Adolescence Sexual Orientation: Comparison between Two Case Reports

Abstract

Objective: According to the American Psychological Association, sexual orientation “refers to a stable pattern of emotional, romantic and / or sexual appeal towards men, women, or both sexes.’ The sexual orientation is the result of a complex interaction of environmental and cultural factors, as well as biological elements. Literature confirms that adolescents with homosexual and bisexual orientations have a higher levels of psychological distress (including depression and suicide) than other adolescents. This epidemiological pattern is largely due to the interpersonal problems that sexual minorities experience at home and at school. Design and Method: We describe and compare two young girls who came to our clinic. Results: parents of the first girl (J, 15 years old) asked for help for her homosexual relationship, that they didn’t accept. During the therapy she also had a heterosexual relationship. She suffered of eating disorders and self- injures. Parents are freezing, father sometimes is aggressive. Her homosexual relationship could be a reaction to a negative man’s image. The second girl (E, 16 years old) had a typical gender identity and had a heterosexual relationship. Now she doesn’t feel ease in her female body, she would transit to the other sex and she’s living a homosexual experience. Conclusions: therapy’s aim is to help them not to feel alone in this difficult travel, helping teenagers to integrate their sexual orientation in their own personality, developing a positive self-image, return them the possibility of stand in uncertainty and overcoming any forms of bias present in the society.