Introduction:

The practice of genital surgery is frequent in infants and adolescents diagnosed with intersex. One of the main consequences is reflected in the patient´s personality. There are numerous studies in the adult population; however, they are rare in pediatric ages. Drawing is a valuable tool for psychological exploration in early ages.

Objective:

Identify the psychological characteristics of infants and adolescents with surgical treatment of the genitalia, and to characterize their psychological development.

Method:

Descriptive cross-sectional study and qualitative methodology. The sample was made up of 15 infants and adolescents between 6 and 12 years old with congenital adrenal hyperplasia and genital surgery. 4 of them with male sex assignment and 11 with female assignment, coming from the primary care level, residents in Havana, Cuba, recruited in the follow-up consultations of the endocrinology services of the Institute of Endocrinology and pediatric hospitals. The psychographic techniques (spontaneous drawing, thematic drawing of the family and thematic drawing called "I am like this" were applied). The study complied with the basic ethical aspects of scientific research.

Results:

Psychological development corresponded with chronological age. 100% of the patients presented a coherent and structured thinking. 50% presented emotional indicators that allude to dissatisfaction with one's own self, anguish (40%), and lack of acceptance of one's own body (70%); in addition, they expressed difficulties in family communication (60%).

Conclusions:

The relevant global indicators of the drawings denoted emotional damage, difficulties in the acceptance, perception and representation of the body scheme and also in social and family communication. It cannot be postponed an intervention in the discomfort causes and psychological problems of the patients studied, in order to avoid that psychiatric diseases can be developed in adults ages.

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