The author establishes a research line based on a theoretical-methodological referential for the qualitative investigation of psychiatric nursing and mental health. Aspects of humanist and existential philosophies and personalism were evaluated, integrating them in a unique perspective. In order to maintain the scientific method of research in this referential the categorization process which will be adopted in this kind of investigation was explained.
teorical methodological referential; humanist and existencial-personalism; psychiatric nursing