Genèse et finalité de l'hystérie : apports de la clinique projective infantile

Abstract

Monika Boekholt, Genesis and finality of hysteria : contributions of infantile projective clinic ? Can child psychopathology contribute to the comprehension of the adult's future psychopathological states ? This idea is inspired by the clinical and projective approach of little girls' psychical functioning during the latency period, in the way they sexualise their representations in order to replace more anxiety provoking pregenital representations. It is as if, in these cases, eroticization, as a compromise, replaced the unbearable confrontation to the maternal image, which brings on both oedipal rivalry and the risk of a depression. This could validate the thesis that hysteria is a premature flight towards the ego-sexuated body whose anti-depressive aspect fights a fundamental flaw of what is containing. The argumentation lies on the case study of a 10 year old girl : her projective tests - Rorschach and TAT - congruently show the systematic recourse to representations of eroticized relationships as soon as depressive and/or anxiety provoking solicitations in connection to the maternal image appear. The hysterical strategy seems almost like a caricature, although its future still remains open. Key-words : Hysteria, Child, Adult, Maternal imago, Depression, Rorschach, TAT.