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Abstract
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VioLit summary:
OBJECTIVE:
The aim of this paper by Schmideberg was to report the efforts of a psychiatrist in the treatment of a juvenile psychopath.
METHODOLOGY:
The author employed a non-experimental case-study design to report her methods of treatment of a young adolescent who had been referred to her with a diagnosis of psychopathology. A 16 year old South American boy, Juan, was referred with a history of destructive and disruptive behavior, with a passive and indulgent mother and a hostile and explosive father.
FINDINGS/DISCUSSION:
The author made every effort to establish and maintain friendly contact with her patient. Believing in the importance of working with a patient's family, she met with the boy's father, and emphasized the importance of his appreciation of any improvement his son would make, as well as the need to treat Juan better. The author tried to explain to her patient why certain behaviors were wrong and unacceptable, as no-one had done this for him before. She tried to teach him consideration and respect for others by showing him consideration and affection herself - Juan had no examples of appropriate behavior and values from his family. She tried to see things from Juan's point of view, and was constantly reducing his anxiety and unconscious hostility. The author was sympathetic towards Juan, providing him with personal contact and friendship, and helping him to learn in an adult way. She firmly believed that he was not psychopathic. Juan was treated every day for nine months, and then for one month two years later. As Juan improved, so did his family. Ten years later, the author received a letter from Juan, telling her about how normal his life had become - to the point where he was going to marry. The author concluded that Juan had normalized to an extent that, when she had first met him, would have seemed extremely unlikely.
EVALUATION:
The author presents an insightful and interesting account of her efforts at rehabilitating an adolescent who was considered to be beyond help. Discussion of implications of her work would have provided a valuable follow-up to her report, as would have thoughts about the generalizability of these efforts to other patients she encountered. Nonetheless, the paper provides a hopeful examination of the success that can be achieved with the type of people that are often neglected by society and considered to be too difficult to deal with. (CSPV Abstract - Copyright © 1992-2007 by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, Regents of the University of Colorado)
KW - Countries Other Than USA
KW - South America
KW - Family Relations
KW - Parent Child Relations
KW - Juvenile Offender
KW - Juvenile Male
KW - Juvenile Violence
KW - Juvenile Treatment
KW - Juvenile Psychopathology
KW - Male Violence
KW - Male Offender
KW - Offender Treatment
KW - Offender Psychopathology
KW - Psychopathology Treatment
KW - Family Environment
KW - Mental Health Treatment
KW - Mental Illness
KW - Mentally Ill Juvenile
KW - Mentally Ill Offender
KW - Offender Rehabilitation
KW - Violence Treatment
KW - Violence Intervention
KW - Case Studies
KW - Hispanic Juvenile
KW - Hispanic Male
KW - Hispanic Violence
KW - Hispanic Offender
KW - Offender Characteristics
Language: en |