Adolescent Psychiatry - Volume 5, Issue 3, 2015

Background: During the past two decades, research has elucidated many aspects of sleep physiology and the importance of sleep in regards to physical and mental health. According to recent epidemiological studies, most adolescents report persistent sleep difficulties that interfere with their daily functioning. Sleep quality is an important public health issue that requires adequate attention from clinicians, parents, and ed Read More

Background: Adolescence is a crucial nexus for consolidation of either pathological defenses against loneliness or the constructive and creative capacity for solitude. In order to become adults, adolescents must make a transition to authentic autonomy. Method: In this presentation the author discusses the life of the poet Leopardi and uses clinical material from the psychotherapy of an adolescent to illustrate the complexity an Read More

Background: Very little has been written in the analytic literature about loneliness, despite its ubiquity in human experience and its importance in development. Method: In this presentation the authors share clinical material from intensive treatment of an adolescent to illustrate the complexity and importance of closer examination of the phenomena of loneliness. They suggest techniques that are relevant to studying and treati Read More

Background/Goals: Mario, an eighteen year old patient, tells his therapist, “I like to talk with you because you ask me the right questions,” expressing the reasons for his interest in his own psychotherapy. What are “the right questions?” Method: This paper explores the meaning of the questions that a psychoanalyst has to ask in his own mind and in the treatment dialogue to promote the subjectivation process of the ad Read More

Background: Psychoanalytic treatment has undergone vast shifts in the last few decades, significantly influenced by the proliferation of infant research and attachment theory; since Ainsworth's seminal work much research has focused on the components of or impediments to the development of secure attachment. Stern (1985) suggests that both underattunement and overattunement can lead to insecure attach Read More

Background: Childhood mental disorders are an issue of great public health significance given their impacts on education, family relationships, and other social outcomes. Mental distress and illness, especially emotional and behavioral problems and learning difficulties, are growing among youth, increasing the need for early recognition and treatment. Stigma has been shown to be one of the strongest barriers to access to mental Read More

Objective: Art-based interventions are promising strategies to improve the well-being and adjustment of youths suffering from mental disorders, but rigorous evaluations of these interventions are scarce and warranted. This study reports on a mixed methods evaluation of the effects of All on Stage, an innovative artbased group program aimed at fostering the rehabilitation of adolescents and young adults with recently stabiliz Read More