While the functional and anatomical aspects of reconstructive surgery in children with leg length inequality (LLI), prominent ears (PE) and cleft lip and palate (CLP) have been studied in detail, the psychological aspects of surgery have been less explored. The benefit of a changed appearance and function on self-esteem and ability to social interaction are other areas where information is lacking. The aim of this thesis is to examine, during the process of reconstructive surgery, the mental health, self-esteem and social interaction of children with defects in appearance and function. Children, aged 6-16 years, with LLI (n=27) and PE (n=31) were invited to participate in interviews and psychological assessments by filling in a battery of questionnaires and tests (depression; anxiety; self-esteem; cognitive ability; and behaviour) before Ilizarov and otoplasty surgery and one year after. Parents filled in a child symptom check list and a state and trait anxiety questionnaire. Another six adolescents with CLP and their parents participated in interactive interviews with the aim of identifying relevant psychological issues for individuals with this condition. These issues were subsequently used to create new questionnaires. Being different, the development of self-esteem and social interaction were the central themes of the questionnaires designed after the interview study. The new questionnaires were explored in a retrospective study on other adolescents (n=26) with CL/P and their parents. Beck’s Youth Inventories (BYI) was used as comparative data. The LLI group had significantly lower mental health and self-esteem scores than the control group before surgery. The leisure activity level in both patient groups was low according to parents’ report before surgery. The mental health scores of both patient groups (LLI and PE) were improved after reconstructive surgery, but self-esteem was not affected. The questionnaires for CL/P patients proved to be useful in the exploration of self-esteem from a developmental perspective and in the search for strengthening factors of social interaction. Self-esteem was average or high on group level for adolescents with CL/P compared to BYI measure. Parents rated their adolescents to have higher self-esteem than the adolescents themselves. Females had a less positive development of self-esteem, there was an interaction effect between the female and male patients’ evaluation of self-esteem by higher age. Even a minor appearance defect like PE may affect mental health negatively. There were no adverse psychological effects one year after surgery in LLI and PE patients, rather, there were signs of improved mental health. Adolescents with CL/P have an anticipated risk of more mental health problems and especially those individuals who have been bullied. Cleft teams and Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics should be attentive and offer psychological support to those individuals most affected by their conditions.

Syfte Syftet med denna studie har varit att med hjälp av intervjuer undersöka hur skolpersonal och föräldrar uppfattar betydelsen av motorisk träning för barn med ADHD/DAMP. I detta ligger att undersöka på vilket sätt barnens motorik, koncentrationsförmåga samt sociala förmåga påverkas av fysisk aktivitet, och på vilket sätt diagnosen ADHD/DAMP ställer krav på pedagogiska förhållningssätt. Metod Vi har gjort en litteraturgenomgång och en kvalitativ intervjustudiestudie. Urvalsgruppen från St: Örjans skolor har bestått av två pedagoger, en idrottslärare, en assistent och en förälder. Samtliga inom skolpersonalsgruppen hade många års erfarenhet inom området. Vi har använt oss av halvstrukturerande intervjuer som lagts upp utifrån följande temaområden: skolpersonal och förälders syn på fysisk aktivitet/motorisk träning för barn med ADHD/DAMP, den fysiska aktivitetens påverkan på barnen, förhållningssätt och bemötande samt barnet/barnens anpassningsförmåga till aktivitet. Resultat och slutsats Vad man kan urskönja av resultatet är att samtliga intervjupersoner i denna studie är ense om att fysisk aktivitet och motorisk träning är av stor betydelse för barn med ADHD/DAMP. Något som de intervjuade tryckte på var den fysiska aktivitetens betydelse för barnens sociala utveckling, här sågs idrotten som en viktig arena. Genom idrott och fysisk aktivitet får barnen lära sig att umgås med andra, visa hänsyn, respekt, empati och förstå att andra människor har känslor. Den sistnämnda förmågan saknas ofta hos dessa barn. Vad det gäller motoriken behöver dessa barn mycket träning och enligt litteraturen kan denna träning på sikt ge goda resultat. Noterbart i studien är dock att det råder delade meningar om att koncentrationsförmågan kan påverkas av fysisk aktivitet. Även intervjupersonerna menar att det inte med säkerhet går att säga att koncentrationen förbättras av fysisk aktivitet. Trots att vi har kommit i kontakt med erfarna personer inom detta område, anser vi inte riktigt att vi fått ut det vi förväntat oss. Detta kan bero på att våra och de intervjuades praktiskt pedagogiska kunskaper skiljer sig åt. I resultatet framträder det att de intervjuade har svårt att i mer preciserad form tala om motorisk träning, vilket gör att den röda tråden i deras beskrivningar är svår att läsa av. Slutsatsen är att de intervjuade anser att fysisk aktivitet och motorisk träning har en påtaglig betydelse för barn med ADHD/DAMP i relation till barnens sociala, emotionella och motoriska utveckling samt till viss del deras koncentrationsförmåga.

The optimal model to support adolescent sexual health is the concurrent use of hormonal birth control and condoms. This dual protection approach prioritizes protection against unplanned pregnancy as well as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In order to explore individual, interpersonal and structural factors that influence adolescent protection use, multivariate Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detector (CHAID) analysis was completed with a national sample of adolescents (n=2320) from the 2002 Canadian Youth, Sexual Health, and HIV/AIDS Study. CHAID is a decision tree method which assesses interactions between significant independent variables to optimize prediction of the dependent variable (i.e. safer-sex protection method). Among adolescent females, the following factors were associated with dual protection use: high condom intentions; having lived with both biological parents; having accessed a medical professional or media as the primary source of HIV/AIDS information; having utilized a medical professional as the primary source of sexual health information; having never had unwanted sex; having not consumed alcohol and/or drugs before sex; frequent sexual activity; having identified a medical professional as the primary source of STD advice; having been tested for STDs; and having supported the importance of talking about condoms with a partner. Among adolescent males, dual protection was associated with: high condom intentions; frequent sexual activity; the belief that both partners are responsible for condom use; having been born in Canada; having noted uncertain or high levels of religiosity; having been older than 14 at first sexual intercourse; having been able to speak with their father about sex; having accessed a medical professional or media as the primary source of HIV/AIDS information; and having reported a peer group that did not use tobacco. The results indicate that structural factors, in concert with individual and interpersonal factors, play a vital role in understanding adolescent safer-sex practices. Policy and practice implications include revisions to sexual health curricula, sexual health service accessibility for all adolescents, and targeted prevention programming for adolescents at highest risk. Further research into the sexual health of male adolescents and the influence of structural factors on sexual health among diverse samples should be prioritized.

The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience and meaning of adolescent girls music listening experiences as related to romantic experience. Previous research identified mood management as a key use of music listening, and teenage girls were identified as listening to music when they were sad. Popular musics romantic themes suggested that perhaps adolescent girls use music to explore and reflect upon romantic experiences. Hermeneutic-phenomenology was used to investigate music listening as experienced in everyday life. Data were generated through multiple, in-depth interviews with five adolescent girls aged 17 and 18 years old. Interviews were audio-taped, transcribed and analyzed in keeping with van Manens (1990) method of applied hermeneutic-phenomenology. Analysis of the interviews involved hermeneutic phenomenological reflection on the experiences described by the participants and subsequently representing the findings through diary entries of a fictional teenage girl, Sophie, a composite character who embodied the thoughts and experiences of each participant, and who gave voice to the lived experiences that the actual participants related to the interviewer. <p>Findings confirmed that adolescent girls music listening is a deeply meaningful activity, which in the context of romantic experiences, was associated with celebration, connection, coping, and comfort. The participants used music with intention and in technologically sophisticated ways. Music listening provided participants with a voice to celebrate happy and mourn sad romantic experiences, to normalize experiences of romantic rejection and sadness, to offer comfort that they were not alone in their romantic experiences, and to assist them in coping with romantic break-ups. Implications for further research as well as counseling practice are noted.

The optimal model to support adolescent sexual health is the concurrent use of hormonal birth control and condoms. This dual protection approach prioritizes protection against unplanned pregnancy as well as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In order to explore individual, interpersonal and structural factors that influence adolescent protection use, multivariate Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detector (CHAID) analysis was completed with a national sample of adolescents (n=2320) from the 2002 Canadian Youth, Sexual Health, and HIV/AIDS Study. CHAID is a decision tree method which assesses interactions between significant independent variables to optimize prediction of the dependent variable (i.e. safer-sex protection method). Among adolescent females, the following factors were associated with dual protection use: high condom intentions; having lived with both biological parents; having accessed a medical professional or media as the primary source of HIV/AIDS information; having utilized a medical professional as the primary source of sexual health information; having never had unwanted sex; having not consumed alcohol and/or drugs before sex; frequent sexual activity; having identified a medical professional as the primary source of STD advice; having been tested for STDs; and having supported the importance of talking about condoms with a partner. Among adolescent males, dual protection was associated with: high condom intentions; frequent sexual activity; the belief that both partners are responsible for condom use; having been born in Canada; having noted uncertain or high levels of religiosity; having been older than 14 at first sexual intercourse; having been able to speak with their father about sex; having accessed a medical professional or media as the primary source of HIV/AIDS information; and having reported a peer group that did not use tobacco. The results indicate that structural factors, in concert with individual and interpersonal factors, play a vital role in understanding adolescent safer-sex practices. Policy and practice implications include revisions to sexual health curricula, sexual health service accessibility for all adolescents, and targeted prevention programming for adolescents at highest risk. Further research into the sexual health of male adolescents and the influence of structural factors on sexual health among diverse samples should be prioritized.

The aim of the study was to understand professionals’ perceptions and experiences of adolescent stress. In the study I interested myself further if you can identify gender-specific patterns in the professional stories about young people's stress and stress related illness. Five interviews were conducted with professionals in psychiatry and social work. The thesis took its incipience in social constructionism. Although a gender perspective has been used to better analyze and understand the difference between gender. Theories used to understand the professionals’ experiences of adolescent stress were the SOC theory, the network perspective and the demand-control-support model. The study has been performed from a qualitative method in the shape of semi-structural interviews. The result of the study showed that the professionals’ feel that the causes of stress among young people can be external and internal demands. Higher demands are often placed on girls, which can be a cause for girls’ high stress level.  Also social media and technology can cause stress. The professionals also felt that personality determines how susceptible a youth is to stress. Insomnia, anxiety and depression are symptoms that express itself in both gender, but are most common among girls. Yet another reason why boys did not seem to be as stressful as girls, may have to do with the boys' stress symptoms manifest themselves in a different way than in girls. The professionals' treatment of adolescent stress was mainly on therapy and to help them get structure in their life and existence. It was also important to look at the social network that exist around the person. There was no method for precisely tapered stress. The study showed no differences according to gender in the attitude or treatment of stress. It also appeared that stress may be both genetically and socially determined, but that is still a question with no certain answer.

The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience and meaning of adolescent girls music listening experiences as related to romantic experience. Previous research identified mood management as a key use of music listening, and teenage girls were identified as listening to music when they were sad. Popular musics romantic themes suggested that perhaps adolescent girls use music to explore and reflect upon romantic experiences. Hermeneutic-phenomenology was used to investigate music listening as experienced in everyday life. Data were generated through multiple, in-depth interviews with five adolescent girls aged 17 and 18 years old. Interviews were audio-taped, transcribed and analyzed in keeping with van Manens (1990) method of applied hermeneutic-phenomenology. Analysis of the interviews involved hermeneutic phenomenological reflection on the experiences described by the participants and subsequently representing the findings through diary entries of a fictional teenage girl, Sophie, a composite character who embodied the thoughts and experiences of each participant, and who gave voice to the lived experiences that the actual participants related to the interviewer. <p>Findings confirmed that adolescent girls music listening is a deeply meaningful activity, which in the context of romantic experiences, was associated with celebration, connection, coping, and comfort. The participants used music with intention and in technologically sophisticated ways. Music listening provided participants with a voice to celebrate happy and mourn sad romantic experiences, to normalize experiences of romantic rejection and sadness, to offer comfort that they were not alone in their romantic experiences, and to assist them in coping with romantic break-ups. Implications for further research as well as counseling practice are noted.

Psykologiska bedömningar av föräldrar beskrivs sällan som en mer uttalad och tydlig del av arbetet inom barn- och ungdomspsykiatri, utan det är i hög grad ett underförstått arbetsområde. Syftet med den här undersökningen var att beskriva hur arbetet med psykologiska bedömningar av föräldrar konceptualiseras och praktiseras under det inledande skedet av behandlingskontakter inom BUP. Nio psykologer vid sju öppenvårdsmottagningar intervjuades och intervjuerna analyserades tematiskt. En viktig aspekt som framkommer i resultatet är hur det gemensamma arbetet mellan psykolog och förälder för att etablera en arbetsallians erbjuder goda möjligheter till psykologiska bedömningar av föräldern. Under arbetet med alliansen, och med alliansen som bas, kan olika former av systematik och modeller för psykologiska bedömningar tillämpas. Resultatet indikerar också att arbetsalliansens centrala betydelse för bedömningsarbetet är tydligt relaterad till organisationens påverkan på det arbetet, liksom till betydelsen av psykologisk kompetens vid arbete med psykologiska bedömningar av föräldrar.

The incidence of childhood and adolescent overweight in the United States is increasing at an alarming rate and is now considered the most prevalent nutritional disease of children and adolescents in this country. Although much attention has focused on genetic research, and heredity is an unarguable component of obesity, the role of the environment must be considered because genetic changes over entire populations are not likely to occur at such a rapid rate. In observing today’s environment where energy-dense foods abound, restaurant dining has increased, and children are more sedentary than ever, the current trends in child/adolescent weight status are not surprising. This study digs to the heart of worrisome eating habits by exploring the development of these behaviors in the family. Previous studies show that parents’ use of child feeding practices is related to their children’s weight status. It is hypothesized that children of parents who utilize highly controlling feeding strategies (pressure, restriction, monitoring) will have nutrient intakes and weight indicators that are either higher or lower than the average for children whose parents exert less control over the eating domain. The objective of this research is to discover if significant relationships exist between parental child feeding strategies and child/adolescent overweight or underweight and nutrient intake. Birch’s model explaining familial resemblances in eating and weight status was tested using her previously validated Child Feeding Questionnaire, standard anthropometric techniques, three days of diet records, and a previously validated child questionnaire. Three-hundred and twelve children/adolescents, 254 mothers, and 245 fathers from the Houston Metropolitan Statistical Area completed interviews, and data was analyzed with the Statistical Analysis System (SAS). Results confirmed the validity of Birch’s model and previous studies that found significant relationships between child feeding strategies and children’s nutrition status. Parents who pressured their children to eat (motivated by concern about the child being underweight) were more likely to have children with lower BMI percentiles and skinfolds while parents who monitored or restricted the child’s intake had children with higher BMI percentiles and skinfold thicknesses. No clear relationships were found between feeding styles and nutrient intake.

Thesis (M.A.)--Ohio State University. / Bibliography: leaves 80-84.