Abstract EN:

The main purpose of this research was to study how criteria describing both psychobiological and psychosocial adaptation of the children at school might predict their health status and well-being. In both developmental and systemic perspective the health psychology field was used as a framework. Multidimensional approach was conducted in order to use both qualitative and quantitative aspects of collected data. First, using epidemiological approach, four profiles of health status and well-being were described in our sample (200 children, 7-10 years old). These profiles were labeled "ajusted", "poor health", worried" and "self-focused". The second step consisted in characterizing each child by both her/his cardiovascular activity during normal school activities and her/his cognitive coping during stressful test. In a third step, the child's psychosocial adaptation was evaluated assessing the child's self-esteem and social reputation by their peers and teacher. Combining these variable, it was possible to construct a predictive model explaining 33% of the variance. The self-esteem was the main variable in this model. In contrast to the three other groups, the "adjusted" children showed a positive self-esteem. Both psychobiologic and psychosocial characteristics allowed to discriminate the three other risky groups. Those characteristics could thus be used as a guide for preventive intervention. The interdisciplinarity used to understand the child's adaptation at school was only possible using a multivariate methodology. Only this kind of approach could show the dynamic and the interrelation of the different system studied. An important aim of this work was to document this approach.