ABSTRACT
Objective:
To understand the meaning attached to the operative group technique by mothers that take care of children with disabilities.
Methods:
Qualitative research with eight mothers who participate in operative groups, whose children are treated at a specialized program in Minas Gerais. Data were collected through interviews with discursive questions, in 2013, and analyzed using content analysis, interpreted in light of Pichon-Rivière.
Results:
The study led to the creation of the categories "Embracement space, exchanges and new meanings" and "Inducing strategy for caring for yourself and your child". The results reveal the importance of the operative group in the daily life of the participants, which highlights the contributions that such educational practice brings to the care experience of these mothers.
Conclusion:
The operative group was a care learning tool, which suggests the need for health services to invest in offering group activities for caregivers of people with disabilities.
Keywords:
Nursing; Disabled Persons; Group Processes; Mother-Child Relations; Qualitative Research