Search Results (4)

Traumatic psychosocial environments directly impact adult life. Compromised self-esteem, emotional self-regulation, and interpersonal relationships are observed, and a predisposition to the presence of mental and personality disorders is exacerbated in cases of sexual abuse. Science has presented quantitative and statistical studies on child abuse and a limited number of studies that have investigated the consequences and long-term impacts on the lives of individuals who suffered maltreatment in childhood and did not have access to forms of protection or social support after the identification of child abuse, especially in Brazil. Therefore, this case report is a qualitative study of an ideographic nature which aims to evaluate the “particular” form of abuse repercussions in the life of a 60-year-old woman, giving voice to the victim of child abuse through the process of the investigation and complex analysis of her life history and family relationships. The psychological assessment protocol included a semi-structured interview, active listening, a genogram, and a mental status examination. The results reveal the coexistence of a rigid and violent environment with the presence of physical punishment and child sexual abuse. Self-injurious episodes and suicide attempts began in adolescence. Changes in mood, changes in remote memory, negative thoughts, self-injurious behavior, suicidal ideation and attempts, clinical comorbidities, a lack of interest in romantic relationships, and the repetition of behaviors that perpetuate the cycle of abuse and violence (physical, psychological, and patrimonial) were identified. The diagnostic criteria for bipolar disorder with dependent and borderline personality traits have been established. The case requires a multi-disciplinary follow-up with the use of medication to control and remit the symptoms. Full article

Structural open adoption has been beneficial to adoptees in integrating their birth heritage and identity. Adoptive parents also may sometimes seek out others who are neither related biologically nor through partnership to support their child in developing an integrated sense of identity. To what extent do these intentional kinship relationships become incorporated within the adoptive family network and how do adoptive parents view their role in their child’s life? Qualitative data on family inclusion of non-biological and non-affinal kin are reported from interviews with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and heterosexual adoptive parents (n = 25 families). Analyses of verbal and visual data from family map drawing interviews indicated that adoptive parents from the different types of families similarly included intentional kin in their conceptualization of their child’s family. Adopted children’s foster carers, family friends, other adoptive families, and other children and adults were specifically included on family maps to facilitate children’s knowledge of different aspects of their birth heritage and adoption story. The implications of open adoption policy therefore move beyond considerations of only birth family contact. In practice, open adoption procedures convey a broad message to families that appear to widen adoptive parents’ conceptualization of kinship. Full article

An increase in extreme self-destructive and aggressive behaviors in adolescents has been observed in recent years. Therapeutic effectiveness seems to depend on an adequate recognition of factors that might increase the risk of extreme destructive behaviors. The aim of this study was to identify the family patterns that should draw therapeutic attention due to their importance for suicidal or violent behaviors in adolescent girls. The study involved 140 participants, aged 13–17, including 40 girls after suicide attempts, 40 girls using violence, and 60 girls without destructive behavior at all. The Genograms were used to assess the family structure, relationships between family members, and family projections. The data was analyzed by polynomial logistic regression, analysis of variance, and discriminant analysis. Emotional distance and hidden projections (related to diseases) were the most significant predictors of suicidal behaviors in the studied adolescent girls. Alcohol abuse by significant family members, especially by male family members, and a lesser role of hidden projections, were the most significant predictors of violent behaviors. Interventions designed to reduce risk of destructive behaviors among adolescents need to take account of the specific family patterns. Full article

Existing research suggests that embryo donation (ED) may be seen as similar to adoption by those who donate or receive embryos, or it may not. Our qualitative study explored whether having a child via embryo donation initiated kinship connections between embryo donor and recipient families as interpreted by recipient parents. Interviews were conducted with five parents from four families whose child(ren) had been born via embryo donation. All four families had an open-contact relationship set up with the couples who donated their embryos through an agency in the USA. Narrative thematic analysis of interview data and visual family map drawings were used to explore kinship conceptualizations. We conclude that the dilemma experienced by parents who have a child via embryo donation is to decide how to reconcile their child’s different genetic heritage, when gestation and upbringing both clearly boundary family membership solely within the recipient family. While some families were still struggling with this dilemma, one solution embarked upon by some parents when drawing their family map was to expand family membership, not only on the basis of genetics, but also via an appreciation of shared family and community values too. Full article