LOSSES AND GRIEF: PRACTICES IN SCHOOL AND EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY

ABSTRACT

The present study aims to reveal the practices adopted by school psychologists regarding the demands of loss and mourning in an educational context. In this sense, a qualitative research and Historical-Cultural Psychology was used as a theoretical-methodological contribution. In order to carry on with this research, 62 professionals from 16 states in Brazil participated. The main results indicate that psychologists’ practices are characterized individually, collectively and multidisciplinary. It is possible to identify signs of criticality, taking into account the integral and critical understanding present in the professionals’ reports, while individualizing and clinical practices are also engaged in the participants’ work contexts. Also, it is noteworthy that the results are not subject to generalization. Furthermore, the need for intersectoral actions among education, health and social assistance, investment in initial and continuing training, more debates, studies and discussions that provide dialogue between different processes of loss and mourning and education is highlighted, with a view to incipience of studies that deal with the dialogue among the themes.

Key words:
school and educational psychology; losses; grief