Against the tide: psychodynamic approaches to agitated childhood in France, between crisis and resistance / À contre-courant: les approches psychodynamiques de l'enfance agitée en France, entre crise et résistance

Abstract Is psychoanalysis in crisis? This theme turned out to be recurrent in the comments of professionals working with a psychoanalytical orientation that we encountered during a collective survey on the trajectories of children considered as agitated in France. During this research, we conducted interviews with children and their families, with professionals working in care centres, schools and public administration; we also conducted observations and collected data in care centres. In these places, we observed a diversity of practices, but a clear majority of which claimed to be more or less strictly psychoanalytical or more broadly psychodynamic approaches. After presenting some principles that underlie the psychodynamic approach of agitation, the article discusses the crisis feeling expressed by the professionals met and the reasons that may have caused it. A detour through a reflective analysis of our investigative relationships helps to shed more light on the consequences of this climate on daily work in general and on relations with institutional partners in particular.

Résumé La psychanalyse est-elle en crise ? Ce thème s'est avéré récurrent dans les propos des professionnels travaillant selon une orientation psychanalytique que nous avons croisés lors d'une enquête collective sur les trajectoires des enfants considérés comme agités en France. Durant cette recherche, nous avons mené des entretiens avec des enfants et leur entourage, avec des professionnels travaillant dans des centres de soin, des écoles et des Maisons départementales des personnes handicapées; nous avons également conduit des observations et recueilli des données dans des centres de soin. Dans ces lieux, nous avons observé une diversité de pratiques, mais dont une nette majorité se revendiquait de manière plus ou moins stricte de la psychanalyse, ou plus largement d'approches psychodynamiques. Après avoir présenté quelques principes qui fondent l'approche psychodynamique de l'agitation, l'article revient sur le sentiment de crise que manifestent les professionnels rencontrés et sur les raisons qui peuvent en être à l'origine. Un détour par une analyse réflexive de nos relations d'enquête permet de mieux mettre en lumière les conséquences de ce climat sur le travail quotidien en général et sur les relations avec les partenaires institutionnels en particulier.

The social aspects in the identification of children's mental health problems in two health services in Paris, France / Aspectos sociais na identificação de problemas de saúde mental em crianças em dois serviços de saúde em Paris, França / Aspectos sociales en la identificación de problemas de salud mental en niños en dos servicios de salud en París, Francia

Children's mental health problems were analyzed from a sociological approach addressing two questions: what are the main children's behaviors identified and considered to be mental health problems, and what are the consequences of this classification for the debate on children's problems in contemporary societies. This quantitative and qualitative study analyzed 275 patients' records from two child mental health services (CMHS) in the northeast area of Paris, France. The majority of children were boys from six to 11 years old; requests were presented mainly by schools and parents; the main problems were behavioural problems, cognitive difficulties and relational problems (boys), and affective or emotional problems (girls). There is an interdependence of a great number of actors who worry about children's behavior and a system of expectations seems to be collectively woven by them as social classifications.(AU)

Problemas mentais na infância foram analisados da perspectiva sociológica, abordando duas questões: quais os principais comportamentos infantis identificados e considerados problemas de saúde mental, e quais as consequências dessa classificação para o debate dos problemas infantis nas sociedades contemporâneas. Este estudo quanti e qualitativo analisou 275 prontuários de pacientes de dois serviços de saúde mental da infância na região nordeste de Paris, França. A maioria das crianças eram meninos de seis a 11 anos de idade; as queixas foram apresentadas principalmente pelas escolas e pelos pais; os principais problemas eram de comportamento, dificuldades de aprendizagem e de relacionamento (meninos), e problemas afetivos e emocionais (meninas). Há uma interdependência entre um grande número de atores que se preocupam com os comportamentos infantis e um sistema de expectativas parece ser coletivamente tecido por eles como classificações sociais.(AU)

Problemas mentales en la infancia se analizaron desde la perspectiva sociológica abordando dos preguntas: cuáles son los principales comportamientos infantiles identificados y considerados problemas de salud mental y cuáles son las consecuencias de esa clasificación para el debate de los problemas infantiles en las sociedades contemporáneas. Este estudio cuanti-cualitativo analizó 275 historiales de pacientes de dos servicios de salud mental de la infancia en la región nordeste de París, Francia. La mayoría de los niños eran del sexo masculino de seis a 11 años; las quejas fueron presentadas principalmente por las escuelas y por los padres; los principales problemas eran de comportamiento, dificultades de aprendizaje y de relaciones (niños) y problemas afectivos y emocionales (niñas). Hay una interdependencia entre un gran número de actores que se preocupan por los comportamientos infantiles y un sistema de expectativas que parece ser tejido colectivamente por ellos como clasificaciones sociales.(AU)