[Ethical aspects of parent-adolescent conflicts: about dignity]

The work in Psychiatry of children and adolescents at the general hospital in paediatric and emergency services--where we have to meet any kind of children and adolescents, either hospitalized or only consulting--makes us discover clinical situations in which we must consider the whole life context of those young patients. Our experience shows that, within the problems and conflicts of the adolescent period, ethical questions concerning beliefs, values, ideals, hopes and prohibitions ... are, in paradoxal ways, underlying the constitution of the symptoms we are required to cure. If we respectfully pay attention to those aspects, we can help to increase choice possibilities, and we can contribute to overtake conflicts and difficulties. The ethical position for health workers could be to help the patient and his (her) family to regain their self esteem and dignity according to their own values and history.