Adolescenti devianti: l'intervento psicologico nel contesto penale

Deviant adolescents. psychological intervention in the penal context - In this work the Authors intend to propose some reflections on the clinical intervention acted in a juvenile justice service upon adolescents who committed an offence. In particular, the Authors focus their attention on resources and limits of psychological work in a context that have a double mandate, and that must guarantee, then, both social order and psychological help. This context entails a lot of difficulties like the patient’s low motivation and the time planned by the trial iter, which are both problems strictly connected with the Justice system’s net of services and the unavoidable penal framework. The double task of this service need an endless connecting work and negotiation with the judicial authority and, in the meantime, the definition of a psychological contract and a modulation of the changing goal with the adolescent and his family. The users of this service are characterized by a lack of mentalization and strong difficulties in the affect regulation, which often find their expression in violent behaviour. In this kind of situation, the emotional distress is inflicted/suffered in the meeting with the victim/persecutor but, at the same time, it’s not recognized and thinkable either. In those circumstances, the psychologist’s first aim is to create a cooperative relationship in which the adolescent and his family can apply their resources to promote a reflective function. Key Words: Juvenile Justice; Adolescent; Attachment; Dissociation; Trauma; Affect Regulation; Mentalization.

Simonetta Masiello, Paola della Rovere, Concetta Fierro, Lorena Latini, Adolescenti devianti: l'intervento psicologico nel contesto penale in "PSICOBIETTIVO" 2/2008, pp 87-98, DOI: 10.3280/PSOB2008-002006