ABSTRACT
Psychodynamic psychotherapy is effective as an approach to understanding the psychological conflicts and the psychiatric symptoms of cancer patients as well as to planning useful psychological interventions. The author recommends that the psychotherapist who treats cancer patients be familiar with the following: 1) the natural course and treatment of the illness, 2) a flexible approach in accord with the medical status of the patient, 3) a common sense approach to defenses, 4) a concern with quality-of-life issues, and 5) counter-transference issues as they relate to the treatment of very sick patients. Case reports illustrate the unique problems facing psychotherapists who are treating cancer patients. Further, these cases show the effective use of psychodynamic principles to inform the therapist of successful psychotherapeutic interventions.
Subject(s)
Neoplasms/psychology , Psychotherapy/methods , Social Support , Adult , Countertransference , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasms/therapy , Quality of Life , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Cognitive and emotional aspects of development in four infants reared in a reverse isolation environment because of congenital severe combined immunodeficiency disease were studied by psychological test performance and formal observation. The children were studied while they were inpatients and following their discharge after successful medical treatment was accomplished. Treatment time in reverse isolation varied from 10 to 52 months. Deficient self-generated activity, including motor and motor-based cognitive skills such as expressive language, were observed in two of the four children. Deficits were also observed to be at least moderately reversible either upon discharge or in relation to an inpatient intervention program. Case material is discussed with reference to severe disruption of oral feeding experience, quality of parental involvement, and sensory isolation inherent in the environment.
Subject(s)
Child Development , Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes/therapy , Patient Isolation/psychology , Child Care , Child, Hospitalized/psychology , Child, Preschool , Cognition , Feeding Behavior , Humans , Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes/psychology , Male , Parent-Child Relations , Patient IsolatorsSubject(s)
Borderline Personality Disorder/therapy , Empathy , Personality Disorders/therapy , Psychoanalytic Therapy/methods , Regression, Psychology , Adult , Aggression/psychology , Borderline Personality Disorder/psychology , Ego , Female , Frustration , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Object Attachment , Professional-Patient Relations , Rage , Transference, PsychologySubject(s)
Mental Disorders/diagnosis , Psychophysiologic Disorders , Adolescent , Adult , Anxiety/therapy , Depression/therapy , Female , Humans , Male , Mental Disorders/therapy , Pregnancy , PsychotherapySubject(s)
Child Development , Psychosexual Development , Testis/abnormalities , Child , Humans , Male , Play Therapy , Prostheses and Implants , Psychotherapy , Testis/surgerySubject(s)
Aggression , Asthma/complications , Psychotic Disorders/complications , Asthma/therapy , Child , Female , Humans , PsychotherapyABSTRACT
The authors describe a cable TV link between a medical school and a child health station in East Harlem. Nurse associates and community health workers trained through television conferences with a child psychiatrist have the primary responsibility for patient care at the clinic. Patients and their mothers are evaluated by the child psychiatrist in TV consultations at which nurse associates, health workers, medical students, and child psychiatric fellows are present. Patients and mothers respond positively to the system, and a high percentage of the psychiatrist's treatment recommendations are accepted. The authors suggest that such TV links can increase mental health services to underserved inner-city children.
