Representações sociais do suicídio entre pessoas da comunidade LGBTQIA+ brasileiras e chilenas

Abstract

In addition to suffering from everyday stressors, common to most people, the LGBTQIA+ population also suffers from additional stressors, specific to this community, such as social discrimination. This scenario has several negative implications for this group, including the development of an impoverished self-concept and an increased risk of suicide. The main objective of this dissertation was to apprehend the self-concept and social representations about suicide among members of the Brazilian and Chilean LGBTQIA+ community. This is a qualitative, descriptive and exploratory study, using cross-sectional data and with the participation of 140 LGBTQIA+ people (120 Brazilians and 20 Chileans). Study 1 aimed to identify the social representations of non-heteronormative Brazilian people about the LGBTQIA+ community. It was possible to identify that the core elements of the social representations about the LGBTQIA+ community refer to the prejudice and discrimination widely experienced by this group. On the other hand, other categories show positive aspects of the LGBTQIA+ community, represented as a diverse, happy and strong community. In Study 2, the objective was to identify the constituent elements of the self-concept and the representational structure of Brazilians about their LGBTQIA+ experiences. It was possible to identify that in the central core and the peripheral system of the participants' social representations, categories associated with characteristics and feelings that can be understood as positive prevailed, which suggests a healthy self-concept. Study 3 aimed to identify and compare the social representations of suicide among members of the Brazilian and Chilean LGBTQIA+ community. When comparing the speeches related to the groups that make up the study, some points of convergence between their SR can be noticed. As for the act of suicide, the participants defined it as the action of taking one's own life or giving up on living. In addition, they associated suicidal thoughts with mental health, pain and psychic suffering and escape from a reality marked by problems. Both groups agreed that the LGBTQIA+ population is more likely to attempt suicide, and that this scenario is associated with the presence of risk factors specific to this community, such as social discrimination and family non-acceptance. Study 4 corresponds to the elaboration, based on the speeches of the participants of the studies and research in scientific dissemination materials, of a bilingual booklet (Portuguese and Spanish) aimed at the prevention of suicide among LGBTQIA+ people.