25 research outputs found

    Life circumstances and adolescent mental health: Perceptions, associations and a gender analysis

    No full text
    Despite a well-documented gender pattern of adolescent mental health, public health research investigating possible influencing factors from a gender-theoretical approach is scarce. This study aimed to explore what factors and circumstances are related to adolescent mental health and to apply a gender analysis to the findings in order to improve the understanding of the relationships between life circumstances and the gendered patterning of mental health among young people.   The study population was 16-19-year-old Swedish students and data was collected by means of focus groups (N=29) and self-administered questionnaires (N=1,663, 78.3% response rate) in school settings. Mental health problems were defined in a broad sense including the adolescents’ own understandings, perceived stress, psychological distress and deliberate self-harm.   The mental health problems of perceived stress, psychological distress and deliberate self-harm were twice as common among girls as boys. The findings suggest that adolescent mental health is associated with the life circumstances of social relationships, demands and responsibility taking and experiences of violence and harassment.  Supportive relationships with friends, family and teachers were found to be of importance to positive mental health, whereas poor social relationships, loneliness and lack of influence were associated with mental health problems.  Perceived demands and responsibility taking regarding school work, relationships, future plans, appearance and financial issues were strongly related to mental health problems, particularly among girls regardless of social class. The results indicate that physical violence, sexual assault, bullying and sexual harassment are severe risk factors for mental health problems in young people. Boys and girls experienced different types of violence, and the victim-perpetrator relationships of physical violence differed. These diverging experiences appeared to influence the associations with mental health problems in boys and girls.   A gender analysis provides the tools to gain knowledge about the ways that boys’ and girls’ lives are shaped by gender relations and constructions at different levels in society and how these life circumstances represent risk- or protective factors for mental health. For example, unequal power structures and the ways girls are expected to ‘do’ femininity likely influence their life circumstances in ways that place them at greater risk of mental health problems. Hegemonic constructions of masculinity and advantaged positions likely contribute to life circumstances that are positive for mental health but are also implying risk factors for poor mental health among boys, e.g., violence. It is also important to recognise how the intertwined cultural and structural aspects of gender and social class influence the lives and mental health of boys and girls. In conclusion, gendered and class-related mechanisms at the different levels in society influence the distribution of risk factors unevenly among boys and girls, which could be a possible explanation for the gender differences in reports of perceived stress, psychological distress and deliberate self-harm.   The likelihood of gender and socioeconomic differences in mental health problems should be taken into account in prevention and health promotion strategies at all levels in society. A greater awareness about gender relations and the gendered social circumstances under which young people live is required. The school environment is an important arena with respect to prevention and health promotion. There is also a need for a joint action against violence and harassment at all levels in society. Implications do not only concern young people; social policy and legislation should focus on reducing gender and class inequalities in general.Sammanfattning Svensk titel: Livsvillkor och ungdomars psykiska hĂ€lsa: uppfattningar, associationer och en genusanalys.   Trots ett vĂ€ldokumenterat genusmönster i ungdomars psykiska hĂ€lsa finns det en kunskapslucka i den folkhĂ€lsovetenskapliga forskningen avseende genusteoretiska analyser av sambanden mellan ungas livsvillkor och psykisk hĂ€lsa. Föreliggande studie syftade till att undersöka vilka faktorer och omstĂ€ndigheter som Ă€r relaterade till psykiska problem, samt att analysera fynden ur ett genusperspektiv för att fördjupa förstĂ„elsen av relationerna mellan ungas livsvillkor och genusmönster i psykiska hĂ€lsa.   Studiepopulationen var gymnasielever i Ă„ldern 16-19 Ă„r. Studien genomfördes i skolmiljö och data insamlades genom fokusgrupper (N=29) och en enkĂ€tstudie (N=1,663, 78.3% svarsfrekvens). En bred definition av psykisk ohĂ€lsa tillĂ€mpades vilken representerades av ungdomarnas egen förstĂ„else, samt de psykiska problemen upplevd stress, psykiska besvĂ€r samt sjĂ€lvskadebeteende.   Resultaten visade att stress, psykiska besvĂ€r och sjĂ€lvskadebeteende var dubbelt sĂ„ vanligt bland flickor som bland pojkar. Psykiska problem var relaterade till livsvillkoren sociala relationer, krav och ansvarstagande samt utsatthet för vĂ„ld och trakasserier. Stödjande relationer med vĂ€nner, familj och lĂ€rare var av stor betydelse för psykisk hĂ€lsa medan dĂ„liga relationer, ensamhet och brist pĂ„ inflytande var relaterat till psykiska problem. Psykiska problem var starkt kopplade till erfarenheter av höga krav och ansvarstagande avseende skolarbete, relationer, framtidsplaner, utseende och ekonomi, i synnerhet bland flickor oavsett socioekonomisk bakgrund. Resultaten indikerar att olika former av vĂ„ld och trakasserier Ă€r allvarliga riskfaktorer för psykiska problem och att flickors och pojkars skiljda erfarenheter av olika former av vĂ„ld samt relationen till förövaren, kan vara relaterade till skillnader i psykiska problem.   Genusanalysen av resultaten föreslĂ„r att flickors livsvillkor pĂ„verkas av ojĂ€mlika maktstrukturer och konstruktioner av femininitet och att dessa livsvillkor bidrar till en ökad risk för psykisk ohĂ€lsa bland flickor. Livsvillkor kopplade till manlig överordning och hegemoniska konstruktioner av maskulinitet influerar sannolikt pojkars psykiska hĂ€lsa positivt. Dessa villkor kan dock ocksĂ„ innebĂ€ra risk faktorer för psykiska problem, t.ex. i frĂ„ga om vĂ„ld. Studien uppmĂ€rksammar Ă€ven hur kulturella och strukturella aspekter av bĂ„de genus och social klass kan pĂ„verka livsvillkor och psykisk hĂ€lsa för pojkar och flickor. Studiens slutsats Ă€r att genusifierade och klassrelaterade mekanismer pĂ„ olika nivĂ„er i samhĂ€llet bidrar till en skev fördelning av riskfaktorer för psykiska problem vilket kan vara en möjlig förklaring till skillnaderna mellan pojkar och flickor i frĂ„ga om upplevd stress, psykiska besvĂ€r och sjĂ€lvskadebeteende.   Genus- och socioekonomiska skillnader i psykiska problem bör tas i beaktande i preventivt och hĂ€lsofrĂ€mjande arbete pĂ„ alla nivĂ„er i samhĂ€llet. Detsamma gĂ€ller för en ökad medvetenhet om hur ungas livsvillkor Ă€r relaterade till psykisk hĂ€lsa och hur dessa villkor Ă€r genus- och klassrelaterade. Studien uppmĂ€rksammar skolan som en viktig arena för preventivt och hĂ€lsofrĂ€mjande arbete samt att gemensamma insatser krĂ€vs pĂ„ olika arenor för att motverka vĂ„ld och trakasserier. Implikationer av studien omfattar Ă€ven generella samhĂ€llspolitiska insatser för minskad ojĂ€mlikhet. Nyckelord: Stress; psykiska besvĂ€r; sjĂ€lvskadebeteende; gymnasieelever; maskulinitet; femininitet; sociala determinanter; sociala relationer; krav; ansvarstagande; vĂ„ld och trakasserier; skola.ForskarutbildningsĂ€mne: HĂ€lsovetenskap

    "Det viktigaste Ă€r hur man har det runtomkring sig, och det bemötande man fĂ„r" – En intervjustudie ur ett genusperspektiv om livsvillkorens betydelse för gymnasieungdomars psykiska hĂ€lsa

    No full text
    Det finns ett genusmönster i ungdomars psykiska hĂ€lsa dĂ€r unga tjejers situation Ă€r sĂ€mre Ă€n unga killars. Bakgrunden till denna studie Ă€r att det saknas kunskap om hur detta mönster Ă€r relaterat till ungdomars livsvillkor. Uppsatsens syfte Ă€r att, ur ett genusperspektiv, synliggöra och öka kunskapen om livsvillkorens betydelse för gymnasieungdomars psykiska hĂ€lsa. Genus utgör uppsatsens centrala analytiska begrepp. Studien bygger pĂ„ fokusgruppsintervjuer med gymnasieungdomar om vilka faktorer som de anser vara betydelsefulla för psykisk hĂ€lsa. Materialet Ă€r analyserat enligt metoden för innehĂ„llsanalys. Resultatet visar att för ungdomarna betydelsefulla livsvillkor Ă€r: Krav i form av prestationer, utseende, ansvar, relationer och bemötande samt utsatthet för sexuella trakasserier och vĂ„ld. Det finns könsskillnader i erfarenheterna av dessa livsvillkor. Den genusteoretiska analysen synliggör hur sĂ„vĂ€l materiella/reella levnadsförhĂ„llanden som diskursiva aspekter av genusordningen bidrar till genusmönstren i psykisk hĂ€lsa. Uppsatsens huvudsakliga slutsatser Ă€r: a) ungdomarna anser att livsvillkor som krav, relationer, sexuella trakasserier och vĂ„ld har betydelse för psykisk hĂ€lsa; b) innebörden och erfarenheterna av dessa Ă€r genusrelaterade; samt c) framtida folkhĂ€lsovetenskapliga forskning inom fĂ€ltet bör uppmĂ€rksamma de livsvillkor ungdomarna har betonat, anlĂ€gga ett genusperspektiv i studier av dem samt utveckla sina metoder. Detta i syfte att skapa kunskap utifrĂ„n vilken hĂ€lsofrĂ€mjande och förebyggande arbete kan utformas.Title: ”The most important thing is how the environment surrounding me is, and how I am treated” – A gender perspective based interview study on the importance of the living conditions for the mental health of adolescentsThere is a consistent gender pattern in the mental health among adolescents, where young women report more of mental ill-health than young men do. The background to this study is the lack of knowledge about the relation between this pattern and the living conditions of adolescents. From a gender perspective, this study aims to shed light on, and increase the knowledge about, the relevance of living conditions for the mental health among adolescents. Gender is the main analytical concept. The study is based on focus group interviews with senior high school adolescents, discussing what factors determine mental health. The main factors are, according to the interviews: demands concerning achievements, physical appearance and responsibility, relations, social contact and exposure of sexual harassment and violence. The experiences of these living conditions among female and male adolescents differ. The gender-theoretical analysis shows how both factual and discursive aspects of the gender structure contribute to gender patterns in mental health. The main conclusions are: a) Adolescents believe that living conditions like demands, relations, sexual harassment and violence influence mental health; b) the meaning and experience from these conditions are gendered; and c) future public health research in this field should consider these living conditions, use a gender perspective when analysing them and refine the methods. The purpose for this should be an increase in knowledge, from where health-promoting and preventive measures could be taken

    "Det viktigaste Ă€r hur man har det runtomkring sig, och det bemötande man fĂ„r" – En intervjustudie ur ett genusperspektiv om livsvillkorens betydelse för gymnasieungdomars psykiska hĂ€lsa

    No full text
    Det finns ett genusmönster i ungdomars psykiska hĂ€lsa dĂ€r unga tjejers situation Ă€r sĂ€mre Ă€n unga killars. Bakgrunden till denna studie Ă€r att det saknas kunskap om hur detta mönster Ă€r relaterat till ungdomars livsvillkor. Uppsatsens syfte Ă€r att, ur ett genusperspektiv, synliggöra och öka kunskapen om livsvillkorens betydelse för gymnasieungdomars psykiska hĂ€lsa. Genus utgör uppsatsens centrala analytiska begrepp. Studien bygger pĂ„ fokusgruppsintervjuer med gymnasieungdomar om vilka faktorer som de anser vara betydelsefulla för psykisk hĂ€lsa. Materialet Ă€r analyserat enligt metoden för innehĂ„llsanalys. Resultatet visar att för ungdomarna betydelsefulla livsvillkor Ă€r: Krav i form av prestationer, utseende, ansvar, relationer och bemötande samt utsatthet för sexuella trakasserier och vĂ„ld. Det finns könsskillnader i erfarenheterna av dessa livsvillkor. Den genusteoretiska analysen synliggör hur sĂ„vĂ€l materiella/reella levnadsförhĂ„llanden som diskursiva aspekter av genusordningen bidrar till genusmönstren i psykisk hĂ€lsa. Uppsatsens huvudsakliga slutsatser Ă€r: a) ungdomarna anser att livsvillkor som krav, relationer, sexuella trakasserier och vĂ„ld har betydelse för psykisk hĂ€lsa; b) innebörden och erfarenheterna av dessa Ă€r genusrelaterade; samt c) framtida folkhĂ€lsovetenskapliga forskning inom fĂ€ltet bör uppmĂ€rksamma de livsvillkor ungdomarna har betonat, anlĂ€gga ett genusperspektiv i studier av dem samt utveckla sina metoder. Detta i syfte att skapa kunskap utifrĂ„n vilken hĂ€lsofrĂ€mjande och förebyggande arbete kan utformas.Title: ”The most important thing is how the environment surrounding me is, and how I am treated” – A gender perspective based interview study on the importance of the living conditions for the mental health of adolescentsThere is a consistent gender pattern in the mental health among adolescents, where young women report more of mental ill-health than young men do. The background to this study is the lack of knowledge about the relation between this pattern and the living conditions of adolescents. From a gender perspective, this study aims to shed light on, and increase the knowledge about, the relevance of living conditions for the mental health among adolescents. Gender is the main analytical concept. The study is based on focus group interviews with senior high school adolescents, discussing what factors determine mental health. The main factors are, according to the interviews: demands concerning achievements, physical appearance and responsibility, relations, social contact and exposure of sexual harassment and violence. The experiences of these living conditions among female and male adolescents differ. The gender-theoretical analysis shows how both factual and discursive aspects of the gender structure contribute to gender patterns in mental health. The main conclusions are: a) Adolescents believe that living conditions like demands, relations, sexual harassment and violence influence mental health; b) the meaning and experience from these conditions are gendered; and c) future public health research in this field should consider these living conditions, use a gender perspective when analysing them and refine the methods. The purpose for this should be an increase in knowledge, from where health-promoting and preventive measures could be taken

    Life circumstances and adolescent mental health: Perceptions, associations and a gender analysis

    No full text
    Despite a well-documented gender pattern of adolescent mental health, public health research investigating possible influencing factors from a gender-theoretical approach is scarce. This study aimed to explore what factors and circumstances are related to adolescent mental health and to apply a gender analysis to the findings in order to improve the understanding of the relationships between life circumstances and the gendered patterning of mental health among young people.   The study population was 16-19-year-old Swedish students and data was collected by means of focus groups (N=29) and self-administered questionnaires (N=1,663, 78.3% response rate) in school settings. Mental health problems were defined in a broad sense including the adolescents’ own understandings, perceived stress, psychological distress and deliberate self-harm.   The mental health problems of perceived stress, psychological distress and deliberate self-harm were twice as common among girls as boys. The findings suggest that adolescent mental health is associated with the life circumstances of social relationships, demands and responsibility taking and experiences of violence and harassment.  Supportive relationships with friends, family and teachers were found to be of importance to positive mental health, whereas poor social relationships, loneliness and lack of influence were associated with mental health problems.  Perceived demands and responsibility taking regarding school work, relationships, future plans, appearance and financial issues were strongly related to mental health problems, particularly among girls regardless of social class. The results indicate that physical violence, sexual assault, bullying and sexual harassment are severe risk factors for mental health problems in young people. Boys and girls experienced different types of violence, and the victim-perpetrator relationships of physical violence differed. These diverging experiences appeared to influence the associations with mental health problems in boys and girls.   A gender analysis provides the tools to gain knowledge about the ways that boys’ and girls’ lives are shaped by gender relations and constructions at different levels in society and how these life circumstances represent risk- or protective factors for mental health. For example, unequal power structures and the ways girls are expected to ‘do’ femininity likely influence their life circumstances in ways that place them at greater risk of mental health problems. Hegemonic constructions of masculinity and advantaged positions likely contribute to life circumstances that are positive for mental health but are also implying risk factors for poor mental health among boys, e.g., violence. It is also important to recognise how the intertwined cultural and structural aspects of gender and social class influence the lives and mental health of boys and girls. In conclusion, gendered and class-related mechanisms at the different levels in society influence the distribution of risk factors unevenly among boys and girls, which could be a possible explanation for the gender differences in reports of perceived stress, psychological distress and deliberate self-harm.   The likelihood of gender and socioeconomic differences in mental health problems should be taken into account in prevention and health promotion strategies at all levels in society. A greater awareness about gender relations and the gendered social circumstances under which young people live is required. The school environment is an important arena with respect to prevention and health promotion. There is also a need for a joint action against violence and harassment at all levels in society. Implications do not only concern young people; social policy and legislation should focus on reducing gender and class inequalities in general.Sammanfattning Svensk titel: Livsvillkor och ungdomars psykiska hĂ€lsa: uppfattningar, associationer och en genusanalys.   Trots ett vĂ€ldokumenterat genusmönster i ungdomars psykiska hĂ€lsa finns det en kunskapslucka i den folkhĂ€lsovetenskapliga forskningen avseende genusteoretiska analyser av sambanden mellan ungas livsvillkor och psykisk hĂ€lsa. Föreliggande studie syftade till att undersöka vilka faktorer och omstĂ€ndigheter som Ă€r relaterade till psykiska problem, samt att analysera fynden ur ett genusperspektiv för att fördjupa förstĂ„elsen av relationerna mellan ungas livsvillkor och genusmönster i psykiska hĂ€lsa.   Studiepopulationen var gymnasielever i Ă„ldern 16-19 Ă„r. Studien genomfördes i skolmiljö och data insamlades genom fokusgrupper (N=29) och en enkĂ€tstudie (N=1,663, 78.3% svarsfrekvens). En bred definition av psykisk ohĂ€lsa tillĂ€mpades vilken representerades av ungdomarnas egen förstĂ„else, samt de psykiska problemen upplevd stress, psykiska besvĂ€r samt sjĂ€lvskadebeteende.   Resultaten visade att stress, psykiska besvĂ€r och sjĂ€lvskadebeteende var dubbelt sĂ„ vanligt bland flickor som bland pojkar. Psykiska problem var relaterade till livsvillkoren sociala relationer, krav och ansvarstagande samt utsatthet för vĂ„ld och trakasserier. Stödjande relationer med vĂ€nner, familj och lĂ€rare var av stor betydelse för psykisk hĂ€lsa medan dĂ„liga relationer, ensamhet och brist pĂ„ inflytande var relaterat till psykiska problem. Psykiska problem var starkt kopplade till erfarenheter av höga krav och ansvarstagande avseende skolarbete, relationer, framtidsplaner, utseende och ekonomi, i synnerhet bland flickor oavsett socioekonomisk bakgrund. Resultaten indikerar att olika former av vĂ„ld och trakasserier Ă€r allvarliga riskfaktorer för psykiska problem och att flickors och pojkars skiljda erfarenheter av olika former av vĂ„ld samt relationen till förövaren, kan vara relaterade till skillnader i psykiska problem.   Genusanalysen av resultaten föreslĂ„r att flickors livsvillkor pĂ„verkas av ojĂ€mlika maktstrukturer och konstruktioner av femininitet och att dessa livsvillkor bidrar till en ökad risk för psykisk ohĂ€lsa bland flickor. Livsvillkor kopplade till manlig överordning och hegemoniska konstruktioner av maskulinitet influerar sannolikt pojkars psykiska hĂ€lsa positivt. Dessa villkor kan dock ocksĂ„ innebĂ€ra risk faktorer för psykiska problem, t.ex. i frĂ„ga om vĂ„ld. Studien uppmĂ€rksammar Ă€ven hur kulturella och strukturella aspekter av bĂ„de genus och social klass kan pĂ„verka livsvillkor och psykisk hĂ€lsa för pojkar och flickor. Studiens slutsats Ă€r att genusifierade och klassrelaterade mekanismer pĂ„ olika nivĂ„er i samhĂ€llet bidrar till en skev fördelning av riskfaktorer för psykiska problem vilket kan vara en möjlig förklaring till skillnaderna mellan pojkar och flickor i frĂ„ga om upplevd stress, psykiska besvĂ€r och sjĂ€lvskadebeteende.   Genus- och socioekonomiska skillnader i psykiska problem bör tas i beaktande i preventivt och hĂ€lsofrĂ€mjande arbete pĂ„ alla nivĂ„er i samhĂ€llet. Detsamma gĂ€ller för en ökad medvetenhet om hur ungas livsvillkor Ă€r relaterade till psykisk hĂ€lsa och hur dessa villkor Ă€r genus- och klassrelaterade. Studien uppmĂ€rksammar skolan som en viktig arena för preventivt och hĂ€lsofrĂ€mjande arbete samt att gemensamma insatser krĂ€vs pĂ„ olika arenor för att motverka vĂ„ld och trakasserier. Implikationer av studien omfattar Ă€ven generella samhĂ€llspolitiska insatser för minskad ojĂ€mlikhet. Nyckelord: Stress; psykiska besvĂ€r; sjĂ€lvskadebeteende; gymnasieelever; maskulinitet; femininitet; sociala determinanter; sociala relationer; krav; ansvarstagande; vĂ„ld och trakasserier; skola.ForskarutbildningsĂ€mne: HĂ€lsovetenskap

    Life circumstances and adolescent mental health: Perceptions, associations and a gender analysis

    No full text
    Despite a well-documented gender pattern of adolescent mental health, public health research investigating possible influencing factors from a gender-theoretical approach is scarce. This study aimed to explore what factors and circumstances are related to adolescent mental health and to apply a gender analysis to the findings in order to improve the understanding of the relationships between life circumstances and the gendered patterning of mental health among young people.   The study population was 16-19-year-old Swedish students and data was collected by means of focus groups (N=29) and self-administered questionnaires (N=1,663, 78.3% response rate) in school settings. Mental health problems were defined in a broad sense including the adolescents’ own understandings, perceived stress, psychological distress and deliberate self-harm.   The mental health problems of perceived stress, psychological distress and deliberate self-harm were twice as common among girls as boys. The findings suggest that adolescent mental health is associated with the life circumstances of social relationships, demands and responsibility taking and experiences of violence and harassment.  Supportive relationships with friends, family and teachers were found to be of importance to positive mental health, whereas poor social relationships, loneliness and lack of influence were associated with mental health problems.  Perceived demands and responsibility taking regarding school work, relationships, future plans, appearance and financial issues were strongly related to mental health problems, particularly among girls regardless of social class. The results indicate that physical violence, sexual assault, bullying and sexual harassment are severe risk factors for mental health problems in young people. Boys and girls experienced different types of violence, and the victim-perpetrator relationships of physical violence differed. These diverging experiences appeared to influence the associations with mental health problems in boys and girls.   A gender analysis provides the tools to gain knowledge about the ways that boys’ and girls’ lives are shaped by gender relations and constructions at different levels in society and how these life circumstances represent risk- or protective factors for mental health. For example, unequal power structures and the ways girls are expected to ‘do’ femininity likely influence their life circumstances in ways that place them at greater risk of mental health problems. Hegemonic constructions of masculinity and advantaged positions likely contribute to life circumstances that are positive for mental health but are also implying risk factors for poor mental health among boys, e.g., violence. It is also important to recognise how the intertwined cultural and structural aspects of gender and social class influence the lives and mental health of boys and girls. In conclusion, gendered and class-related mechanisms at the different levels in society influence the distribution of risk factors unevenly among boys and girls, which could be a possible explanation for the gender differences in reports of perceived stress, psychological distress and deliberate self-harm.   The likelihood of gender and socioeconomic differences in mental health problems should be taken into account in prevention and health promotion strategies at all levels in society. A greater awareness about gender relations and the gendered social circumstances under which young people live is required. The school environment is an important arena with respect to prevention and health promotion. There is also a need for a joint action against violence and harassment at all levels in society. Implications do not only concern young people; social policy and legislation should focus on reducing gender and class inequalities in general.Sammanfattning Svensk titel: Livsvillkor och ungdomars psykiska hĂ€lsa: uppfattningar, associationer och en genusanalys.   Trots ett vĂ€ldokumenterat genusmönster i ungdomars psykiska hĂ€lsa finns det en kunskapslucka i den folkhĂ€lsovetenskapliga forskningen avseende genusteoretiska analyser av sambanden mellan ungas livsvillkor och psykisk hĂ€lsa. Föreliggande studie syftade till att undersöka vilka faktorer och omstĂ€ndigheter som Ă€r relaterade till psykiska problem, samt att analysera fynden ur ett genusperspektiv för att fördjupa förstĂ„elsen av relationerna mellan ungas livsvillkor och genusmönster i psykiska hĂ€lsa.   Studiepopulationen var gymnasielever i Ă„ldern 16-19 Ă„r. Studien genomfördes i skolmiljö och data insamlades genom fokusgrupper (N=29) och en enkĂ€tstudie (N=1,663, 78.3% svarsfrekvens). En bred definition av psykisk ohĂ€lsa tillĂ€mpades vilken representerades av ungdomarnas egen förstĂ„else, samt de psykiska problemen upplevd stress, psykiska besvĂ€r samt sjĂ€lvskadebeteende.   Resultaten visade att stress, psykiska besvĂ€r och sjĂ€lvskadebeteende var dubbelt sĂ„ vanligt bland flickor som bland pojkar. Psykiska problem var relaterade till livsvillkoren sociala relationer, krav och ansvarstagande samt utsatthet för vĂ„ld och trakasserier. Stödjande relationer med vĂ€nner, familj och lĂ€rare var av stor betydelse för psykisk hĂ€lsa medan dĂ„liga relationer, ensamhet och brist pĂ„ inflytande var relaterat till psykiska problem. Psykiska problem var starkt kopplade till erfarenheter av höga krav och ansvarstagande avseende skolarbete, relationer, framtidsplaner, utseende och ekonomi, i synnerhet bland flickor oavsett socioekonomisk bakgrund. Resultaten indikerar att olika former av vĂ„ld och trakasserier Ă€r allvarliga riskfaktorer för psykiska problem och att flickors och pojkars skiljda erfarenheter av olika former av vĂ„ld samt relationen till förövaren, kan vara relaterade till skillnader i psykiska problem.   Genusanalysen av resultaten föreslĂ„r att flickors livsvillkor pĂ„verkas av ojĂ€mlika maktstrukturer och konstruktioner av femininitet och att dessa livsvillkor bidrar till en ökad risk för psykisk ohĂ€lsa bland flickor. Livsvillkor kopplade till manlig överordning och hegemoniska konstruktioner av maskulinitet influerar sannolikt pojkars psykiska hĂ€lsa positivt. Dessa villkor kan dock ocksĂ„ innebĂ€ra risk faktorer för psykiska problem, t.ex. i frĂ„ga om vĂ„ld. Studien uppmĂ€rksammar Ă€ven hur kulturella och strukturella aspekter av bĂ„de genus och social klass kan pĂ„verka livsvillkor och psykisk hĂ€lsa för pojkar och flickor. Studiens slutsats Ă€r att genusifierade och klassrelaterade mekanismer pĂ„ olika nivĂ„er i samhĂ€llet bidrar till en skev fördelning av riskfaktorer för psykiska problem vilket kan vara en möjlig förklaring till skillnaderna mellan pojkar och flickor i frĂ„ga om upplevd stress, psykiska besvĂ€r och sjĂ€lvskadebeteende.   Genus- och socioekonomiska skillnader i psykiska problem bör tas i beaktande i preventivt och hĂ€lsofrĂ€mjande arbete pĂ„ alla nivĂ„er i samhĂ€llet. Detsamma gĂ€ller för en ökad medvetenhet om hur ungas livsvillkor Ă€r relaterade till psykisk hĂ€lsa och hur dessa villkor Ă€r genus- och klassrelaterade. Studien uppmĂ€rksammar skolan som en viktig arena för preventivt och hĂ€lsofrĂ€mjande arbete samt att gemensamma insatser krĂ€vs pĂ„ olika arenor för att motverka vĂ„ld och trakasserier. Implikationer av studien omfattar Ă€ven generella samhĂ€llspolitiska insatser för minskad ojĂ€mlikhet. Nyckelord: Stress; psykiska besvĂ€r; sjĂ€lvskadebeteende; gymnasieelever; maskulinitet; femininitet; sociala determinanter; sociala relationer; krav; ansvarstagande; vĂ„ld och trakasserier; skola.ForskarutbildningsĂ€mne: HĂ€lsovetenskap

    Social work, trust, and the media – a study on news media influence on public trust towards the Swedish social services.

    No full text
    Background News media reports have been accredited by practitioners and academics as being, at least partly, responsible for distrust towards social workers and social services – undermining legitimacy. Through negative representations news media contribute to a skepticism within the public. However, even if it is a possibility that news media representations create distrust, it is yet to be empirically substantiated. The aim of the paper was to explore associations between patterns in news media use- and trust, and individuals trust in the Swedish social services. This paper draws on survey data (n= 1697). Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to create empirically derived subgroups concerning use. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and linear regression were used to assess associations between news use- and trust and trust in the social services.              Findings Via LPA classes with basis in level of use and preferred type of news medium was identified. No significant associations between classes and trust in the social services was found. However, trust in news media content was positively associated with trust in the social services. The association was statistically significant also when covariates previously shown to be of importance for trust was included in analysis.    Applications The findings presented in the paper provide empirical insights concerning the role of news for public trust in the social services. On contrary to what has been assumed – news affects trust negatively­ – the findings suggest the opposite. For academics and practitioners alike, this enhances the understanding of news media’s role in public trust and legitimacy.

    Public trust of social workers in Sweden : A repeated cross-sectional study

    No full text
    Public trust towards social workers is essential for legitimacy and accessibility of the social services, as well as for help-seeking behaviour. However, research on public trust towards the social services is lacking. The aim of this study was to describe the extent to which Swedish citizens trust social workers who work within the social services, and to explore patterns in level of trust based on demographic factors and history of service use. The analysis draws on survey data from 2010, 2014, and 2018 (total n = 4975). Logistic regressions were conducted to assess associations between predictor variables and trust. Findings On average, 40 percent of the general public reported a high level of trust regardless of year. Approximately 20 percent reported a low level of trust. The results indicate a slight decrease in trust between 2010 and 2014 but not between 2014 and 2018. No gender or age differences were identified. Low income level, being related to a service user, and low level of education were all associated with low level of trust. Applications Our findings provide new insights regarding variations in levels of trust in the general population. Economically and educationally disadvantaged groups as well as those related to a service user are more likely to report low trust than their more advantaged counterparts. To strengthen legitimacy and accessibility, these groups should be prioritised in trust-enhancing efforts. Still, reports of high trust were predominant, indicating that social workers are generally perceived as trusted providers of social support

    Intergenerational patterns of mental health problems : the role of childhood peer status position

    No full text
    Background: Past research has established the intergenerational patterning of mental health: children whose parents have mental health problems are more likely to present with similar problems themselves. However, there is limited knowledge about the extent to which factors related to the child's own social context, such as peer relationships, matter for this patterning. The aim of the current study was to examine the role of childhood peer status positions for the association in mental health across two generations. Methods: The data were drawn from a prospective cohort study of 14,608 children born in 1953, followed up until 2016, and their parents. Gender-specific logistic regression analysis was applied. Firstly, we examined the associations between parental mental health problems and childhood peer status, respectively, and the children's mental health problems in adulthood. Secondly, the variation in the intergenerational patterning of mental health according to peer status position was investigated. Results: The results showed that children whose parents had mental health problems were around twice as likely to present with mental health problems in adulthood. Moreover, lower peer status position in childhood was associated with increased odds of mental health problems. Higher peer status appeared to mitigate the intergenerational association in mental health problems among men. For women, a u-shaped was found, indicating that the association was stronger in both the lower and upper ends of the peer status hierarchy. Conclusions: This study has shown that there is a clear patterning in mental health problems across generations, and that the child generation's peer status positions matter for this patterning. The findings also point to the importance of addressing gender differences in these associations
    corecore