Psychological Well-Being in Children and Adolescents in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil

Abstract

Employing an ecological-developmental framework, the present study defines constructs regarding psychological well-being and psychologically healthy environments from the perspective of Brazilian children and adolescents. We conducted focus groups interviews with 55 children, ages 6–17 years, divided into groups by age and gender. Children also were asked to draw ecomaps. Primary findings show that Brazilian children and adolescents identified, as stressors, being hurt by someone, the death of a loved one, violence in their community, and school responsibilities. Girls also reported experiencing stress related to having more household responsibilities than boys. In terms of valued competencies, participants identified those as being polite, caring, and helpful to others; being a good listener; and not being offensive or aggressive. In their role as students, participants valued being obedient to teachers, getting good grades, and completing all expected assignments and homework. Valued characteristics in a friend included being trustworthy and available to friends at all times, either to get advice or to be listened to. In terms of coping strategies, we found that younger participants tend to have fewer coping mechanisms than older participants. Older children not only had more strategies that involved thinking and reflecting about their stressors and ways to improve their coping skills but they also described utilizing more physical and verbal aggression as a way of coping. We compare and contrast our findings with research on child and adolescent psychological well-being within Brazil that employed constructs developed by research in the USA and Europe.