objective: Description and discussion of the main psychological and psychodynamic aspects of obese child and adolescent considering individual variables and psychological conducts according to the needs or intensity of the problems found. Method: Cross-sectional, retrospective study based on database of psychological assessments of 491 selected cases over the period 1991-2007. The database was organized from a preliminary study to characterize the main problems, individual variables and approach methods. The data were treated according to the frequency distribution and presented in tables. Results: The results showed that 32.4% of the cases were ascribed to super protective parents or mother symbiotically bound to son, 24.4% to maternal rejection and lack of affection, 7.9% lived with alcoholic or drug addict parents, 12.2% had parents with important mental illness problems, suffered from abuse and violence, 14.3% experienced circumstantial distress, but had good self resources, and 8.8% presented serious emotional immaturity. The disturbed family psychodynamics led children to anguish, voracity, sedentarism and difficulties at school, isolation or aggressiveness. Complains of social discrimination and low self-esteem were found in many cases as well as uncontrollable anguish complains leading to exaggerated food consumption. Conclusions: From the 491 assessed cases, only 14.3% were cases without emotional commitment, being circumstantial anguish cases ascribed to the existential moment. The 85.7% remaining cases demonstrated deep intricate roots in the familiar psychodynamics, requiring care, guidance and psychotherapy directed not only to the patient but also to the family.
Obesity children; Child psychology; Adolescent psychology; Family relations
