Aiming to develop an analysis of the psychologists’ perception about their ability to work in institutions that serve the population who lives in conditions of risk, this research was directed to this context, exploiting the resources developed, their advantages and constraints as well as the way these professionals see their action, considering psychotherapy and the social aspects. This is a qualitative research of exploratory and descriptive level, and it made use of a questionnaire and focus on group technique. The participants were psychologists who worked in institutions that serve the population who live in social risk, in São José dos Campos/SP. The analysis of the material obtained in the group was based on qualitative tools of the content analysis method. For the interpretation phase, we used the theoretical contributions of the new paradigm system. The results point to the perception of a place in construction, the institutional psychologist in search of identity and enhancement, as well as the need to develop skills to work in that context. The participants perceive their actions as non-clinical and seek their place in social work, given the current demands for greater involvement in contexts of vulnerability.
Psychologist performance; Competence; Social; Social psychology