Abstract

LIMA, Rebeca Fernandes Ferreira  and  MORAIS, Normanda Araujo de. Qualitative characterization of subjective well-being of street youth. Temas psicol. [online]. 2016, vol.24, n.1, pp. 01-15. ISSN 1413-389X.  http://dx.doi.org/10.9788/TP2016.1-01.

This multiple case study aimed to investigate qualitatively the subjective well-being of children and adolescents that live on streets. Six male adolescents from Fortaleza city (10-17 years old) participated. Three were living in the foster care institution, two on temporary shelter and one on the streets. Structured interviews, pictures representing different contexts (school, family, streets, friends and institution), and field notes were used to contemplate the aspects of life satisfaction, positive and negative affects. Content analysis allowed the identification of a positive evaluation of life satisfaction by most adolescents. They tended to relate it to their support network, to future projects and by comparing their improved present situation to the time spent on the streets. Positive affects were related to relationships with partners, presence of family, support from institutions to family and involvement in recreational and leisure activities. Whereas negative affects were related to conflicts and quarrels (with friends, family and professional institutions), prejudices of society, punishment for disobeying rules, performing household activities and physical and sexual violence. The streets and family were the most associated with negative affects compared to the institution, school and friends. However, positive affects were not excluded from the streets and family. It can be emphasized the importance of studies related to the positive processes that propose a more comprehensive reading of the human development in contexts of vulnerability and that are not based solely on the survey of risk indicators experienced by these populations.

Keywords : Life satisfaction; positive affect; negative affect; adolescents; street situation.

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