ONCE UPON A TIME… FAIRY TALES AS A THERAPEUTIC RESOURCE WITH HOSPITALIZED CHILDREN

Abstract

The hospitalization is one of the most striking moments in a child`s life as it interferes in their life quality as a whole. The fairy tales can be used as a therapeutic resource, by hospital psychologists, as these tales are part of the infant universe, important for children`s development and help in their psychic elaboration process. This bibliographic research has psychoanalysis as its principal theoretical subsidy. The main objective is to comprehend how the fairy tales, used as a therapeutic resource can help children in their confrontation during the hospital internment. The specific objectives are: to study the therapeutic function of the tale, to know the effects that the tales have on a child, as well as to understand how the relationship psychologist-talechild comes to be. The conclusive considerations indicate that the fairy tales are not the only instrument of intervention to be used with children in their confrontation during the hospital internment process, although it can be considered as an important instrument due to its efficacy while therapeutic function.