Thesis
French
ID: <
10670/1.fks0bb>
Abstract
Objective: The aim of this research is to understand psychic functioning of siblings of children with autism. It focuses on the evolution of self image of these members of siblings in adolescence. Literature review shows that this clinical area has hardly been studied. Methods: We compare two samples: clinical group of adolescent of siblings with autism versus control group of typical adolescent, each consisting of 24 teenagers aged from 13 to 18. We adopt a clinical and projective method by using clinical interviews, projective tests (Rorschach and TAT), an original writing activity created for the research, and standardized scales (R-CMAS: anxiety; SEI: self-esteem). Statistic methods and clinical analyses are used to discuss clinical data.Results: We observe a specificity of the characteristics of self image in the clinical group. A real psychological suffering exists for adolescents of siblings with autism that can be describe by three processes: integration of changing body, evolution of object-relationship, development of personal plans for the future. A cluster of special features appears depending on the teenagers and leads us to propose preventive and therapeutic perspectives taking into account the variability of individual psychic functioning.