Social networks and the construction of therapeutic projects: a study in a mental health substitutive service

Abstract

Studies show that people with severe mental diseases who have social network present bigger probability of positive outcome in short or soon periods, in the clinic, labor and relational areas. These results should orient the elaboration and realization of assistance interventions and psychosocial rehabilitation developed by the mental health services, in a way in that the intervention about social network will be prioritized. In this perspective, we present the partial results of de master's research "The sustainability of quotidian life. A study about the social networks of users in a mental health service in the city of Santo André", started in December, 2005. The general objective is to characterize the social networks of people with mental health problems, users of mental health substitutive services and to identify factors that contribute to the formulation of activation strategies of networks. The research is located on the qualitative enquiry field and uses procedures oriented by ethnometodology. It had been done 25 interviews with users who received attention in intensive treatment regime, bibliographical research and participative observation, plus the elaboration of a field notebook. The preliminary data analysis allowed the characterization of the users social networks and their needs and also the confirmation about the importance of the social networks in the assistance's trajectory. To the assistance model, the validation of activation strategies of social networks demands changes in the technical and services organization culture, and the definition of a new assistance structure, more complex and that includes in their strategies the operation of protection factors, that assurance to the individuals the possibilities to live their lives out of the institutionalization circuits.