A fé como força desafiadora do sentido na vida: estratégias de enfrentamento para a população em situação de rua

Abstract

Invisible to the public eye in large and medium-sized urban centers, the homeless population has its dignity disrespected daily, violating its constitutional rights. This dissertation is grounded in the hope for better days for this population. It is based on the theoretical framework of Logotherapy, the third Viennese school of psychotherapy, which understands the human being as free and responsible, in the search of meaning in life. This being is endowed with an inner strength capable of providing detachment and coping with proposed problems and possible suffering. For Logotherapy, faith emanates from this inner strength of the human being. Firm belief in their religious experience can serve as a therapeutic basis for the daily experiences of the human being. The subjects of this research are the homeless population in the city of João Pessoa, users of the Centro POP. The sample consisted of 10 participants, 5 males and 5 females. The average age is 38.4 years (SD = 9.9) 50% have completed high school, 20% have completed elementary school, and 30% have incomplete elementary education. The study seeks to answer the question that resonates with the daily reality faced by social service teams serving this population: "Is it possible to believe in the perception of meaning in life for the homeless?" Therefore, the general objective is to verify the belief in the perception of meaning in life as a challenging force for the homeless in facing the difficulties experienced in their environment. Specifically, it aims to 1) verify this perception; 2) investigate the potential of faith as a facilitator for coping with problems; and 3) finally, as a possibility to continue actions with the homeless population, present the feasibility of facilitating the continuation of this work to public and/or private institutions through consultancy or partnership in providing humanitarian aid to this population. This dissertation presents the development of a field study with descriptive purposes, aiming to identify probable relationships between the variables of faith and meaning in life. A qualitative research approach was chosen. Data were collected from 10 participants using voice recordings with the aid of semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions, listening to the life stories of the participants. The analysis of the collected data was conducted using the phenomenological method, seeking through phenomenological suspension and reduction the closest possible approximation to the objective reality for the elaboration and dissemination of results. From the data analysis, three aspects of faith were identified, used to assist the homeless population in coping with their daily difficulties: Trust, Knowledge, and Hope. These three characteristics provide possibilities for a positive outlook on the future, visualizing meaning and consequent improvement in life. The results will facilitate the continuation of socio-religious work, including the creation of a study and support center for the homeless population.