Maltreatment engendered by parental figures may undermine attachment within parent-child relationships and has been associated with the emergence of behavioural problems. These symptoms have been negatively correlated with pro-social behaviour.

This study aims to report attachment representations, behavioural problems and pro-social behaviour of school aged children that have been victims of maltreatment and who receive services from the Enfant and Youth Protection Centre (EYPC) in Quebec and the Therapeutic, Educative and Pedagogic Institute (TEPT) in France. The study also aims to examine the links between these variables and to compare these children with the general population (GP) regarding these variables.

Eighty children, aged 6 to 12 years old, divided in three groups (GP: n = 40; EYPC: n = 27; TEPI: n = 13) participated in the study. Parents and childcare workers completed measures on externalized and pro-social behaviours. Children participated in an activity exploring their attachment representations.

Significant associations were found between pro-social and externalized behaviors, as well as between attachment representations concerning the child's emotional dysregulation and two other variables: maternal attachment representations (supportive and rejecting) and pro-social behaviour. Furthermore, no significant differences were found between the attachment representations of children from the GP and those that have been victims of maltreatment and who receive services from EYPC and TEPI. However, significant differences were found between these groups regarding pro-social and externalized behaviours.

The present study furthers our knowledge about the influence of maltreatment on children's attachment representations and behaviour.