Exposição e escrutínio social em políticos

: um estudo qualitativo

Abstract

In today's political landscape, the media and sociais networks play a central role in political debate. Politicians, whose decisions directly impact society and who are elected by citizen votes, face significant exposure and scrutiny, which are intrinsic to their roles. This exposure is seen as a natural consequence of their functions, essential for visibility and direct contact with voters. This qualitative study explores the impact of social exposure and scrutiny on politicians, involving participants aged 22 to 63, including Members of Parliament, mayors, city councilors, parish presidents, and parish executive board members. Results indicate that social exposure and scrutiny are associated with various stressors (e.g., insults, public pressure, work-family conflict). However, participants developed coping mechanisms to manage the pressure, despite reporting symptoms of stress and psychological strain. The conclusions of this study highlight the need to promote awareness and mental health literacy among political officeholders, in order to equip them to better cope with the high levels of stress inherent to their roles. Additionally, it emphasizes the need to establish psychological support offices within the institutions where they work to facilitate access to mental health care.

Date of Award	27 Nov 2024
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Bárbara Nazaré (Supervisor)