[Perception manner of the father of an obese child]

The child's representation in the father is understood as an experience manner of itself. There are specific relation properties of the father to the obese child.

The aim of this article is an attempt to explain/find out what is a mental representation of a child experienced by fathers of obese girls and boys.

30 fathers were investigated: 15 fathers of obese children (8 girls and 7 boys) and 15 fathers of children with normal body mass (8 girls and 7 boys). The mean age of the obese children of the investigated fathers was 8.23, and for normal body mass children of the investigated fathers it was 8.47. All fathers were investigated by a clinical interview with 15 questions concerning a mental child's representation. The obtained results were analyzed in relation to: 1. the contents of a mental father's representation of the child: cognitive, emotional, social, sexual, certificate, behavioral and somatic. 2. Access to a mental father's representation of the child. 3. Differentiation of a mental father's representation of the child. 4. Continuity of a mental father's representation of the child.

1. There are differences in a mental child's representation in fathers of obese and of normal body mass children. There are also differences in a mental child's representation in fathers of obese girls and boys 2. Fathers of obese children more often than the fathers of children with the normal body mass identify with the external contents of a mental child's representation.

1. A mental representation of an obese child in the father often contains external, not mental properties. 2. The representation of an obese child in the father contains deficit of mental properties. 3. Specific difficulties in the experience of a mental representation of an obese child in the father like f.e. emotional emptiness or dependence were pointed out.