Narrativas da dor: estórias de vida de mulheres com queixas somáticas recorrentes

Abstract

This dissertation is organized in two articles: a theoretical article and an empirical article. The theoretical article focus on the phenomenon of somatization and the importance of the maternal role in establishing the preconscious of the individual and his capacity of symbolization and trauma development, reflecting onthe connection among the recurrent somatic disorders. Its theoretical reference is theFrench School of Psychosomatics, emphasizing Pierre Marty’s approach and some of hisprincipal concepts. The empirical article focuses on women life stories who have recurrent somatics complaints. It is a qualitative exploratory research with multiple casestudies that aims to understand the participants perspective in relation to their life stories and somatic symptomatology. Its theoretical reference is the French School of Psychosomatics, emphasizing Pierre Marty’s approach, also discussing the issues of parental bonding and narrativity. The Mini Mental Test, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale – TAS 26, the Parental Bonding Instrument and the Life Stories Interviews are used to develop the researchinvestigation. The results found point to the similarities in the parental bonds, responsibilities overload, trauma experience, grief and impoverished speech. One of the participants, despite have responded to the selection criteria, revealed histrionic traits, waving to the possibility of a conversive crisis or a themporary psychosomatic disorganization which ultimately enrich the questions around the issue, including the possibilities of misunderstanding thecomprehension of the symptoms.