PSYCHOLOGICAL KIDNAPPING IN INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS: A CASE STUDY OF A TEENAGER AND CLINICAL AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.1595292515088

• Palavras-chave: Psychological violence; Coercive control; Gaslighting; Neuroscience of stress; Criminal law.

• Keywords: Psychological violence; Coercive control; Gaslighting; Neuroscience of stress; Criminal law.

• Abstract:

  Psychological kidnapping, a popular expression that describes a pattern of interpersonal abuse, is characterized by the progressive erosion of subjective autonomy through humiliation, cognitive manipulation, gaslighting, emotional invalidation, and social isolation. Although it is not a formal diagnosis, it brings together widely discussed elements that prove psychological violence and coercive control. This study seeks to systematize the concept, identify clinical and neurobiological markers described by stress neuroscience, propose a structured screening instrument, and analyze profiles associated with perpetrators and victims. It also includes a case study of an adolescent whose vulnerability stems from a family context marked by early rejection, pointing to the practical usefulness of the proposed model. Finally, the psychological consequences, the neurobiological remodeling observed in chronic stress, and the legal framework in different legislations are discussed, with an emphasis on Brazil, Portugal, and the United Kingdom.