Myriam à la rencontre des autres enfants : processus psychiques à l’œuvre dans la construction des liens avec les pairs chez une petite fille handicapée

Abstract

Objective

This article reports on a case study from qualitative research into the peer relationships of young children with disabilities.

Method

This qualitative study consisted in observing disabled children's relationships over an 18-month period in three contexts (family, mainstream environment, and special needs environment). Thirty-two children were included, 15 girls and 17 boys, with a mean age of 3 years and 2 months, and with various disabilities (motor disability [n = 8], both intellectual and motor disabilities [n = 16], multiple disabilities [n = 8]). Three kinds of tools were used: a logbook retracing the child's development and life events filled in by the referent psychologist; observation booklets filled in twice by parents and inclusion professionals and the referent psychologist, over two separate 18-month periods; semi-directive interviews carried out by the researchers with the parents and the professionals at the end of the research project. A thematic qualitative analysis was carried out on all the data collected for the 32 cases.

Results

The present article focuses on the case of Myriam, who has had an overall developmental delay since birth. At the beginning, when she arrives at school, she overwhelmingly prefers relationships with adults; is disorganized in her relationships with other children; and cannot seem to bear noise, movement, and groups, which she avoids. Interaction with her is possible, but on the condition that she is able to anticipate and remains in control. Eighteen months later, she reacts better to requests, interacts by imitation and has started a special relationship with another little girl. At the CAMSP, she is surer of herself in the group and is able to contradict adults or be aggressive with her classmates. At the end of the research project, at 6 years old, Myriam is much more self-assured. Even if some interactions remains difficult, they have become possible, without adult mediation.

Discussion

This case, chosen because of its representativeness, enables us to raise issues concerning the specific processes underlying disabled children's construction of peer relationships. Typically, young children initially relate to the adults in their life, and then gradually learn to cope with the presence of other children, first in the family, and then outside the family circle. For Myriam, this process occurred later; our hypothesis is that this time lag is due to the particularly central role of the process of separation–individuation with the mother, as relationships with peers can only be formed once the child's maternal representations have evolved. Initially, she is deeply insecure with other children; still in a context of symbiosis with her mother, Myriam seems too little differentiated from the other: the relationship with peers then appears to be an existential threat, because the intersubjective gap does not yet seem to be properly recognized. Moreover, during this first phase, Myriam's mother seems to think her daughter is very vulnerable, requiring constant adult protection. However, the situation evolves, starting with changes in Myriam's mother's representations, as she sees her daughter's abilities develop. Progressively, the uncanny gives way to the familiar; the process of separation–individuation becomes less threatening for both of them. But the experience of a sibling, combined with relational experiences with her female cousins in a different, but equally constructive, approach, will also contribute to the elaboration of Myriam's subjective positioning in her relationships with peers. This favorable evolution of her relationships with peers nevertheless varies depending on the context: whereas her relationships with peers go more smoothly at school, it is different at the Camsp, where Myriam enters a confrontation phase with the adults and other disabled children. Perhaps she feels more at ease among children with whom a certain reciprocity is at play, under the watch of professionals who are more available than in a mainstream environment.

Conclusion

Myriam's story demonstrates that it is not sufficient to simply mix children with disabilities with others for relationships to form between them. It is essential to instate a fruitful partnership with the family environment and to ensure diversity in the relationships that they can form with their peers. Another equally essential aspect is psychotherapeutic work with the families: parenthood needs to be supported to enable a child's environment to become a resource for his/her own development.