[Genital malformations and castration. Femininity, sexuality at adolescence]

A study group has been constituted at the Hôpital des Enfants-Malades in order to analyse the relational approach with adolescent girls with various disorders and malformations of the genital tract followed since childhood. This group has been using a methodology which has already been applied to psychological aspects of other somatic diseases. Endocrinologists, gynecologists and psychoanalysts have weekly discussions about clinical cases. Their discussions are tape-recorded. The transcriptions are analysed by the whole group in order to evaluate the objective and subjective data concerning patients, families and doctors. We intend to discuss problems which appear to be the most important in relation to these disorders. Whatever the somatic problem is, these girls' future is also determined by their psychic reality and also that of their families and doctors. This psychic reality integrates and modifies the objective data as well as their environment.