El trastorno conversivo infantil desde una orientación sistémico-experiencial: a propósito de un caso

Abstract

Introduction: Conversion disorder is characterized by the presence of symptoms or non-deliberated deficits that affect the voluntary or sensory motor functioning, which suggests the existence of a general pathological state. In its onset or exacerbation, various psychological factors are assumed to be involved. There is no clarity regarding the origin of the conversion disorder. In children, the prevalence of this disorder ranges between 12 and 21%. There are few studies about the conversion disorder in the pediatric population. The systemic orientation offers a theoretical framework that allows deepening in the characteristics and functionality of the symptom in the children’s context.

Objective: The present paper aims to present a clinical case of a 10-year-old male child with severe conversion symptoms. We will focus on the characteristics of the symptomatology and the family context. Therapeutic interventions implemented in the individualized treatment plan of the case will be presented.

Method: Single case study. A 10-year-old male suffering conversion symptomatology across over one year, attended at the Servicio de psiquiatría y psicología clínica infantojuvenil at the Hospital Clinic de Barcelona

Results: The progress of the case during the months of treatment will be exposed. A considerable reduction of the symptomatology and the general state of the patient is evidenced.

Conclusions: The inclusion of the family as the object of treatment seems to be beneficial for the favorable progress of the conversion disorders in childhood. Particularly, the strategies that encourage the emotional processing about the symptomatology and those that intervene in the family hierarchical boundaries have been shown to be effective in this specific case. It is not possible to generalize the results to other cases due to the single case characteristics of the present work.