Clinical Repercussions of Therapeutic Assessment with an Adolescent in Context of Institutional Care

Abstract

The Therapeutic Assessment with Adolescents (TA-A) is a collaborative and semi-structured psychological assessment approach that aims to promote the positive development of both the adolescent and the family. It focuses on the reality of adolescents living in institutional care, understanding that they may experience vulnerability or breakdown of family bonds and various psychosocial consequences. The objective was to analyze the clinical repercussions of the TA process with an adolescent in institutional care, through a case study of mixed nature and exploratory purposes. The adolescent was 14 years old and had been living in the institution for six months. Data analysis includes descriptive materials about the sessions, along with pre and post TA-A comparisons using the Jacobson and Truax method (JT method) and the analysis of the Reliable Change Index (RCI). It was observed that affects related to institutionalization and experiences of neglect permeated the adolescent's assessment demands, and specific adaptations in the semi-structure of TA-A were necessary. TA-A favored positive changes related to the demands presented by the adolescent. It is noteworthy that the safe and collaborative space fostered in TA-A, as well as the underlying values sustained in the process, proved essential in promoting the observed changes.