Psychological attention as an interventional praxis on crisis situation

• Grant number: 05/01413-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Effective date (Start): October 01, 2005
• Effective date (End): February 28, 2006
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology - Human Development Psychology
• Principal Investigator: Henriette Tognetti Penha Morato
• Grantee: Henriette Tognetti Penha Morato
• Host Investigator: Antonella Sapio
• Host Institution: Instituto de Psicologia (IP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Research place: Università degli Studi di Firenze, Italy

Abstract

Psychological Counseling shows itself through different performances, comprehension and theoretical conceptions. However, practice and research reveal that psychological action determines its efficacy and efficiency. This proposal intends to qualify this practice as a proper and specific one to psychologist, based on its founding clinical domain: attention and care to men’s demand for sense. It reflects Counseling theory and practice upon the plurality of experience derived from university extension projects to community: psychological attention through prompt attendance, supportive supervision and expressive resources workshops. Participating of a national research thematic group, this proposal also questions such a practice in institutions; it establishes more pertinent modalities to the contemporary social context, concerning the professional formation in Psychology as a human science. Such comprehension of Psychology is engaged in an epistemological change according to a postmodern understanding of subjectivity, in order to enhance qualification for health and educational professionals through significative learning, aiming their social responsibility as multiplier agents. Therefore, theoretically, it discusses the exclusive context required by clinical psychology practice, through critical authors and the phenomenological method as knowledge articulation. Furthermore, it questions an adequate research methodology to this practice, by exploring authors from the social clinical psychology perspective, focusing the subjects´ contemporary suffering and homelessness, as constitutional and transforming aspects in social relationships. Considering that research in human sciences aim to capture human experience in its living context, it appeals to the research-action or interventive research: intervention on crisis situation (expression of such suffering) in institutions and social organizations´ quotidian. It interprets subjects and researchers´ testimonies, participants of social projects for psychological attention in institutions, articulating them with experience at a conflict mediation interventive project, developed at the University of Florence, based on the new trend of Peace Psychology. (AU)