Orientador(es)
Resumo(s)
As expectativas que os indivíduos criam em relação ao seu futuro parecem ter repercussões ao nível das atitudes e comportamentos que estes desenvolvem no presente. Nesta investigação, assumindo-se um modelo de investigação interpretativo e utilizando-se uma metodologia de cariz qualitativo, procurou-se explorar as expectativas que indivíduos portugueses do sexo masculino, não viúvos, que pela sua idade cronológica (60-65 anos) se encontram em vias de serem rotulados como “idosos” pela sociedade, possuem em relação ao seu envelhecimento. Como objectivo secundário, procurou-se perceber se existem diferenças ao nível de tais expectativas em função do nível de escolaridade dos participantes.
Recorreu-se a uma amostra de 16 participantes com as características já mencionadas e a residir nas suas casas, com diferentes níveis de escolaridade. A recolha de dados foi feita mediante a utilização do método focus groups e a análise qualitativa dos dados foi realizada com o auxílio do NVivo8, um programa de computador facilitador desta fase do processo.
Este estudo permitiu aceder a pontos de vista que sujeitos do sexo masculino na faixa etária em questão apresentam relativamente ao processo de envelhecimento em geral e a considerações, preocupações e esperanças que produzem relativamente à sua trajectória de envelhecimento individual. Os resultados apontam, entre outros aspectos, para o facto de os indivíduos com estas idades não se sentirem idosos nem costumarem pensar muito sobre a sua trajectória futura de envelhecimento, embora considerem que o avanço da idade possa trazer consigo aspectos negativos para o seu bem-estar. As percepções e expectativas que apresentam tendem a ser mais favoráveis para si do que para as outras pessoas e têm repercussões afectivas e comportamentais. Os resultados vão também ao encontro da hipótese de que um nível de escolaridade mais elevado está associado a um maior optimismo na forma como se perspectiva o envelhecimento.
The expectations that people create in respect to their future seem to have repercussions on the attitudes and behaviors that they develop at the present. In this research, assuming an interpretative model of research and using qualitative methodology, an attempt was made to explore the expectations that male Portuguese indivduals, not widows, who by their chronological age (60-65 years) are in imminence to be labeled as “elders” by the society, have in regard to their process of aging. As a secondary objective, there was made an attempt to understand if there are differences in this matter between participants with different educational levels. A sample of 16 participants with the already mentioned characteristics, living in their homes, with different levels of education, was recruited. Data collection was performed using focus groups method and qualitative data analysis was done with the help of NVivo8, a computer program which facilitates this phase of the process. This study enabled the access to points of view that male subjects in the considered age group have in respect to the general aging process and to considerations, concerns and hopes that they produce relatively to their individual trajectory of aging. The results point, among other things, to the fact that individuals with these ages do not feel elderly and do not think much about their future trajectory of aging, despite they consider that the aging process may bring some bad changes that that might challenge their well-being. The perceptions and expectations tended to be more favorable to the self than to the other people and have emotional and behavioral consequences. The results also seem to corroborate the hypothesis that a higher education level is associated with greater optimism in the way aging process is seen.
The expectations that people create in respect to their future seem to have repercussions on the attitudes and behaviors that they develop at the present. In this research, assuming an interpretative model of research and using qualitative methodology, an attempt was made to explore the expectations that male Portuguese indivduals, not widows, who by their chronological age (60-65 years) are in imminence to be labeled as “elders” by the society, have in regard to their process of aging. As a secondary objective, there was made an attempt to understand if there are differences in this matter between participants with different educational levels. A sample of 16 participants with the already mentioned characteristics, living in their homes, with different levels of education, was recruited. Data collection was performed using focus groups method and qualitative data analysis was done with the help of NVivo8, a computer program which facilitates this phase of the process. This study enabled the access to points of view that male subjects in the considered age group have in respect to the general aging process and to considerations, concerns and hopes that they produce relatively to their individual trajectory of aging. The results point, among other things, to the fact that individuals with these ages do not feel elderly and do not think much about their future trajectory of aging, despite they consider that the aging process may bring some bad changes that that might challenge their well-being. The perceptions and expectations tended to be more favorable to the self than to the other people and have emotional and behavioral consequences. The results also seem to corroborate the hypothesis that a higher education level is associated with greater optimism in the way aging process is seen.