Salomé Vieira Santos*
Faculdade de Psicologia e de Ciências da Educação, Universidade de Lisboa
Resumo: Analisam-se dificuldades específicas que clínicos e investigadores têm encontrado no âmbito da definição, conceptualização e medida da qualidade de vida (QV) em crianças e adolescentes com problemas de saúde, em particular no caso das doenças crónicas, e abordam-se formas de intervenção. No momento actual, a maioria dos profissionais reconhece que o constructo é multidimensional (ainda que existam discrepâncias na identificação de domínios específicos), e que incorpora componentes objectivas e subjectivas. Realça-se a necessidade de se considerar uma perspectiva de desenvolvimento, o que tem consequências não só para a definição e para a identificação dos conteúdos a incluir nas dimensões de QV, como para a sua avaliação, devendo as medidas atender às mudanças normativas nas habilidades e papéis ao longo das fases de desenvolvimento. No contexto da avaliação, faz-se igualmente menção ao tipo de medidas (genéricas/específicas) e ao informante, relevando-se a pertinência de se incrementar a inclusão da/do criança/adolescente como fonte de informação.
Palavras chave: Crianças/adolescentes, Problemas de saúde, Qualidade de vida.
Quality of life in children and adolescents with health problems: conceptualization, assessment and intervention
Abstract: The author analyses specific difficulties that clinicians and researchers have found in relation to definition, conceptualization and measure of Quality of Life (QF) in children and adolescents with health problems, namely in the case of chronic diseases. Specific aspects of intervention are also approached. At this moment, the majority of professionals recognize that the construct is multidimensional (although discrepancy in the identification of specific domains is present) and incorporates objective and subjective components. The need to consider a developmental perspective is also emphasized, which has consequences in both definition and identification of specific contents to enclose in the QL dimensions, and in its assessment. In addition, measures should contemplate normative changes in abilities and roles throughout the development phases. In the assessment context, reference is also made to the measures type (generic versus specific) and to the informant, emphasizing the pertinence to increment the inclusion of the child/adolescent as source of information.
Key words: Children/adolescents, Health problems, Quality of life.
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* Contactar para E-mail: svs@fpce.ul.pt
Recebido em 30 de Outubro de 2005 / aceite em 5 de Janeiro de 2006
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