Life and died in the hollow of the cradle of the twin parenthood : survival of the prenatal in the case of the twin-to- twin transfusion syndrome

This thesis explores the phenomenon of twins who develop Twin to twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS), and the subsequent metaphyschological effects on both the perinatal and future development of children. The objective of this research is to understand intrauterine life using the context of afterward. Therefore, this research is focused on the link between parents’ experiences of afterward during their pregnancy, and the physical development of 6 year old twins. The second objective of this research concerns the perinatal death of one twin and how life develops in the future for the parents and for the living twin. The methods used are the psychoanalytic and the test method, in a psychodynamic approach. The tools used are the semi-direct research interview and the psychological evaluation of the child. (WISC IV, the drawing of man, the drawing of family and the projective test of the CAT). The collection of data is conducted with more than 60 families who have 6 year old children. At the heart of the population, a single analysis was made from material received for 10 children from a group of twins and 10 single children. A cross sectional analysis was done for each group and for the total of the population. My results show that we can find traces of registered pre-psychic trauma. From the WISC IV test, the results indicate that 73% of children have an average IQ. There is a state of paralysis in thought processes, and little interest in learning. The CAT showed narcissistic defenses related to difficulty in developing the depressive position, as well as significant inhibition. Confusion and lack of differentiation of psychic spaces are present. In the drawing of the family and in the CAT, the identification of one twin with the other twin can be found, resulting in poorly defined boundaries of self. Identification with parental images appears to be secondary. The presence of TTTS has the potential to cause trauma through the generational chain of parent/ child that is organised in three stages. Twin object relations have been described as “the prenatal nest” of subsequent object relations, formed by the trio and the quartet. This type of relationship introduces a primary triadification. Three aspects of the twin complex have been described: archaic, oedipianized and according to the effect of the couple in the twinning. For those parents who have lost a twin during pregnancy, the loss of a twin foetus can become an object of survival, or an object of trauma, linked to the psychic functioning of the parents and the status of the twin foetus. The place the living twin takes, in place of the dead twin, is dependent on the grieving process of the parents. Based on this, the loss of a twin can become an object of survival, taking into account the narcissistic and pre objectal nature of the twinning. Survival Syndrome can be found in children.

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Source https://theses.hal.science/tel-00980589
Author Staraci, Stéphanie
Maintainer CCSD
Last Updated May 5, 2026, 14:08 (UTC)
Created May 5, 2026, 14:08 (UTC)
Identifier NNT: 2013PA05H129
Language fr
Rights https://about.hal.science/hal-authorisation-v1/
contributor Laboratoire de Psychologie Clinique, Psychopathologie, Psychanalyse (PCPP - EA 4056) ; Université Paris Descartes - Paris 5 (UPD5)
creator Staraci, Stéphanie
date 2013-11-22T00:00:00
harvest_object_id 7aca14df-ae25-446b-b319-58dd99fc6791
harvest_source_id 3374d638-d20b-4672-ba96-a23232d55657
harvest_source_title test moissonnage SELUNE
metadata_modified 2026-03-31T00:00:00
set_spec type:THESE