Assessment and Intervention In Mental Health Services For Children And Adolescents Using The Lausanne Trilogue Play

Objective: A great number of studies have confirmed the value of the Lausanne Trilogue Play (LTP) as a useful tool for identifying the features of triadic interactive competences in early infancy and in childhood. Despite the increase of knowledge in this field, few studies applied the LTP to clinical samples and in scholar age and adolescence, in order to investigate the possible link between the quality of family interactions and child’s or adolescent’s psychopathological functioning. Results from few researches in this domain are limited due to the small size of the studied samples and do not allow generalizations. For this reason, furthers studies need to be increase, with a larger number of participants, in order to contribute to a general reflection on the use of the LTP in the child or adolescent assessment. The aims of the research were: (i) to use the LTP with a clinical sample of families, with children in scholar age and adolescents, in order to increase knowledge on psychometric properties of the procedure, when used to observe family interactions in clinical groups; (ii) to explore the value of LTP as a discriminating tool for dysfunctional interactions, compared to Child Behavior Check List scores of children and adolescents; (iii) to investigate the LTP as a predictive tool for therapeutic indication in Infant Mental Health Services, compared to the indication of clinicians who have conducted the diagnostic assessment. Method: The sample consisted of 102 children and adolescents (M=12,9 yrs; SD=3.25), with their parents referred to the Mental Health Public Service of Padua, Veneto, Italy) in which they turn for psychological problem of their child/ adolescent. Results: Globally the LTP instrument showed good internal validity, in line with previous studies. A negative correlation between CBCL scores and LTP total score has been found, suggesting that families, whose children showed higher levels of disease and particularly externalizing behavioral problems, are more likely to experience low quality of family interactions. Conclusions: The literature on the LTP suggests the tool to be discriminant with respect to families with difficulties and families with severe psychopathology. This study confirms the possibility to use it as a valid support in the diagnostic assessment and it supports their application for therapeutic planning with clinical families.