Classification et repre<acute accent>sentations d'attachement et comportements inte<acute accent>riorise<acute accent>s et exte<acute accent>riorise<acute accent>s des enfants de la protection de l'enfance

Introduction: Children who have experienced potentially traumatic situations within their first attachment relationships (e.g., abuse, neglect) are more at risk of presenting attachment insecurity and disorganization as well as insecure attachment representations. These children would also be more at risk of developing internalized (e. g., anxiety, depression) and externalized behaviors (e.g., aggressivity, opposition). Objectives: The study aims to provide a portrait of attachment classification and representations and internalized and externalized behaviors in children aged 7 to 12 from three groups: 35 maltreated children, 42 children from a clinical group, and 39 children from a normative group. The study also aims to evaluate associations between attachment and internalized and externalized behaviors and to detect predictors of internalized and externalized behaviors amongst attachment-related variables. Method: Participants took part in The Attachment Story Completion Task (ASCT) and a semi-structured interview, the Child Attachment Interview (CAI). Caregivers completed the Child behaviour Checklist to assess internalized and externalized behaviors. Results: Results show lower levels of attachment security as well as higher levels of insecure attachment repre- sentations and internalized and externalized behaviors in maltreated children. Only disorganized attachment was found to be associated with internalized and externalized behaviors. The ASCT could not differentiate the groups and showed little association with internalized and externalized behaviors. Conclusion: Disorganized attachment is mainly associated with maltreatment and internalized and externalized behaviors, contrary to ASCT variables, thus generating questions regarding this tool's suitability for school-aged children.