O objetivo do presente estudo foi investigar, através de uma abordagem qualitativa, o envolvimento paterno e a experiência da paternidade no contexto da Síndrome de Down (SD). Mais especificamente, procurou-se compreender o impacto que a SD exerce sobre este envolvimento e experiência. Para tanto, foram entrevistados seis pais de crianças com SD, cujos filhos tinham idades entre 9 meses e 3 anos e 3 meses. Os resultados revelaram que os pais participavam ativamente das atividades e cuidados relativos aos filhos, sendo responsáveis por diversas tarefas concernentes a eles, embora o tempo disponível para estar com eles sofra restrições em função do trabalho. Apesar das dificuldades e preocupações que enfrentavam sobre o futuro do filho e sobre a relação com eles, os participantes avaliaram positivamente as suas experiências de paternidade. Discute-se a importância do desenvolvimento de ações que auxiliem não somente os pais, mas também as mães e o restante do sistema familiar, a lidar melhor com as particularidades advindas desta experiência, ajudando a proporcionar uma melhor qualidade de vida para estas famílias. / The aim of the present study was to investigate, through a qualitative approach, paternal involvement and paternal experience in the Down Syndrome (DS) context. More specifically, it aimed to understand the DS impact over this involvement and experience. Six parents of children with DS were interviewed, whose children were between 9 months and 3 years and 3 months. The results demonstrated that parents had been participating actively in children’s activities and caretaking, being responsible for several tasks, although the available time to be with them was restricted because of their jobs. In spite of the difficulties, the participants evaluated positively their paternal experiences. The importance of the developing policies that aid not only the fathers, but also mothers and remaining members of the family system, is discussed, with the intention of working better with the particularities of their lives, helping to provide a better life quality for these families.

Five African American fathers participated in a qualitative study that examined how fathers experience their children who live with chronic illnesses. The examination of their strengths and resiliencies revealed 10 factors that enhanced involvement and were incorporated into fathers' overall approaches to parenting: clear paternal definition; strong parenting alliance; gains experienced through father/child relationship; strong spiritual foundation; responsive social support systems; strategies for managing employment and illness demands; confidence in ability to navigate health care structure; attitude of self-sacrifice and flexibility; strategies for managing perceived disparities; and maintenance of future focus. In addition, fathers defined coping and advised professionals involved with families who have children diagnosed with chronic illness. In doing so, they revealed challenges to participation, potential constraints to involvement, and suggestions for productive encounters with systems of care and collaborative exchanges on behalf of children engaged in treatment. / Master of Science

Notre travail de recherche présente une étude des rapports père/enfant, ayant comme cible le développement psychosocial du sujet. Nous retenons l’approche qui attribue à la famille un rôle prépondérant dans le processus de développement personnel de tous les sujets psychologiques. Ce sont analysées les caractéristiques et les conséquences de la relation entre un père et son enfant (en termes quantitatifs et qualitatifs), ainsi comme s’identifie un ensemble des caractéristiques que les enfants associent au rôle du père. Nous avons utilisé une méthodologie mixte qui consiste en une analyse cognitive (à partir de la réalisation d’un « Pré-étude » et d’un « Questionnaire des rapports père/enfant ») et en une analyse clinique (de par la réalisation d’études de cas) vis-à-vis de la population Portugaise en tant que base de référence. L’analyse des donnés cognitives et cliniques révèlent que la qualité, la quantité des rapports et le fait que père et enfant habitent ensemble constituent des facteurs essentiels au niveau de la dynamique relationnel père/enfant, et confirment que le père biologique assume une importance décisive pendant la vie de son enfant. / Our research introduces a study on father/child relationship, having as objective the psychosocial development of the subject. We adopt the approach which allots to the family a paramount role in the personal development process of all the psychological subjects. It is analyzed the characteristics and the consequences of the relation between a father and his child (in quantitative and qualitative terms), thus as is identified a whole of the characteristics which the children associate with the role of the father. We used a mixed methodology which consists of a cognitive analysis (through the accomplishment of a “Pilot-study” and a “Questionnaire of father/child relationship”) and of a clinical analysis (through the accomplishment of case studies) having the Portuguese population as a reference index. The analysis of given cognitive and clinical data reveals that the quality, the quantity of father/child relationship and the fact that father and child live together constitute crucial factors on the father/child relational dynamic, and confirms that the biological father assumes a decisive importance during the life of his child.

[pt] A partir do presente estudo, procurou-se explorar a temática da experiência subjetiva da paternidade e da masculinidade de pais primíparos na transição para a paternidade. Para isso, foi realizado estudo qualitativo no qual foram entrevistados oito homens primíparos, das camadas médias cariocas, com filhos entre oito meses e três anos, heterossexuais, casados legalmente ou não. Os resultados foram analisados segundo o método de análise do conteúdo em sua vertente categorial. Para atingir os objetivos aqui propostos, serão apresentadas as seguintes categorias de análise: masculinidades em transformação: identificações e rupturas com os genitores; identidade masculina: a questão dos gêneros, feminismo e suas reverberações na masculinidade, pré-história da paternidade: o desejo de ter filhos; repercussões da parentalidade no relacionamento conjugal e, envolvimento paterno. A maioria dos participantes considerou que na atualidade existe maior fluidez entre os gêneros feminino e masculino, reverberando na parentalidade e na conjugalidade que ficam, assim, mais igualitárias. As falas demonstraram maior envolvimento paterno em todo o processo de tornar-se pai, desde o planejamento e o desejo por filhos, até os cuidados físicos e afetivos. Foi possível também constatar reverberações da parentalidade no relacionamento conjugal, indicando o transbordamento de questões do subsistema parental para o conjugal. / [en] Based on the present study, we aimed to investigate the subjective experience of fatherhood and masculinity of primiparous fathers during their transition to fatherhood. To this end, an extensive research was conducted that was divided into two articles. The first one, Subjective experience of masculinity in the transition to fatherhood discusses how fathers experience changes in masculinity during their transition to fatherhood. The second article, The contemporary father: vicissitudes of the process of becoming a father focuses on how fathers experience the process of transition to fatherhood. To this end, two qualitative studies were conducted by interviewing eight primiparous men from Rio de Janeiro who belong to the middle -class, have a child aged between eight months and three years, are heterosexual and are married (formally or otherwise). The results were analyzed according to the content analysis method and its categorical aspect. To achieve the set goals, analysis categories were discussed in articles one and two as follows: the categories of the first article were Masculinities in transformation: identifications and ruptures with parents; Male identity: the issue of gender; and Feminism and its reverberations on masculinity. The categories of the second article were Prehistory of fatherhood: the desire to have children; Repercussions of parenting on the marital relationship and Paternal involvement. Most participants believe that today, there is a greater fluidity between the male and the female gender, which also reverberates on parenting and conjugality and makes them more egalitarian. Their statements reveal increased paternal involvemen t throughout the entire process of becoming a father, from planning and desiring a child to physical and emotional care. It was further observed that parenting also impacts the marital relationship, as issues related to the parental subsystem seem to affect the conjugal one as well.

Résumé : Le présent essai doctoral vise à définir les facteurs de risque ou de protection de l’engagement paternel chez les pères ayant eu recours à la médiation ordonnée (Mo) et à l’expertise psychosociale (Exp). L’étude de 222 dossiers légaux et la réalisation de 22 entrevues repose sur une approche exploratoire dont les données quantitatives et qualitatives ont été recueillies de façon ponctuelle (entrevues) et en rétrospective (analyse des dossiers). Cet essai présente à notre connaissance des données originales. L'analyse des tendances démographiques nommée « analyse populationnelle dynamique » et les données qui en sont issues sont appelées « données populationnelles ». Elles tracent un portrait des pères qui tient compte du contexte social dans lequel ils évoluent et situent les échantillons sur la courbe normale ou selon le critère évalué. Cette méthode d'analyse soutient avantageusement le modèle écologique de Bronfenbrenner (1979). Les résultats indiquent qu’au-delà des procédures de cour, le facteur de risque le plus important à l’engagement paternel est la difficile communication avec l’ex-conjointe appelée « communication dégradant le lien parental » dont les deux piliers sont la dépréciation et l'obstruction. Le conflit qui oppose les parents est de longue durée et se prolonge parfois sur une décennie. Cette intensité de conflit discrimine le profil des pères utilisant la médiation ordonnée de celui des pères utilisant la médiation volontaire. À ce conflit sont associés des coûts psychologiques chez les pères et leur famille, mais également des coûts financiers attribuables à la longueur des procédures de cour. Ces coûts constituent également un facteur de risque tout comme les caractéristiques des couples présentant des écarts d’âge, de valeurs et de culture. Les recommandations de l’expertise et les ententes de la médiation ordonnée ont un effet de courte durée sur le conflit qui oppose les parents. Les pères perçoivent l’expertise comme un facteur de protection de leur engagement, car leur capacité parentale y est reconnue et les recommandations que contiennent les expertises influencent les décisions de la cour. La capacité des pères à valoriser leur rôle parental et les stratégies utilisées pour contrer une communication dénigrante sont également des facteurs de protection. De ces constats se dégage une série de recommandations visant tant la recherche que les interventions cliniques. // Abstract : This doctoral essay seeks to define the risk or protective factors of paternal involvement among fathers who have recourse to court-ordered mediation (Mo) and custody assessment (Exp). An examination of 222 legal cases and the 22 interviews which were conducted is based on an approach that is exploratory (both quantitative and qualitative), case-by-case (interviews) and retrospective (case-file analysis), which to our knowledge is innovative in many ways. The analysis of demographic trends called "population-based dynamic analysis", while the data derived from it are called "population-based data". They paint a portrait of fathers that takes into account the social context in which they find themselves and place the samples on a normal curve or in accordance with the criterion being evaluated. This method of analysis favorably supports Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model (1979). The results indicate that beyond court procedures, the most significant paternal-involvement risk factor is difficult communication with the ex-wife, called "communication detrimental to the parental relationship", which is based on two major pillars: depreciation and obstruction. These pillars present a conceptual affinity with parental alienation, negative co-parenting and restrictive gatekeeping. The conflict between the parents is long-lasting, sometimes extending over a decade. This conflict intensity distinguishes the profiles of fathers using court-ordered mediation from those using voluntary mediation. Psychological and financial costs for the fathers and their family associated with the length of court procedures constitute a risk factor as well, as do the characteristics of couples of differing ages, values and cultures. Court custody assessments and court-ordered mediation have a short-term effect on parental conflict. However, fathers perceived court custody assessments as a protective factor for their paternal involvement because their parenting ability is thus recognized and recommendations contained in the assessments influence court decisions. The ability of fathers to enhance their parenting role and the strategies they use to counter derogatory communications are also protective factors. These findings result in a series of recommendations aimed both at research and clinical interventions.

Les agressions sexuelles envers les enfants sont un fléau social important. Elles portent atteinte à l’intégrité physique et psychologique des enfants qui en sont victimes, entraînant des conséquences délétères pour l’enfant et ses parents. Ces derniers sont d’ailleurs considérés comme des personnes clés dans le rétablissement des enfants. Toutefois, les connaissances scientifiques dans ce domaine ont été principalement acquises auprès des mères, reléguant ainsi le père à une place secondaire. Cette thèse a pour objectif général d’élargir notre compréhension du vécu et du rôle des pères ayant à faire face au dévoilement de l’agression sexuelle de leur enfant. La présente thèse est composée de deux articles empiriques. L’objectif du premier article est de décrire le vécu des pères non agresseurs ayant un ou plusieurs enfants victimes d’agression sexuelle extra ou intrafamiliale sous l’angle de leurs réactions émotionnelles, cognitives et comportementales à la suite du dévoilement de l’AS. Pour ce faire, 17 pères provenant soit du Centre d’Expertise Marie-Vincent de Montréal, soit du Centre d’Intervention en Abus Sexuels pour la Famille de Gatineau ou encore soit de la population générale et ayant un ou plusieurs enfants victimes d’agression sexuelle intra ou extra-familiale ont été rencontrés pour une entrevue individuelle semi-dirigée. Les résultats démontrent que les pères rencontrés dans le cadre de cette étude vivent un véritable choc psychologique, s’apparentant à un traumatisme secondaire, à l’annonce du dévoilement. Cette étude a également mis en lumière la mise en place d’un travail de deuil chez les pères qui sont confrontés à la perte de l’innocence de leur enfant. Les objectifs du deuxième article est de décrire les répercussions du dévoilement de l’agression sexuelle sur la façon dont les pères s’engagent auprès de leurs enfants et de dégager les dimensions du soutien paternel offert à l’enfant. L’analyse du discours de 17 pères ayant vécus le dévoilement d’une agression sexuelle par leur(s) enfant(s) suggèrent que le dévoilement peut être considéré comme un élément de rupture dans le lien à l’enfant nécessitant une adaptation à cette nouvelle réalité. Bien que l’ensemble pères rencontrés expriment leurs inquiétudes pour leur(s) enfant(s) et leur désir de le(s) soutenir, les résultats mettent en évidence les difficultés pour certains pères de s’engager auprès de leurs enfants en raison soit d’une détresse psychologique personnelle importante, soit d’une ambivalence à l’égard de l’enfant ou encore en raison d’une sensation d’inconfort ressentie lors des contacts physiques au cours des soins primaires à prodiguer ou des situations de jeu physique. Leurs propos témoignent également de leurs volontés et de leurs capacités à aider l’enfant à composer avec les conséquences de l’agression sexuelle subie. La mise à jour d’une nouvelle dimension spécifiquement paternelle soit la capacité d’ouvrir son enfant victime d’AS sur le monde extérieur et ainsi jouer un rôle dans le développement de sa confiance en soi apparait comme un résultat novateur de la présente thèse. Les implications cliniques concernant les résultats obtenus dans le cadre de cette thèse ainsi que les pistes de recherche sont finalement abordées. / Child sexual abuse is a devastating social epidemic. It threatens the physical and psychological integrity of children who have experienced it, and brings about horrific repercussions for them and their parents. Yet, parents are considered to be key actors in the recovery of their children. Unfortunately, the current state of knowledge on parental support concerns almost exclusively mothers and not much is known in regards to the role played by fathers.. The principal objective of the present thesis is to further the current understanding of the role and realities experienced by fathers who dealt with the disclosure of their child’s sexual abuse. The present thesis is made up of two scientific articles. The objective of the first article was to describe the experiences of non-offending fathers whose children had been sexually abused either by someone related to them or not, in terms of their emotional, cognitive and behavioral reactions following disclosure. To accomplish this, 17 fathers whose children were the victims of extra or intrafamiliar sexual abuse were recruited at either the Centre d’Expertise Marie-Vincent in Montreal, the Centre d’Intervention en Abus Sexuels pour la Famille in the nearby region of Gatineau, or in the general population, and were asked to participate in a semi-structured interview. Results indicate that fathers in this study suffered from a noticeable psychological shock following disclosure that resembles indirect trauma. This study also brought into light the existence of a grieving process among fathers who were confronted to their child’s loss of innocence. The objectives of the second article were to describe the repercussions of disclosure on the ways fathers involve themselves with their children and to isolate the different forms of support offered by fathers to their sexually abused children. Qualitative content analyses from 17 fathers who dealt with the disclosure of sexual abuse on their children suggests that it could be interpreted as an element of ‘severance’ in the bond with the child, which requires adaptation to a new reality. Even though all of the interviewed fathers expressed their concerns for their children and their desire to help them, findings highlight the difficulties of some fathers to involve themselves with their children because of their own important psychological distress, their ambivalence toward the child or because of feelings of uneasiness that were stirred up while providing to the primary needs of the child or during physical play. Analyses shed some light on these father’s capacities to help their children deal with the consequences of sexual abuse. The acknowledgement of a new form of support specific to fathers, namely, the ability to open the child to his outside world and in doing so playing a role in the development of self-esteem, constitutes a ground-breaking finding of the present thesis.

R??sum?? : Le pr??sent essai doctoral vise ?? d??finir les facteurs de risque ou de protection de l???engagement paternel chez les p??res ayant eu recours ?? la m??diation ordonn??e (Mo) et ?? l???expertise psychosociale (Exp). L?????tude de 222 dossiers l??gaux et la r??alisation de 22 entrevues repose sur une approche exploratoire dont les donn??es quantitatives et qualitatives ont ??t?? recueillies de fa??on ponctuelle (entrevues) et en r??trospective (analyse des dossiers). Cet essai pr??sente ?? notre connaissance des donn??es originales. L'analyse des tendances d??mographiques nomm??e ?? analyse populationnelle dynamique ?? et les donn??es qui en sont issues sont appel??es ?? donn??es populationnelles ??. Elles tracent un portrait des p??res qui tient compte du contexte social dans lequel ils ??voluent et situent les ??chantillons sur la courbe normale ou selon le crit??re ??valu??. Cette m??thode d'analyse soutient avantageusement le mod??le ??cologique de Bronfenbrenner (1979). Les r??sultats indiquent qu???au-del?? des proc??dures de cour, le facteur de risque le plus important ?? l???engagement paternel est la difficile communication avec l???ex-conjointe appel??e ?? communication d??gradant le lien parental ?? dont les deux piliers sont la d??pr??ciation et l'obstruction. Le conflit qui oppose les parents est de longue dur??e et se prolonge parfois sur une d??cennie. Cette intensit?? de conflit discrimine le profil des p??res utilisant la m??diation ordonn??e de celui des p??res utilisant la m??diation volontaire. ?? ce conflit sont associ??s des co??ts psychologiques chez les p??res et leur famille, mais ??galement des co??ts financiers attribuables ?? la longueur des proc??dures de cour. Ces co??ts constituent ??galement un facteur de risque tout comme les caract??ristiques des couples pr??sentant des ??carts d?????ge, de valeurs et de culture. Les recommandations de l???expertise et les ententes de la m??diation ordonn??e ont un effet de courte dur??e sur le conflit qui oppose les parents. Les p??res per??oivent l???expertise comme un facteur de protection de leur engagement, car leur capacit?? parentale y est reconnue et les recommandations que contiennent les expertises influencent les d??cisions de la cour. La capacit?? des p??res ?? valoriser leur r??le parental et les strat??gies utilis??es pour contrer une communication d??nigrante sont ??galement des facteurs de protection. De ces constats se d??gage une s??rie de recommandations visant tant la recherche que les interventions cliniques. // Abstract : This doctoral essay seeks to define the risk or protective factors of paternal involvement among fathers who have recourse to court-ordered mediation (Mo) and custody assessment (Exp). An examination of 222 legal cases and the 22 interviews which were conducted is based on an approach that is exploratory (both quantitative and qualitative), case-by-case (interviews) and retrospective (case-file analysis), which to our knowledge is innovative in many ways. The analysis of demographic trends called "population-based dynamic analysis", while the data derived from it are called "population-based data". They paint a portrait of fathers that takes into account the social context in which they find themselves and place the samples on a normal curve or in accordance with the criterion being evaluated. This method of analysis favorably supports Bronfenbrenner???s ecological model (1979). The results indicate that beyond court procedures, the most significant paternal-involvement risk factor is difficult communication with the ex-wife, called "communication detrimental to the parental relationship", which is based on two major pillars: depreciation and obstruction. These pillars present a conceptual affinity with parental alienation, negative co-parenting and restrictive gatekeeping. The conflict between the parents is long-lasting, sometimes extending over a decade. This conflict intensity distinguishes the profiles of fathers using court-ordered mediation from those using voluntary mediation. Psychological and financial costs for the fathers and their family associated with the length of court procedures constitute a risk factor as well, as do the characteristics of couples of differing ages, values and cultures. Court custody assessments and court-ordered mediation have a short-term effect on parental conflict. However, fathers perceived court custody assessments as a protective factor for their paternal involvement because their parenting ability is thus recognized and recommendations contained in the assessments influence court decisions. The ability of fathers to enhance their parenting role and the strategies they use to counter derogatory communications are also protective factors. These findings result in a series of recommendations aimed both at research and clinical interventions.

R??sum?? : Le pr??sent essai doctoral vise ?? d??finir les facteurs de risque ou de protection de l???engagement paternel chez les p??res ayant eu recours ?? la m??diation ordonn??e (Mo) et ?? l???expertise psychosociale (Exp). L?????tude de 222 dossiers l??gaux et la r??alisation de 22 entrevues repose sur une approche exploratoire dont les donn??es quantitatives et qualitatives ont ??t?? recueillies de fa??on ponctuelle (entrevues) et en r??trospective (analyse des dossiers). Cet essai pr??sente ?? notre connaissance des donn??es originales. L'analyse des tendances d??mographiques nomm??e ?? analyse populationnelle dynamique ?? et les donn??es qui en sont issues sont appel??es ?? donn??es populationnelles ??. Elles tracent un portrait des p??res qui tient compte du contexte social dans lequel ils ??voluent et situent les ??chantillons sur la courbe normale ou selon le crit??re ??valu??. Cette m??thode d'analyse soutient avantageusement le mod??le ??cologique de Bronfenbrenner (1979). Les r??sultats indiquent qu???au-del?? des proc??dures de cour, le facteur de risque le plus important ?? l???engagement paternel est la difficile communication avec l???ex-conjointe appel??e ?? communication d??gradant le lien parental ?? dont les deux piliers sont la d??pr??ciation et l'obstruction. Le conflit qui oppose les parents est de longue dur??e et se prolonge parfois sur une d??cennie. Cette intensit?? de conflit discrimine le profil des p??res utilisant la m??diation ordonn??e de celui des p??res utilisant la m??diation volontaire. ?? ce conflit sont associ??s des co??ts psychologiques chez les p??res et leur famille, mais ??galement des co??ts financiers attribuables ?? la longueur des proc??dures de cour. Ces co??ts constituent ??galement un facteur de risque tout comme les caract??ristiques des couples pr??sentant des ??carts d?????ge, de valeurs et de culture. Les recommandations de l???expertise et les ententes de la m??diation ordonn??e ont un effet de courte dur??e sur le conflit qui oppose les parents. Les p??res per??oivent l???expertise comme un facteur de protection de leur engagement, car leur capacit?? parentale y est reconnue et les recommandations que contiennent les expertises influencent les d??cisions de la cour. La capacit?? des p??res ?? valoriser leur r??le parental et les strat??gies utilis??es pour contrer une communication d??nigrante sont ??galement des facteurs de protection. De ces constats se d??gage une s??rie de recommandations visant tant la recherche que les interventions cliniques. // Abstract : This doctoral essay seeks to define the risk or protective factors of paternal involvement among fathers who have recourse to court-ordered mediation (Mo) and custody assessment (Exp). An examination of 222 legal cases and the 22 interviews which were conducted is based on an approach that is exploratory (both quantitative and qualitative), case-by-case (interviews) and retrospective (case-file analysis), which to our knowledge is innovative in many ways. The analysis of demographic trends called "population-based dynamic analysis", while the data derived from it are called "population-based data". They paint a portrait of fathers that takes into account the social context in which they find themselves and place the samples on a normal curve or in accordance with the criterion being evaluated. This method of analysis favorably supports Bronfenbrenner???s ecological model (1979). The results indicate that beyond court procedures, the most significant paternal-involvement risk factor is difficult communication with the ex-wife, called "communication detrimental to the parental relationship", which is based on two major pillars: depreciation and obstruction. These pillars present a conceptual affinity with parental alienation, negative co-parenting and restrictive gatekeeping. The conflict between the parents is long-lasting, sometimes extending over a decade. This conflict intensity distinguishes the profiles of fathers using court-ordered mediation from those using voluntary mediation. Psychological and financial costs for the fathers and their family associated with the length of court procedures constitute a risk factor as well, as do the characteristics of couples of differing ages, values and cultures. Court custody assessments and court-ordered mediation have a short-term effect on parental conflict. However, fathers perceived court custody assessments as a protective factor for their paternal involvement because their parenting ability is thus recognized and recommendations contained in the assessments influence court decisions. The ability of fathers to enhance their parenting role and the strategies they use to counter derogatory communications are also protective factors. These findings result in a series of recommendations aimed both at research and clinical interventions.

Les agressions sexuelles envers les enfants sont un fléau social important. Elles portent atteinte à l’intégrité physique et psychologique des enfants qui en sont victimes, entraînant des conséquences délétères pour l’enfant et ses parents. Ces derniers sont d’ailleurs considérés comme des personnes clés dans le rétablissement des enfants. Toutefois, les connaissances scientifiques dans ce domaine ont été principalement acquises auprès des mères, reléguant ainsi le père à une place secondaire. Cette thèse a pour objectif général d’élargir notre compréhension du vécu et du rôle des pères ayant à faire face au dévoilement de l’agression sexuelle de leur enfant. La présente thèse est composée de deux articles empiriques. L’objectif du premier article est de décrire le vécu des pères non agresseurs ayant un ou plusieurs enfants victimes d’agression sexuelle extra ou intrafamiliale sous l’angle de leurs réactions émotionnelles, cognitives et comportementales à la suite du dévoilement de l’AS. Pour ce faire, 17 pères provenant soit du Centre d’Expertise Marie-Vincent de Montréal, soit du Centre d’Intervention en Abus Sexuels pour la Famille de Gatineau ou encore soit de la population générale et ayant un ou plusieurs enfants victimes d’agression sexuelle intra ou extra-familiale ont été rencontrés pour une entrevue individuelle semi-dirigée. Les résultats démontrent que les pères rencontrés dans le cadre de cette étude vivent un véritable choc psychologique, s’apparentant à un traumatisme secondaire, à l’annonce du dévoilement. Cette étude a également mis en lumière la mise en place d’un travail de deuil chez les pères qui sont confrontés à la perte de l’innocence de leur enfant. Les objectifs du deuxième article est de décrire les répercussions du dévoilement de l’agression sexuelle sur la façon dont les pères s’engagent auprès de leurs enfants et de dégager les dimensions du soutien paternel offert à l’enfant. L’analyse du discours de 17 pères ayant vécus le dévoilement d’une agression sexuelle par leur(s) enfant(s) suggèrent que le dévoilement peut être considéré comme un élément de rupture dans le lien à l’enfant nécessitant une adaptation à cette nouvelle réalité. Bien que l’ensemble pères rencontrés expriment leurs inquiétudes pour leur(s) enfant(s) et leur désir de le(s) soutenir, les résultats mettent en évidence les difficultés pour certains pères de s’engager auprès de leurs enfants en raison soit d’une détresse psychologique personnelle importante, soit d’une ambivalence à l’égard de l’enfant ou encore en raison d’une sensation d’inconfort ressentie lors des contacts physiques au cours des soins primaires à prodiguer ou des situations de jeu physique. Leurs propos témoignent également de leurs volontés et de leurs capacités à aider l’enfant à composer avec les conséquences de l’agression sexuelle subie. La mise à jour d’une nouvelle dimension spécifiquement paternelle soit la capacité d’ouvrir son enfant victime d’AS sur le monde extérieur et ainsi jouer un rôle dans le développement de sa confiance en soi apparait comme un résultat novateur de la présente thèse. Les implications cliniques concernant les résultats obtenus dans le cadre de cette thèse ainsi que les pistes de recherche sont finalement abordées. / Child sexual abuse is a devastating social epidemic. It threatens the physical and psychological integrity of children who have experienced it, and brings about horrific repercussions for them and their parents. Yet, parents are considered to be key actors in the recovery of their children. Unfortunately, the current state of knowledge on parental support concerns almost exclusively mothers and not much is known in regards to the role played by fathers.. The principal objective of the present thesis is to further the current understanding of the role and realities experienced by fathers who dealt with the disclosure of their child’s sexual abuse. The present thesis is made up of two scientific articles. The objective of the first article was to describe the experiences of non-offending fathers whose children had been sexually abused either by someone related to them or not, in terms of their emotional, cognitive and behavioral reactions following disclosure. To accomplish this, 17 fathers whose children were the victims of extra or intrafamiliar sexual abuse were recruited at either the Centre d’Expertise Marie-Vincent in Montreal, the Centre d’Intervention en Abus Sexuels pour la Famille in the nearby region of Gatineau, or in the general population, and were asked to participate in a semi-structured interview. Results indicate that fathers in this study suffered from a noticeable psychological shock following disclosure that resembles indirect trauma. This study also brought into light the existence of a grieving process among fathers who were confronted to their child’s loss of innocence. The objectives of the second article were to describe the repercussions of disclosure on the ways fathers involve themselves with their children and to isolate the different forms of support offered by fathers to their sexually abused children. Qualitative content analyses from 17 fathers who dealt with the disclosure of sexual abuse on their children suggests that it could be interpreted as an element of ‘severance’ in the bond with the child, which requires adaptation to a new reality. Even though all of the interviewed fathers expressed their concerns for their children and their desire to help them, findings highlight the difficulties of some fathers to involve themselves with their children because of their own important psychological distress, their ambivalence toward the child or because of feelings of uneasiness that were stirred up while providing to the primary needs of the child or during physical play. Analyses shed some light on these father’s capacities to help their children deal with the consequences of sexual abuse. The acknowledgement of a new form of support specific to fathers, namely, the ability to open the child to his outside world and in doing so playing a role in the development of self-esteem, constitutes a ground-breaking finding of the present thesis.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:44:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 4459.pdf: 6181899 bytes, checksum: 9e1db597a6ecb8a8e0694c39910b8026 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-02-21 / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos / The family is of fundamental importance in child development. Although neglected in many studies, the father is a unique contributor to his child s development, but remains absent from early intervention programs. This study aimed to determine the effect of a home-based intervention for fathers on their child s development, the interaction of both parents with their child, and the effects on home envorinment and on stress, depression, level of coping, parental and marital satisfaction, perceptions of family functioning and social support and empowerment of both parents. Six families of children with Down s syndrome, between 1 and 2 years of age had their children s development evaluated using the Operationalized Portage Inventory, in two São Paulo in country cities. The Questionnaire for the Characterization of the Family System was used to capture demographic information about the families; parts C and D of the General Guide of Transcription of Interview Data to evaluate the participation of fathers and grandparents; the Interview for the Characterization of Brazilian Fathers Role in the Education of a Child with an Intellectual Disability to evaluate fathers involvement; HOME Inventory to assess stimulation ofered to the child in the home environment; QRS-F and Lipp s Inventory of Stress Symptoms to measure parents stress; Beck s Depression Inventory to assess the existence and the level of depression; FACES III to evaluate the perception of family functioning; Coping Strategies Inventory to assess the level of coping; Social Suport Questionnaire to evaluate the perception of social suport; PSOC to assess parental satisfaction; Scale of Marital Satisfaction to assess marital satisfaction and FES to evaluate parents empowerment. In order to observe fatherchild, mother-child and father-mother-child interactions, it was used the Protocol for Categorizing the Analysis of Filmed Interactions, the Definitive System of Observational Categories and a Protocol for the Evaluation of Dyadic/Triadic Interaction. It was observed that all children had developmental delays. Parents asessment indicated: low levels of stress related to the child s presence, absence of stress among fathers, stress among all the mothers, high levels of self-esteem and empowerment, one father with depression, high levels of cohesion and adaptability, the use of various coping strategies, wide social networks and satisfaction with social support and good marital satisfaction among couples. In addition, all offered home environments that stimulated and supported their children, and family interactions were satisfatory, although they differed in some respects between fathers and mothers and in dyads and triads. The training activities conducted by the fathers, based on the Portage Inventory contributed to the development of new repertories in their children, positive behaviour in interactions were more frequent over time and a decrease in indices of stress among the mothers. The other parents charateristics assessed didn t alter generally during the families participation in the study. The stimulation and support in the home environment became better or worse depending on the family. The relation between some results and research in this field is discussed. It was concluded that early intervention programs should abandon the child-centered model to adopt a familycentered model, in which fathers are an important parent for family functioning and for child development. / A família tem importância fundamental no desenvolvimento infantil. Negligenciado em muitos estudos, o pai constitui contribuinte singular no desenvolvimento de seu filho, mas continua ausente nos programas de intervenção precoce. Este estudo teve o objetivo de conhecer o efeito de uma intervenção domiciliar com este genitor como treinador no desenvolvimento da criança e na interação de ambos os genitores com a criança, além dos efeitos no ambiente domiciliar e no estresse, depressão, no nível de enfrentamento, na satisfação parental e marital, na percepção do funcionamento familiar e do suporte social e no empoderamento de ambos os genitores. Seis famílias de crianças com Síndrome de Down com idade entre 1 e 2 anos tiveram o desenvolvimento de suas crianças avaliado por meio do Inventário Portage Operacionalizado, em duas cidades do interior paulista. Foram utilizados o Questionário de Caracterização do Sistema Familiar para caracterizar demograficamente as famílias; as partes C e D do Guia Geral de Transcrição dos Dados de Entrevista para avaliar a participação do pai e dos avós; o roteiro de Entrevista de Caracterização do Papel do Pai Brasileiro na Educação da Criança com Deficiência Mental para avaliar o envolvimento paterno; o Inventário HOME para avaliar a estimulação oferecida à criança no ambiente domiciliar; o QRS-F e o ISSL para medir o estresse dos pais; o Inventário de Depressão de Beck para avaliar a existência e o grau de depressão; o FACES III para avaliar a percepção do funcionamento familiar; o Inventário de Estratégias de Coping para avaliar o nível de enfrentamento; o Questionário de Suporte Social para avaliar a percepção do suporte social; o PSOC para avaliar a satisfação parental; a Escala de Satisfação Conjugal para avaliar a satisfação marital e a FES para avaliar o empoderamento dos pais. A fim de observar as interações pai-filho, mãe-filho e pai-mãe-filho utilizou-se o Protocolo de Categorias de Análise das Filmagens de Interação, o Sistema Definitivo de Categorias Observacionais e o Protocolo de Avaliação da Interação Diádica/Triádica. Observou-se que todas as crianças apresentavam atrasos de desenvolvimento. A avaliação dos genitores indicou: baixos níveis de estresse em relação à presença da criança, ausência de estresse entre os genitores masculinos, estresse para todas as mães, altos índices de autoestima e empoderamento, depressão em um pai, altos índices de coesão e adaptabilidade familiar, diversas estratégias de enfrentamento, ampla rede e satisfação com o suporte social e boa satisfação conjugal entre os casais. Além disso, todos ofereciam ambiente domiciliar que estimulava e apoiava as crianças e as interações familiares foram satisfatórias, porém, diferentes em alguns aspectos entre pais e mães e nas díades e tríades. As atividades de treino realizado pelo pai, baseadas no Portage, desenvolveram novos repertórios na criança, comportamentos positivos nas interações foram mais frequentes com o passar do tempo e houve diminuição dos índices indicativos de estresse nas mães. As demais características parentais avaliadas não sofreram alterações generalizadas durante a participação das famílias no estudo. A estimulação e o apoio no ambiente domiciliar sofreram melhoras e pioras dependendo da família. Discute-se a relação entre alguns resultados e pesquisas na área. Conclui-se que programas de intervenção precoce deveriam abandonar o modelo centrado na criança para adotar um modelo centrado na família, na qual o pai constitui genitor relevante para o funcionamento da mesma e para o desenvolvimento dos filhos.