O impacto dos grupos de ajuda mútua no desenvovimento da esperança dos pais de crianças com doença crónica: construção de um modelo de intervenção colaborativa

Introduction: The mutual help groups promote social support for parents of children with chronic illness that may be beneficial once they are integrated. The practices and principles of functioning of these groups identify and create resources in the community, to support its members by increasing the levels of individual initiative and development of support provided. However, given the scarcity of studies that relate to hope in parents of children with chronic illness and intervention in mutual aid, the implementation of this path is a result of the decision-making interdisciplinary process that is complementary to the questioning and reflection of the interventional experiences in mutual help groups. The underlying interdisciplinary group intervention emerges from the opportunities amplification perspective to act on mutuality, in the development of hope. Objectives: We will explore the impact that the role of mutual help groups has in the development of hope for parents of children with chronic disease. We also intend to build a model of intervention to promote the development of hope, given the collaborative practices that occur in mutual help groups between the technicians and parents of children with chronic illness. Methodology: The research is qualitative, using the Appreciative Inquiry method. The study population consisted of parents of children with chronic illness and technicians in the area of influence of ARS Lisboa e Vale do Tejo. The sample population (not probabilistic) was distributed through the stages of study. Data collection included the socio-demographic, interviews to obtain data for the development of ecomap and genogram of hope, but also the accomplishment of the appreciative interview protocol, the participated observation in mutual help groups; and reflective discussion with the technicians (actors/stakeholders). For the treatment of data, we used descriptive statistics/ inductive and analytical statistics. Results: Emerged from the co-construction of a model of mutual aid in the promoter of hope (MIAMPE). From the definition of the conceptual matrix, assumptions and principles of intervention, we defined the operational structure for the integration of general proposals for action, described by rituals, duration, and preparation of the physical environment of the meetings, support materials and assessment procedures. With the aim of encourage hope among parents of children with chronic illness, the evaluation criteria was adapted to the options of additional intervention suggested, by identifying the factors promoting hope, hope as a factor of resilience and factors of threat to hope while used as resources for intervention. Besides the description of the activities for each proposed intervention, there was the discussion between the co-constructed model and its applicability in the meetings of mutual help groups. Conclusion: The operation of a systematic intervention in mutual help groups, has permitted the construction of a co-constructed with partners/stakeholders model, possible due to the identification of factors that influence the dimensions of hope, based on a mutual aid assistance. Established itself as a process of reflective discussion around the conceptualization of hope, mutual help, sharing and subconcepts associated, based on a theoretical framework supported by a systematic literature review. The multidimensionality inherent in the concept hope, has allowed the explanation of activities leading to future monitoring of the results with the main purpose of learning and undergo analysis of the experiences that promote hope for parents of children with chronic disease and also perform decision making including proposals that promote hope in self-help groups, and at the same time, develop a horizontal relationship between the parents and technicians-parents.