Studiens syfte har varit att beskriva och förstå hur samvaro med hund kan bidra till att öka ungdomars välbefinnande, samhörighet och självkänsla. Studien har utgått från en etnografisk metodansats där två observationer genomförts på en hundkurs för ungdomar i en kommun i Sverige. Observationerna har kompletterats med dagboksanteckningar från ungdomarna samt intervjuer med kursinstruktörerna. Resultatet visar på att samvaro med hund kan bidra till ökad känsla av välbefinnande, samhörighet och självkänsla. Hunden kan genom sin närvaro skapa trygghet och fungera som stöd i sociala interaktioner där hunden blir ett givet samtalsämne, vilket ökar både välbefinnandet och samvaron mellan ungdomarna. När hunden och ungdomen lyckas med olika övningar tillsammans ökar ungdomens självkänsla samtidigt som hunden kan användas för att ge ungdomarna verktyg att ändra sin inställning till sig själv samt sin prestation. Utifrån resultatet har slutsatsen dragits att samvaro med hund bidrar till flertalet positiva effekter, såväl psykiskt som fysiskt. Därför anses det vara en god idé att utöka användandet av hunden i förebyggande arbete för bättre välmående. / The study aims to describe and understand how being together with a dog can help increase the well-being, fellowship and self-esteem of youths. This study has been based on an ethnographic methodology where two observations was conducted on a dog course for youths in a municipality in Sweden. The observations have been supplemented with diary notes from the youths as well as interviews with the instructors of the course. The results show that being together with a dog can contribute to an increased sense of well-being, fellowship and self-esteem. The dog can, through its presence, create security and act as support in social interactions where the dog becomes a given topic of conversation, which increases both the well-being and the fellowship between the youths. When the dog and youth succeed in various exercises together, the youth's self-esteem increases while the dog can be used to give the youths tools to change their attitude towards themselves and their performance. Based on the results, it has been concluded that coexistence with dogs contribute to many positive effects, both psychologically and physically. Therefore, it is considered a good idea to increase the use of the dog in preventive work regarding better well-being.

The federal government enacted the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (MVA) to equip schools with services to help alleviate the many barriers students experiencing homelessness face in pursuit of educational opportunities. Educational agencies use federally mandated liaisons to uphold the provisions of the MVA. Despite the homeless liaisons' importance in facilitating the policy, few studies have examined how liaisons perceive their service area's response to homelessness. This study explored homeless liaisons' perceptions of MVA implementation in their service areas. Researchers invited every homeless liaison in three southern states to complete an online survey focusing on perceptions of MVA implementation and their service area's response to homelessness. Of the 369 practitioners identified as a homeless liaison solicited for study participation, 32 percent completed surveys. Results indicated significant differences in perceived implementation in the level of collaboration with teachers and school administrators, liaisons' job titles, school's receipt of federal Education for Homeless Children and Youth funding, and awareness of homelessness in terms of general awareness, interaction, policy, and needs. Findings indicate that collaboration and awareness are major factors that affect perceptions of implementation. Furthermore, the results indicate that liaisons must take steps to ensure a collaborative environment to implement the MVA.

Considerable controversy and misguided information has surrounded the inclusion of weightlifting within youth-based strength and conditioning programs to develop strength, power, and speed. This article reviews the evidence to support its inclusion as a safe and effective means to enhance athletic potential. Guidelines are presented to provide coaches with a structured and logical progression model, which is associated with the theoretical concepts underpinning long-term athletic development. It is hoped that this review will serve as a useful tool to help strength and conditioning coaches integrate weightlifting exercises within training programs of young athletes in a safe and effective manner.

Wendt, I. Good intention but insufficient knowledge. A qualitative interview study on social workers experiences of meeting young transgender people. Degree project in social work 15 högskolepoäng. Malmö University: Faculty of Health and Society, Department of (name of department), Year.The well-being of transgender youth is worse compared with cisgender youth. Transgender youth are exposed to threats, violence and discrimination. This population partly or fully avoid seeking help and support from social services even when needed. Social workers should provide fair treatment, though there is a lack of knowledge concerning transgender youth and the needs and issues specific to transgender youth. This study aims to research the experience of meeting transgender youth from the perspective of social workers, and how they reckon they’ve been prepared to meet this particular population in their academic education but also at their workplace. This study has a qualitative approach and interviews were conducted with four social workers to collect empirical data. The analysis resulted in five main themes: the possessed knowledge pre-study, ideas and prejudices, difference in transgender youth exposure, professional approach and treatment, lack of education and norm-critical work and language. The result of the study indicates acts of courtesy yet lack of knowledge. There was a presence of prejudices and preconceptions regarding what transgender people are and what it means to live as a transgender youth. The academic education of social workers appear lacking in content regarding gender, sexuality, and identity which are important aspects for understanding the experience of transgender youth as well as the inclusion of transgender youth. Societal norms and structures were perceived to have influenced the apprehension of transgender youth, the societal work and the academic education of social workers. The academic education of social workers lacks in knowledge regarding transgender youth. There is a great need for scientific studies regarding transgender youth to successfully develop the societal work and guarantee a fair treatment.

This study scrutinises, from a critical perspective, how Swedish mainstream news media depict children and youths categorised as unaccompanied after the identified discursive shift in the late autumn of 2015, where a more hostile and negative reporting on refugees became even more prominent. In addition, it explores what different power structures that are made visible in the news reporting. This is made possible by scrutinising 40 articles from the major national newspapers in Sweden that have daily releases, the so called mainstream media. The critical discourse analysis is used as a method and theory in order to find a focus that is critical and questioning towards existing power structures. Additionally, it contains a focus on how borders and differences are created between certain groups of people by using theoretical perspectives on otherness and postcolonial theory. The study shows an ambivalent media picture and clearly makes unequal and hierarchical power structures visible through the use of different assumptions, accepted truths and journalistic techniques.

There has been a long standing discourse around youths involved in crimes in Sweden, which contributions are useful and which ones are not. This study examines how outpatient care organizations work with youths involved in crime and/or substance abuse. Also what strengths and shortcomings do the professionals experience when working with youths involved in crime and/or substance abuse during outpatient care treatment. We examined this by doing a qualitative study, interviewing an outpatient care organization with the target group youths involved in crime and/or substance abuse. Through open interviews the professionals gave insight to how their work is carried out, and what they believe to be it’s strengths and weaknesses. The study brought forward that flexibility, cooperation with other involved organizations and authorities and creating an alliance with the young receiving the care is what makes the outpatient care treatment work. The professionals question socio-economic structures that put youth at risk for this kind of norm-breaking behavior. System Theory is used to make an analysis of the work done by the informants, giving another perspective to how it can be interpreted. This alongside earlier research is the basis of this research paper to help us create a better understanding for how outpatient care organizations work with youths involved in crime and/or substance abuse and what interventions benefit the work and what exacerbate it.

Bakgrund: Övervikt innebär att onormal eller överdriven fettvävnad utgör en risk för hälsan. Barn behandlas för övervikt och fetma med e-hälsotjänster. Litteraturöversikter ger sjuksköterskor och andra vårdgivare viktig information om resultat från studier om e-hälsointerventioner mot övervikt.  Syfte: Att kartlägga effekterna av digitaliserade, hälsofrämjande interventioner för barn med övervikt. Metod: Studiens design är en litteraturöversikt över nio kvantitativa interventionsstudier som identifierades i databaserna PubMed, och Cinahl. Studierna har sedan kvalitetsgranskats, analyserats och sammanställts enligt komponenter och effekt. Resultat: Sex studier visade positiv effekt på BMIz. Exergames var en effektiv och rolig intervention som minskade BMIz samt ökade tid för fysisk aktivitet. E-hälsa gav i vissa fall likvärdig effekt som analoga behandlingar. Det var lite fokus på livskvalitet och tilltro till egen förmåga bland interventionerna i översikten. Sju av studierna hade ingen uppföljningstid efter avslutad intervention. Konklusion: Framtida interventioner för barn kan med fördel inkludera gamification, stärka tilltro till egen förmåga, fokusera på livskvalitet samt inkludera eller ha längre uppföljningstider. / Background: Being overweight increases risks for health. Children who are overweight are treated with e-health services. Literature reviews give nurses and other healthcare providers important information on the results of e-health interventions on weight status  Aim: To map the effects of digitalized, health-promoting interventions for overweight children.  Methods: This paper is designed as a literature review of nine quantitative intervention studies, which were identified in the databases PubMed and Cinahl. After identification they were reviewed for quality, analyzed and compiled according to components and effects.  Results: Six studies were shown to have a positive effect on BMIz. Exergames was an effective and fun intervention format that reduced BMIz and increased levels of physical activity. E-health was similar in effect with standard analogue treatments and there was very little focus on quality of life and self-efficacy in the intervention studies in this review. Seven of the studies had no post-intervention follow up period.  Conclusion: In the future, interventions for children should include features of gamification, promote self-efficacy, focus on quality of life and include or increase duration to follow-up.

This design thesis is situated in Stockholm’s northernmost suburbs of the Järva area. The area was mainly developed during the era of the Million Homes Programme (1965-1974) and is today commonly considered as one of the city’s socially most challenged areas. The idea of Moments of Transitions addresses possible transitions in three aspects: generational, social and spatial. The key protagonists of this project are local youths who – by growing up and into their urban environments – have a strong stake in the future of the Järva area. As of today, they are a social group with limited influence on decision-making processes and whose needs are rarely taken into account in urban development projects. Challenging the status quo, this thesis aims to present potentials for social change in the favour of youths. This project first presents an analysis of the historic development of Järva, ongoing planning projects and local contexts. Subsequently, a framework for Moments of Transition is established and developed in three instances. Each of those centers around one decisive theme for local youths: re_mediation, motion and imaginations. Together, they shall help in building a suburb where youths want to continue to live in.

This study examined associations between the prevalence of HIV testing and factors or behaviors that influence HIV testing in U.S.A. 9th to 12th graders using the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey (YRBSS) data. Selection criteria was based on a positive report of sexual debut (Ever had sex? Yes/No). Outcome of interest was having ever tested for HIV. Independent risk factors included age, sex, grade, race, condom use, age at first sexual intercourse, number of lifetime sexual partners, use of contraceptives, use of drug or alcohol before last sexual activity and several other factors. Chi-square and logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate factors associated with HIV screening participation. HIV testing prevalence was 20.34%. Females (53.97%) were more likely to participate in HIV screening test than males (67.37% females versus 32.63% males) and had higher odds of testing (OR: 2.229; p <.0001). Those in 11th and 12th grade, aged greater than 16 and with multiple sexual partners had higher rates of HIV testing. Strongest associations with HIV testing were older age at 1st sexual intercourse, odds ratio (OR): 0.413; (p ≤.0001), having three or more sexual partners (OR: 2.023; p ≤.0001), being female (OR: 2.021; p ≤.0001), use of contraceptives (OR: 1.828; p ≤.0001) and describing grades in school as mostly A’s or B’s (OR: 0.696; p ≤.001).

Denna studie syftar till att undersöka hur ungdomars psykiska hälsa kan påverkas av fysisk interaktion på fysiska samlingsplatser samt deras motiv för att intressera sig för meningsfyllda fysiska samlingsplatser. Undersökningen genomfördes genom en kvalitativ ansats i formen av en litteraturstudie. Resultatet visar indikationer på att fysisk interaktion kan vara positivt för ungdomars psykiska hälsa. Meningsfulla fysiska samlingsplatser kan vara platser för fysisk interaktion och därigenom är platser där ungdomars psykiska hälsa kan påverkas. Resultaten visar också indikationer för ett samband mellan användningen av sociala medier via vistelsen på digitala samlingsplatser och symtom på psykisk ohälsa. Ungdomar uppger att de helst vill spendera sin fritid på aktiviteter som de tycker är roliga och intresserar dem. I analysen framkommer det att många av de ungdomar som rapporterade en bättre psykisk hälsa hade en högre benägenhet att delta i gemenskapsbundna fritidsaktiviteter. Detta fenomen förklaras med hjälp av känslan av meningsfullhet och deras förmåga av hanterbarhet enligt KASAM-teorin. Det diskuteras sedan behovet av struktur och hur saknaden av struktur verkar påverka ungdomarnas förmåga att lära sig ett prosocialt beteende, samt möjligheterna att delta i strukturerade fritidsaktiviteter. Slutsatserna är att det behövs ytterligare forskning på området men att det verkar finnas tendenser som pekar på att fysisk social interaktion medför en bättre psykisk hälsa än digital social interaktion.