Psychiatria pre prax 4/2003
Selfmutilation in childhood and adolescency
The goal of this paper is to introduce the clinical picture of self mutilating in children. The self mutilation could be divided into two categories: self mutilating related to disorders of personality development and that one associated with the stay in institutions. Their principal characteristics are describes. The attention is being given to etiologic and pathophysiologic issues of self mutilating in childhood and adolescency from biochemical and psychodynamic point of view. The therapeutic modes of treatment both with psychiatric agents and psychotherapeutic and sociotherapeutic methods are contemplated.
Keywords: self mutilating, automutilation, childhood and adolescency, bordeline personality disorder, narcistic personality disorder, family system.
