Abstract

TONETTO, Ana Paula Mucha; MISHIMA-GOMES, Fernanda Kimie Tavares  and  BARBIERI, Valeria. Emotional development of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder . Psicol. clin. [online]. 2019, vol.31, n.3, pp.521-540. ISSN 0103-5665.  https://doi.org/10.33208/PC1980-5438v0031n03A06.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that manifests itself in childhood and can accompany the individual in adult life. The child with such diagnosis presents a clinically significant decline in social and academic functioning. This study aimed to understand the emotional development of children diagnosed with ADHD, as comprehending the experiences of these children helps in understanding the emergence and persistence of this condition. This was a clinical-qualitative study, using Winnicottian psychoanalysis as a theoretical reference. The methodological strategy used was the "transferential narratives" and the children's apperception test - animal figures (CAT-A) was employed as mediator in the communication during the interview. The participants were four children diagnosed with ADHD under psychiatric and medication support for the disorder. The children revealed that attention-deficit and hyperactivity behavior arose as a deficiency in receiving the "holding", resulting in weakening and disregard for the creative gesture that promotes and sustains the emotional bond with the world. In these conditions, the ability to experience transitionality, to play, and for symbolization cannot develop. It is important to understand the emotional development of the children considering the possibilities of intervention and therapeutic help for them and their families.

Keywords : attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity; psychoanalysis; child.

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