Psychological violence among dentistry students at a Brazilian public university

Abstract

Violence is a complex social phenomenon that permeates different social contexts, including the university environment, where it has increasingly manifested itself. This study aimed to describe the perceptions of dentistry students about different types of violence experienced in the academic environment.The research used a self-administered questionnaire directed to undergraduate students of the a Federal University In Brazil (n=101), collecting sociodemographic data and experiences of physical or psychological violence. Quantitative analysis of the variables was performed using the EPI INFO software. Among the respondents, 38.6% reported some type of aggression, abuse or mistreatment, with psychological violence prevailing, with 42.6% of cases related to depreciation and humiliation, followed by 40.6% linked to the inferiorization of competence, with a higher incidence in the final periods of undergraduate studies. Violence in public higher education is an emerging problem, requiring effective institutional responses.

Key words: Violence; Professional Education; dental students.