Social representations of adolescents on quality of life: structurally-based study

• Published in: Ciência & saude coletiva Vol. 20; no. 1; pp. 49 - 56
• Main Authors: Moreira, Ramon Missias, Boery, Eduardo Nagib, De Oliveira, Denize Cristina, Sales, Zenilda Nogueira, Boery, Rita Narriman Silva de Oliveira, Teixeira, Jules Ramon Brito, Ribeiro, Ícaro José Santos, Mussi, Fernanda Carneiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Associação Brasileira de Saúde Coletiva 01-01-2015; ABRASCO - Associação Brasileira de Saúde Coletiva
• Subjects: Adolescent; Child psychology; Female; Humans; Male; PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH; Quality of Life; Social Perception; Social psychology; Teenagers; Young Adult; Social perception; Percepção social; Adolescente; Adolescent; Qualidade de vida; Quality of life
• ISSN: 1413-8123; 1678-4561; 1678-4561; 1413-8123
• DOI: 10.1590/1413-81232014201.20342013

This study sought to conduct a comparatively analysis and describe the contents of the structure of the social representations of adolescents on quality of life. It involves descriptive, quantitative research, with the benchmark of a structural approach to social representations. The informants included 316 adolescents from three public schools in Jequié in the State of Bahia. The Spontaneous Word-Choice Eliciting Technique using the key expression "Quality of Life" was used for data collection. The responses were processed using Evoc 2003 software, which generated the Four-House Chart. The results reveal the core nucleus of the terms: healthy eating; physical activity; money; and sex. In the 1st outer circle, the words absence of disease, condoms, liberty, marijuana, housing, work and living well are featured. In the 2nd outer circle, there appeared the words difficulty, family, peace and power, and the contrasting elements of well-being and soccer. The overall consensus is that adolescents associate quality of life with sports and other healthy behavior activities, and are influenced by the desires and curiosities of adolescence.