Saúde Mental de Pequenos Grupos: O caso específico do Posto Oceanográfico da Ilha da Trindade

Abstract

ABSTRACT In March 2020, several countries were affected by the pandemic caused by the coronavirus, according to the World Health Organization. This setback highlighted concerns about mental health, exacerbated by social isolation. This thesis aims to emphasize the importance of social and religious support in effectively assisting individuals in isolation, with a focus on the social welfare provided by the Brazilian Navy to the crews at the Oceanographic Station of Trindade Island, a national territory located approximately 1,200 km from the city of Vitória, the capital of the state of Espírito Santo. It also aims to contribute to the improvement of the welfare services offered to the military personnel stationed there, who work under isolation conditions. The research discussed in this work gains increased relevance due to its focus on issues affecting the psychosocial health of the institution’s greatest asset, human capital, essential aspect for the strategic management of the organization. This is particularly important considering the high risks faced by members of small groups deployed on isolated missions under psychological pressure, where a single destabilized individual can trigger conflicting and dangerous situations, both for the mission and for the team. Thus, two hypotheses are proposed. The first is the need for support during the movement period of the crews assigned to the Oceanographic Station, with the presence of a professional from the fields of psychology, social services, or chaplaincy. The second hypothesis is that individuals who remain psychologically healthy perform more consistent work, leading to a satisfactory fulfillment of the mission. The theoretical framework includes works by authors such as Codo, Soratto, and Vasques-Menezes (2004), focusing on mental health at work, as well as Borges (2022), which discusses the history of the protection of the naval family, among others. Technical standards such as DGPM-501 (Social Welfare of the Brazilian Navy) and DGPM-502 (Religious Welfare Service of the Navy) were also referenced. Therefore, it was concluded that in addition to the actions of preparation, remote monitoring, and demobilization of the teams, which are already carried out, on-site support by qualified personnel is essential, utilizing Brazilian Navy ships that may be deployed for various activities on the Island.