The present clinical case study used a systemic perspective, concepts of family therapy, an intergenerational approach and mythic instrumental reading to understand the family of a subject with hearing impairment. The objective was to recognize the family myths and to establish the relationships between these myths and the present day meaning assigned by him to his deficiency. A semi-structured interview was used to gather information. A qualitative analysis of the data allowed the identification of myths regarding the hearing impairment, family unity, and the struggle to survive. The presence of hearing impairment in other members of the family has generated rigidity in the rules regarding help and care. Such rigidity is related to the myth of family unity and to the frontiers that have been established with the external world. The identification of the intergenerational contents that cross over the family history generated the possibility to find new ways to deal with the impairment. It also provided an overview of the family context and confirmed the necessity of family participation in the rehabilitation process.
family therapy; intergenerational processes; family myths; hearing impairment
