Riscos psicossociais no trabalho de agentes socioeducadores no Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

The aim of this research was to explore psychosocial risk factors, including work-related violence, and health damage of the juvenile correctional officers working in Rio Grande do Sul (RS). A quantitative, descriptive and correlational approach was used. The instruments used were a sociodemographic and labor questionnaire, the Protocolo de Avaliação dos Riscos Psicossociais no Trabalho (PROART) and the Negative Acts Questionnaire (NAQ). These instruments were answered by 53 juvenile correctional officers. The results shows that 45.3% of the subjects presented a high risk in the “division of tasks” (rhythms, deadlines and tasks execution conditions) and 84.9%, high risk in the “social division factor” (communication, evaluation and participation in work). About 50% presented a mean risk for “mental exhaustion” and approximately 52%, mean risk for “physical damage”. It was pointed out a moderate presence of managerialist (a manegement style of rigid disciplinary characteristics, centralizing and bureaucratic). Mobbing was the main form of violence, with 62.3% of workers being victimized, 32.1% were other forms of violence, and 5.7% did not suffer violence related to work. In relation to other forms of violence, 45.2% of workers reported having been victims of work-related deprivation. Still, 18.9% were the target of undesired sexual attention and 9.4% of physical violence. It was concluded that the dysfunctionalities in work organization, the predominance of managerialism and mobbing are the main psychosocial risk factors found, demanding interventions that aim at reducing the health damage.