Um olhar para o infinito: cartografias de saúde mental com educadoras de educação infantil

Abstract

The present research deals with the mental health of early childhood educators, in relation to their daily work. The health of workers has been a concern since the beginning of the 20th century. Teaching, as a job, was identified by the International Labor Organization as a profession with specific risks. Research points to an increasing number of diagnoses of depression, anxiety, stress, anguish, Burnout syndrome, and other psycho-emotional problems in this professional category, and a generally very negative perspective of mental health in relation to teaching work. They also point to the need for more research, debates, reflections and mobilizations on the subject, as well as policies and practices that promote health, as we will explain throughout the dissertation. Early Childhood Education in Brazil has been, since 1996, the first stage of Basic Education, which must be carried out by professionals trained in undergraduate or secondary education (teaching) courses. Although it is a professionalized work, there is a lack of specific Mental Health research on this stage. To identify and analyze the perception of early childhood educators about their own mental health in the work process, a cartographic research with a qualitative approach is proposed. Cartography, by inverting the logic of the method on research, proposes to accompany the processes produced and transformed by the research process, by those who research and by those who participate. As data production techniques, this research used semi-structured interviews and the configuration of a group, with mapping activities and Photo-voice. From the production of the research, it is proposed to present the results analyzed through Thematic Analysis, in four groups: institutional relations; crossings of the Covid-19 pandemic; interpersonal relationships; and powers and coping strategies for the production of teaching mental health. It is concluded that the precariousness of work spaces and labor relations; physical/emotional overload, social and financial devaluation in relation to the category; structuring cultural elements (machismo/patriarchy and racism); in addition to the permanent need to respond to the expectations of other groups (fathers, mothers, family members, management...) they were identified as processes that produce psychological distress. On the other hand, the emerging potential of the relationship with babies and children, the affective networks and the possibilities of daily creation were pointed out as elements that produce mental health and well-being.