Meanings made about relationship of children and mothers diagnosed with a mental illness: in between resources and deficits.

Author(s)

Marilia Belfiore Palacio

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Ribeirão Preto.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (PCARP/BC)
• Defense date: 2014-08-29

Examining board members

Carla Guanaes Lorenzi; Katia de Souza Amorim; Murilo dos Santos Moscheta

• Advisor: Carla Guanaes Lorenzi

Abstract

In Brazil, the mental health care has undergone many changes, especially as result of social movements, which started the Brazilian Psychiatric Reform. Among these changes, stand out the increasing importance given the health policies and practices to the need for a greater family involvement in the treatment of the mentally ill. However, paradoxically about the mother-children relation, the understanding that to live together with a mother diagnosed with mentally illness can be harmful to the lives of children has been highlighted. This qualitative study aimed understand the complex field of meanings made on relationship between children and mothers diagnosed with a mental illness, considering both the scientific discourse on the theme, such as the negotiation of meanings in the discursive practices, in everyday life. More specifically, we aimed to investigate how children of mothers diagnosed with a mental illness mean your relationship and family living. For this research, eight individuals and semi- structured interviews were done. The participants were adults (with age 18 or more), who their mothers, diagnosed with a mentally illness, are in treatment in a mental health service. In addition, all of mothers have already had psychiatric hospitalization. The interviews were recorded and they were transcribed literally and in full. Moreover, during all process inside the field, field notes with the researcher descriptions and impressions were written. In this way, the field notes and the interviews transcriptions formed the research corpus. The research was draft based on social constructionist movement in Psychology, especially considering the research as a dialogical process. In this process the participation of researcher and her reflexivity about the field and the corpus had emphasis during all research construction. Thus, with the involvement and joint meaning make, important aspects that guided the research and give visibility to reflections leading the process are discussed. Furthermore, we also divided the meanings constructed in the interviews in two pillars: Meanings of Mental Illness as Deficit and Meanings of Resource. In the first one, the centerpiece was when the DD appeared in the conversations about familiar relationship, in the other words, moments when the illness is understood as a difficulty or a fail inside the person (in the case, the mother with mental illness). In the second one, the focus is in moments of living together, in which there was a possibility to amplify the meanings about mental illness, and in this way, giving visibility to resources constructed in the mother-children relationship. Despite the strong influence of DD in the family relationship with the mentally ill, other narratives about this relation was possible, highlighting the resources produced jointly with adult children of the mother in psychiatric treatment, seeking to strengthen the Family as a care unit. It is expected that this study can contribute to the mental health field, amplifying the reflection about the construction of care in this field, especially towards greater appreciation, support and strengthening of families. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/04165-1 - MEANINGS MADE BY CHILDREN OF WOMEN WITH SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS ABOUT THEIR FAMILY RELATIONSHIP.
• Grantee: Marilia Belfiore Palácio
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master