“Surviving”: social vulnerability experienced by suburban adolescents

Qualitative study, theoretically based on Castel’s “Social Vulnerability” concept and, methodologically grounded on the constructivist perspective of the Grounded Theory. The objective was to understand, from the perspective of the bioecological model of human development, social phenomena experienced by adolescents who were assisted at a reference social assistance center. The strategies used for data collection were observation and interviews in focus groups. The theoretical sampling consisted of ten meetings, which were held between August and December 2015, with twenty adolescents. The analyzed data show the existence of a multifactorial complex in the family and community dynamics, which subjects the adolescents to oppression or to overcoming their limitations, explained in the central phenomenon “surviving”. In conclusion, the understanding of contradictions inherent to these adolescents’ reality may provide strategies to promote their rights to healthy development.