From Fostering to Delusional Disorder of Filiation

Introduction: Fostering is a widespread practice in West Africa. It played an essential role in the circulation of children. The failure of its community regulation, not compensated by a legal framework, has made its practice precarious. Observation: A case study was conducted on Dior, who was hospitalised in a psychiatric ward for a delusional disorder of filiation. Dior was entrusted to her maternal grandmother and aunt at ages 2 and 9. During these fosterings, the place of the symbolic father was not substituted, causing a void that challenged her imagination. The outcome was an inscription in a genealogy where she had found herself with prestigious parents. Discussion: Fostering has strongly disrupted the family dynamics in Dior’s case. One of her options was to assume the paternal function, the use of which was perceived as a defiance or even a transgression. This same function would be a starting point of a psychosis whose filial character would only be an attempt at rectification where reality and imagination collide. Conclusion: Our study reveals the importance of stable parental figures at stake in fostering contexts, which constitute a risk factor for the development of a subsequent psychosis.