Framed portrait: a narrative technique in psycho-oncology. An experience with subjects who have suffered from systemic cancer during adolescence

This paper presents a psychological intervention addressed to young adults who, during adolescence, have suffered from systemic cancer. This intervention has been developed on the basis of four theoretical principles: the specificity of oncologic diseases diagnosed during adolescence; the body image construct, given both, the importance it acquires during this developmental phase, as well as the extent to which the disease and its treatment damage the patient’s body; the third key principle concerns the autobiographical narration, as it facilitates the hermeneutic meaning-making process; the last basic presupposition concerns the use of photographic portraits, as they allow the subject to both experiment and express emotions, thoughts, and memories and to gain a deeper understanding of him/herself. The presentation of two vignettes, complemented by some snapshots, completes the presentation of this intervention.

Keywords: Photography, narratives, body image, pediatric cancer survivors, young adults.

• The Framed Portrait Experience: parole e immagini entro i contesti di esecuzione della pena Emanuela Saita, Francesca Anselmi, Serena Ajuti, Roberto Quadraro, in RICERCHE DI PSICOLOGIA 3/2018 pp.439
  DOI: 10.3280/RIP2018-003008

Emanuela Saita, Monica Accordini, Attilio Rossetti, Momcilo Jancovic, Framed portrait: la fotografia come tecnica narrativa in psico-oncologia. Un’esperienza con soggetti colpiti da tumore sistemico in adolescenza in "RICERCHE DI PSICOLOGIA " 4/2016, pp 585-609, DOI: 10.3280/RIP2016-004007