This study presents adolescents' point of view about family. Twelve female adolescents, 12 to 17 year old, institutionalized after being abused by their families, showed their family concepts, and their expectations about having a family in the future, in two focus groups. The focus groups "A" and "B" were analyzed, separately, as unique contexts. Focus group "A" revealed their point of view about family, based on emotional ties, where the parents' responsibilities and roles were overlapped, and the relationships were marked by violence. Focus group "B" revealed their point of view about family, based on a traditional related family, with pre determined parents' roles, and the relationships were marked by reciprocity. Both groups were marked by idealization of family. The expectations about having their own family in the future were presented in each group, but with different configuration and roles from the one they have now This attitude can be seem as a protective way against the risk situations they are living, and as a hope for change in their future.
Adolescence; Protective factors; Risk; Family; Domestic violence
