Prevenção e promoção de saúde: concepções e práticas de psicólogos com enfoque educacional de IFES Mineiras

Abstract

The School and Educational Psychology (PEE) is an area of practicing, research and knowledge production focused on the process of learning and human development, such as Higher Education. The investigations regarding PEE in Higher Education that are related to the prevention and health promotion, though, had been slightly exploited by the researchers in this field, what reaffirms the relevance of this work. The main goal of this research is to investigate the concepts and practices regarding prevention and health promotion of psychologists working in an Educational perspective in Federal Institutions of Higher Education from Minas Gerais (IFES-MG). The first stage of the research consisted of consulting the human resources department of the 14 IFES participating on the study in order to establish the number of psychologists among them. At this point, 128 professionals were identified. In the following stage, they answered online the Tracing Instrument of interventions for psychologists of Educational approach (IRIPE), and 31 psychologists were requested to answer the Questionnaire for psychologists of Educational approach (QPE). Among them, 18 psychologists answered it and their answers analyzed in more details, according to four investigative topics. They are:1) practice on Higher Education; 2) prevention, health promotion and human development in Higher Education; 3) challenges faced and 4) training. The results obtained on topics 1,3 and 4 were analyzed following the quantitative approach, while the topic 2 had a qualitative analysis. The quantitative analysis showed a variability in interventions among the psychologists, unfolding traditional and emerging concepts targetingthe students. It was possible to see, although less markedly, more extensive interventions including professors, coordinators/managers of the courses and administrative staff. Moreover, the qualitative approach helped in the investigation of concepts and practices regarding prevention and health promotion among the participants and it was possible to conclude that the most part of the psychologists are not very particular familiarly with the broad and current concept of such approach in the Psychology. The practices of these professionals indicate the use of strategies for promoting universal/primary prevention within the educational context, strongly recommended by the existing literature in the field. There was a tendency to value proactive and developmental strategies among the participants, mainly by increasing competences and skills through the understanding of an individual inside a context and their interrelationships. Some strategies listed by the professionals as preventive and health promoting, though, are considered responsive and traditional by the literature, such as psychological care/counselling. Considering topics 3 and 4, based on a quantitative approach, it is possible to understand that participants found difficulties to develop their jobs in a more proactive way. According to them, they have been trying to develop on the field of PEE and prevention and health promotion. Thus, aiming to promote mental health and human development in Higher Education, it is extremely relevant having the educational psychologist preparing themselves to be able to make interventions focusing the prevention and health promotion using a proactive approach.