A multicenter research was conducted with mothers of preadolescents in Brazil, Argentina and Chile, using focused ethnography. From this research in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil, a case study of one mother is presented. The findings show the perceptions of quality of life and health promotion before and after the first use of an illicit drug by her 11-year-old son. The emphasis of health promotion changed from the social network control to reinforcement of affective bonds.
adolescent; mothers; health promotion; quality of life