Penelope’s story: the girl who couldn’t keep the correct distance

Journal title PSICOBIETTIVO
Author/s Pamela Rotondi
Publishing Year 2024 Issue 2024/2
Language Italian Pages 7 P. 109-115 File size 604 KB
DOI 10.3280/PSOB2024-002008
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The article tells personal and clinical story of a 16-year-old young girl. Penelope lives with her parents in a small provincial town. Her first difficulties come to light in January 2024 when, due to some situations experienced in class, she experiences a time of severe stress that manifests itself in bouts of crying, depressed mood, generalized anxiety and school anxiety. The girl’s origins and adoption represent a determining element in the history of the disorder presented: not being a child of her adoptive parents exposes her to situations, or events, that could create severe distress. From the interviews and test results, the young girl meets the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for an adjustment disorder. Functional consequences of the disorder include: excessive worrying, recurrent distressing thoughts, mood depressed, anxiety, and low levels of concentration. The therapeutic design involves disjointed work in diverse settings (Therapy Systemic-Relational Therapy for the couple and Cognitive Therapy for the young person) in order to be able to carry out family therapy later. At present, the anxiety symptomatology is in remission.

Keywords: adoption, identity, self-esteem, family, parental bond.

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Pamela Rotondi, La storia di Penelope. La ragazza che non sapeva mantenere la “giusta distanza” in "PSICOBIETTIVO" 2/2024, pp 109-115, DOI: 10.3280/PSOB2024-002008