Institutionalized Children and Adolescents:: Academic Achievement, Life Satisfaction and Social Support Network

• Autor(a) principal: Siqueira, Aline Cardoso
• Data de Publicação: 2010
• Outros Autores: Dell´Aglio, Debora Dalbosco
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Psicologia (Universidade de Brasília. Online)
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.unb.br/index.php/revistaptp/article/view/17462
• topic: Institucionalização; Desempenho escolar; Satisfação de vida; Rede de apoio social; Institutionalization; Academic achievement; Life satisfaction; Social support network

This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of institutionalized youth and their families. The participants were 155 institutionalized children and adolescents, aged from 7 to 16 years old, from shelters in the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre/RS. Data collection was accomplished through structured interviews, the Academic Achievement Test, the Life Satisfaction Scale and the Five Field Map. Early experimentation of drugs, poor school performances and high levels of school failure were observed among the adolescents. Families presented low educational levels, informal jobs and unemployment. Positive contacts and high life satisfaction in the institution may indicate that the institutional acceptance constitutes a source of support and satisfaction. Intervention programs for the development of those youth and for empowerment of their families are discussed.