Abstract

VARGAS-MUNOZ, Marina  and  ALARCON-ESPINOZA, Marina. Specialized competencies to intervention with adolescent social maladjustment. Interdisciplinaria [online]. 2021, vol.38, n.3, pp.66-82. ISSN 1668-7027.  http://dx.doi.org/10.16888/interd.2021.38.3.4.

Antisocial behaviors that persist during adolescence may imply a progressive social imbalance for the individual. Educational and psychosocial intervention in these adolescents requires a high specialization, since when the violation of the law is presented as a persistent pattern of behavior it would be associated with a disadvantaged family, school and social environment where the adolescent experiences difficulties in solving basic needs and seeks alternative ways of coping with life events, adapting to particular contexts, which can often be more reinforcing, ignoring the general social context. This persistent group presents a lot of heterogeneity both in psychological aspects and in criminal behavior, observing different criminal trajectories that require different types of intervention, which further complicates the work of the intervention teams.

The trajectories observed in men and of increasing complexity would be: (a) determined by contextual risk factors; (b) adolescents with stories of violation of rights and abandonments; (c) adolescents with traumatic situations in their lives, disruptive behaviors and disorganized functioning; (d) adolescents socialized in criminogenic contexts with stories of rape in them, leading them to an antisocial functioning focused on their personal well-being; (d) adolescents socialized in criminogenic contexts, seeking to validate themselves socially, strengthening their personal identity through countercultural behaviors (Alarcón, et al., 2012).

Through a case control design, we seek to identify the specialized skills to which a training program for intervention in adolescent social maladjustment must respond. Eight professionals who participated in a specialized training process (cases) and eight professionals without training (controls) were interviewed.

From the content analysis, seven macro competences were validated before a group of experts: (a) Develop a comprehensive, informed and coherent framework on the process of social maladjustment of adolescents and their context of focus; (b) Design and develop an evaluation process of the adolescent of attention; (c) Intervene with the adolescent; (d) Evidence of ethical behavior in the intervention; (e) Develop the constant self-knowledge of the intervener; (f) Promote and develop a helping relationship with the adolescent, and (g) Exhibiting behaviors and skills that promote teamwork.

The results confirm specialized competences that emphasize a differentiated vision of the adolescent and the work team as a source of validation in decision making. Similarly, those with training highlight skills related to knowledge, a prospective perspective and know-how; while those who have not received training highlight the attitudes associated with knowing how to be.

The need to evaluate the specialization of professional teams that intervene with adolescents who violate the law is discussed, facilitating the development of knowledge, abilities and skills, without neglecting the development of reflective attitudes in the training processes of each professional and within the teams, to promote continuous improvement.

As limitations of this study, it is considered that the participants were officials who participated in a training process (cases) and other officials from institutions with similar demographic characteristics but without systematic training (controls); This involved accessing professionals between the ages of 30 and 45, not being able to know the perspective of those under 30 or over 45, or service personnel who share daily with adolescents, being able to link up and influence their changes.

As challenges for future research, it is necessary to have indicators to verify competence and observe it with respect to its adjustment with the distinctive characteristics of adolescents. Along with this, the need to observe in greater detail the possibilities of educational and psychosocial intervention in family, school and community contexts that are estimated to involve eventual crisis scenarios for adolescents at the time of reintegration is observed. The above to effectively promote interventions that allow adolescents to exercise their role as citizens.

Keywords : Disadvantaged adolescent; social maladjustment; criminal trajectories; specialized macro skills; vocational training; socio-educational and psychosocial intervention.

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