Citation

Dubé G, Terradas MM, Domon-Archambault V. Enfance 2018; No 2(2): 343-372.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Presses Universitaires de France)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Neglect, physical or sexual abuse, and psychological maltreatment threaten children's normal development and security, and can be related to a complex trauma, defined as the exposure, in a specific relational context, to multiple and repetitive traumatic events. Studies conducted with maltreated children demonstrate the presence of externalizing behaviors in this population. The notions of empathy and mentalization seem to be important to understand the origin of these difficulties. In fact, some authors suggest that empathy is negatively associated with externalizing and aggressive behavior, while others show that children living in foster families that have good mentalizing capacities manifest fewer externalizing symptoms. The aim of this manuscript is to present the contribution of empathy and mentalization to the comprehension of externalizing behaviors in abused and maltreated children. This theoretical dissertation also aims to demonstrate the importance of conducting more empirical studies that consider these two concepts in understanding the intra-psychic variables that may explain the presence of externalizing behaviors in these children. A better comprehension of the effects of complex trauma on empathy and child mentalizing abilities could help clinicians to identify different ways to intervene with children who tend to act-out their difficulties instead of reflecting on their thoughts and emotions.


Les enfants victimes de maltraitance ou de négligence, et parfois retirés de leur milieu familial, présentent des caractéristiques qui les distinguent des enfants issus de la population générale. Diverses études menées auprès de ces enfants suggèrent notamment qu'ils montrent des troubles du comportement (DuRoss, Fallon, Black, & Allan, 2010 ; English et al., 2005; Hukkanen, Sourander, Bergroth, & Piha, 1999a ; Hukkanen, Sourander, Bergroth, & Piha, 1999b ; Lawrence, Carlson, & Egeland, 2006 ; Manly, Oshri, Lynch, Herzog, & Wortel, 2012 ; Mills et al., 2013 ; Nadeau, Nolin, & Chartrand, 2013 ; Pears, Kim, & Fisher, 2008 ; Petrenko, Friend, Garrido, Taussig, & Culhane, 2012 ; Turmel, 2003) et des difficultés sociales et interpersonnelles marquées (Camras, Grow, & Ribordy, 1983 ; Luke & Banerjee, 2012 ; Tarren-Sweeney, 2013). Les troubles du comportement extériorisés réfèrent aux comportements de l'ordre de l'agir, c'est-à-dire à des problématiques qui s'expriment souvent par des actes, comme..…

Language: fr