moreover, girls had experienced parental violence more often than boys. The results indicate that in boarding schools there is a need for support offers for adolescents with a history of violent experiences and that the risk group should be identified directly at the admission to the school.

[Mental Disorders of Adolescents in Boarding Schools: A Germany-Wide Survey]. / Psychische Auffälligkeiten von Jugendlichen in Internaten: Eine deutschlandweite Befragung.

Mental Disorders of Adolescents in Boarding Schools: A Germany-Wide Survey Overall, research on children and adolescents in boarding schools is still scarce. Especially mental disorders of students in boarding schools have not been investigated. As part of this study, a standardized questionnaire survey helped to ask adolescents starting from the age of 15 in boarding schools about mental disorders and depressive symptoms. 169 adolescents from a total of twelve boarding schools in Germany participated in the study. The results of the present Germany-wide survey of adolescents in boarding schools show that the students are a group of rather inconspicuous adolescents, especially the group of boys. Girls show increased risk of depressive behavior and externalizing problems in comparison to the general population. Therefore, child and adolescent psychiatric care should be considered when placed in a boarding school.