Clinical praxis in historical-cultural psychology: a study of Brazilian theses and dissertations

Abstract

This article synthesizes the results of a master's research, whose main objective was to analyze dissertations and theses published in Brazil over the past twenty years that addressed clinical praxis in the light of Historical-Cultural Psychology. To achieve this purpose, five academic productions published between 2001 and 2021 were analyzed, employing content analysis, which consists of four main stages: pre-analysis, analytical description, categorization, and interpretation. In a complementary way, a script composed of eleven guiding questions was used to assist and direct the reading of the materials. Through this methodology, the category of activity was reached as the essential unit of analysis of the research, aiming to explain the understanding of the analyzed researchers about the clinic in Historical-Cultural Psychology. The structural foundations of the activity that guided the analyzes were: the purpose of work in the clinic; the object (matter) on which this work incides and the means required for this intervention. In summary, the results highlighted the role of the psychologist as a mediator, consciousness as the object of clinical praxis, and dialogue as the main working tool. The research also highlighted the scarcity of materials and the importance of reflections and debates for the continuous collective development of this praxis.