Estresse e envolvimento paterno de servidores públicos com filho(s) pequeno(s)

Abstract

This master thesis investigated possible correlations between stress and paternal involvement of public employees with their child(ren) in the context of a public organization located in Salvador (Bahia). To this end, one multi methodological approach with quantitative and qualitative strategies was chosen. The study included 30 men who were effective employees from the public organization in Salvador and fathers of at least one son or daughter aged between zero and six years incomplete. They also had higher levels of education and occupied position of specialty compatible with their education. After approval of this study by the Institutional Review Board of UCSal, employees were asked to participate in this investigation through the Institutional e-mail of the Body in which they work. Those who accepted signed the consent form and completed the "sociodemographic data" and "sources of stress present in daily life "questionnaires (both designed by the researcher). Moreover, they also responded to the "Lipp´s Inventory of Stress Symptoms for Adults" (ISSL). Among the participants, five were chosen with stress and five without stress (according to the diagnosis through ISSL), and they participated in interview in which we used the script "Conciliation with paternal involvement, family and work", which was also prepared by the researcher. There was statistical analysis for quantitative data and content analysis of the answers for the open questions. The main results were: a little bit more than half of the participants (54.0%) reported that their daily life was permeated with many stressful sources, distributed in several areas of daily life – family, work, health and contemporary society. According to their perception, the ones which most interfered negatively in their involvement with their children were: (a) family, "the ones that have gone through separation / divorce recently" and " have dedicated little time to the family"; (b) contemporary society: " the ones that moved to another city" and “considered that their presence can be replaced by consumer products (presents)"; (c) health, "the ones that face problems of sleep" and "adopt unhealthy lifestyle habits (e.g. smoking and sedentary lifestyle)"; (d) work, " the ones that consider their weekly working workload excessive". It was identified the presence of clinical manifestations of stress in 53.3% of participants, among which 50.0% were in resistance phase and 3.3%, in almost-exhaustion phase. Regarding to the prevalence of symptoms, a little bit more than half of respondents (56.0%) had physical and psychological symptoms with emphasis on muscle tension, insomnia, sudden urge to start new projects, excessive irritability and excessive emotional sensitivity. Comparing paternal involvement of fathers with stress and without stress, it was noticed that both groups reported a high involvement in terms of interaction, accessibility and responsibility. However, it was found among them differences of perception on the impact of stressful sources, because while the group of fathers with stress highlighted the negative impact of stress on health and involvement with children, parents without stress reported a perception more positive of life and had a greater facility to conciliate work and family demands. Finally, it is showed the need of more studies to investigate aspects related to stress, work and paternal involvement and to compare the involvement of both fathers and mothers with their children, given the contemporary challenges posed to both.