Mental disorders, body practices and physical education: a case study with adolescents from the Child and Adolescent Psychosocial Care Center

Abstract

Introduction: The present work is the result of a research conducted in a Psychosocial Care Center for Children and Adolescents (CAPSi), whose public attended are children and adolescents with severe mental disorders. Objective: understand the perceptions and meanings of body practices in the development and health promotion of users, from the perspective of family members and reference technicians in CAPSi. Methodology: The qualitative research involved a case study with exploratory and descriptive approach, in which semi- structured interviews were conducted with the responsible family members and a focus group with CAPSi reference technicians. Results and Discussions: The results pointed to the benefits of body practices, including: improvement in autonomy, social interaction and communication. In addition, the attitude of Physical Education graduates was highlighted when considering the needs, characteristics and subjectivities of adolescents to opportunize socialization, acquire autonomy, demonstrate self-confidence and emphasize the perspective of care during the intervention. It was identified through the research that the social vulnerability condition of the users' families influenced and impacted the adherence to body practices. Conclusions: It is concluded that the aspects listed by the family members are in line with the SUS mental health policy and the national health promotion policy, as it provoked in the adolescents an expansion of their physical and emotional capacities beyond the CAPSi environment, either in the family environment, in their social environment, at school, in the territory. The reference technicians highlighted the effects on the dynamics of care with adolescents, portraying the changes in their expressive and bodily manifestations.