The body image and psychopathology in children

Abstract

Introduction

The body image development begins at an early age. Children with psychopathology may have body image disturbances. It is important to determine nosological specificity of body image disturbances in children.

Objectives

To reveal body image disturbances in: 20 people (12 boys, 8 girls) having schizophrenia; 18 people (8 boys, 10 girls) with detected fact of sexual abuse (catamnesis study over a 5-year period); control group – 5 boys, 5 girls with normal psycho-physical development.

Aims

To reveal body image disturbance in children in case of psychopathology.

Methods

All the children were examined clinically and paraclinically by psychiatrist and clinical psychologist (projective techniques; standardized personality questionnaires and semantic method [analysis of statements]).

Results and conclusions

In children having schizophrenia specific disturbances of proprioceptive self-awareness in the form of senestopathy (feelings of compression, deformation, size loss or size gain of the body) and the idea of physical defect, are considered as the early symptoms of the body dysmorphic disorder. In this group of children disturbances of body scheme, difficulties in right/left orientation were detected. In the group of children with detected fact of sexual abuse the following disturbances took place: the body dysmorphic disorder (self-disgust, considering body to be tainted by the abuser, feeling dirty, compulsive body washing, sensitivity to touch) and senestopathy below one's waist, in the area of genitals, feeling dirtiness of the skin and clothes. In the pictures drawn by the children, they represented themselves older, grotesquely painted their faces, pictured strange haircuts, preferring bright and extravagant clothes.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.