A influência do método pilates sobre a qualidade de vida em mulheres climatéricas

Objetivo: Avaliar a influência do método Pilates sobre a qualidade de vida em mulheres climatéricas atendidas pelo Sistema Único de Saúde. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo prospectivo do tipo ensaio clínico randomizado, cego para avaliador, com amostra por conveniência, composta por 51 mulheres divididas em grupo controle (n=25) e experimental / Pilates (n=26), ao longo de 12 semanas. Os instrumentos usados para coleta foram: o Medical Outcome Study 36-item Short Form Health Survey (MOS SF-36 Health Survey) versão brasileira e o índice menopausal de Blatt e Kupperman. Os dados foram tratados com estatística descritiva e inferencial (teste t para amostra pareada e de Wilcoxon), com p≤0,05. Resultados: Observou-se que a amostra estudada apresentava idade média de 53,7±4,07 e 53,9±5,52 anos, IMC médio de 25,2Kg/m2±3,71 e 26,06 Kg/m2±2,56, no grupo controle e experimental, respectivamente. A maioria era casada, sem trabalho formal e com pelo menos o 2º grau completo. O grupo submetido ao método Pilates apresentou efeitos positivos sobre a diminuição dos sintomas climatéricos (19,6 para 12,2) com p= 0,001 (GE) e p=0,062 (GC), bem como apresentou significância estatística para comparação no parâmetro de capacidade funcional (p=0,001), limitação por aspectos físicos (p=0,05), dor (p=0,001), estado geral de saúde (p=0,001), vitalidade (p=0,001), aspectos sociais (p=0,027) e saúde mental (p=0,001) em mulheres na meia idade. Conclusões: Os resultados do estudo mostraram que 12 semanas de intervenção com o método Pilates apresentaram efeitos positivos sobre a diminuição dos sintomas climatéricos, bem como melhora nos domínios de qualidade de vida nestas mulheres, possibilitando efetivas propostas de intervenção profissional às especificidades deste público, com foco na promoção de saúde através de ações interdisciplinares

Histórias e relatos sobre Pipa: a praia internacional do Rio Grande do Norte

The overwhelming gear that boosted tourism as the main economic activity of Pipa a district formerly agricultural and fishery, that belongs to the municipality of Tibau do Sul/RN produced significant changes in the social, economic and cultural rights of the native population of the place where social relations were narrow and justified in some cases, the line of kinship in an environment where all residents knew each other. However, we can not observe the emergence of this activity just as voracious disarticulator of old local forms of sociability that in a linear process, destroys the old, replacing it with the new. New compositions are generated by merging elements of past and present. Overcoming opposition to simplistic positive or negative impacts of tourism sought especially in this dissertation, review the history of Pipa (told in narrative form), showing how slowly this district has become a major international tourist destination and how its residents were being swallowed by the "whirlwind" that led to this reality. The research used qualitative methodology and was based on photographic, literature and survey, observation, experience, oral and written reports acquired in the field. We conducted in-depth interviews (oral history) with subjects that are the living memory of the place local residents (mostly natives). We found that before the process of "modernization" resulting from the pressure of globalization itself and the capital investment in tourism resulting from the native population is not passive. On the contrary, natives resist, creating mechanisms of material and symbolic reformulations. The present moment is always dynamic. Because of that, the identity of a place is not the crystallization of its past. Many landscapes still reveal materialities of yesteryear, such as registration of social practices in the construction of the place

Quão romance é minha vida amorosa! : namoro virtual e narrativas

This research aims to acknowledge the virtual dating phenomenon. The research deals with this phenomenon in Orkut, a social networking website. Thus, it considers debates and forums that were present in a Brazilian Orkut online community called Conheci meu amor pela internet (I met my love through the Internet). As a staring point the research dealt with issues such as: what are the debates about? How can we deal with practices that question their own dating process? According to the initial hypothesis, these debates reveal different contemporary social aspects: 1) they emerge as a response to demands on behalf of a society that is rather reflexive. This reflexive element is fundamental for the constitution of the self 2) these debates work as support elements in social relations that are built upon this sphere. In this context, individuals write about themselves and constitute themselves as real individuals that acquire a sense as subjects; and 3) people discuss online dating as form reconstructing former experiences. Empirical analysis demonstrates that these forums and polls present themselves as a social phenomenon that allows a particular form of self presentation on the internet. In order for these subjects to present themselves they built their own self narratives. What is possible to acknowledge considering these narratives is that there is a predominance of the element of intrigue that is further solved and demonstrate a satisfactory result. These narrators then choose online dating situation that present happy endings and happiness that are associated to romantic ideals that are worthwhile being shown. The contents present in these narratives are dealt with by the research. Thus, this work defends the thesis that the online dating narratives are a mixture of facts and fiction once all experiences deal with romantic imaginary as well as personal dating experience. Thus, the research is an attempt to understand what goes on the forums and debates that deal with the fictionalized and dramatized daily experiences in the performances that are similar to games. This is possible due to the fact that there is use of romantic fables and concrete experiences realized by online dating

O princípio constitucional da livre concorrência como instrumento de desenvolvimento socioeconômico

The freedom of concurrence, firstly conceived as a simple market fundament in productive systems that recognized the productive forces freedom of action, appears as a clear instrument of protection and fomentation of the market, recognizing the importance of the simultaneous existence of various economic forces such the proper capitalism reason of constitution. It has, thus, a directly role linked to the fundamental idea that the market and its productive forces needed of a protection against itself, because it exists inside the market situations and circumstances, provoked or not, that could prejudice and even annihilate the its existence and functioning, whilst a complex role of productive forces presents at all economic creation space. It was the primacy of the classic liberalism, the first phase of the capitalism. The Constitutions, in that historic moment, did not proclaim any interference at the economic scenario, simply because it recognized the existence of an economic freedom prepared to justify and guarantee the market forces, with its own rules. Based on the structural changes that occurred at the following historic moments, inside the constitutionally recognized capitalism, it was verified changes in the ambit of treatment of the freedom of concurrence principle that, in a progressive way, passes to present a configuration more concerned with socialist and developing ideas, as long as not only a market guarantee. It emerges a freedom of concurrence which aim is instrumental, in relation to its objectives and constitutional direction as a role, and not anymore stagnant and with isolated treatment, in special at the constitutional systems the present s clear aspects of social interventions and guarantor of fundamental rights more extensive and harmonious. That change is located at a space of state actuation much more ample and juridical important, this time comprehending the necessity of managing the productive scenario aiming to reach a national social and economic development effectively guarantor of fundamental rights for all citizens. Those Constitutions take as point of starting that the social and economic development, and not only anymore the economic growth, is the effective way for concretization of these rights. In that way it needs to be observed and crystallized by political and juridical tools that respect the ideological fundamental spirit of the Constitutional Charters. In that scenario that seeks for solutions of rights accomplishment, in special the social rights, the constitutional principle of freedom of concurrence has been seen as an instrument for reaching bigger values and directives, such as the social justice, which only can be real at a State that can implement a comprehensive and permanent social and economic development. The freedom of concurrence tries to valorize and defend something larger and consonant to the political values expressed in the Constitutional Charters with social character, which is the right to a social and economical sustainable development, guarantor of more clear and compromised collective benefits with social justice. The origin of that constitutional imposition is not only supported by vague orientations of the economic space, but as integrated to it, with basis formed of normative and principles posted and prepared to produce effects at the proper reason of the Constitution

O licenciamento ambiental como instrumento de um desenvolvimento verdadeiramente sustentável

Since the second half of the 20th century, mankind concerns about life quality and environment preservation began to grow. In Brazil, the edition of the Law nº 6.938/81, that instituted the National Policy of the Environment (Política Nacional do Meio Ambiente PNMA), contributing significantly to the singular treatment towards the environment by the Federal Constitution of 1988 (Constituição Federal de 1988), can be appointed as a landmark of this awareness. The Law nº 6.938/81, following the line observed on the legislation of some Brazilian States, predicted on its 9th article the instruments of PNMA, among which the environmental licensing can be highlighted. This instrument presents itself as indispensable to the construction, installation, extension and operation of enterprises and activities that utilize environmental resources, seen as effective and potentially polluter industries, or even to those that can cause environment degradation. On a parallel way and as a consequence of this awareness, the concept of development begins to acquire a new shape. The development of a country or a region begins to consider not only economical factors, but also environmental, political, cultural and social aspects. Ecodevelopment, or sustainable development, then, arises. In this way, through research on legislation and on theme related doctrine, this work has the intention of analyzing environmental licensing as a PNMA instrument responsible for uniting economical development and the right to an ecologically balanced environment, that is, by the consecution of a truly sustainable development

Análise da resiliência sócio-ecológica em unidades de conservação de uso sustentável: subsídios para o manejo da pesca artesanal no Brasil

O uso da biodiversidade pelo homem leva a alterações no funcionamento dos ecossistemas, podendo ainda levar a perda de resiliência. Pode-se definir resiliência como a capacidade de um sistema absorver um distúrbio e reorganizar-se, enquanto submetido a mudanças, mantendo a mesma estrutura e funcionamento. Em um sistema social, entende-se como a capacidade dos usuários de recursos naturais de enfrentar e adaptar-se as mudanças nas regras que regem o uso e acesso a estes. Alterações na resiliência, tanto ecológica quanto social, podem ser resultantes das ações de exploração e manejo destes recursos. Assim, torna-se essencial compreender como funcionam as estratégias de manejo e sua interação com a resiliência sócio-ecológica, permitindo a auto-avaliação das ações e possíveis modificações das mesmas. Neste projeto, propõe-se comparar a resiliência sócio-ecológica de três Unidades de Conservação (UCs) de uso sustentável: Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (RDS) Ponta do Tubarão, localizada no estado do Rio Grande do Norte; e as Reservas Extrativistas do Batoque e Prainha do Canto Verde, ambas localizadas no estado do Ceará. Em cada área de estudo serão escolhidas comunidades pesqueiras, permitindo a comparação entre elas. A partir destas comunidades, alguns aspectos relacionados ao uso dos recursos serão analisados, como atividade pesqueira, dieta e modo de vida. Os dados serão coletados através de questionários semi-estruturados, contendo questões baseadas em aspectos sociais, econômicos e ecológicos. Os resultados obtidos servirão de indicadores para a resiliência ecológica (informações obtidas com base na atividade pesqueira) e social (informações obtidas com base no acompanhamento da dieta e análise do modo de vida). Apesar da similaridade ecológica entre as áreas de estudo, algumas estratégias de manejo distintas em função da categoria da UC podem apresentar diferentes resultados sobre a resiliência sócio-ecológica. Desta forma, compreender como a resiliência sócio-ecológica se comporta, dentro dos sistemas de manejo estudados, permitirá avaliar a influência destes dois tipos de UCs (RDS e RESEX) na promoção da sustentabilidade ecológica e/ou social

A Inclusão da pessoa com deficiência visual na UFRN: a percepção dos acadêmicos

A partir des deux dernières décénnies, des changements importants ont touché l éducation des personnes aux besoins éducatifs spéciaux. On est dans une quête permanente de leur inclusion dans les différents niveaux de l enseignement régulier. De ce fait, les institutions éducationnelles se confrontent avec le défi du changement, devant s adapter de plus en plus aux besoins de ces élèves et devenir plus récptives à l égard de tous. Malgré la lenteur de ce changement, cela favorise beaucoup l accès des élèves à des niveaux d enseignement que jamais on aurait supposés, tels que l enseignement supérieur. C est bien dans ce contexte qu au cours de l année 2002 des étudiants handicapés visuels ont accédé aux formations de Philosophie, Economie et Sciences Sociales de l Université Fédérale do Rio Grande do Norte. Cela nous a motivé à conduire une analyse, au cours de 2003, pour connaître de plus près ce processus d inclusion universitaires de trois étudiants handicapés visuels. Comme méthode nous avons utilisé l étude de cas, et l entretien comme instrument de collecte des données. Après l analyse, les résultats montrent bien que l inclusion a permis à ces étudiants de surmonter un tas de barrières, telles que l examen d accès à l Université (Vestibular), outre la chance de se socialiser et d être bénéficiaires d expériences qui, suscités dans un milieu universitaire, vont au-delà de l univers académique. Les collègues de ces étudiants, auprès desquels ils convivent, eux-aussi ont été les bénéficiaires, du fait qu ils ont eu l opportunité d apprendre ensemble les uns avec les autres, tout en respectant leur limitations et potentialités, mais en les appuyant et en les stimulant de mieux en mieux. Il faut reconnaître que plusieurs actions au sein de l Université envisageant l accès et la permanence de ces étudiants ont été couronnées de succès, mais force est de dire qu il y a aussi beaucoup de choses à faire en ce qui concerne : la préparation du corps enseignant et des fonctionnaires ; l orientation de la communauté plus élargie ; la chute des barrières pédagogiques et attitudinales, et surtout l appui humain et matériel indispensables au plein développement de ces étudiants

Reflexão sobre agressividade, violência e bullying na escola: perspectivas de contribuição das práticas corporais cooperativas

The present dissertation tells a proposal of based pedagogical intervention in the use of practical corporal cooperatives during lessons of physical education in intention to create situations that allow to educating to reflect on the violence and its consequences in the social relations in the school. For in such a way, we leave from the following question of study: which perspectives of the physical education to contribute to minimize the aggressive and violent attitudes of the pupils in the school? Centered in the objective to reflect on the aggressiveness, the violence and bullying in the school, the light of a theoretical recital and in the perspectives of contribution of practical the corporal cooperatives for the reduction of its effect in the pertaining to school environment, in particular in the lessons of physical education, we search among others to involve the pupils in activities that stimulated the expression of human values as solidarity, respect and cooperation. In this intention, we opt to a ethnographic study for the possibility of next interaction between investigator and the investigated one. Our research is directly on to the social aspects that involve the problems of the society in a general way, in the attempt to diminish the decurrent problems of aggression situations, that they happen in one definitive municipal school of the city of Natal/RN, the sample being constituted of pupils of 6º year of Basic Education. It analyzes the practical situations lived deeply by the pupils had revealed efficient to minimize the aggressive attitudes in the pertaining to school space, as well as it opens perspectives so that the educators deal better with such attitudes, using to advantage them to educate the pupils in the direction to stimulate the good relations. We believe that with this research, to be able to of course share with other schools our experiences in the attempt of resolution of similar problems regarding thematic of the aggressiveness, respecting the specificity of each school in particular

Autoestima e qualidade de vida de pessoas com úlcera venosa atendidas na atenção primária

Venous ulcers (VU) is a chronic injury of the lower extremities and because of its high incidence and recurrence implies long and complex treatments, damaging the quality of life (QOL) and self-esteem (SE) of the people. This study aimed to analyze the association between self-esteem with the quality of life of people with venous ulcers treated in primary care. Cross sectional analytical study with a quantitative approach conducted with 44 people met with VU at 13 primary care units 2 and Mixed units in Natal/RN. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee in Research of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), CAAE: 07556312.0.0000.5537. Held data collection from February to April 2014 and used three instruments: a structured form covering sociodemographic, health care and clinical variables, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the SF-36. The collected data were entered into a database and processed on computerized software for descriptive and inferential analyzes. The results showed a predominance of people with UV females (65,9%), with more than 60 years (59,1%), married or in a stable relationship (52,3%), low education (86,4%) without occupation (68,2%) and less than one minimum wage income (81,8%). Regarding assistance characteristics was observed that most patients performed the dressing with appropriate material (72,7%), professional or trained caregiver (61,4%) did not use compression therapy (81,8%), treating the injury for more than 6 months (77,3%), lack of guidelines for the use of compression therapy, elevation of legs, and regular exercise (77,3%) and consulting the angiologist last year (52,3% ). Regarding clinical features of the lesion was found that most of the recurrent lesions are (77,3%), over one year of current lesion (52,3%) medium to large lesions (54,8%), without signs of infection (61,3%) and pain (79,5%). The mean SE of respondents was 9,3 (± 5,1). The relations between the SE and the sociodemographic variables, health care and clinics showed that individuals without a partner (a) (p = 0,01), who did not wear compression therapy (p = 0,04), with more 6 months of treatment (p = 0,01) and larger lesions (p = 0,01) had a lower SE. The mean domain and the dimensions of the SF-36 were lower emphasizing the functional capacity 36.5 (± 27,6) and the physical aspects of 15.3 (± 30,6). There were significant correlations between AE people with VU and the domains and dimensions of the SF-36: physical functioning (r = -0,432), general health (r = -0,415), vitality (r = -0,573), aspects social (r = -0,517), mental health (r = -0,612) and mental health dimensions (r = -0,612) and physical health (r = -0,473). Based on these results it is concluded by rejecting the null hypothesis and accept the alternative proposed in the study in which it was found that there is a negative correlation between the SE and the QOL of people with venous ulcers

Vídeo-aula de história da matemática: uma possibilidade didática para o ensino de matemática

In this work we are disagreeing with the possibility of production and of the use of video-class for the disciplines of history of mathematics by the teachers of elementary e middle school as a way to contribute to the development of their classes. Our goal is to provide to the mathematics teachers the option of connecting social, scientific, cognitive, and didactic aspects of topics in math thoughts to their students. That shall be based in the presence of mathematics in the history of humanity. Thus, we consider possible that teachers and their students can link and relate mathematics to other sciences, education culture, and reflect about the many ways of represent them, as well as the patters of organization of nature and of culture. In this way, they shall be able to observe and interpret situations that involve mathematical questions associated to the various means of historic-epistemological studies already done by other researchers and scholars in the field of history of mathematics who works in creating video-classes. In addition to that, we can use all the available media in order to give edifying dynamics to the mathematical formulations established throughout history. In this sense, we are based and focused on the objectives, which are sustained by educational computer technology, techniques for video making, as well as mathematical teaching proposals and the historical inquiring made by Mendes (2001, 2009a, 2009b). The validating experimentation allowed us to conclude that the techniques we used in the production of the history of mathematics video-classes proved they to be valid ones. They are able to be executed with the minimum of technological resources. In addition, they have the same efficacy as far as classroom use

Linguagem, cognição e mundo: o livro do desassossego e a construção discursiva da realidade

This study analyzes the processes of meaning construction in the Livro do Desassossego, by semi-heteronym Bernardo Soares - Fernando Pessoa. We use theoretical grounds from an interface between Cognitive Linguistics and Textual Linguistics to observe how certain linguistic mechanisms build a reality that tells us of a time, a being and his conceptions of language and writing. We focus on description and explanation of procedures of categorization and referentiation accomplished, for example, through metaphor and metonymy. For the construction of the intended theoretical interface, we use analytical categories proposed and developed by the Socio-cognitive Approach of Language, Conceptual Metaphor Theory and Mental Space Theory. Armed with this theoretical background, we observed the dynamics of language in relation to its social, cultural and historical features, as well as the cognitive aspects that underlie it. We seek, therefore, encourage discussions about the functioning of language considering primarily the creative processes that allow us to organize and shape our experiences. We also try to provide an approximation of Linguistics, Literature and Philosophy, with a view to relations between language structure, cognitive activity and socio-cultural organization. From the results obtained, we found that a literary text attests, with a particular property, the mutual relations between language, cognition and culture, as indicates cognitive approach to language studies

A organização da interação professor-aluno em sala de aula: turnos e o par pergunta-resposta

Este trabalho tem como foco principal a interação em sala de aula, especificando aspectos da organização linguístico-discursiva, na produção conjunta da fala da professora e dos alunos, materializada em turnos, ressaltando o par pergunta-resposta na aula de Língua Portuguesa. Para alcançarmos esse objetivo, inspiramo-nos em alguns trabalhos acerca da organização da interação que adotaram a perspectiva dos estudos interacionais e a abordagem etnográfica, a fim de explicitar o conhecimento nos espaços de ensino e aprendizagem. Entre eles, citamos as pesquisas de Galvão (1996, 2004) e de Matêncio (2001). Nessa direção, descrevemos o processo de interação em sala de aula em uma escola pública, analisando e interpretando as ações de linguagem realizadas pela professora e pelos alunos. Teoricamente, embasamo-nos, principalmente, na Análise da Conversação, ancorando-nos no estudo pioneiro de Sacks, Schegloff e Jefferson ([1974] 2003); nos postulados de Marcuschi ([1986] 2007a); nas pesquisas de Kerbrat-Orecchioni (2006), dentre outros. Explicitamos uma tipologia de perguntas e respostas em sala de aula, quanto à sua forma e função, conforme os postulados teóricos de Stubbs (1987), Araújo (2003), Fávero, Andrade e Aquino (2006), Silva (2006) e Koshik (2010). Analisamos a organização da tomada de turno, seguida de uma investigação sobre perguntas e respostas no discurso desenvolvido face a face. Na tentativa de compreendermos o cotidiano dos envolvidos no cenário de sala de aula, adotamos a abordagem etnográfica e o método indutivo, nas perspectivas de André (2010) e Chizzotti (2006). Os dados foram gerados através de pesquisa de campo, por meio de gravações (em áudio) de aulas de Língua Portuguesa, posteriormente transcritas e transformadas no corpus de pesquisa. As análises demonstraram que a interação entre professora e alunos organizou-se em trocas de turnos, na maioria das vezes, controladas pela professora, evidenciando-se uma relação de assimetria entre os participantes. Esses turnos concretizados, geralmente, no par adjacente pergunta-resposta revelaram como a construção do conhecimento se realiza em sala de aula. Por fim, observamos que a interação em sala de aula de Língua Portuguesa é organizada por aspectos sociais e pedagógicos intrinsecamente imbricados

Patrimônio, Memória e Espaço: a construção da paisagem açucareira do Vale do Ceará-Mirim

This work aims to understand how the installation of sugar culture along the river Ceará-Mirim defined the spatial organization of the Valley, and thus setting the landscape. This space has begun to be defined only in the second half of the nineteenth century, when the sugarcane growth had atarted on land located on the banks of the river Ceará-Mirim. The passage of this period of great prosperity can be seen through the heritage material which is still presented in the region. Walking through the Valley, we found a considerable number of architectural buildings, many in ruins, linked to this historical moment. This perception, caused by these buildings, will take us on a trip to the past, back to a time characterized by great-houses, mills, sugarcane plantations, planters, slaves, etc. The references that lead us to consider the sugar mills located along the valley of Ceará Mirim as a patrimony, which carry an entire historical baggage, guide us to the first half of the twentieth century. During this period, the role of intellectuals from the Rio - Sao Paulo through the modernist movement will be decisive in the formation of a national identity. The heritage material identified along the valley of Ceará Mirim defined its current spatial organization, setting the landscape. But we must conceive this landscape into two ways: first, as a material representation of social practices carried out in this space, where social, cultural, economic and environmental aspects have interacted to their training; as well as a landscape that carries a whole historical baggage which was built throughout the twentieth century

Caracterização dos sistemas de produção de leite bovino na microrregião Seridó do estado do Rio Grande do Norte

The objective was to contribute to a reading of the characteristics and diversity of production systems from bovine milk in the microregion Seridó of Rio Grande do Norte, discuss the social, economic, environmental and husbandry-related primary activity of milk production. We randomly selected 28 agricultural establishments that performed the activity of dairy bovine culture with subsequent applicat ion of a structured questionnaire during September and October 2011. Data were analyzed with application of measures of descriptive analysis and determination of the index rural development (IRD). The results showed that 53.57% of the interviewees were owners of the land, the median area of the properties amounted to 135 hectares, the median number of animals in the herd was 51 head, with minimum 11 and maximum of 350 heads establishments in the sample, 85.72% of establishments had maximum 23 cows in lactation, 100% performed manual milking with suckling calves, average productivity of 3.91 liters / cow / day, 92.86% of the interviewees did not produce silage and / or hay, 64.29% had no access to technical assistance, the average age of interviewees was 51 ± 10.85 years, 78.57% had only elementary education. The average of the IRD computed in the test sample amounted to 0.43 ± 0.11 on a scale 0-1. The sites were grouped into 04 classes, based on your IRD. The average IRD in each dimension was 0.43, 0.55 and 0.34, respectively for economic / husbandry, social and environmental. The determination of the rate of rural development - IDR found for the sample could add establishments hierarchically. It is necessary that the inclusion of best practices in herd management, bookkeeping zootechnical, technical assistance and reorganization practices in land and environmental preservation

Processo argumentativo na (re)significação de concepções ético/morais

This study analysed the relationship between the production of argumentative discourses and the development and (re)signification of ethical/moral concepts, conceptions and reasoning. It focused on ethical-argumentative reasoning concerning other people and their different points of view. The specific aims of this research were: (1) to investigate the considering alternative positions on adolescents previous views on a specific topic; (2) to verify whether the ability to generate counterarguments was associated with higher levels of moral reasoning, according to Kohlberg theory, and (3) to have a better comprehension of a possible relationship between adolescents abilities to use cognitive and verbal-argumentative strategies and the (re) signification of concepts/beliefs of an ethical/moral nature, and also the solution of conflicts of the same nature. The participants in this study were seventh grade students of private and public schools. Four empirical tasks were used in order to evaluate argumentative and moral reasoning. These tasks focused on: the evaluation of moral dilemmas (DIT); the evaluation of moral dilemmas with the presentation of a written justification for subjects responses; the production of arguments and the reaction to counterarguments. There was also a group-debate situation in which both argumentation and the discussion ethical/moral issues were observed. The moral dilemmas tasks aimed to evaluate the level of moral reasoning of the participants. The argumentation tasks investigated whether the adolescents generated and justified a point of view and how they dealt with counterarguments or alternative information which could lead the participants to modify their initial positions on the topic under discussion in a monological situation as well as in a group-debate setting. The results showed that, in a monological situation, most of the adolescents produced only a partial developed argumentative discourse, whereas in a more social-verbal interaction situation their discourse appeared to be more elaborated. As a general result, it was observed that the confrontation with the other s views, or dealing with counterarguments allow the adolescents to re-evaluate and re-elaborate their own views on a debatable topic. Regarding the relationship between counterargumentation and moral reasoning, it was verified that there was a subtle tendency associating the two processes. However, other factors, such as, social, emotional and cultural aspects might also influence the development of moral reasoning