O trabalho docente em psicólogo e o enfrentamento da violência contra crianças e adolescentes: uma experiência teresinense

In this thesis I discuss the role of the psychologist as a university professor and as intellectual from a specific context and also from a specific query. The context is the city of Teresina, capital city of Piauí state, which is peripheral in Brazil s northeast region. The defiance here is to build a critical psychological tradition that will deal with the challenges imposed by the reality of poverty and socio-economic backwardness of the region. The greatest difficulty is the lack of a public institution of learning that carries out instruction, research and extension with commitment to social transformation, and with the production of a psychological knowledge that is able to understand local reality. I take it that the undergraduate course in Psychology at UESPI [State University of Piauí] is the only one in Teresina that can take over such mission. The query is confronting violence against children and adolescents that defies us to ethically and politically commit to solidarity toward fragile human beings in need of adult involvement in order to survive this daily inhumanity. The involvement of psychologists from Teresina in this must result from a social commitment and a technical competence to deal with prevention and therapeutic consideration toward the victims. This dissertation is divided into three parts: the first is a study on the curriculum and the performance of psychologists, which revises the academic output in Brazil and envisages new queries to the theme, such as the role of teaching inside the curriculum, and presents social security (including Medicare) as the privileged field in which Brazilian psychologists perform. The second part contains a study on the concepts of childhood, adolescence and violence, which presents a consideration on the strategies to confront violence against children and adolescents. In the last part I discuss the role of the psychologist as teacher and intellectual in the context undergraduate course in Psychology at UESPI [State University of Piauí] from the commitment to the protection of children and adolescents

Álcool e sociabilidade: a farra das adolescentes

The experience as a school psychologist allowed me to notice that expressions like I was like trash in the gang s barbecue , and we chatted away, only the girls, and we all got drunk , are very common in conversations between Elementary and High School students, pointing out to a concerning incidence of alcohol consumption among female adolescents. However, studies about this theme haven t gone deep in the nowadays reality these girls are living in. This study aimed at comprehending the aspects of the relation between girls and alcohol, starting from the point that exaggerated consumption indicates introductory rituals for some groups, making social relations easier and becoming a sociability factor. To give this study some support, a questionnaire was applied to 1028 female teenagers, between 12 and 18 years old, students in private schools in Natal, capital of Rio Grande do Norte. The context chosen for the development of the study - private schools -, arose from the notion that the majority of the data collection carried out about alcohol and other psychotropic drugs aim at public school students. The instrument used was divided in two parts, one that treated about the first contact with alcohol (experimentation), and other that points to the current relation with alcoholic beverages, with 27 closed questions but nevertheless with available space for manifestation like if other; which?, applied collectively in classrooms. The data received a statistic treatment from SPSS and showed that the first contact with alcoholic beverage happens in domestic environment, having parents and friends as companions, very precociously, around 10 years of age, as curiosity. At this moment, Ice drink is the most consumed beverage. The main reason that leads them to drink is to pass the time in parties, and they don t drink alone (93% of students researched), what gives alcohol this recreational and socializing characteristic. They do consider alcohol a kind of drug, but are not afraid of getting addicted. People that drink usually show to be extroverted, they get happier (40,3%) and are not shy at all (29,4%), have attitudes of moral character, like to get involved with unknown boys (18,5%), get numb (9,9%), or get sad (1,9%). They label as vulgar the girls that drink, depending on the amount, and to be stimulated by the boys to drink. The study shows that systematic interventions of the school are necessary, once it is an institution that should care about education and personality traits of children and adolescents, as well as the important role of the psychologist in this context. Besides, it claims the society to get effectively involved with the public policies that already exist

Violência doméstica contra adolescentes: o olhar dos educadores sociais

Domestic violence as a specific expression of violence against adolescents, is historically constructed from phenomenon of power relations that permeate the gender, ethnicity and social class, requiring differentiated attention. Sorting in A mass grave of what is understood by a child and teenager under the doctrines of the law of the minor and of irregular situation resulted, in General, in the preparation for the teenage audience, of policies and actions, fragile and inefficient with regard to domestic violence. Despite the status of children and adolescents clearly define what is meant by child and teenager, break with the menoristas doctrines and embrace the doctrine of integral protection, even if there is little guidance for the public actions and policies geared to the theme. Such deficiency contributes to characterize the current practice of social educators about domestic violence, marked by the absence of specific training; by inadequate working conditions; lack of preparation of the network of care. Thus, with the objective to start the discussion regarding the elements that make up the practice focused on this issue, the present study proposes to problematizing the design held by social educators working in public Social assistance of the city of Natal/RN, regarding the issue of domestic violence against adolescents, by paying attention to such things as their vocational integration, their training and their working conditions. Adopts norteadoras references as having its roots in the Pedagogia Problematizadora, Paulo Freire, and socio-historical perspective. The methodological procedure of nature quali-quantitative was lifting censitário and psychosocial characterization of educators together to State and local Departments of assistance; the application of questionnaire to educators, composed of open and closed issues; and observation and field journaling activities of their work. Of network professionals, 111 64 replied to the questionnaire, which represents more than 50% of the total. Psychosocial characterization exposes data as the predominance of low family income and female professionals; the note identified that do not have a professional technical parameter, and the activities carried out in accordance with the representations of each professional the respect of labour, problematic and adolescents involved, revealing an individual perspective of action. And a preliminary analysis of responses to the questionnaire pointed out that such professionals are subjected to precarious working conditions, as well as one realizes a relative ignorance about the network of care for adolescents at risk and ACE, all this resulting in restricted marginalizantes conceptions, and misleading information regarding domestic violence against teenagers.

Avaliação das habilidades neurocognitivas em crianças e adolescentes sobreviventes da Leucemia Linfoide Aguda - LLA

The present study investigated the impact of the treatment modalities of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia on neurocognitive abilities of children and adolescents survivors, aged between 6 and 16 years of age, accompanied in pediatric oncology sectors of public health services in the cities of Campina Grande-PB and Natal-RN. The study included 52 children, 13 of these being children and adolescents diagnosed with leukemia and 39 healthy children matched in relation to the study group considering gender, age, school type and level of maternal education. Later the group of children with leukemia was subdivided into two subgroups depending on treatment modality which were submitted: Group 1A (only chemotherapy) and 1B (chemotherapy and radiotherapy). All participants were subjected to a battery of neuropsychological tests that investigated the following neurocognitive abilities: intellectual ability, memory system, attention, visuospatiality and visuoconstruction, processing speed and executive functions. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential measurements with the aid of the U test of Mann-Whitney and T test, considering the influence of the variables: sex, age at diagnosis, time since completion of treatment and level of schooling mothers, on the performance of children. Overall, it is concluded that the illness and the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia significantly favors the emergence of cognitive deficits, particularly in terms of visuospatial skills, and executive skills visoconstrutivas. In turn, the treatment modality of radiotherapy is associated with the presence of more severe deficits, highlighting the significant impact on the speed of information processing. It is hoped that the results presented here will contribute to a better understanding of the nature and extent of neurocognitive effects arising ALL treatment

O psicólogo e os serviços de acolhimento institucional para crianças e adolescentes

The Shelters are responsible for caring for children and adolescents whose families or guardians are temporarily unable to fulfill his role as care and protection. The activities to be developed by psychologists in these services are greatly important for the elaboration and development of political- pedagogical project of the same, and for reasons pertaining to the present and future of children and adolescents received judgments. The psychologist puts up the challenge of contributing to a better care of children, also cooperating with the implementation of the new care standards of childcare. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the professional psychologist in assistance to children and adolescents in 13 Shelters in the Metropolitan Region of Natal/RN. For both set out to make visits to the institutions to know how it is organized the field work of the psychologist, his routine work and activities developed. Nine psychologists interviewed according to a semi-structured interview script. The data analysis is supported by the theoretical aspects of dialectical materialism historical and theme content analysis was used. Results were presented from three angles: psychologists and institutional framework; activities, resources and methods of work; psychologists and legal frameworks of the Institutional Hospitality. The study points out the recent entry of the psychologist in Shelters, combined with considerable turnover of these professionals. This work has been organized through the Individualized Service Plan, prioritizing the return to family of origin. Moreover, in general, perform joints with the service network, reporting, individual consultations and follow-adoption processes . Staff members, however, feel a lack of specific and continuing training on special protection, including due to the distance between the proposed theory and practice. It was thus observed a movement of psychologists distance themselves from welfare or repressive practices, however the structural difficulties of services and lack of continuing education appear to limit the development of a performance focused on the transformation of the reality of children and adolescents treated and their families

O trabalho docente em psicólogo e o enfrentamento da violência contra crianças e adolescentes: uma experiência teresinense

In this thesis I discuss the role of the psychologist as a university professor and as intellectual from a specific context and also from a specific query. The context is the city of Teresina, capital city of Piauí state, which is peripheral in Brazil s northeast region. The defiance here is to build a critical psychological tradition that will deal with the challenges imposed by the reality of poverty and socio-economic backwardness of the region. The greatest difficulty is the lack of a public institution of learning that carries out instruction, research and extension with commitment to social transformation, and with the production of a psychological knowledge that is able to understand local reality. I take it that the undergraduate course in Psychology at UESPI [State University of Piauí] is the only one in Teresina that can take over such mission. The query is confronting violence against children and adolescents that defies us to ethically and politically commit to solidarity toward fragile human beings in need of adult involvement in order to survive this daily inhumanity. The involvement of psychologists from Teresina in this must result from a social commitment and a technical competence to deal with prevention and therapeutic consideration toward the victims. This dissertation is divided into three parts: the first is a study on the curriculum and the performance of psychologists, which revises the academic output in Brazil and envisages new queries to the theme, such as the role of teaching inside the curriculum, and presents social security (including Medicare) as the privileged field in which Brazilian psychologists perform. The second part contains a study on the concepts of childhood, adolescence and violence, which presents a consideration on the strategies to confront violence against children and adolescents. In the last part I discuss the role of the psychologist as teacher and intellectual in the context undergraduate course in Psychology at UESPI [State University of Piauí] from the commitment to the protection of children and adolescents

A produção das desigualdades: análise da relação entre trabalho infantil e indicadores sociais

The International Labor Organization (OIT) estimates that there are around 118 million children subjected to child labor around the world. In Brazil, there are 3.5 million workers aged between 5 and 17. This exploitation practice constitutes a serious social problem, including of Public Health, since these workers are exposed to a wide range of risks, such as those related to health, physical integrity and even to life, which may cause them to become sick adults and/or interrupt their lives prematurely. Therefore, this research aims to investigate the relationship between the frequency of child labor in the age group of 10 to 13 years and some socio-economic indicators. It is a quantitative research in an ecological study whose levels of analysis are the Brazilian municipalities grouped in 161 regions, defined from socioeconomic criteria. The dependent variable of this study was the prevalence of child labor in the age group of 10 to 13 years. The independent variables were selected after a correlation between the 2010 Census of child labor in the age group of 10 to 13 years and secondary data had been conducted, adopting two main independent variables: funds from the Family Allowance Program (PBF) per 1,000 inhabitants and Funds from the Child Labor Eradication Program (PETI) per a thousand inhabitants. Initially, it was conducted a descriptive analysis of the variables of the study, then, a bivariate analysis, and the correlation matrix was built. At last, the Multiple Linear Regression stratified analysis was performed. The results of this survey indicate that public policies , like the Bolsa Familia Program Features per 1000 inhabitants and Resources Program for the Eradication of Child Labour to be allocated to municipalities with HDI < 0.697 represent a decrease in the rate of child labor ; These programs have the resources to be invested in municipalities with HDI > = 0.697 have no effect on the rate of child labor. Other adjustment variables showed significance, among these the municipal Human Development Index (IDH), years of schooling at 18 years of age, illiteracy at 15 years of age or more, employees without employment contract at 18 years of age and the Gini Index. It is understood that the child labor issue is complex. The problem is associated, although not restricted to, poverty, the social exclusion and inequality that exist in Brazil, but other factors of cultural and economic nature, as well as of organization of production, also account for its aggravation. Fighting child labor involves a wide intersectoral articulation, shared and integrated with several public policies, among them health, sports, culture, agriculture, labor and human rights, with a view to guaranteeing the integrality of the rights of children and adolescents in situation of labor and of their respective families

As organizações não-governamentais (ONGs) de atenção à criança e ao adolescente em Natal/RN: contribuição na garantia de direitos?

In contemporaneousness watches in Brazil the emergence of a "new" relationship between State and society based on partnership, which will allow the growing playacting organizations "non-profit" and "public interest" in the management of social public policies. In that sense, as part of a logic of global restructuring of the Capital, under the aegis of the neoliberal project, starting from the years of 1990, an administration model is had in favor of the market that looks for to minimize the actions of the State, reinforcing the outsourcing of the social public politics, and consequently, debilitating rights legally conquered. In that way, with this study it was pursued as general objective to apprehend the actions developed by Non-governmental Organizations NGOs in the child's area and of the adolescent in Natal / RN, verifying in that measured, these contribute to the warranty of rights or they reproduce practices of welfare work, and as specific objectives: to identify the group of the actions developed by NGOs in the child's area and of the adolescent in Natal / RN; to analyze the practice of NGOs of the point of view of the human resources, of the administration, of the financing, of the user's participation in the decision processes, as well as the quality of the services and the continuity of the actions of these organizations; and to apprehend the relationship between the researched organizations and users in the process of implantation of the actions, in order to identify the perspective that guide the practice of NGOs is going in the direction of contributing in the warranty of rights or in the reinforcement to the welfare work. In summary the results showed two trends in the actions of the NGOs, in the direction of the provision of services, which still unfurls in two perspectives of handouts. The other trend will give priority to the defense of rights of children and adolescents, with actions of political impact strengthen the promotion of public policies state, thus contributing to guarantee rights

Adolescentes em conflito com a lei: a saga das punições na rota da exclusão social

This work deals with the problematic of the determinations that contribute to become the adolescents involved with law. Thus, in this research, the social exclusion is apprehended as one of the most important determining to understand this problematic, once we defend that it is part of the trajectory of this adolescent's life since its birth as a punishment that starts before they becoming envolved in act's that break the law. It is still questioned the discussion of the reduction of the penal age, viewed aa a proposal that will contribute to perpetuate the repression. The objectives of the research were: analyze the problematic of adolescents in conflict with law, where social exclusion is seen here as a main category. The research also aims to understand the situation towards social exclusion and that this public is undertaken in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, more specifically in Natal. This is dane through analysis of the profile of adolescents that are submitted to the treatment at Centro Integrate de Atendimento ao Adolescente Acusado de Ato Infracional - CIAD in 2005. This is dane on arder to identify of the State's and society's actions towards this issue, how it has prevailed in analyzing if there is punishing or social protection. The research also contributed with discussion towards the non penal reduction of for underage minors. The approach realized if of qualiquantitative nature. The research was realized with 190 male adolescent subjects, age ranging from 12 to 21 that were interns at CIAD in the year of 2005. The research shows that their fundamental rights (education, health, amongst others) are disrespected on a daily basis by the State. The State prioritizes economic issues, making social inequality more profound. The main argument is that this problematic has its main oring in the social exclusion and it is imposed to the adolescents as a punishment before thes have been involved with the law going on top of the social protection. When the adolescent goes from being the victim to executioner, the Statute of Children and Adolescents is questioned by many sectors that defend the reduction of penal minority as a solution to reduce the country's violence. Thus, it was aimed here to discuss arguments that point to non exclusion, discrimination and repression. It is proposed that the State should assume children and adolescents as a priority, implementing what the statute establishes as well as assures related to the fruition of denied rights as a way to prevent their future involvement with violence

Terapia de linguagem no espectro autístico: a interferência do ambiente terapêutico

OBJETIVO: Analisar o perfil funcional da comunicação de crianças e adolescentes com distúrbios do espectro autístico em dois ambientes de terapia de linguagem, que se diferenciam quanto ao aspecto físico. MÉTODOS: Participaram dez sujeitos com distúrbios do espectro autístico, seis do gênero masculino e quatro do gênero feminino, com idades entre 4 e 13 anos. Na coleta de dados, foram realizadas filmagens de oito sessões de terapia de linguagem individual com duração de 30 minutos, sendo quatro sessões em uma sala comum e quatro em uma sala com ambientação específica (sala NIC), intercaladamente, durante um mês. Para a análise dos dados foi empregado o Protocolo de Pragmática, e os resultados receberam tratamento estatístico. RESULTADOS: Verificou-se que não houve diferença significativa entre o perfil pragmático apresentado pelos dez sujeitos na sala comum e na sala NIC. CONCLUSÃO: O contexto físico aqui estudado não influenciou significativamente no perfil funcional da comunicação de indivíduos do espectro autístico, ainda que se tenha verificado tendências individuais apresentando melhor desempenho em uma sala ou em outra.

Avaliação do atendimento anestésico da criança e do adolescente em um hospital universitário

JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: Qualidade em anestesia e na satisfação dos pacientes têm tido acentuado destaque. O objetivo foi avaliar o atendimento anestésico de crianças e adolescentes, entrevistando seus responsáveis. MÉTODO: Foram entrevistados 230 responsáveis por crianças e adolescentes submetidos à anestesia no período compreendido entre abril e dezembro de 2003. Realizou-se entrevista na visita pós-operatória através de questionário com quatro itens: identificação das crianças e de adolescentes e seus responsáveis (item 1); esclarecimentos na visita pré-anestésica (item 2), quanto à anestesia (item 3) e à recuperação pós-anestésica (SRPA) (item 4), determinando-se quem dera as informações aos entrevistados e se houvera complicação no pós-anestésico. O responsável atribuiu nota de 0 a 10 ao Serviço de Anestesiologia. RESULTADOS: A pesquisa foi respondida pela mãe em 189 (82,2%) casos. A maioria dos entrevistados, 114 (75,6%), tinha entre 20 e 39 anos, era casada (148 a 64,3%) e 140 (60,9%) não tinham ocupação. Para 89%, o anestesiologista se identificou; para 37% e 77,4%, esclareceu sobre importância e tempo do jejum; 82%, sobre anemia; 90%, alergia; 46,8%, importância da SRPA; 42,2%, tempo de permanência; 72,9%, estado de saúde de sua criança. Não houve apreensões para 49%, 58% e 58%, respectivamente, no pré, intra e pós-anestésico. Gostariam de ter estado com sua criança/adolescente na chegada à SRPA 78,9%. Foram relacionadas preocupações no período pré, intra e pós-anestésico com o sexo e a idade do paciente - não ter tido nenhuma preocupação - maioria dos entrevistados - e com a escolaridade do entrevistado - quanto mais completa, menor foi o número e a variedade das preocupações relatadas. As notas atribuídas ao Serviço de Anestesiologia tiveram maior freqüência entre 7 e 10 (97,4%). CONCLUSÕES: Considera-se que o Serviço de Anestesiologia desenvolve bom trabalho, apesar de falhas na comunicação, que são de solução simples e dependem mais da vontade do serviço que de seu conhecimento científico.

Respostas agudas pós-exercício dos níveis de lactato sanguíneo e creatinofosfoquinase de atletas adolescentes

O crescente interesse de crianças e adolescentes por esportes competitivos induz a uma maior preocupação em prescrever treinamentos adequados a essa população específica. O conhecimento do impacto da intensidade de treinamento físico competitivo sobre a saúde de adolescentes são ainda incipientes na literatura científica. Este estudo objetivou investigar as respostas agudas do lactato sanguíneo (Lac) e da creatinofosfoquinase (CPK) após uma sessão de treinamento físico em atletas jovens treinados em diferentes modalidades esportivas. Participaram 43 adolescentes do sexo masculino entre 9 e 17 anos, distribuídos em três grupos: nadadores, tenistas, jogadores de futebol de salão. Os protocolos para cada modalidade seguiram o planejamento normal de uma sessão específica. A dieta no dia anterior à coleta foi padronizada e as 24 horas que precediam a avaliação foram dedicadas ao repouso dos atletas. Foram coletados 5ml de sangue da veia antecubital imediatamente antes da realização da sessão de treinamento, repetindo coleta idêntica, imediatamente após a sessão. Foi obtida a idade óssea para a avaliação da maturação esquelética pelo método de Greulich & Pyle. Análise de variância Kruskal-Wallis e teste U-de Mann-Whitney foram utilizados para comparações entre os grupos. Valores de p < 0,05 foram considerados significantes. em todas as modalidades esportivas estudadas os valores prévios do Lac e da CPK foram inferiores aos valores pós-sessão. Com relação aos três grupos de faixas etárias, tanto para o Lac como para a CPK, os valores na pré-sessão foram inferiores aos obtidos na pós-sessão, assinalando que para o grupo de 9 aos 11 anos, tanto na situação pré como na pós, os valores foram inferiores aos observados nos grupos de idade superior. Os resultados indicaram que a magnitude de aumento da CPK e do Lac foram similares aos valores encontrados na literatura e demonstraram um aumento em função da faixa etária, indicando ser maturação biológica dependente.

Limiar anaeróbio e velocidade crítica determinada com diferentes distâncias em nadadores de 10 a 15 anos: relações com a performance e a resposta do lactato sanguíneo em testes de endurance

O objetivo deste estudo foi comparar a velocidade crítica (VC) determinada através de diferentes distâncias com o limiar anaeróbio (LAn) e as velocidades máximas mantidas em testes de 20 (V20) e 30 (V30) minutos na natação, verificando se a idade cronológica em jovens nadadores interfere nessas relações. Participaram do estudo 31 nadadores (17 meninas e 14 meninos) divididos segundo a idade cronológica em dois grupos: 10 a 12 anos e 13 a 15 anos. O LAn foi determinado como sendo a velocidade correspondente a 4mM de lactato sanguíneo. A VC1 (25/50/100m), VC2 (100/200/400m) e a VC3 (50/100/200m) foram calculadas através do coeficiente angular da reta de regressão linear entre as distâncias e seus respectivos tempos. As V20 e V30 foram determinadas através de três a seis repetições, com coletas de sangue no 10º minuto e ao final do tiro. Para o grupo de 10 a 12 anos, a VC1 (m/s) (0,98 ± 0,17) e o LAn (0,97 ± 0,12) não foram diferentes entre si, sendo maiores do que a VC2 (0,92 ± 0,16), VC3 (0,89 ± 0,18), V20 (0,92 ± 0,11) e V30 (0,90 ± 0,11). Para o grupo de 13 a 15 anos, a VC1 (m/s)(1,11 ± 0,11) foi maior do que o LAn (1,02 ± 0,07), V20 (0,99 ± 0,09), V30 (0,97 ± 0,09), VC2 (0,98 ± 0,11) e VC3 (1,00 ± 0,11). Pode-se concluir que a distância utilizada na determinação da VC interfere no valor obtido, independente da idade cronológica. A VC determinada com distâncias entre 50 e 400m pode ser utilizada na avaliação da capacidade aeróbia de crianças e adolescentes, substituindo os testes contínuos máximos com durações próximas a 20 ou 30 minutos.

O Agronegócio e o problema do trabalho infantil

This article attempts to identify and analyze the motives that led several sectors of agro-business to engage in the struggle for the eradication of child labor in Brazil, as launched by international organizations for the defense of children's and adolescents' rights. It is our hypothesis that economic globalization and the internationalization of children's rights have given visibility to the problem of child labor, thus demanding the mobilization of entrepreneurial sectors linked to agro-business productive chains in Brazil. The article is divided into four inter-related sections. In the first one, we attempt to provide evidence for the interference of social and labor problems within the ambit of the economic activities of the agro-business sector, within the current context of globalization. This is followed by a study of major UN, UNICEF and ILO investments to internalize children's rights and policies to combat child labor, giving salience to their repercussions in Brazil. In the third section, we analyze strategies adopted by firms linked to agro-business with the purpose of avoiding the use of child labor within their productive chains. Finally, we seek to understand the motivations that have led agro-businessmen to take part in the struggle against child labor. We conclude that firms linked to agro-business took up the project of combating child labor in virtue of the internationalization of children and adolescents' rights, the inclusion of social issues in international markets, the intensification of the fiscalization of public power, the growth of action around entrepreneurial social responsibility and increased consumer consciousness.

Sports injuries among adolescent basketball players according to position on the court

Background: The participation of children and adolescents in sports, including basketball, is becoming increasingly common, and this increased involvement raises concerns about the potential risk of sports injuries. Objective. To analyze the occurrence of sports injuries among young basketball players according to their position on the court and to associate these injuries with risk factors. Method. A retrospective, epidemiological study. A sample consisting of 204 basketball players with a mean age of 14.33 ± 1.19 years participated in the study. The players were interviewed using a reported condition questionnaire containing anthropometric and training data as well as information on injuries during the previous 12 months. Results: The frequency of injury was highest among the shooting guards (47.8%), followed by the centers (34.8%) and point guards (17.4%). Among the 204 participants, 40 players reported a total of 46 injuries, representing 0.22 injuries per participant and 1.15 injuries per injured participant. For the shooting guards and centers, statistically significant differences between injured and non-injured players were found related to age, weight, height, length of time in training and number of weekly practice hours (p < 0.05). For point guards, a statistically significant difference between injured and non-injured players was found based on weight alone (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The occurrence of injuries among basketball players was low. Injuries were associated with both intrinsic and extrinsic factors among shooting guards and centers, whereas injuries were only associated with weight among point guards. © 2013 Vanderlei et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.