Hospital Psychological Assessment with the Drawing of the Human Figure: A Contribution to the Care to Oncologic Children and Teenagers

Iracema do Vale Pinheiro^1*, Allyson Guimarães da Costa^1,2, Débora Cristina Bandeira Rodrigues³, Nália de Paula Oliveira⁴, Adriana Malheiro^1,5, Josafá Lima Ramos⁶

¹Departamento de Ensino e Pesquisa, Fundacao de Hematologia e Hemoterapia do Amazonas (HEMOAM), Manaus, Brazil.
²Programa de Pós-Graduacao em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas (UEA), Manaus, Brazil.
³Departamento de Servico Social, Universidade Federal do Amazonas (UFAM), Manaus, Brazil.
⁴Centro de Tratamento Psicológico (CENAPSI), Manaus, Brazil.
⁵Programa de Pós-Graduacao em Imunologia Básica e Aplicada, Universidade Federal do Amazonas (UFAM), Manaus, Brazil.
⁶Servico de Psicologia, Fundacao de Hematologia e Hemoterapia do Amazonas (HEMOAM), Manaus, Brazil.

DOI: 10.4236/psych.2015.64046                

Abstract

Cancer affects a large number of children and adolescents each year, and studies prove possible negative influences on the emotional state during the treatment of the disease. This study is part of the macro search entitled “Hospital Psychological Assessment Protocol: A Contribution to the care to Oncologic Patients”, from which the data were extracted. The main objective of this study was to identify the emotional disorders in oncologic children and adolescents in the hospitalization process, through the DHF: Drawing of the Human Figure—DHF. It refers to a cross-sectional descriptive study, with qualitative method, with approach in psychoanalysis. The study included 10 oncohematologic children and adolescents, aged between 5 and 17 years and 11 months in the hospitalization process for cancer treatment in the Hospital Foundation of Hematology of the Amazon—HEMOAM. To obtain preliminary information, we used an Anamnese script in an interview with parents/guardians, after that, it applied the projective psychological test, in a maximum time of 50 minutes. Among the main results identified in the research as emotional changes in the hospitalization process, it could be highlighted: hostility, narcissism, depression, preoccupation with themselves, aggression, insecurity, withdrawal, regression, anxiety and tension. The emotions that were prevalent throughout the period of hospitalization for chemotherapy were: aggression, insecurity, withdrawal, regression, anxiety and tension. The resources used by the child and the adolescent as strategies to tackle the disease were: regression, withdrawal, aggression and hostility. It is concluded that the instrument (DHF) allows psychological assistance which is performed without exposing the patient to content that permeates the hospital environment, thus favoring the therapeutic secrecy without interfering with hospital routine, but adapting to it.

Keywords

Psycho-Oncology, Psychological Assessment Playful, Oncologic Children and Adolescents

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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