Background: The construct of alexithymia implies a deficit in symbolization for emotional, somatic, and mental states. However, the etiologic factors for alexithymia have not yet been fully elucidated. The present study investigated the use of mentalizing language, i.e. the utterance of internal states, from a developmental perspective according to attachment organization and disorganization. Methods: A longitudinal design across 4 time points was applied to a volunteer sample of 42 children. At 12 months, children were tested with the strange situation procedure, the standard measure of attachment at the optimal age, and attachment classifications were taken of videotapes. At ages 17, 23, 30 and 36 months, mother and child were observed in simplified separation episodes of 30 min duration. Transcripts of the sessions were subject to coding of internal state words. Results: During the investigated span, securely attached children rapidly acquired emotion, physiology, cognition and emotion-regulatory language, whereas insecurely attached and disorganized children either completely lacked internal state language or displayed a considerable time lag in the use of emotion and cognition vocabulary. Conclusion: The results raise the possibility that alexithymia might be a consequence of deficits in the development of internal state language in the context of insecure or disorganized childhood attachment relationships. / Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.

La présente thèse décrit un projet de recherche multidisciplinaire qui porte sur la reconnaissance de l’émotion dans les sons, couvrant les théories psychologiques, l’analyse du signal acoustique,l’apprentissage automatique et la dynamique chaotique.Dans nos interactions et nos relations sociales, nous dépendons considérablement de la communication de l’information et de notre perception des messages transmis. En fait, la communication se produit lorsque les signaux transmettent des informations entre une source et une destination. Le signal peut être verbal, et l’information est ensuite portée par des motifs sonores, tels que des mots. Dans la communication vocale non verbale, cependant,l’information peut être des modèles perceptifs qui véhiculent des indices affectifs, que nous percevons et évaluons sous la forme d’intentions, d’attitudes, d’humeurs et d’émotions.La prévalence de la composante affective peut être observée dans les interactions informatiques humaines (HCI) où le développement d’applications automatisées qui comprennent et expriment les émotions est devenu crucial. De tels systèmes doivent être significatifs et faciles à utiliser pour l’utilisateur final, de sorte que notre interaction avec eux devient une expérience positive. Bien que la reconnaissance automatique des émotions dans les sons ait reçu une attention accrue au cours des dernières années, il s’agit encore d’un jeune domaine de recherche.Non seulement cela contribue à l’informatique affective en général, mais il fournit également une compréhension approfondie de la signification des sons dans notre vie quotidienne.Dans cette thèse, le problème de la reconnaissance des affects est abordé à partir d’une double perspective: nous commençons par adopter une approche standard de l’analyse acoustique du signal, où nous examinons et expérimentons les fonctionnalités existantes pour déterminer leur rôle dans la communication émotionnelle. Ensuite, nous nous tournons vers la dynamique chaotique et la symbolisation des séries temporelles, pour comprendre le rôle de la dynamique inhérente des sons dans l’expressivité affective. Nous menons nos études dans le contexte des sons non verbaux, à savoir les sons vocaux, musicaux et environnementaux.D’un point de vue de l’écoute humaine, une tâche d’annotation est menée pour construire un ground-truth de voix de chant non verbales, marquées par des descriptions catégoriques du modèle bidimensionnel d’émotions. Deux types de sons sont inclus dans l’étude: vocal et glottal.D’un point de vue psychologique, la présente recherche porte sur un débat qui existe depuis longtemps parmi les scientifiques et les psychologues, concernant les origines communes de la musique et de la voix. La question est abordée à partir d’une analyse acoustique ainsi que d’une approche dynamique non linéaire.D’un point de vue de la modélisation, ce travail propose une nouvelle approche dynamique non linéaire pour la reconnaissance de l’affect dans le son, basée sur la dynamique chaotique et la symbolisation adaptative des séries temporelles. Tout au long de cette thèse, les contrastes clés dans l’expressivité de l’émotion sont illustrés parmi les différents types de sons, à travers l’analyse des propriétés acoustiques, les métriques de la dynamique non linéaire et les performances des prédictions.Enfin, d’un point de vue progressif, nous suggérons que les travaux futurs étudient des caractéristiques motivées par les études cognitives. Nous suggérons également d’examiner dans quelle mesure nos caractéristiques reflètent les processus cognitifs. En outre, nous recommandons que nos fonctionnalités dynamiques soient testées dans des études à grande échelle de la reconnaissance d’émotions à travers la participation aux défis expérimentaux, dans le but de vérifier s’ils obtiennent un consensus. / The present thesis describes a multidisciplinary research project on emotion recognition in sounds, covering psychological theories, acoustic-based signal analysis, machine learning and chaotic dynamics.In our social interactions and relationships, we rely greatly on the communication of information and on our perception of the messages transmitted. In fact communication happens when signals transmit information between a source and a destination. The signal can be verbal,and the information is then carried by sound patterns, such as words. In non verbal vocal communication however, information can be perceptual patterns that convey affective cues,that we sense and appraise in the form of intentions, attitudes, moods and emotions.The prevalence of the affective component can be seen in human computer interactions(HCI) where the development of automated applications that understand and express emotions has become crucial. Such systems need to be meaningful and friendly to the end user, so thatour interaction with them becomes a positive experience. Although the automatic recognition of emotions in sounds has received increased attention in recent years, it is still a young fieldof research. Not only does it contribute to Affective Computing in general, but it also provides insight into the significance of sounds in our daily life.In this thesis the problem of affect recognition is addressed from a dual perspective: we start by taking a standard approach of acoustic-based signal analysis, where we survey and experiment with existing features to determine their role in emotion communication. Then,we turn to chaotic dynamics and time series symbolization, to understand the role of the inherent dynamics of sounds in affective expressiveness. We conduct our studies in the context of nonverbal sounds, namely voice, music and environmental sounds.From a human listening point of view, an annotation task is conducted to build a ground truth of nonverbal singing voices, labelled with categorical descriptions of the two-dimensional model of affect. Two types of sounds are included in the study: vocal and glottal.From a psychological perspective, the present research addresses a debate that is of long standing among scientists and psychologists, concerning the common origins of music and voice.The question is addressed from an acoustic-based analysis as well as a nonlinear dynamics approach.From a modeling viewpoint, this work proposes a novel nonlinear dynamics approach for the recognition of affect in sound, based on chaotic dynamics and adaptive time series symbolization.Throughout this thesis, key contrasts in the expressiveness of affect are illustrated among the different types of sounds, through the analysis of acoustic properties, nonlinear dynamics metrics and predictions performances. Finally from a progressive perspective, we suggest that future works investigate features that are motivated by cognitive studies. We also suggest to examine to what extent our features reflect cognitive processes. Additionally we recommend that our dynamic features be tested inlarge scale ER studies through the participation in ER challenges, with an aim to verify if they gain consensus.

A Psicossomática se constituiu como campo de saber tendo como uma de suas principais influências as contribuições de Freud a respeito da relação entre mente e corpo. Desde Alexander até os teóricos de orientação psicanalítica mais atuais, a questão da somatização, no sentido lato, vem sendo discutida e, apesar das divergências teóricas, o que sempre está em pauta nas somatizações é o comprometimento da capacidade de simbolização do sujeito frente às vicissitudes da vida. Essa mesma característica é central nas neuroses atuais, de forma que há possível associação entre a somatização e a neurose atual. Dessa forma, os objetivos principais são verificar se esse comprometimento na capacidade de simbolização está presente e como se apresenta em sujeitos com somatização e em sujeitos com neurose atual. Para se realizar o estudo, foram eleitos dois transtornos que são representantes das categorias acima citadas: nas somatizações, vamos pensar a partir dos transtornos somatoformes, utilizando a subcategoria dos transtornos neurovegetativos somatoformes, elegendo a Síndrome do Intestino Irritável; e nas Neuroses Atuais, o Transtorno de Pânico (Neurose de Angústia). Os resultados vão permitir uma comparação, a partir da capacidade de simbolização, entre essas duas categorias e a verificação de maiores relações entre ambas, assim como relação com alexitimia, pensamento operatório e personalidade tipo A, características geralmente associadas a esses tipos de pacientes. A pesquisa foi feita a partir de estudos bibliográficos e psicodiagnóstico dos sujeitos da pesquisa, com entrevista semi-dirigida, aplicação de pranchas do TAT, escalas de alexitimia (TAS e OAS) e entrevista para Personalidade tipo A. Foram utilizados três sujeitos com Síndrome do Intestino Irritável e dois com Transtorno de Pânico. Nos sujeitos da pesquisa, quando aparece comprometimento na capacidade de simbolização, as histórias no TAT são mais curtas, descritivas, concretas, com introdução de nenhum ou poucos elementos externos à prancha, dificuldade na resolução de conflito, personagens pouco integrados, ausência de referências afetivas ou afetividade negativa, prejuízo da integração do ego, com predomínio de pensamento do tipo operatório. Pensar o comprometimento da capacidade de simbolização em pacientes com somatização a partir do pensamento operatório faz sentido, visto que os sujeitos apresentaram tal forma de pensamento, embora apresentem variações significativas na intensidade e frequência de funcionamento metal do tipo operatório. Contudo, definir o paciente com somatização ou com neurose atual necessariamente como alexitímico é insuficiente, visto que nem todos apresentaram tal característica. Pela análise de dados dos sujeitos, há pacientes os quais o comprometimento na capacidade de simbolização funciona como defesa psíquica diante da angústia, de forma a prejudicar a integração do ego em razão de manter um funcionamento mental mais estável; e há os que esse comprometimento é característico do funcionamento mental. Compreendendo o funcionamento psicológico que há por trás das somatizações o comprometimento da capacidade de simbolização e as formas como se configura na dinâmica psíquica do sujeito como defesa psíquica ou como característica do funcionamento mental pode-se estabelecer métodos de abordagens e técnicas psicoterápicas mais eficientes e condizentes com pacientes com somatizações / The Psychosomatic constituted itself as a field of knowledge has as one of his major influences the contributions of Freud on the relationship between mind and body. From Alexander to the psychoanalytic theoristis more current, the issue of somatization in the broadest sense, has been discussed and, despite the theoretical differences, is always at hand in somatization the impaired ability of symbolization of the subject facing the vicissitudes of life. This same feature is central to the actual neurosis, so that there is a possible association between somatization and actual neurosis. Thus, the main objectives are to determine if that impairment in the ability of symbolization is present and how shown in subjects with somatization and in subjects with actual neurosis. To perform the study, two disorders that are elected representatives of the categories mentioned above: in somatization, we think from the somatoform disorders, using the subcategory of somatoform autonomic dysfunction, electing the Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and in Actual Neurosis, the Panic Disorder (Anxiety Neurosis). The results will allow a comparison, from the capacity for symbolization, between these two categories and the verification of relations between the two, as well as compared with alexithymia, operational thinking and type A personality, characteristics associated with these types of patients. The survey was conducted from bibliographic studies and psychodiagnostic research subjects, with semi-directed interview, application of TAT cards scales of alexithymia (TAS and OAS) and interview for Type A Personality. We used three subjects with Irritable Bowel Syndrome and two with Panic Disorder. In the research subjects, when it appears impairment in the ability of symbolization, the TAT stories are shorter, descriptive, concrete, with few or no introduction of foreign elements to the board, difficulty in conflict resolution, low integrated characters, no references affective or negative affectivity, impaired ego integration, with a predominance of thought like operatory. Thinking the impaired ability of symbolization in patients with somatization from operational thinking makes sense, because the subjects had this way of thinking, although they have shown significant variations in intensity and frequency of operation of the metal type operatory. However, defining the patient with somatization or actual neurosis necessarily as alexithymic is insufficient, since not everyone had such a feature. For the data analysis of the subjects, there are patients who compromise the ability to symbolizing as psychic defense in the face of anguish, in order to undermine the integration of the ego to maintain a more stable mental functioning, and there are that this commitment is characteristic of mental functioning. Understanding the psychological functioning that is behind the somatization - the impaired ability of symbolization - and the ways to configure the psychic dynamics of the subject - such as defense or as a psychological characteristic of mental functioning - can establish methods of psychotherapeutic approaches and techniques more efficient and consistent with patients with somatization

Na Psicossomática, dentro do modelo biopsicossocial, entende-se que respostas psicológicas a condições de vida podem interagir com fatores somáticos existentes, alterando a susceptibilidade e manifestação da doença, o que se mostra evidente nas somatizações, como na Síndrome do Intestino Irritável (SII), onde há alteração da motilidade intestinal e no formato das fezes, acompanhada de dores abdominais. O funcionamento mental associado às somatizações, no qual a pessoa apresenta dificuldade em relacionar o adoecimento com seu universo psicológico, é que a capacidade de simbolização, ou seja, a construção de representações mentais para o alívio do estado emocional, é afetada, cronificando as alterações fisiológicas correspondentes. O objetivo da pesquisa foi verificar se o atendimento clínico psicológico, baseado na técnica da Psicoterapia Breve Operacionalizada (PBO), com ênfase na promoção da capacidade de simbolização em relação a determinadas questões significativas, pode contribuir para a melhora dos sintomas no quadro clínico de pacientes com SII. O método utilizado na pesquisa foi o clínico-qualitativo, a partir do estudo de caso de duas pacientes adultas, com o diagnóstico principal de transtorno neurovegetativo somatoforme, portadoras de SII. A intervenção psicológica foi estruturada em três fases: 1) psicodiagnóstico, composto por entrevista semi-dirigida, Sistema Diagnóstico Adaptativo Operacionalizado (SISDAO) e Teste de Apercepção Temática (TAT), questionário de avaliação clínica da SII; 2) psicoterapia breve, em doze sessões; 3) reavaliação após seis meses. A capacidade de simbolização da primeira participante era comprometida fundamentalmente relacionada à sua dificuldade em lidar com a perda da mãe quando criança, num luto não elaborado. Apresentava dores abdominais forte, a cada dois ou três dias, evacuando uma vez ao dia e quando em crise, duas ou três vezes por dia. A segunda participante apresentou uma capacidade de simbolização que passava a ser comprometida quando o conflito entre o desejo de ser aceita por sua família, em especial sua mãe, e o de rompimento tornava-se insuportável. Apresentava dores moderada, a cada cinco dias, evacuando quatro vezes ao dia e, quando em crise, seis vezes ao dia. A intervenção clinico psicológica em pacientes com SII, baseada na técnica da PBO, com elaboração da demanda psicológica e das questões significativas que comprometiam a capacidade de simbolização, possibilitou a elaboração psicológica dos estados emocionais que estariam influenciando os sintomas da SII, de forma que contribuiu para a melhora do quadro clínico das participantes. Após seis meses da psicoterapia, a primeira participante apresentou dores fracas a cada cinco dias, frequência única de evacuação por dia, não apresentou crises. A segunda participante estava evacuando uma a duas vezes por dia, dores fracas a cada cinco dias e crises ocorriam em menor frequência. O modelo de intervenção mostrou-se vantajoso para as participantes da pesquisa, de forma que seu uso no tratamento clinico psicológica para pacientes com SII, levando em consideração as especificidades do funcionamento mental associado às somatizações, apresenta-se promissor / In Psychosomatics, within the biopsychosocial model, it is understood that psychological responses to living conditions may interact with existing somatic factors, altering the susceptibility and manifestations of diseases, which is evidenced in somatizations, such as the case of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), where there is altered intestinal motility and stool format, accompanied by abdominal pain. The mental functioning associated with somatizations, in which a person presents difficulties in associating the illness to their psychological universe, that is, the capacity of symbolization, i.e. the construction of mental representations for the relief of the emotional state is affected, cronifying the physiological changes. The research objective was to determine whether psychological clinical care, based on the technique of Operationalized Brief Psychotherapy (OBP), with emphasises on promoting symbolization capacity regarding certain significant issues, can contribute to the improvement of symptoms in clinical condition of patients with IBS. The method used in the study was the clinical-qualitative, from the case study of two female adult patients with primary diagnosis of somatoform autonomic disorder, suffering from IBS. Psychological intervention was structured in three phases: 1) psychodiagnosis, composed of semi-directed interview, Operationalized Adaptive Diagnostic System (OADS) and Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), questionnaire of clinical evaluation of IBS; 2) brief psychotherapy split in twelve sessions; 3) re-evaluation after six months. The symbolization capacity of the first participant was compromised primarily because of her difficulty dealing with the loss of her mother when a child, in a non-elaborated mourning. The patient presented strong abdominal pains, every two or three days, evacuating once a day and when in crisis, two or three times a day. The second participant presented a symbolization capacity that began to be compromised when the conflict between the desire to be accepted by her family, especially her mother, and the disruption became unbearable. She felt moderate pain, every five days, evacuating four times a day, and when in crisis, six times a day. Psychological clinical intervention in patients with IBS, based on the technique of OADS, with development of psychological demand and significant issues that compromised the capacity of symbolization, allowed the psychological development of emotional states that would influence the symptoms of IBS, so it contributed to the improvement of the clinical condition of the participants. After six months of psychotherapy, the first participant presented weak pains every five days, single daily stool frequency, no crisis. The second participant was evacuating once or twice a day, felt weak pains every five days and crisis occurred less frequently. The intervention model was advantageous to the participants, so that its use in clinical psychological treatment for IBS patients presents promising, taking into account the specifics of mental functioning associated with somatization

Cette recherche trouve son origine dans une pratique clinique quotidienne auprès d'enfants en âge de latence accompagnés pour leurs difficultés d'apprentissage. L'âge de latence est pour l'enfant une étape importante de réaménagement cognitif et de désintrication pulsionnelle. Si les troubles des apprentissages et l'échec scolaire peuvent trouver leur origine dans des temps plus anciens du développement psycho-cognitif du sujet, la période de latence est cruciale pour le déploiement de la curiosité intellectuelle et la réalisation de "conquêtes" importantes de la symbolisation. Ne pas savoir lire, écrire, compter, ne constitue bien souvent que la partie émergée de difficultés plus profondes qui touchent chez certains sujets tous les modes de figurabilités et différents niveaux de symbolisation. Cette thèse explore les différentes significations des conduites anti-apprentissages que développent ces enfants dans leurs expériences d'appropriation, d'exploration et de manipulation de l'environnement. Enfin, ce travail présente un outil de repérage clinique et d'évaluation qualitative des groupes à médiation thérapeutique qui sont proposés pour accompagner cette clinique des apprentissages. L'intérêt thérapeutique de ces dispositifs sera questionné et illustré au travers de trois expériences de groupe : un atelier à médiation sensorielle, un atelier peinture et un groupe à médiation théâtrale. / This research finds its origin in a daily clinical practice with children in latence period in treatment for their learning disabilities. The latence period is an important stage of cognitive reorganization and drive defusion. If the learning disabilities and the academic failure can find their origin in older times of the psychic and cognitive development of the subject, the time of latence period is crucial for the growth of the intellectual curiosity and achieve important symbolic “conquests”. Deep, unresolved psychic issues can perturb all modes of abstraction and symbolic understanding as well as causing difficulties in the acquisition of reading and writing. This dissertation explore the various meanings of the anti-learnings conducts which develop these children in their experiences of appropriation, exploration and manipulation of the environment. Finally, this work presents a tool of clinical analysis and qualitative evaluation of the groups of therapeutic mediation which are proposed to treat these context of learning disorder. The therapeutic interest of these settings will be questioned and illustrated through three experiences of group : a workshop with sensory mediation, a painting group experience and a therapeutic group with the medium of theater.

Partant de l’observation et de l’étude expérimentale (réalisée en Master 2) de situations de maladie d’Alzheimer débutante avec association d’une amnésie hippocampique, d’une anomie et d’une apraxie constructive pour l’espace projectif (syndrome S3A), nous proposons que la cooccurrence des troubles cognitifs et psychopathologiques peut être liée à une rigidification de la fonction symbolique, à savoir la réduction de l’empan de substitution d’un signifié par des signifiants. Nous examinons cette hypothèse à propos des troubles cognitifs en partant de la définition de la fonction symbolique (ou sémiotique) par Piaget. Nous l’étendons aux aspects psychopathologiques en partant de la symbolisation et de ses transformations. La notion de distance symbolique est évoquée à titre de dénominateur commun à tous ces processus, cible de la rigidification de la fonction symbolique. Elle pourrait être liée aux perturbations de la mémoire de travail, entraînant :_ Proactivement, une déstructuration des éléments attributionnels dans le réseau sémantique élargi, contribuant à la genèse des troubles cognitifs._ Rétroactivement, du fait de l’érosion des mécanismes secondaires, l’activation de phénomènes archaïques - dont l’angoisse de non représentation – et des défenses attenantes. Quelques implications psychothérapiques sont envisagées. / Starting from the observation and experimental study of Alzheimer's disease early situations with association of hippocampal amnesia, anomia and constructive apraxia for projective space (S3A syndrome), we propose that the co-occurrence of cognitive and psychopathological disorders may be linked to a stiffening of the symbolic function, namely the reduction of the span of substitution of a signified item by signifiers. We examine this hypothesis about the cognitive impairment on the basis of the symbolic function as defined by Piaget. We extend it to psychopathological aspects starting with the symbolization and its transformations. The concept of symbolic distance is mentioned as a common denominator for all these processes, as a target for the stiffening of the symbolic function. It could be related to working memory impairment, causing:_ Proactively, a destructuration of atributional elements in the “broad semantic network”, contributing to the genesis of cognitive impairment._ Retroactively, because of the erosion of secondary mechanisms, an activation of archaic phenomena - including the anxiety of non-representation - and of the archaic defenses.Some psychotherapeutic implications are considered.

Background: The construct of alexithymia implies a deficit in symbolization for emotional, somatic, and mental states. However, the etiologic factors for alexithymia have not yet been fully elucidated. The present study investigated the use of mentalizing language, i.e. the utterance of internal states, from a developmental perspective according to attachment organization and disorganization. Methods: A longitudinal design across 4 time points was applied to a volunteer sample of 42 children. At 12 months, children were tested with the strange situation procedure, the standard measure of attachment at the optimal age, and attachment classifications were taken of videotapes. At ages 17, 23, 30 and 36 months, mother and child were observed in simplified separation episodes of 30 min duration. Transcripts of the sessions were subject to coding of internal state words. Results: During the investigated span, securely attached children rapidly acquired emotion, physiology, cognition and emotion-regulatory language, whereas insecurely attached and disorganized children either completely lacked internal state language or displayed a considerable time lag in the use of emotion and cognition vocabulary. Conclusion: The results raise the possibility that alexithymia might be a consequence of deficits in the development of internal state language in the context of insecure or disorganized childhood attachment relationships. / Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.

[pt] A finalidade do presente trabalho é a de refletir acerca das mudanças no lugar do analista – e de uma possível complexificação de seu trabalho psíquico – advindas a partir do encontro com a clínica dos sofrimentos narcísico-identitários. Tais pacientes trazem para o campo analítico um tempo anterior à aquisição da linguagem verbal, fazendo com que o analista volte sua escuta para discursos que englobam a totalidade do corpo e incluem ainda o afeto, instaurando novas possibilidades de comunicação. Dentro desta especificidade da clínica, é importante ressaltar a relevância que o objeto e a qualidade da sua resposta ganham, tanto na história pregressa do sujeito quanto na relação analítica, para que os processos de simbolização se desenvolvam e/ou retomem seus rumos. O lugar a ser ocupado pelo analista passa a ter um caráter mais ativo e atento às mensagens em potencial emanadas por outras vias – corpo e afeto. Essa extensão dos dispositivos analíticos abre caminho para pensar a intersubjetividade como momento instaurador da subjetividade, destacando sua importância na clínica, uma vez que esse processo passa necessariamente por um momento essencial de relação com um outro fundamental, que deve auxiliar no reconhecimento de si e no processo de subjetivação. / [en] The aim of this dissertation is to analyze the changes that take place within the analytic setting – and a possible complexification of the analyst s psychic work – when the analysis refers to a narcissistic-identity disorder. These clinical cases confront the analyst with the need to broaden his listening skills to recognize non-verbal communication (body and affect) as messages coming from an ancient time before language acquisition. Considering this form of communication as a specificity of this type of clinical encounter, it is important to highlight the great significance of the object and the quality of his responses in the subject s past history as well as within the analytical relationship to facilitate the development of the symbolization processes and/or to let them resume their course. The analyst plays a more active role within the analytic relationship, being aware of the potential messages originating from other sources – body and affects. The expansion of the analytic method opens the possibility of defining intersubjectivity as a key moment for the construction of the subjectivity. In other words, the process of subjectivation depends on the quality of the relationship established with a fundamental other and it is of utmost importance to recognize its clinical value.

Peu différenciées à la naissance, les émotions deviendraient intelligibles en étant élevées à la conscience par le développement d’une sensibilité aux sensations internes accompagnant l’émotion, sa représentation et sa symbolisation (Gergely & Watson, 1996). La théorie du miroir affectif-parental du biofeedback social de Gergely & Watson (1996), poussée plus loin par Fonagy, Gergely, Jurist et Target (2002), explique comment une interaction de biofeedback social complexe, innée, et probablement implicite, s’établit entre parent et nouveau-né pour aider ce dernier à différencier les somatosensations accompagnant l’expérience d’une émotion, au travers d’un comportement parental de miroir. Le but de cette thèse est de réviser cette théorie, et plus particulièrement l’hypothèse du miroir « marqué » (markedness), qui serait nécessaire pour dissocier le miroir parental du parent, et permettre l’appropriation de son contenu informationnel par l’enfant. Ce processus de sensibilisation est conçu comme partie intégrante du travail de symbolisation des émotions chez les enfants autant que chez les adultes. Cependant, le miroir marqué se manifestant par une expression exagérée ou « voix de bébé » (motherese) nécessiterait l’utilisation par le thérapeute d’une « voix de patient » (therapese) (Fonagy, 2010) pour être appliqué à la psychothérapie adulte, une proposition difficile à soutenir. La révision examine comment la sensibilisation d’une émotion est accomplie : par un mécanisme d’internalisation nécessitant un miroir « marqué » ou par un mécanisme de détection de la contingence de l’enfant. Elle démontre que le détecteur de contingence du nouveau-né (d’un fonctionnement semblable au système d’entraînement par biofeedback pour adultes) est le médiateur des fonctions de sensibilisation, de représentation, et de symbolisation de la ii sensation d’une émotion par ses processus de détection de la covariance-invariance, de la maximisation, et du contrôle contingent du miroir parental. Ces processus permettent à l’émotion de devenir consciente, que le miroir parental soit ‘marqué’ ou non. Le modèle révisé devient donc applicable à la thérapie des adultes. Une vignette clinique analysée à l’aide de la perspective du Boston Change Process Study Group sur le changement est utilisée pour contraster et illustrer les processus de sensibilisation et de symbolisation des émotions, et leur application à la psychothérapie adulte. Cette thèse considère les implications cliniques du nouveau modèle, et elle spécule sur les conséquences de difficultés parentales vis-à-vis de la disponibilité requise par les besoins de biofeedback social du nouveau-né, et sur les conséquences de traumatismes déconnectant des émotions déjà sensibilisées de leurs représentations. Finalement, elle suggère que le miroir sensible des émotions en thérapie puisse remédier à ces deux sortes de difficultés, et que le modèle puisse être utilisé concurremment à d’autres modèles du changement, en facilitant la génération d’états internes ressentis et symbolisés pouvant être utilisés pour communiquer avec soi-même et les autres pour la réparation de difficultés émotionnelles et relationnelles chez les enfants et les adultes. / Undifferentiated at birth, emotions would become intelligible by being raised to consciousness through the development of sensitivity to the inner sensations accompanying the emotion, their representation and symbolization (Gergely & Watson, 1996). The social biofeedback theory of parental affect-mirroring of Gergely and Watson (1996), furthered by Fonagy, Gergely, Jurist and Target (2002), explains how these somatosensory signals are so important that a complex, probably implicit, and possibly innate social biofeedback interaction exists between caregiver and infant, where the latter learns to differentiate between emotions through the parent’s mirroring of his emotion expression. The aim of this thesis is to revise this theory, and more precisely the ‘markedness’ hypothesis, which would be necessary to dissociate the parental mirroring from the parent and allow appropriation of its informational content as pertaining to the infant. The process of sensitization to these sensations is conceived to be integral to the symbolization of emotions in children and adults. However, ‘motherese’, the singsong prosody of markedness hypothesized to be necessary to foster successful social biofeedback interactions between caregivers and infants, requires that therapists use ‘therapese’ in the clinical setting (Fonagy, 2010), a proposition difficult to reconcile with the therapy of adults. The revision investigates whether the sensitization and symbolization of an emotion is accomplished through an internalization mechanism requiring the ‘markedness’ hypothesis, or solely through social biofeedback mechanisms based on infant contingency detection. It demonstrates that the infant’s contingency detector (similarly to biofeedback training in adults) mediates the iv functions of sensitization, representation, and symbolization of an emotion through its processes of covariance-invariance detection, maximization, and the contingent control of the parental mirroring. It allows the emotion to be raised to consciousness, with the help of the parental mirror, whether it is ‘marked’ or not. The revised model thus becomes applicable to the therapy of adults. A clinical vignette analyzed with the Boston Change Process Study Group’s perspective on change is used to contrast and illustrate the processes of sensitization and representations of emotions, and their application in adult psychotherapy. The thesis considers the clinical implications of the new model and speculates on the consequences of parental difficulties with surrendering to the social biofeedback needs of the infant, and on the consequences of emotional trauma disconnecting sensitive emotion sensations from their representations. Finally, it suggest that both kinds of difficulties can be repaired through sensitive mirroring of emotions in therapy, and that the model might be used concurrently with other models of change, by facilitating the generation of felt and symbolized inner states that can be used for self and other communication in the repair of emotional and relational difficulties in children and adults.

Peu différenciées à la naissance, les émotions deviendraient intelligibles en étant élevées à la conscience par le développement d’une sensibilité aux sensations internes accompagnant l’émotion, sa représentation et sa symbolisation (Gergely & Watson, 1996). La théorie du miroir affectif-parental du biofeedback social de Gergely & Watson (1996), poussée plus loin par Fonagy, Gergely, Jurist et Target (2002), explique comment une interaction de biofeedback social complexe, innée, et probablement implicite, s’établit entre parent et nouveau-né pour aider ce dernier à différencier les somatosensations accompagnant l’expérience d’une émotion, au travers d’un comportement parental de miroir. Le but de cette thèse est de réviser cette théorie, et plus particulièrement l’hypothèse du miroir « marqué » (markedness), qui serait nécessaire pour dissocier le miroir parental du parent, et permettre l’appropriation de son contenu informationnel par l’enfant. Ce processus de sensibilisation est conçu comme partie intégrante du travail de symbolisation des émotions chez les enfants autant que chez les adultes. Cependant, le miroir marqué se manifestant par une expression exagérée ou « voix de bébé » (motherese) nécessiterait l’utilisation par le thérapeute d’une « voix de patient » (therapese) (Fonagy, 2010) pour être appliqué à la psychothérapie adulte, une proposition difficile à soutenir. La révision examine comment la sensibilisation d’une émotion est accomplie : par un mécanisme d’internalisation nécessitant un miroir « marqué » ou par un mécanisme de détection de la contingence de l’enfant. Elle démontre que le détecteur de contingence du nouveau-né (d’un fonctionnement semblable au système d’entraînement par biofeedback pour adultes) est le médiateur des fonctions de sensibilisation, de représentation, et de symbolisation de la ii sensation d’une émotion par ses processus de détection de la covariance-invariance, de la maximisation, et du contrôle contingent du miroir parental. Ces processus permettent à l’émotion de devenir consciente, que le miroir parental soit ‘marqué’ ou non. Le modèle révisé devient donc applicable à la thérapie des adultes. Une vignette clinique analysée à l’aide de la perspective du Boston Change Process Study Group sur le changement est utilisée pour contraster et illustrer les processus de sensibilisation et de symbolisation des émotions, et leur application à la psychothérapie adulte. Cette thèse considère les implications cliniques du nouveau modèle, et elle spécule sur les conséquences de difficultés parentales vis-à-vis de la disponibilité requise par les besoins de biofeedback social du nouveau-né, et sur les conséquences de traumatismes déconnectant des émotions déjà sensibilisées de leurs représentations. Finalement, elle suggère que le miroir sensible des émotions en thérapie puisse remédier à ces deux sortes de difficultés, et que le modèle puisse être utilisé concurremment à d’autres modèles du changement, en facilitant la génération d’états internes ressentis et symbolisés pouvant être utilisés pour communiquer avec soi-même et les autres pour la réparation de difficultés émotionnelles et relationnelles chez les enfants et les adultes. / Undifferentiated at birth, emotions would become intelligible by being raised to consciousness through the development of sensitivity to the inner sensations accompanying the emotion, their representation and symbolization (Gergely & Watson, 1996). The social biofeedback theory of parental affect-mirroring of Gergely and Watson (1996), furthered by Fonagy, Gergely, Jurist and Target (2002), explains how these somatosensory signals are so important that a complex, probably implicit, and possibly innate social biofeedback interaction exists between caregiver and infant, where the latter learns to differentiate between emotions through the parent’s mirroring of his emotion expression. The aim of this thesis is to revise this theory, and more precisely the ‘markedness’ hypothesis, which would be necessary to dissociate the parental mirroring from the parent and allow appropriation of its informational content as pertaining to the infant. The process of sensitization to these sensations is conceived to be integral to the symbolization of emotions in children and adults. However, ‘motherese’, the singsong prosody of markedness hypothesized to be necessary to foster successful social biofeedback interactions between caregivers and infants, requires that therapists use ‘therapese’ in the clinical setting (Fonagy, 2010), a proposition difficult to reconcile with the therapy of adults. The revision investigates whether the sensitization and symbolization of an emotion is accomplished through an internalization mechanism requiring the ‘markedness’ hypothesis, or solely through social biofeedback mechanisms based on infant contingency detection. It demonstrates that the infant’s contingency detector (similarly to biofeedback training in adults) mediates the iv functions of sensitization, representation, and symbolization of an emotion through its processes of covariance-invariance detection, maximization, and the contingent control of the parental mirroring. It allows the emotion to be raised to consciousness, with the help of the parental mirror, whether it is ‘marked’ or not. The revised model thus becomes applicable to the therapy of adults. A clinical vignette analyzed with the Boston Change Process Study Group’s perspective on change is used to contrast and illustrate the processes of sensitization and representations of emotions, and their application in adult psychotherapy. The thesis considers the clinical implications of the new model and speculates on the consequences of parental difficulties with surrendering to the social biofeedback needs of the infant, and on the consequences of emotional trauma disconnecting sensitive emotion sensations from their representations. Finally, it suggest that both kinds of difficulties can be repaired through sensitive mirroring of emotions in therapy, and that the model might be used concurrently with other models of change, by facilitating the generation of felt and symbolized inner states that can be used for self and other communication in the repair of emotional and relational difficulties in children and adults.