We aimed at discussing the use of Focal Group (GF-Grupo Focal, Portuguese) for collecting and Discussing the Collective Subject (DSC-Discurso do Sujeito Coletivo, Portuguese) to analyze data in nursing field investigations. Such techniques were described through the theoretical and practical point of view. It was exemplified its use by detailing the methodological phases, in a research approved by an ethics committee, where they were studied for the implications of gender representations in promoting health of high school adolescents in a public school in Rio Grande, RS. The Focal Group proved to be efficient as it provided discussions and supported the adolescents´ points of view concerning to the subject proposed, moreover, the Discussion of Collective Subject enabled a better understanding of such representations to promote health in these groups. Although these methodologies are not widely used in the nursing field, they proved to be useful in order to accomplish scientific investigations.
Nursing Research; Adolescent Health; Gender and health