Le non-sens et le chaos dans les dessins des enfants victimes du tremblement de terre aux Abruzzes

Drawing is a preferential mode for trauma-affected children, for expressing emotions, as it gives them the possibility of conveying the complexity of traumatic feelings, perceptions, thoughts and memories, by giving them a shape and, therefore, a sense. Notwithstanding these assumptions, the efficacy of art therapies with children exposed to natural disasters, has not been research-proved. This paper presents a pilot study on the use of the ‘‘Test de trois dessins : avant, pendant et avenir’’, as a diagnostic tool and a therapeutic technique, with children victims of the earthquake that affected the Italian region of Abruzzi, on the 6th April 2009. The analysis of case studies demonstrates the efficacy of the test in both detecting the presence and the extent of the psychological trauma, and in enhancing the process of trauma recovery. Further researches, which may use qualitative and quantitative methodological tools, need to be done in order to validate the use of the ‘‘Test de trois dessins : avant, pendant et avenir’’ as a validated technique with children experiencing disasters.