La psychologie développementale souligne l’impact de la préservation de l’intimité au cours de la quête d’identité de l’adolescence moyenne. Or, les jeunes d’aujourd’hui sont soumis à une pression groupale massive en provenance des réseaux sociaux. D’autre part, il existe un risque accru de développer une dépendance aux jeux électroniques. En nous basant sur la littérature internationale et sur notre expérience personnelle en psychologie développementale et clinique, nous réfléchissons aux risques liés à la perte de l’intimité, ainsi qu’aux possibilités préventives et curatives d’une forme spécifique de psychothérapie à médiation artistique, susceptible de favoriser la construction de mythes personnels. La méthodologie de traitement était basée sur l’écriture d’histoires sous induction musicale, suivie d’une élaboration verbale dans la tradition cognitivo-psychodynamique. Une étude comparative a mis en évidence l’évolution des thèmes archétypaux et des stratégies d’élaboration entre l’adolescence débutante et l’adolescence moyenne. Nos réflexions cliniques sont illustrées par des exemples d’histoires écrites sous induction musicale, documentant l’intimité retrouvée et la restauration de la capacité d’élaboration imaginaire et symbolique. Des données de recherche en neurophysiologie et neuropsychologie de la musique documentent les fondements scientifiques de cette approche thérapeutique.

The importance of preservation of intimacy during the identity quest of middle adolescence has always been underlined by developmental psychology. Many theorists insisted on the structuring function of juvenile imagination and on its importance for future social and professional integration and achievements. However, young people are currently exposed to heavy group pressures from social media. On the other side, there is an enhanced risk to develop dependency on electronic games that are dominated by violence. Thus, the free floating of dreaming may be compromised.

Based on the state-of-the-arts and on our personal experience in developmental and clinical psychology, we reflect on the risks linked to the loss of intimacy, as well as on the preventive and curative potential of a specific kind of arts psychotherapy that can favor the creation of personal myths. The methodology of treatment was based on the writing of stories under musical induction, followed by verbal elaboration in the cognitive-psychodynamic tradition. A comparative study with small samples showed the evolution of archetypal themes and elaboration strategies between early and middle adolescence. The latter evolved towards a higher degree of mentalization.

According to our clinical experience, a special kind of psychotherapies, based on the writing of stories while listening to music and followed by verbal elaboration in the cognitive-psychodynamic tradition, proved to be an appropriate method to restore intimacy with adolescents with an impinged identity quest. Some examples of stories written under musical induction document rediscovered intimacy and restored imaginary and symbolic elaboration. Adolescents who wrote banal descriptions during the first sessions finally developed quasi mythical scenarios, focused on love, birth and death and implementing great themes of collective imagination. The stories written in the final stage of therapy gave an impression of authenticity as the adolescents elaborated their personal existential situation and the deep emotions linked to it.

Experimental data from neurophysiology and neuropsychology of music are documenting the scientific foundations of this therapeutic approach. As there is currently an enhanced risk of addiction to social media and electronic games with adolescents, the development of appropriate preventive and curative tools is essential. The classical theories of adolescence might even be rewritten.