Les problèmes de symbolisation chez l’enfant deficient mental: Approche conceptuelle et etude clinique

Abstract

The present article, firstly proposes an integrated model of psychism’s functioning. It shows how psychic troubles can be understood as the subject’s incapacity to give a common sense at the contents of perception (varius disturbances of intelligence, psychoses, mental confusion e.t.c.).
The authors oppose to contents of perception (perceptions, affects, psychic presentations) the containers of perception, dynamic processes with which evolves the sense of the contents of perception. They propose the dinstiction of (i) the archaic containers of perception (cognitive containers, inconcious fantasmes, narcistic representations system), (ii) the language and systems of complex non verbal symbolic representations and finally (iii) the group containers: family, institution, culture e.t.c.
Secondly a psychopathological, dynamical and structural approach of the problems’ symbolization and the spiritualization of mentally deficient children, is attempted. The results of the projective and psychometric test show an arriration at the development of abstruction and categorical processes, as well as, the objective indications of a «poor» relation-dynamic field.