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Be Motor Impaired and “Psychically Re-inhabit” His Body While Incarcerated: A Case Study of Adult Incarcerated in Cameroon

Received: 8 November 2020    Accepted: 23 November 2020    Published: 4 December 2020
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Abstract

The motor disability leads to a limitation and a restriction of some activities due to an alteration of physical function. Through this study, the author aims to understand the meaning of body confinement experience to the incarcerated adults faced with a motor deficiency. Three adults met at the Mfou principal prison (Cameroon). The semi-directive interview and Rorschach’s projective test have been used as tools to collect data. The semi-directive interview guide was based on themes link to the history of the incarcerated situation, the experience of body confinement, the nature of body image structuration and the body investment or disinvestment. In the Rorschach test, there is no projection of the body known by the person, and which would be the object of cognitive activity, but the body as it is lived, felt, desired as an object and subject of emotional activity. The thematic content analysis was used for the interview. The qualitative and quantitative analysis were used to analyze Rorschach test. The result of the interview shows that the subject painfully experiences the body confinement, the shame and humiliation feeling makes the body to be perceived as ‘body-object’. The psychic fragility is shown and generated a set of symptoms that goes to self fold, body disinvestment, up to suicide attempt. The Rorschach test results show a fragmented and weakened body image, difficult to‘re-inhabit’ psychically. There is a need for a psychological accompaniment strategies in order to facilitate a ‘psychic re-appropriation’ of the subject’s body.

Published in Psychology and Behavioral Sciences (Volume 9, Issue 6)
DOI 10.11648/j.pbs.20200906.12
Page(s) 99-104
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Handicap, Motor Deficiency, Bodily Confinement, Prison Environment, Rorschach

References
[1] Ngono Bounoungou, R. Reform of the Cameroonian prison system: between colonial heritage and cultural traditions. [Thèse de Doctorat]. Université de Grenoble; 2012.
[2] Chamond, J., Moreira, V., Decocq, F et Leroy-Viemon, B. La dénaturation carcérale. Pour une psychologie et une phénoménologie du corps en prison. L’Information psychiatrique 2014; 90: 673-682.
[3] Bréjard, V. et Pedinielli, J-L. Approche psychodynamique du handicap. In: Jover M. (ed). Psychologie et handicap. Presses de L'Université de Provence; 2014; 58-72.
[4] WHO. International Classification of Handicaps, Impairments, Disabilities and Disadvantages. Paris: CTNERHI-INSERM; 1988.
[5] Steadman, H. J., Osher, F. C., Robbins, P. C. et Samuels, S. Prevalence of serious mental illness among jail inmates. Psychiatric services. 2009, Vol 6, No, 60, pp. 761-765.
[6] Joly, F. J’ai mal à mon corps d’enfant (les souffrances corporelles précoces et leurs destins dans l’habitation corporelle de l’adulte). Spirale 2008; 5: 183-195.
[7] Joly, F. Le sens des thérapeutiques psychomotrices en psychiatrie de l’enfant. Neuropsychiatrie de l’enfance et de l’adolescence 2007; 55; 2: 73-86.
[8] Joly, F. Notre corps n’est rien sans le corps de l’autre. Thérapie psychomotrice 2003; 134: 40-58.
[9] Brun, D. Inhabit your body. Recherche en psychanalyse 2006; 2, 6: 7-10.
[10] Douville, O. Clinical methods in psychology. Paris: Dunod; 2006.
[11] Fernandez, L., Catteeuw M. Research in clinical psychology. Paris: Nathan; 2001.
[12] Muchielli, A. Dictionnaire des méthodes qualitatives en sciences humaines et sociales. 3è éd. Paris: Armand Colin; 2009.
[13] Rausch de Traubenberg, N. et Boizou, M. Le Rorschach en clinique infantile. Paris: Dunod; 1984.
[14] Rausch de Traubenberg, N. The practice of Rorschach. Paris: PUF; 1997.
[15] Roustant, J-Ph. Psychopathology of the gaze and the act in the clinic of the incarcerated subject.. 2017 [consulté le 04 Février 2020] sur le site https://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr
[16] Tesu-Rollier, D. et Coutanceau, R. Clinique et psychopathologie en milieu carcéral. A propos d’une expérience de pratique à la maison d’arrêt de fleury-Mérogis. Annales Médico-Psychologiques 2007; 165: 8-12.
[17] Englebert, J. Psychopathology of the human in situation. The inmate's body in the prison environment. Paris: Editions Hermann, 2013.
[18] Désesquelles, A. Disability in prison in France. What are the differences with the situation in the general population? Population 2005; 60: 71-98.
[19] Padiolleau, C. Detention and dependency: Care of people with disabilities in prison. 2013 [consulté le 02 février 2020] sur le site https://www.enap.justice.fr
[20] Morgan, J. et Liman A. Prisoners with physical disabilities are forgotten and neglected in America. 2017. [consulté le 04 Novembre 2020] sur le site https://www.aclu.org/blog/prisoners-rights/solitary-confinement/prisoners-physical-disabilities-are-forgotten-and.
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  • APA Style

    Emilie Clarisse Tchokote. (2020). Be Motor Impaired and “Psychically Re-inhabit” His Body While Incarcerated: A Case Study of Adult Incarcerated in Cameroon. Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, 9(6), 99-104. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20200906.12

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    ACS Style

    Emilie Clarisse Tchokote. Be Motor Impaired and “Psychically Re-inhabit” His Body While Incarcerated: A Case Study of Adult Incarcerated in Cameroon. Psychol. Behav. Sci. 2020, 9(6), 99-104. doi: 10.11648/j.pbs.20200906.12

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    AMA Style

    Emilie Clarisse Tchokote. Be Motor Impaired and “Psychically Re-inhabit” His Body While Incarcerated: A Case Study of Adult Incarcerated in Cameroon. Psychol Behav Sci. 2020;9(6):99-104. doi: 10.11648/j.pbs.20200906.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.pbs.20200906.12,
      author = {Emilie Clarisse Tchokote},
      title = {Be Motor Impaired and “Psychically Re-inhabit” His Body While Incarcerated: A Case Study of Adult Incarcerated in Cameroon},
      journal = {Psychology and Behavioral Sciences},
      volume = {9},
      number = {6},
      pages = {99-104},
      doi = {10.11648/j.pbs.20200906.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20200906.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.pbs.20200906.12},
      abstract = {The motor disability leads to a limitation and a restriction of some activities due to an alteration of physical function. Through this study, the author aims to understand the meaning of body confinement experience to the incarcerated adults faced with a motor deficiency. Three adults met at the Mfou principal prison (Cameroon). The semi-directive interview and Rorschach’s projective test have been used as tools to collect data. The semi-directive interview guide was based on themes link to the history of the incarcerated situation, the experience of body confinement, the nature of body image structuration and the body investment or disinvestment. In the Rorschach test, there is no projection of the body known by the person, and which would be the object of cognitive activity, but the body as it is lived, felt, desired as an object and subject of emotional activity. The thematic content analysis was used for the interview. The qualitative and quantitative analysis were used to analyze Rorschach test. The result of the interview shows that the subject painfully experiences the body confinement, the shame and humiliation feeling makes the body to be perceived as ‘body-object’. The psychic fragility is shown and generated a set of symptoms that goes to self fold, body disinvestment, up to suicide attempt. The Rorschach test results show a fragmented and weakened body image, difficult to‘re-inhabit’ psychically. There is a need for a psychological accompaniment strategies in order to facilitate a ‘psychic re-appropriation’ of the subject’s body.},
     year = {2020}
    }
    

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Author Information
  • Department of Sciences of Education, Higher Teacher Training College (HTTC), University of Yaounde I, Yaounde I, Cameroon

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