Jérôme Boutinaud, Philippe Chabert : Anorexia Nervosa and Problems with Body Image: How They May Be Taken into Account in Individual Psychodrama

The psychopathological context of anorexia nervosa in the adolescent brings to the forefront the consideration of the body both in its effective reality and its representations. Some body image disorders can thus be described and conceived of as different forms of symptomatic solutions through which the anorexic adolescent can try to shore up poorly established and sometimes quite fragile narcissistic foundations. The therapy must therefore take this dimension into account in order to resolve such problems. Psychoanalytical psychodrama, applied to a cohort of patients afflicted with these disorders will serve here as a methodological support, highlighting the elements of this problematic. This paper will also discuss the therapeutic effects of using this technique from various angles (analysis of corporal components of the counter-transference, dynamic of touch, use of the double and of corporal figurations).

Adolescence, T. 31 n°1, pp. 65-76.