Desenvolvimento da profissionalidade no ensino superior em psicologia: uma análise da constituição identitária do psicólogo clínico à luz da teoria de Erikson

Abstract

Studies on the formative and identity processes of university students remain a field of continuous discussion and reformulation, requiring constant updates to meet contemporary demands. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), in seeking to train qualified and ethical professionals, move beyond merely transmitting theoretical knowledge and actively participate in the identity construction of students, both personally and professionally. To deepen the understanding of professional identity formation in Higher Education, this thesis analyzes the theme based on Erikson's psychoanalytic theory, specifically his concept of psychosocial development. Inspired by this theory, the work proposes a reinterpretation of the psychosocial conflicts inherent in the psychoanalyst's framework, applying them to the professional development process of academics, which is termed the development of professionality. The thesis thus aims to analyze, based on the Psychology course curriculum and the discourse of students and graduates, how the development of professionality, inspired by Erik Erikson's theory, can contribute to Higher Education in Psychology regarding the constitution of the professional identity of clinical psychologists. The work is organized into three main sections. Initially, the theoretical foundation was presented across three chapters: the first discussed curriculum definitions, the historical evolution of the Psychology course, and its Curricular Guidelines; the second contextualized the analyzed HEI, elucidating its historical development, guiding frameworks, graduate areas of practice, and current curriculum organization; and the third presented definitions of identity and professional identity, articulating Erikson's concepts with contemporary contributions and culminating in the professionality development matrix. The second section involved a qualitative-exploratory empirical study with six participants: three graduating students and three graduates of the HEI?s Psychology course who followed the Health and Clinical Processes emphasis. The material was analyzed using Content Analysis inspired by Laville and Dionne?s model, extracting meaning from the interviews for articulation with the selected literature. Results were presented and discussed across three main categories: The Interviewees' Journey: Curricular Perspective; Identity in Formation: University Experiences; and Being a Psychologist: From Academia to Professional Practice. The third and final section presents a refinement of the professionality development concept by proposing eight stages, inspired by Erikson?s theory, specifically directed toward the professional training of undergraduate students. The completion of this thesis, linked to the Educational Processes, Language, Technology and Inclusion research line of the Graduate Program in Education at the University of Caxias do Sul, provided a greater understanding of the university student training process, aiming to identify the main elements present in each stage and recognizing both their potentialities and the consequences of possible constitutive gaps. In conclusion, this study is considered an initial contribution to the vocational training process and, by recognizing gaps, seeks to enable actions for the formative well-being of students during the constitution of their professional identity. Furthermore, it promotes a reflection on the commitment of HEIs to student development and the role of the curriculum as an active component in identity formation. [resumo publicado pelo autor]