Social Representations of the Professional Practice of Psychologistsin Institutionalized Childhood

Abstract

Background: The psychologist’s practice in the vulnerable childhood field shows modifications in accordance with the specific normative which affect the social thinking of the professional work. Objective: To analyze the social representations about the professional practice of psychologists in the field of institutionalized children, from their perspective and the members of the technical teams. Method: Qualitative approach, phenomenological design. The instruments used were hierarchical evocations test and semi structured interview. Participate 31 professionals: 12 psychologists, 7 social workers, 6 graduates in childhood and 6 lawyers from Alternative Care Center, Mendoza. Results: It was possible to establish the representational structure of psychologists work and that of each group. Convergence was found regarding specific characteristics such absence of clinical intervention, the non-role specific tasks and teamwork. There was no convergence regarding the role because the other professional maintain unsatisfied expectations about the fulfillment of the clinical usual tasks. Conclusions: The psychologists of institutionalized children role describes a specific field of disciplinary practice that stressed and renews the traditional one, expanding the representation of its functions in the regulations and in the collective.Antecedentes: el ejercicio del psicólogo en materia de infancias vulnerables muestra modificaciones conforme al marco normativo del trabajo que afectan el pensamiento social del quehacer profesional. Objetivo: analizar las representaciones sociales del ejercicio profesional del psicólogo/a del ámbito de la niñez institucionalizada, desde su perspectiva y de los miembros de los equipos técnicos. Método: enfoque cualitativo con diseño fenomenológico. Los instrumentos utilizados fueron el test de evocaciones jerarquizadas y la entrevista semiestructurada. Participaron 31 profesionales: 12 psicólogos/as, 7 trabajadoras sociales, 6 licenciadas en niñez y 6 abogados, que forman el 70% de los graduados de la Dirección de Cuidados Alternativos, de la provincia de Mendoza. Resultados: se pudo establecer la estructura representacional que los psicólogos/as tienen sobre su labor y la de cada grupo de profesionales. Se encontró convergencia en las características específicas del trabajo, como la ausencia de intervención clínica, la realización de tareas no específicas del rol y el abordaje en equipo. No hubo convergencia respecto al rol, ya que los técnicos de otras profesiones mantienen expectativas insatisfechas sobre el cumplimiento de las tareas clínicas clásicas. Conclusiones: el rol del psicólogo/a de infancias vulneradas describe un campo específico del hacer disciplinar que tensiona y renueva la práctica tradicional ampliando la representación de sus funciones en la normativa y en el colectivo.Background: The psychologist’s practice in the vulnerable childhood field shows modifications in accordance with the specific normative which affect the social thinking of the professional work. Objective: To analyze the social representations about the professional practice of psychologists in the field of institutionalized children, from their perspective and the members of the technical teams. Method: Qualitative approach, phenomenological design. The instruments used were hierarchical evocations test and semi structured interview. Participate 31 professionals: 12 psychologists, 7 social workers, 6 graduates in childhood and 6 lawyers from Alternative Care Center, Mendoza. Results: It was possible to establish the representational structure of psychologists work and that of each group. Convergence was found regarding specific characteristics such absence of clinical intervention, the non-role specific tasks and teamwork. There was no convergence regarding the role because the other professional maintain unsatisfied expectations about the fulfillment of the clinical usual tasks. Conclusions: The psychologists of institutionalized children role describes a specific field of disciplinary practice that stressed and renews the traditional one, expanding the representation of its functions in the regulations and in the collective