Laura: Hi! How are you?
Daphné: I’m fine and you?
Laura: Fine thanks! Here we are to introduce ourselves, so can you present yourself in a few words?
Daphné: My name is Daphné, I’m 22 years old. I’m studying Psychology in University of Nantes and I’m specialized in childhood and adolescent’s development. During my free time I love listening to music, going to cinema. I also like to read and traveling. And you?
Laura: My name is Laura, I’m 23 years-old and I‘m living in Nantes next to the University. Since five years I’m studying psychology and more precisely child and adolescent’s developmental psychology. During my free time I like to read (I read a lot), write on my notebook, and watch series but what I like the most is going for a walk in countryside to revitalize myself.
Daphné: Ok, why did you turn to psychology? And why did you choose to study developmental psychology?
Laura: People always question me about that and I could never really give them an answer but, here, I will try. So, I chose psychology because I’ve always loved relations, talking to people, listening to them and particularly helping them whatever the domains. Therefore, I have headed for social work and especially psychology. Psychology had always intrigued me and interested me because it’s a science which studies humans’ psyche but also relationship between them and it’s captivating according to me. Thanks to psychology we can better understand how we can function. Also, with Psychology we tend to build a “better-self” of every person, we tend to achieve a well-being, a calming. We tend to help people to understand themselves and be at peace with their own persons. As a result, turn to psychology was in harmony with my own values.
During my academic training and more precisely during my three years of Bachelor I was interested in all psychological domains, particularly in Neuropsychology, Developmental Psychology and Clinical Psychology. But I had to make a choice for my future career. Two years ago, I chose to study psychology of child and adolescent because it’s a population that interests me for a long time and I wanted to broaden my knowledge about, especially child development and impairment. It’s a field that interests me enormously because there are so many new things to do and bring to this field to enhance science and our knowledge about typical and atypical children and adolescents’ development. There is still a lot to do about this subject!
And you, why did you choose this orientation?
Daphné: I turned to psychology because I wanted to work in social field. Psychology had always intrigued me because actually I want to know more about our brain that I find fascinating and psychology field allows us to better understand ourselves. Also, I love human relations and psychology is interested in their functioning and in each stage of life development. Finally, I think it’s a complete domain where there is a specialization for each preference (mental disorders, development, social relations, cognitive psychology). So, it offers a lot of professional perspectives.
I chose developmental psychology because I’ve always wanted to work with children and adolescents. So, this specialization allows me to improve my knowledge about childhood and human development. Moreover, this academic training is suggesting knowledge about impairment which is a field that interests me a lot.
Laura: I can see that we think similarly and have the same point of view. But let’s talk about career choice, what are your professional ambitions and objectives?
Daphné: I aspire to work in early childhood but I don’t know yet in which institution. In fact, I’m waiting to do my internships to find out which area fits me best. Child protection is the field where I‘ve always wished to work but it’s very difficult psychologically, so I’m looking forward to do my internship in March in French service of child protection “Service de mesure judiciaire d’investigation educative”. And you, what are your professional aspirations?
Laura: In the near future I would like to work in Medical-Educational-Institution (IME) with children and adolescents aged up to 18 years old with mental handicap. This type of institution had always pleased me because we can see, appreciate and work with a lot of pathology (psychosis, autism spectrum disorders, Down’s syndrome, pervasive developmental disorders etc.) in a same centre. In my opinion it’s a very interesting field work because as Psychologist I can do a lot of projects with this population to make them happier and better in their lives by working on close collaboration with the entire teamwork.
Daphné: Ok, it could be a great project! Did you get professional experiences outside psychology and what could they bring you? How can you bind them to your future practice?
Laura: Of course, I had some work experiences outside psychology. Indeed, during summer I worked as seasonal worker in many factories (food-processing industry) but also at McDonald’s where I still work every week-end. These different types of works allowed me to learn teamwork, solidarity and communication but also mutual aid and listening. So, with these experiences I have developed some qualities which will serve me in my future job. Moreover, between my Bachelor and my master’s degree I did a civic service. It’s a volunteer activity during a variable period (for me it was eight months) paid by the State and realized in an association. I did my civic service in a games library where I met a large spectre of person like children as much as elderly person or young people with disabilities. It really was an incredible and enriching life’s experience. Thanks to this professional adventure I overcame my timidity and talked to a lot of people without preparing me and I also improved my sense of listening, helping and advising. In fact, this work experience allowed me to find myself between two universities steps. And you?
Daphné: So, I’ve already worked as activity leader in a leisure home where I participated to the creation of several animation programs for children and where we had to assure their security and well-being. It was my first experience with children during which l developed patience and listening qualities. Also, I worked as order picker and checkout operator in a supermarket for 2 summers. This experience taught me teamwork which will be an essential professional quality for our future psychological practice. Furthermore, I regularly babysit. Moreover, I often work in medical foster home for people with autism or psychics disorders. So, I acquired a lot of concrete knowledge about impairment and adapted behaviours to cope with a situation. Finally, since 2017 I have enlisted police forces’ operational reserve. Indeed, during my free time and especially in summer, I’m reinforcing police stations on the coasts and protecting populations. Once again, it allows me to develop my taste for teamwork and human contact.
Laura: Ok great! Now I would like to know about your thesis. What’s your thesis subject?
Daphné: My thesis focuses on the father-child attachment and its influence on teacher-student relationship and a child’s academic performances. I’m interesting in that because children’s well-being in school is an important cause for me and the attachment theory is very interesting and concrete according to me. And you, what’s your thesis topic?
Laura: My thesis is basing on subjective well-being at school among pupils with attentional difficulties. I’m interesting to this subject because it suggests exploring how children aged from 5 to 7 years old perceive their subjective well-being at school, especially pupils with attentional difficulties, and its relationship with the school transition of the last year of nursery school (“grande-section de maternelle) to the first year at primary school (“cours-préparatoire”). So it’s interesting and innovating because there are not much studies about pupils aged from 5 to 7 and about school transition.
Daphné: What are your internship experiences? Have you internship(s) for this year?
Laura: During my academic training, I did two internships. I did the first one in Medical-Educational-Institution (IME) where I discovered and learned about this type of population. Then, during my first master’s degree I did an internship in an experimental establishment named “Etablissement ABA” where children with autism syndrome disorders (ASD) are welcomed. I discovered the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) which is a behavioural science based on behaviourism approach.
Regarding to my actually internship for this year, I have already one which will start in February in a health establishment for child and adolescents (ESEAN) but I researching another to complete my hours quota to obtain psychology gradation. And you, where did you do your internships?
Daphné: So, I did many internships in different fields. First, I did an internship with a clinical self-employed psychologist where I discovered patients’ clinical follow-up and I observed children’s neuropsychological checkups. Then, I had my first experience in handicap field with disabled adults where I discovered their care and I took part in activities (cook workshop, art therapy). Last year, I did two internships: the first with a school psychologist and the second took place in La Ronde which is a welcome place for parents and children from birth to 4 years. It was very rewarding because I observed children and adolescents’ clinical consultations. I also learned to work about adolescents’ school orientation projects and to write psychological reports. Finally, my experience in La Ronde allowed me to develop my knowledge about parenthood and children’s social development.
This year, I will do my first internship in Lome’s mental health unit in Togo for one month. Next, I will work with a developmental psychologist in child protection service for two months. At last, I’ll go in Guéret to make my last internship in a medical-pedo-psychological centre. I look forward to know these various experiences.
Laura: Great! It will be a pleasure to become your colleague and to work with you! Thank you for this interview! Bye!
Daphné: Bye!
Words we have learned:
A calming: un apaisement
Academic training: parcours scolaire
To broaden my knowledge: approfondir mes connaissances
Pervasive developmental disorders = Troubles Envahissants du Développement (TED)
Games library: Ludothèque
To find myself: me retrouver
To bind: lier, relier
To look forward to doing [sth] : avoir hâte de
Parenthood : parentalité
Follow-up : suivi (médical)
Rewarding : enrichissant
Order picker : préparateur de commande
To enlist : s’engager dans