Psychological disturbances are common in childhood and adolescence, but only very few of those affected receive the necessary educational and therapeutic support. This book provides an overview of the symptoms and underlying psychodynamics of the various disturbances. It offers an introduction to psychoanalytic theory and the treatment of children and young people, supplemented with attachment theory and extreme traumatization and a separate chapter on sexuality, sexualization (perversion) and sexual abuse, particularly in individuals with intellectual disabilities. It discusses disturbance patterns in the neuroses, narcissistic disturbances, psychosomatic disturbances, borderline disturbances and psychoses, and speech disturbances. Each psychological disturbance is presented with a detailed example case. The discussion of each example case explores both its psychodynamics and the educational and therapeutic implications.
About the author
Prof. Evelyn Heinemann is a psychoanalyst and teaches general remedial education at the University of Mainz.
Dr. Hans Hopf is a paediatric and adolescent psychotherapist who works in the training of psychotherapists.