SIGNIFICANT BIOLOGICAL STRESSORS AMONG THE ADOLESCENT DELINQUENTS SEEMED TO BE: (1) INBORN ERRORS OF METABOLISM, CONSTITUTIONAL INADEQUACY, MALABSORPTION SYNDROME, OR FRANK MALNUTRITION; (2) METAL TOXICITY; (3) CHRONIC ANAPHYLACTOID REACTIONS WITH CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM IMPLICATIONS (ALLERGIES AFFECTING LEARNING, EMOTIONS, AND BEHAVIOR); AND (4) METABOLIC IRREGULARITIES OF UNKNOWN ETIOLOGY. NUMEROUS PSYCHOMOTOR AND PERCEPTUAL TESTS WERE ADMINISTERED, AND BIOLOGICAL, PSYCHOMOTOR, AND SOCIAL COMPETENCE WERE FOUND TO BE HIGHLY CORRELATED. DELINQUENTS DEMONSTRATED CHARACTERISTICS OF CHRONIC HIGH AROUSAL OR GENERAL ADAPTATION SYNDROME. REFERRAL DIAGNOSIS OF ADOLESCENTS UPON ENTRY TO THE RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT CENTER WAS RELATED TO PATIENT SOURCE RATHER THAN TO ILLNESS DYNAMICS. CHILDREN FROM COURTS TENDED TO BE DIAGNOSED AS CHARACTER DISORDERS AND PSYCHOPATHS, WHILE CHILDREN FROM PRIVATE THERAPISTS AND PARENTS TENDED TO BE DIAGNOSED AS SCHIZOID OR SCHIZOPHRENIC. A RE-EDUCATION ROUTINE WAS EMPLOYED WITH THE DELINQUENTS INSTEAD OF PSYCHOTHERAPY, COUNSELING, AND OTHER VERBAL INSIGHT METHODS. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THESE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE IN FACT SICK. MINOR PHYSICAL ANOMALIES WERE SEEN IN A LARGE NUMBER OF THE 229 ADMISSIONS, INDICATING A HIGH INCIDENCE OF PRENATAL AND PERINATAL STRESS AND POOR NUTRITION INHERITANCE. NEUROPHYSIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT INDICATED THE IMPACT OF CHRONIC STRESS AS RELATED TO POOR PERCEPTION, CHRONIC HIGH AROUSAL AND DISTRACTABILITY, LOW THRESHOLD FOR FATIGUE AND CONFUSION, AND POOR CONDITIONABILITY. DISTURBING YOUTH HAD A HIGHER INCIDENCE OF INBORN ERRORS RELATED TO METABOLISM THAN THE GENERAL POPULATION. METAL NUTRITION WAS DERANGED, WITH EVIDENCE OF UNUSUALLY HIGH LEAD BURDENS, HIGH COPPER, AND EXCESSIVE EXCRETION OF ZINC. THE IMMUNE SYSTEM OF THE ADOLESCENTS WAS DYSFUNCTIONAL. THERE WERE MANY ALLERGIC RESPONSES AMONG THE ADOLESCENTS AND NUMEROUS FOOD INTOLERANCES. EVIDENCE FOR ADRENAL DEPLETION WAS HIGH. TREATMENT METHODS THAT FOCUS ON THE RESTORATION OF HORMONE BALANCE, SUPPORT FOR THE ADRENALS, AND NUTRITIONAL REHABILITATION SEEM TO BE EFFECTIVE AND HAVE LONG-TERM STABILITY. SUPPORTING DATA AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)