Entendendo a migração de jovens rurais: uma investigação a partir de fatores e benefícios psicossociais

Abstract

The migration of rural youth to urban areas remains a global phenomenon that imposes decisive challenges to sustainable agriculture, food security, and the continuity of family farming. By reducing the availability of labor and weakening the intergenerational transmission of agricultural knowledge, this movement contributes to farm abandonment and compromises the biodiversity associated with family-based production systems. In Brazil, rural youth face limited access to economic, educational, and institutional opportunities, which reduces their motivation to remain in their communities of origin and reinforces a cycle that affects both rural and urban environments, particularly through the loss of traditional skills and the pressure placed on urban infrastructure. This research aims to identify the psychosocial factors and psychological benefits that influence the intention of rural youth to migrate to urban areas. The study is structured into two complementary chapters. The first applies structural equation modeling to examine how experiential attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and self-identity shape migration intentions. The second chapter adopts a qualitative approach to investigate the psychological benefits perceived by young people in their community, seeking to understand how emotional bonds, memories, belonging, and place attachment contribute to identity formation and shape decisions to stay or migrate. The combination of these approaches advances the understanding of the dynamics underlying youth migration in Brazilian rural contexts, particularly within agrarian reform settlements, and highlights the relevance of affective ties and identity-related elements in shaping decisions to remain in rural areas.