[Training in motor skills and psychopathology. Climbing with psychotic children]

The author investigates learning skills in psychotic and borderline children through the physical activity of climbing. Motor skills are considered as an interaction between the subject and his/her environment. Motor learning skills have been studied throughout 6 training sessions in rock-climbing. Etho-clinical methods of investigation allow to assess behaviors and the meaning given by the subject to different forms of action. The author emphasizes here the pleasure/anxiety dimensions of this activity. Results show remarkable learning skills in these children. Significant increase in motor activity and in the height reached point to an obvious integrity of the mechanisms necessary to motor acquisitions. These results are closely linked with the characteristics of rock climbing, a sport involving clinging behaviors and leading to a mastering of the primary anxiety of loosing support.