MELAINOMANIA: Psychopathological mechanisms, physical and psychological diagnostic endpoints and psychotherapeutic model, based on a clinical study over 160 cases

Abstract

Introduction:The melainomania is a psychological and skin syndrome and it expresses the obsessive need of tanned skin in a complete and constant way. Purpose:We searched for the psychopatogenetic factors of the syndrome and the psychological and skin ends point useful to diagnosis and evaluate a treatment with mechanical rational psychotherapy model. Materials and methods:Two random group, patient (P) (with sun exposure < 250 h year) and control (C), each of 80 women and 80 men, aged 38-56 years, were enrolled. We evaluated psychosocial damages by Rorschach test, Machover tests and psychologist-subject interviews. We evaluated skin damages by Glogau signs and echography. 40 women and 40 men were submitted to the psychotherapeutic treatment.Results: Tests and interviews showed discomfort as obsession, dependence, bodily misperception, low index of reality. Statistical analysis was performed by s, F, W, rin P-C and OR, EFp and EFe in clinical trial. The psychotherapy reduced the uneasiness in 35 women and 37 men.Discussion: Each event that produces uneasiness requires a rationalization process that individualizes in successive phases logical justifications for the lived discomfort. The mechanical rational psychotherapy identified the phase of the thought-deviation and it has planned the corrective factors. Conclusions:The psychological tests, the interviews, the clinical signs and the ultrasound have allowed us to appraise the psychic and skin damages, while the method of the rational psycho mechanics seems to have brought a satisfactory therapeutic result