This study examined how parental divorce impacts emerging adults’ familial relationships, romantic relationships, and development to build a basis for understanding emerging adult experiences. The participant sample consisted of 8 females between the ages of 19 and 24 (M = 21.6). A qualitative transcendental or psychological phenomenological research method was used. 90-minute interviews were conducted focusing on romantic relationships, family relationships, reactions and thoughts of parental divorce, and self-perception. NVIVO was used to allow a “bottom-up” design, emergent design, and interpretive inquiry for data analysis. Three themes emerged from the data: impacts of family dynamics, effects of developmental stage, and self-identity and interpersonal relationships. Results are relevant for Marriage and Family Therapists working within a systems perspective, by providing information on how the experience of parental divorce influences emerging adults’ state of homeostasis, as well as beliefs and attitudes about romantic relationships.

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This project report accounts for my final MFA project, Traces of Existence. This body of work began as an exploration, partially borne of the love of genealogical research translated into visual art by exploring the things my ancestors touched, be it ephemera, the soil they lived on, or artifacts they left behind, and partly as a pathway through which I could learn to understand more about my own identity, all the while finding beauty in the mundane. Although the works are personal, it is my hope that the viewer will respond to them in his/her own way, and that considering them will create an interest in the viewer to discover more about his/her own lineage. I believe we are all a part of a global family, and because of this familial connection, it is my hope that many viewers will have a dual response; one of appreciation for the aesthetic qualities of the work, and a sense of belonging.

Nordström är J, Waldesten, S. En studie om äldre kvinnor och hur de påverkas av samhällets ideal skönhet. Examensarbete i socialt arbete 15 poäng. Malmö högskola. Hälsa och samhälle 2011. ABSTRAKT Syftet med denna uppsats är att utforska och fördjupa förståelsen av äldre kvinnors relationer till kroppsliga utseende. Problem: En förutfattad mening som vi båda kände att vi stötte på var att de gamla inte bryr sig om hur de ser ut. Varför skulle du sluta bry sig om sin kropp bara för att du blir gammal? Media visar ofta en bild av äldre som svaga och utsatta grupp. På nyheterna är det ofta äldre människor som har exponerats för något. Vi är intresserade av hur äldre kvinnor drabbas av samhällets skönhetsideal. Det är ett aktuellt ämne publicerar media ständigt artiklar och annonser om hur man kan uppnå sina kroppsuppfattning genom olika metoder. Rubriker kan ses i tidningarna är "ät dig smal", "hålla sig ung längre" och "träna dig till den perfekta kroppen". Metod: Kvaliativ, semi-strukturerade intervjuer med sju kvinnor har genomförts. De är 65-91 år gamla. Resultat: Resultatet av denna studie visar att äldre kvinnor känner kroppen ideal. de är mycket medvetna om hur de ska klä sig för att inte bryta mot några normer. de tar hand om sin kropp och är aktiva med sitt utseende. / Nordström, J, Waldesten, S. Youthful norms of beauty is prevailing in the society. A study about older women and how they affected of society ideal beauty. Degree project in social work 15 poäng. Malmö University. Health and Society 2011. ABSTRACTPurpose in this paper is to explore and deepen the understanding of older womens relations to bodily appearance. Problem: A bias that we both felt that we encountered was that of old do not care how they look. Why would you stop caring about their body just because you grow old? Media often show an image of the elderly as weak and vulnerable group. On the news, it is often older people who have been exposed to something. We are interested in how older women are affected by society's beauty ideals. It is a topical subject, the media constantly publishes articles and ads about how to achieve their body image through various methods. Headlines can be seen in the newspapers is "eat yourself thin", "stay young longer" and "train yourself to the perfect body". Method: Qualitive, semi-structured interviews with seven womens were conducted. They are 65-91 years old. Result: The result of this study shows that older women know the body ideals. they are very aware of how they should dress so as not to violate any standards. they care for their body and are active with their appearance.

An Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) can have lasting effects on the self-identity of the injured individual, but also on the self-identity of other family members. Using Contextual Family Stress Theory as a guiding theoretical framework, this qualitative study investigated how mothers experience changes and alterations in their self-identity and family identity, as well as the reconstruction of self-identity and family identity, after a child acquires an ABI. These experiences are important to capture so that clinicians and professionals may better understand the phenomenon of post-ABI self- and family identity and to help inform rehabilitation and professional services. Currently, research has been narrowly focused upon functional gains for individuals and families in rehabilitation while excluding changes in self-identity and family identity. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and self-report measures of individual mothers' needs and perceptions of the injured child. A constructivist grounded theory analysis was used to analyze the data. Findings reveal the reconstruction processes of mothers' self-identity and family identity after a child receives an ABI, such as internal and external self-identity and intentionality in reconfiguring family identity. Furthermore, results suggest that positive adaptation in self-identity and family identity promote resilience to the changes from the child's ABI. Future research directions, theoretical, and clinical implications are discussed. / Doctor of Philosophy / An Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) can happen in many ways, such as a hard hit to the head or the brain not getting enough oxygen. Children and adolescents are among the age groups that have the highest rates of ABIs. The effects from an ABI are long lasting and impact the injured person in many ways, including their identity or sense of self. When a child receives an ABI, the parents' self-identity and the overall family identity is also affected. The goal of this study was to provide a better understanding of changes in self-identity and family identity for mothers who have a child or adolescent with an ABI. For this study, I recruited 14 mothers of a child with an ABI, and the mothers engaged in interviews and completed several short surveys. The mothers shared important information about changes in self-identity and family identity and made suggestions about how medical and rehabilitation services can better support families affected by ABIs. Findings revealed that families who are intentional about discussing changes to the family, such as role shifts or changes in routine, and expressing emotions adapt more effectively to the consequences from an ABI. Furthermore, the results suggest recommendations for rehabilitation professionals in supporting mothers and families. These include, educating the family about ABIs and involving mothers and families as part of the treatment process. Future directions for further research studies are identified as well as a discussion on best practices for clinicians.

This manuscript will explore the intersection of perceived disability due to limb loss and self-identity. The research is centered around the work in the Limbitless Solutions laboratory, where clinical research is providing children with customized prostheses. This research applies a focus on how customization can lead to positive identity construction. By facilitating active engagement in the design process a stronger connection is formed between the participant and their prosthetic device.

This bachelor is a qualitative study about the social phenomena social media and how it affects young women’s consumption behavior and self-identity. The purpose of this study is to create an understanding of how young women experience that social media affects their consumption behavior and self-identity. Hence the research questions will be the following: In what way do young women experience that their consumption patterns are influenced by social media? Do young women experience that social media, in a positive or negative sense, influences their attitudes and attitudes towards their identity and body? The study is based on six semi-structured interviews with women in the ages of 18-30. The theories being used are Erving Goffman's dramaturgical perspective, Anthony Giddens modernity and self-identity, Uses and Gratification Theory and previous research, using a thematic approach. The results show that women experience that social media influences their consumption behavior, there are also both positive and negative impacts about how it affects their self-identity.

The purpose of this study was to explore the nature of changes that take place in surviving HIVpositive spouses’ explanations of themselves in relation to their acquired positive status, and in relation to the role that forgiveness may play, all through Hermans’ theory of dialogical self in the self-identity reconstruction process. The interpretive qualitative paradigm was used, along with a phenomenological research design. Research was carried out in a rural area of Gwanda South Constituency in Zimbabwe. Homogenous purposive sampling was used to select five HIVpositive widows and five HIV-positive widowers. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were used and thematic, narrative and interpretive phenomenological analyses were employed to analyse the data. The results showed that the surviving HIV-positive spouses faced a plethora of challenges following the deaths of their partners. Identified key relations to the reconstruction of a new self were found to be: a good knowledge of HIV; being at peace with the past self; forgiveness of self; and reconciliation with what has happened. These were found to be good ingredients for quick recovery and self-identity reconstruction. Significant others play an important role in self-identity reconstruction as they offer an environment that is supportive of HIV disclosure, thereby reducing the occurrence of stigma and discrimination. The study recommends that HIV activists and all education systems that are involved in the HIV campaigns in Gwanda South Constituency incorporate teachings about and awareness of forgiveness, reconciliation, stigma and discrimination at all levels of their education efforts and campaigns. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

published_or_final_version / Philosophy / Master / Master of Philosophy

Abstract of “A meaningful work” The aim of this paper is to make a cultural analysis of Swedish voluntary workers’ experiences of their engagement with refugees during the fall and winter of 2015/2016. I have interviewed eight people between the age of 19 and 61 with experiences from working as volunteers with refugees. In addition to the interviews, I have conducted a participant observation on a refugee accommodation.      I have highlighted interesting themes brought up by the informants during the interviews.  These themes have been further analyzed from the theoretical concepts of self-identity, class and gender.       As the results show, my informants have had different motives and driving forces for engaging as volunteers, depending on their habitus and self-identities. For many the volunteer work fulfilled an important social aspect in their life. As volunteers they also got first hand information about the refugee situation, which they could pass on to their environment.       One of my informants had more negative experiences than the others. She experienced a lot of critique for her engagement, which partly was because of her norm-breaking leader position as a black, young woman.       Through my participant observation I got to experience the gloomy facilities of a refugee accommodation located in a distant, secluded environment. But I also experienced the informants’ joy when playing with the kids, and how their engagement created a more cheerful atmosphere.