Living close to the edge : embodied dimensions of distress during emerging adulthood

• Although self-reported stress-related problems are common among Swedish adolescent girls and young women, few qualitative studies have been made of young people’s own understandings and descriptions of their situation. The aim of our present study, therefore, is to explore and analyze the lived experiences of stress among adolescent girls and young women who had sought help at a youth health center. Interviews were conducted with 40 girls and young women, aged 16-25 years. The interviews were analyzed by qualitative content analysis. “Living close to the edge” is interpreted as the common theme running through all of the interviews and represents the participants’ sometimes unbearable situations. The theme contains dimensions of physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and existential distress, as well as dimensions of distrust and disempowerment. Findings highlight the importance of addressing these dimensions in youth health interventions. The importance of contextualizing young women’s distress is furthermore emphasized.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Sjukgymnastik (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Physiotherapy (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

stress

mental health

adolescents

youth

gender

embodiment

qualitative method

interviews

medical sociology

stress

psykisk hälsa

ångest

depression

ungdomar

flickor

unga kvinnor

genus

genusteori

fenomenologi

medicinsk sociologi

förkroppsligande

levd kropp

kvalitativ metod

kvalitativ innehållsanalys

intervjuer

sjukgymnastik

Physiotherapy

folkhälsa

Public health

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)