PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

C Marocco Muttini

Publications and source records attributed to C Marocco Muttini.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

[Psychological and psychopathological correlates in Dupuytren's disease].

The etiology of Dupuytren's disease, a chronic and depressive lesion of the palmar aponeurosis, is still unclear. Numerous factors have been implicated, including psychopathological elements and a stressor psychosomatic response, possibly in the presence of a personality structure which may represent a diathesis. On the other hand, from a psychosomatic point of view, any psychic correlates could be secondary to somatic damage. In order to look for common psychological and psychopathological elements in the syndrome 39 patients were examined by a team of orthopedics specialised in hand surgery during the period 1990-91. All cases were studied by clinical interview, the evaluation of anamnestic data of possible psychiatric importance and the use of Rorschach and MMPI tests. The data obtained do not confirm that specific personality elements or psychopathological factors can be correlated to the clinical symptoms of Dupuytren's disease given that the results are comparable to what may be considered the characteristics of a non-selected but age- and culturally-matched population. There are only sporadic findings indicating neurotic and depressive factors, or senile involution. Likewise, no reliable and uniform stressing events were observed, or particular signs of maladaptation related to environmental reactivity or the disease itself.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Consistency and inconsistency of psychosomatic symptoms in adolescents].

The term psychosomatic is sometimes mistakenly used as a virtual synonym of "somatoform", whereas there is a structural difference between alexythymia and hysteria. In adolescent psychopathology, where the interpretation of phenomena follows a dynamic and relational pattern, it is difficult to draw a distinction between psychosomatosis and hysteria. Pathological expressivities are often transient and do not depend on the course of an illness, despite being linked to moments of juvenile crisis in which the structural and dynamic reorganisation of the personality accentuates some regressive aspects of defensive operations. The body and its changes represents a motor of development or crisis according to how stimuli and personal and relational experiences are integrated in the image of self, which is in turn an instrument of the structuring of the identity in as far as it represents real and imagined physical aspects, both conscious and unconscious. The importance of the body in the maturation process is such that from the quality of an adolescent's relationship with his or her own body it is possible to trace the modes of development and identify the severity and extent of a psychopathological condition. It follows that body-centered symptoms are among the most frequently found in adolescence. Negative counter-attitudes by the adult in relation to the insufficiently integrated sexual and aggressive impulses sometimes shown by adolescents further underline the need to search for a type of communication which is accepted and therefore compatible with the construction of an acceptable self-image; the body therefore becomes a language used in communicating with the adult to express unease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

[Maternal personality and role in the rehabilitation of physically handicapped subjects].

The paper focuses on the importance of affective relations within the handicapped child's family during rehabilitation. In particular, the personality of the mother, as expressed for example through her pedagogical approach and emotive attitude, is correlated to the degree of success of the re-educational programme. Twelve children with neurological handicaps were monitored during a programme of rehabilitative physiotherapy. The mother-child relations were studied, focusing on the mother's difficulty in accepting her child's situation and adequately responding to the child's requirements, with the aim of identifying those instruments which promote, as far as possible, "separation" and autonomy. The study underlines the need for a medical team with which the parents can communicate both to obtain correct information and to diminish their anxiety in order to facilitate therapy and also establish a more satisfactory relationship with the handicapped child.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1993

[Psychogenic eating disorders and the family set-up].

The paper examines the position of dysorexic patients within the family set-up, a topic on with until now attention has not been focused, in order to highlight the latter's possible importance since it has been overlooked in favour of the situation of the "fusion family" in which parent-child relations are predominant. The paper underlines the frequency of a subordinate position in relation to "strong" older brothers or sisters. There is no possibility of compensating this feeling of inferiority which therefore conditions the choice of a fictitious goal: regressive and guilty gratification in bulimia and hypecontrol of the body in anorexia.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[The father's role and dysorexia].

Of all eating disorders it is widely acknowledged that dysrexia has increased; this syndrome appears most frequently to affect the more affluent socio-economic classes. This paper focuses on a single case from which more general conclusions are then drawn. After an earlier episode of bulimia, a girl suffering from anorexia was found to live in a family context in which the father provided a weak psychological reference point. He was often away on work during the girl's childhood and only takes part in the family life as the provider of material wellbeing without playing a direct affective or pedagogical role. A situation of this type represents a way of fulfilling family roles in today's society where ensuring the family's comfortable lifestyle acts as a substitute for the affective role which the parent is not able to sustain due to unresolved neurotic nuclei. Society can now augment certain forms of defence in view of efficiency and productivity which detract from a genuine personal evolution. This leads to the development of neuroses in the younger generation which the mental health services must identify and correct using new psychopedagogic proposals.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[Identification and self-image in adolescents. A comparison between two cultural groups].

Following a review of the literature concerning the problem of identity structure in adolescents, two groups of lower secondary school students were examined, one of which belonged to the Walser community in Valsesia. The family drawing test was used, a personality projective test which, by analysing some indices, enables and understanding to be obtained of the identification processes with parent figures. From the comparison of the two groups it was found that the traditional Walser family offers to adolescents a more clear-cut model and that therefore there is less evident conflict in parent-adolescent relations. In non-Walser families the increased dispersion of data served to create more confused identity processes and greater conflict in intrafamilial affective links.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Hysterical symptomatology in adolescents. Reflections on clinical cases].

The body mediates the development of the personality before the acquisition of language allows a more complex structural level to be reached. Due to the remodelling process undergone by the personality during the course of adolescence, it easier to fluctuate between more evolved levels and others of a regressive type in which the body is again placed in the prime position as a means of expression and communication. In this study attention was focused on a few cases of hysterical syndrome in adolescents in whom inappropriate behaviour related to schooling or existential aspects could be traced back to a lack of tolerance towards their aggressivity on behalf of the environment in which they lived. Given the impossibility of expressing their aggression externally, despite the fact these episodes lacked control, and of directing it towards modes of behaviour more suited to self-affirmation, there followed a regression towards symptoms of somatic conversion; the adolescent's mental health is at risk since the readier social acceptance of the hysterical syndrome encourages its organisation into a constant feature rather than being merely an attempt to defend a lifestyle which is not yet consolidated and still open to non-pathological adaptation solutions.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Contribution of the Rorschach test to the differential diagnosis of impotence].

Attention is called to the clinical problem of masked depressions and depressive equivalents. In certain situations, the "impotence" symptom can be classified sonographically among cyclothymic disturbances. The Rorschach test has been used to study some typical cases and it is stressed that a psychodiagnostic investigation may be useful in the differential diagnosis of the clinical syndrome.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Life style and psychopathology in management work].

Some remarks on the psychopathological approach to the problems inherent in man's adaptation to work are presented. Analysis of the literature on the subject shows that thus far its application has been fairly limited. Four cases of managers and professionals studied through Rorschach psychodiagnosis and an Adlerian clinico-psychodynamic approach are examined. The conclusion is that a working life style has proved rewarding although it has left unsolved deep problems that surfaced out of crisis situations not directly involving adaptation to work.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Sudden sexual violence and personality study using the Rorschach test].

The literature reveals that women subjected to sexual violence are more often afflicted with psychological problems for life, even long after the event. The Rorschach test was used to examine several victims of sexual violence in order to identify any significant structural elements. The outstanding features were a sexual and identity problem that persisted even in the absence of specific clinical problems as well as affective inhibition and borderline signs, particularly among the younger women on whom the sexual attack had been earlier and more dramatic.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Personality structure and mental anorexia. A study using projective technics].

A sample of 73 females suffering from mental anorexia is examined. All were subjected to the Rorschach test. It emerges that the anorexic patients in the sample are basically characterised by hysterical or obsessive type personality structures. They have no structural traits definable as paradigmatic of the syndrome. The only feature connotating all subjects of the group consists of conflictual situations with regard to the maternal figure.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Psychopathology and psychodynamics of feeding behavior disorders in a group of male patients].

After a brief review of connections between structuring disturbances of self image with dysorexias, clinical cases of males presenting altered alimentary behaviours are described with reference to emerging structural data as per Rorschach. A prevalently phobic-obsessive structure is identified along with problems related to the relationship with parental figures, difficulties of identification and role playing. Stress is laid on the possible interference of cultural factors and the need for careful pedagogic intervention within the framework of primary disturbance prevention.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Several cases of late onset depression].

"Involutive melancholy" is discussed as it is presented in the literature. It is hypothesised that the controversy regarding this clinical entity arises out of the existence of different pictures and from the incomplete diagnostic examination. On the basis of clinical cases, it is observed that in certain patients, late onset depression represents the start of a deterioration process before it is clinically evident. The Rorschach test is an effective investigation tool in differential diagnosis in the early phase, through signs of a diminution of control and efficiency from the two-fold affective and rational viewpoint.

Age Factors↗