Discussion group on work-related mental health: a Social Psychology of Work contribution

Abstract Objective: to present and discuss a group intervention proposal involving workers from a car industry who were experiencing intense psychical suffering. Methods: participative intervention with 14 workers employed in the same company who complained about physical and mental work related illnesses. The participants shared their work-related daily experiences in an open and collectively built discussion group; 11 meetings were held for six months at the Occupational Health Reference Center (Cerest) of Campinas, SP, Brazil. Methodological strategies, such as conversation circles, dynamics and mediating materialities (films, texts and images), were adopted to stimulate the discussion on daily work-related experiences and their impacts on workers’ life and health. Results: the interventions in the discussion groups instigated discussions on topics such as work under capitalism, workers’ culpability regarding their illnesses, their stories and new life projects, and the importance of their union and solidarity. Conclusion: the group helped the workers to develop critical reflections, to feel less guilty, stronger, more united and solidary with each other, as well as more active in their search for changing work conditions and organization.