A technology for providing therapeutic training of children with the anxiety-depressive disorders, comorbid with obesity

Abstract

Background and aims

The study considers the problem of the anxiety-depressive disorders (ADD) in children with concomitant obesity in the context of the search for effective methods of their correction.

Materials and methods

Included 64 children at puberty with the anxiety-depressive disorders, comorbid with obesity. Design comprised: clinicopsychopathological, somatoneurological, psychological monitoring (CDRS-R); the Spielberger, “Me and my illness” and “Man in the Rain” projective drawing tests.

Results

The symptoms of emotional and vegetative tension, depression registered in all studied children.

In the developed model of support, the interventions of primary level are aimed on family and closest encirclement of the child (family psychotherapy, psycho-educational programs for children and their parents). Strategies:

– stressful situation in the family (practical, psychological support and education of parents);

– for relief of depressive and vegetative-anxious symptoms (using art therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy);

– for education of patients in the wider context – quality of life, coping, motivation and modification of inappropriate behaviors (modeling of new cognitions).

The technology includes the diagnosis of the psychosomatic core of the disease, areas of neurotic fixation of the child with ADD and obesity, correction of emotional homeostasis and cognitive imbalance by activation of the personality individual resources as a result using cognitive-behavioral and art-dynamic therapy, as well as a “Control of eating behavior” training program, and solving certain situational problems by a child with the disease.

Conclusion

Our method makes the tactics of psychotherapeutic and psycho-educational intervention at an early stage of the disease.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.