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Therapeutic abortion during adolescence: Psychiatric observations

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Abstract

This study investigates the psychological reactions of adolescent girls undergoing abortion during the first trimester of pregnancy. As far as we know, this is the largest such group heretofore reported in the psychiatric literature. Two major factors distinguish the adolescent emotional responses from those of adult patients. These are (1) the abortion decision is more “outer-other” directed by parents, peer group, or sexual partner and is therefore more difficult and hazardous; (2) developmental immaturity contributes to ambivalence about the decision, to a distorted perception of the procedure, and to a variety of pathological reactions. Postabortion symptoms of adolescent patients with successful and unsuccessful outcomes suggest the presence of mourning processes. These are in response to the failure to realize an expectation rather than to an object loss. Preabortion dreams are a potential adjuvant to the refinement of psychiatric diagnosis and prognosis for adolescent abortion patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Northwestern University Medical School, USA

    Peter Barglow (Associate Professor and Director of Residency Training)

  2. Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis, Chicago, Illinois

    Peter Barglow (Associate Professor and Director of Residency Training)

  3. Departments of Psychiatry and Obstetrics and Gynecology, Michael Reese Hospital, Chicago, Illinois

    Peter Barglow (Associate Professor and Director of Residency Training)

  4. Pregnancy Termination Unit, Michael Reese Hospital, Chicago, Illinois

    Susan Weinstein (Social worker)

Authors
  1. Peter Barglow
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  2. Susan Weinstein
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Additional information

Received B.A. and M.S.W. from the University of Michigan; prior experience with adolescent delinquents. Main area of interest is social casework with gynecological and obstetrical patients.

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Barglow, P., Weinstein, S. Therapeutic abortion during adolescence: Psychiatric observations. J Youth Adolescence 2, 331–342 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02213704

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02213704

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