Verbal therapy with a girl who could not hear

Abstract

This report considers the effective and varied components of treatment of an uncommon manifestation of conversion disorder in an adolescent girl. The patient was referred for treatment of hearing loss with no apparent organic cause. The treatment approach was multifaceted and based on general principles for treatment of conversion disorder in adolescence. It involved the integration of individual and family work, with a focus on verbal exchange of information and cognitive behavioural principles. Brief therapy proved effective with this patient and her family, with restoration of hearing within 7 weeks. Therapy was most likely effective due to the rehabilitative approach with a predominantly verbal focus on mood symptoms, rather than on hearing loss specifically. This report outlines the case, summarises the therapy components and discusses possible bases for the efficacy of treatment. It provides a helpful approach in treating an uncommon and unique psychosomatic symptom in adolescence.

Keywords:

• Behavioural medicine
• child and adolescent psychopathology
• emotional disorder
• family issue
• psychological aspects of physical disorder
• sensory and motor disorder

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments to Dr Donna Dowling and Dr Kasia Kozlowska (Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, NSW) who provided the psychiatric input to treatment of this family.