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Individual and family therapy of children experiencing night fears

Małgorzata Talarczyk

Affiliacja i adres do korespondencji
PSYCHIATR. PSYCHOL. KLIN. 2014, 14 (2), p. 122–126
DOI: 10.15557/PiPK.2014.0017
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Streszczenie

The article describes a therapeutic work model with children and their parents, used in cases of children night fears. The submitted symptoms addressed children aged 7–12 and were based on difficulties in falling asleep without the physical proximity of a parent or waking up of the child at night identifying fear and the need to be close to their parent. The presented psychotherapy model was devised by the author based on years of clinical practice. The therapy was conducted in an ambulatory manner. Family psychotherapy was conducted in a systemic approach, while individual child therapy – in a behavioural-cognitive approach. Both family and individual therapy was lead by one therapist, which might seem controversial, following the assumption that different forms of therapy should be lead by different therapists. In the article the author states the reasons justifying one therapist conducting both child and family therapy, counting upon Larry Feldman’s multilevel integrating therapy model. In his multilevel integrating model Feldman highlights that combining individual and family psychotherapy has great significance in child and adolescent problems, both in clinical diagnosis as well as in solving emotional, behavioural and interaction problems. Individual diagnostic conversations add vital information about the intrapsychic sphere, which enables formulating and verifying hypotheses in the individual therapeutic process. On the other hand, the consultational-diagnostic family sessions enable formulating hypotheses addressing family relations and their contribution to the development and/or sustenance of the problems. According to the author, while conducting therapeutic work with children and adolescents, it is especially noteworthy to consider both intrapsychic and interpersonal processes, as they are closely linked in the development phase, and are complimentary and synergetic.

Słowa kluczowe
night fears, family therapy, individual therapy, multilevel integrating therapy model, child and adolescent psychotherapy