THERAPY OF PHOBIA AND COMPULSION IN YOUTH - A CASE-HISTORY

In this article a 16 years old juvenile is presented, who suffered fro m lyssophobia, accompanied by compulsive ideas and actions. The etiolo gy of these disorders is described from the behavioural therapy point of view. The therapeutic steps (prolonged exposure, reintegration in s chool, cognitive exercises) are documented. The discussion focusses on the relationship between phobias and compulsive patterns. The author considers psychological models, which explain patterns such as describ ed in the case history as elements of a developmental crisis during th e transition from youth to adulthood.