Abstract

BELFORT, Pollyanna Brandão; BARROS, Sibelle Maria Martins de; GOUVEIA, Maria Lígia de Aquino  and  SANTOS, Maria de Fátima de Sousa. Social representations of family in the context of institutional shelter. Psicol. teor. prat. [online]. 2015, vol.17, n.3, pp. 42-51. ISSN 1516-3687.

The aim of this study was to identify the social representations of professionals who compose the network of support and assistance to children and adolescents in shelter institutions. The participants were five subjects members of a multidisciplinary team. For data collection was used the semi-structured interview. Data were analyzed from the proposal of thematic-categorical content analysis which allowed the construction of three categories: family concept; professional practices and the state’s role in assisting families. The analysis revealed the existence of two social representations; a family characterized by conflict and blamed for the problems of children and adolescents; and an ideal and harmonious family. These representations are reference for the actions of professionals who aim to guide families based on the idea of family restructuring, reconciliation and harmonization, neglecting the sociohistorical determinations and consequences of social inequality in the analysis and intervention with family groups.

Keywords : social representations; family; children; adolescents; institutional sheltering.

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