AbstractPurposeThe purpose of this study was to investigate how young women and men perceive the Internet as a phenomenon and what role and meaning they ascribe to the Internet as an arena for defining themselves and for shaping their identity.Methodology/approachThe empirical data consist of narratives written by Swedish adolescents. Using content analysis the analysis was carried out in three steps: (1) finding categories and themes, (2) calculation of statistical differences in category frequencies, (3) a theoretically informed interpretation of central themes, using Bourdieu's concept of different forms of capital, and Giddens' concept of "pure relations."FindingsThe narratives exemplify how computer literacy and technological competence can be converted into social, cultural, and symbolic capital. Gender differences occur both in statistical differences between category frequencies in girls' and boys' narratives and in the interpretation of central themes. But there are also several examples that show more complex and contradictory tendencies, exceeding or transformative of gender differences and hierarchy.Originality/valueThis study considers adolescents' own perspectives on an arena of great importance. The analyses have been performed both qualitatively and quantitatively, which gives a nuanced picture of young people's self-defining experiences on the Internet.

Adolescents in Western society often expose themselves to high levels of sound at gyms, rock concerts, discotheques etc. These behaviours are as threatening to young people’s health as more traditional risk behaviours. Testing boundaries and risk taking are fundamental aspects of young people’s lives and the processes of developing their identities. There is, however, a need to balance reasonable risk taking and risks that can damage health. The aim of Study I was to analyze the relationship between self-exposure to noise, risk behaviours and risk judgements among 310 Swedish adolescents aged 15-20 (167 men/143 women). The adolescents’ behaviour in different traditional risk situations correlated with behaviour in noisy environments, and judgements about traditional risks correlated with judgement regarding noise exposure. Another finding was that young women judge risk situations as generally more dangerous than young men, although they behave in the same way as the men. We suggest that this difference is a social and culture based phenomenon which underlines the importance of adopting a gender perspective in the analysis of risk factors. Adolescents reporting permanent tinnitus judged loud music as more risky than adolescents with no symptoms and they did not listen to loud music as often as those with occasional tinnitus. The aims of study II were to illuminate  the complexity of risk behaviour, the meaning and purpose of adolescent risk-taking in both a traditional sense (e.g. smoking and drug use) and in noisy environments (e.g. discotheques and rock concerts), in relation to norms and gender roles in contemporary society. In total, 16 adolescents (8 men/8 women, aged 15-19) were interviewed individually and in focus groups. The interviewees’ responses revealed social reproduction of gender and class. Main themes of the phenomena for both genders emerged: Social identity and Existential identity of risk taking. The descriptive sub themes, however, which together formed the general structure, were rather diverse for men and women. The incorporation of social and existential theories on gender as basic factors in the analysis of attitudes towards risk-taking behaviours is considered to be of utmost importance. Likewise, research on hearing prevention for young people needs to acknowledge and make use of theories on risk behaviour and similarly, the theories on risk behaviour should acknowledge noise as a risk factor.

             Study III aims to increase the knowledge about young women’s and men’s risk judgement and behaviour by investigating patterns in adolescent risk activities among 310 adolescents aged 15-20 (143 women; 167 men). The Australian instrument ARQ, developed by Gullone et al, was used with additional questions on hearing risks ^[1] and a factor analysis was conducted. The main results showed that the factor structure in the judgement and behaviour scale for Swedish adolescents was rather different from the factor structure in the Australian sample. The factor structure was not similar to the Australian sample split on gender and there were differences in factor structures between genders among Swedish adolescents. The results are discussed from a gender and existential perspective on risk taking, and it is emphasized that research on risk behaviour needs to reconceptualize stereotypical ideas about gender and the existential period in adolescence. The aim of Study IV was to investigate possible gender differences regarding psychometric scales measuring risk perception in noisy situations, attitudes towards loud music, perceived susceptibility to noise, and individual norms and ideals related to activities where loud music is played. In addition, the purpose was to analyze whether these variables are associated with protective behaviour, e.g. the use of hearing protection. A questionnaire was administered to a Swedish sample including 543 adolescents aged 16 to 20. The result revealed significant gender differences for all the psychometric scales. Furthermore, all psychometric measures were associated with hearing protection use in musical settings. Contrary to previous studies, gender did not solely contribute to any explanation of protective behaviour in the analysis. One conclusion is that although gender does not contribute solely to the explanation of protective behaviour, gender may affect psychological variables such as risk perception, attitudes and perceived susceptibility and these variables may in turn be valuable for decision-making and protective behaviour in noisy situations. Although women tend to be more ’careful’ psychologically, they nevertheless tend to behave in the same way as men regarding actual noise-related risk-taking.

Background: Adolescents are industrious users of social media (i.e. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) and most of 9-16 years old in EU´s 25 countries have a profile on a social network where they can socialize, express their thoughts and feelings. In Sweden there have been recent actions where adolescents have organized themselves with help from social media very quickly and with many participators. Studies have shown both positive and negative effects of using social media. Positive, since almost everyone can share experiences or make their voice heard. Negative, since young people can expose themselves and others to situations that can be difficult to manage. There are concerns that adolescents online can be socially isolated from their friends in “real life”, while others mean that social media increases the possibility for adolescent to make new friends and develop existing relationships. Significance: Earlier studies have focused on use of social media in school and social resisting gatherings, but not as many studies on adolescents’ use of social media for organizing their activities in everyday life. Young people can be considered to be digital natives and adults, that constitute a certain power in the society, can be considered as digital immigrants. From that perspective it is important to let young people’s own voices be heard on a central arena for daily activities. Hence, the aim the presented study was to examine how adolescents describe social media as an arena for organizing themselves and how the organizational actions affect their everyday life. Data derives from interviews with 13-19-year old pupils, and were recruited from the Western part of Sweden. The interviews were analyzed with thematic analysis in several steps. Results revealed that social media is perceived both positive and negative. Social media was described as an arena where young people can experience feelings of being free, but also as an arena that contributes to major problems. The adolescents describe social media as a platform where social power is performed, but that the users are unaware about the responsibilities that follow such power. Conclusions drawn from this study is that young people reason about the complexity of what social media means for organizing events and relationships in everyday life and social medias are seen as both problematic and enabling. The study contributes, by letting young people´s own voices being heard, a better understanding of adolescents’ experience of social organization in new medias.

Adolescents' voices on organization via social media. Available from: http://www.researchgate.net/publication/281280719_Adolescents'_voices_on_organization_via_social_media [accessed Oct 29, 2015].

Background: People of all ages participate in activities that can pose a risk to their health. However, it is important not only to see risks as threats, but also something that can enhance positive experiences and opportunities. The media has a huge influence on young people and thus there are good reasons to investigate how risks and risk-taking are portrayed. Significance: The communication in the media can be described as bi-directional, with subjects covered from many different perspectives, for example the reporting of views and values held by the authorities, politicians, residents and other community stakeholders. The human identity is constructed from self-experiences, but also through the different public discourses (collectively agreed discussions or arguments) that are present in the media and in everyday speech. For adolescents in particular, contact with the media affects their lives and the development of their identity. Hence, the media plays an important role in the presentation of how the world is constituted. The aim of this study was therefore to explore how risks and risk taking are described in media targeting young people in Sweden. Methods: 270 adolescents aged 15-20 years were surveyed on which newspapers they primarily read. Two daily tabloids were identified, both in paper format and on the Internet. Hence, the data consisted of two daily tabloids, each studied over a 14 day period. Each article that mentioned risks and risk taking was analyzed using discourse analysis from three perspectives: 1) what is stated, 2) by whom and 3) how such statements are articulated. Results showed that risks were mainly addressed in four ways; 1) News reports by journalists and press spokespersons articulating the theme “offender, heroes and victims”, e.g. news about crimes and accidents. 2) Reports about sports by athletes, coaches, doctors and columnists on the theme “enduring punches and injuries”, e.g. reports about violence and injuries in sports. 3) Reports, about entertainment by actors, performers, presenters and columnists about “Idols, drugs and confessions”, e.g. celebrities’’ confession stories, and 4) Expert- and opinion reports by journalists, experts, panels about “opinions and influence”, e.g. columnists writing about current events. The Conclusion drawn is the importance of discussing the discourses media create and reproduce, and that all levels of society need to take responsibility for what risks are reported, how and, by whom. For example, the media can reproduce outdated gender roles and may obstruct equal opportunities for young men and women. This study contributes in several ways, one being to bring awareness on how discourses are presented in the media and the impact on young peoples’ opportunities to create balanced and conscious attitudes to risk.

Risk discourses in Swedish tabloids. Available from: http://www.researchgate.net/publication/281280598_Risk_discourses_in_Swedish_tabloids [accessed Oct 29, 2015].

Kapitlet fokuserar på vanligt förekommande sätt att beskriva risker i olika medier.

The present study was influenced by existential - and gender aspects on young people's everyday lives with the aim to shed light on the complexity of the phenomenon of risk-taking, the meaning and purpose of adolescent risk-taking in a traditional sense (e.g. smoking and drug using) and in noisy environments (e.g. discotheques and rock concerts). The intention was to identify possible new ways of understanding young people's experiences and apprehensions about different risk behaviours by the use of qualitative method; The Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Sixteen adolescents (8 men/8 women, aged 15-19) were interviewed, 4 in separate interviews and 12 in focus groups. The analysis revealed two dimensions: "Social identity" and "Existential identity" and six superordinate themes of the phenomena of risk-taking. The two dimensions and the six super-ordinate themes were equal for women and men, while the sub-themes were found to be gender-related. The interviewees' responses revealed social (gender) - and existential considerations which affected the participants in many areas of their daily lives. The study implies that one of the challenges for the preventive strategies is to be able to talk about risk-taking in terms of both threat and development, and not as a case of either or. 

Music and high levels of sound have not traditionally been associated with risk-taking behaviors. Loud music may intensify and bring more power and meaning to the musical experience, but it can at the same time be harmful to hearing. The present study aims to increase the knowledge about young women′s and men′s risk judgement and behaviour by investigating patterns in adolescent risk activities among 310 adolescents aged 15-20 (143 women; 167 men). The Australian instrument ARQ was used with additional questions on hearing risks and a factor analysis was conducted. The main results showed that the factor structure in the judgement and behavior scale for Swedish adolescents was rather different from the factor structure in the Australian sample. Also, the factor structure was not similar to the Australian sample split on gender. The results are discussed from a gender- and existential perspective on risk taking, and it is emphasized that research on risk behavior needs to reconceptualize stereotypical ideas about gender and the existential period in adolescence.

This study deals with teachers' and students' judgments of misleading (e.g. cheating or plagiarism) behaviors during examinations. The data was collected at a university in Sweden using a questionnaire presenting specific behaviors to bejudged. In total, 253 individuals completed the questionnaire. The teachers, incontrast to the students, tended to judge the behaviors presented as more serious. There was, however, plenty of variation in the judgments made by both teachers and students. Although the teachers, on average, tended to judge the behaviors as more serious, about 20% of the students were found to judge the behaviors as more serious than the average teacher. It was also found that about 20 % of the teachers judged the scenarios as less serious compared to the average student judgments. This indicates a lack of agreement among teachers and students on the definition of misleading behavior. Subjective opinions seem to play a more important role for judgment than having actual knowledge about the rules and regulations stating what misleading behaviors really are inacademic work.

BACKGROUND: The pediatric diabetes team aims to support health, quality of life, and normal growth and development among adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Adolescents with an immigrant background have been found less successful in self-care. Previous research indicated that adolescents who had integrated the disease as a part of their self-image reasoned differently about their self-care to those who had not.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify elements in the patient-pediatrician consultations that might influence such integration of the disease among adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

METHODS: A total of 12 pediatrician-adolescent consultations were video-recorded and analyzed. The adolescents all had an immigrant background.

RESULTS: Integration of the disease appeared enabled when responsibility was shared; when hope, autonomy, and emotions were confirmed; and when the pediatrician asked probing questions. Letting objective data dominate the adolescent's experiences, using risk as a motivator, neutralizing emotions in relation to having diabetes, and confirming forgetfulness, may instead inhibit disease integration.

CONCLUSION: An extended person-centered approach with focus on the adolescent's experiences of everyday life with a chronic disease and less attention on physical parameters in the pediatrician-adolescent consultations may increase integration of the disease.

Adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) need stable self-care routines for good metabolic control to minimize future cardiovascular health complications. These routines are demanding, and might be particularly challenging in underprivileged groups. The aim of this study was to gain in-depth knowledge on the experience of adolescents with T1DM and a non-Swedish background regarding factors that might influence their ability to take care of themselves; in particular, factors that might influence diabetes management routines, their social situation, and the support they receive from caregivers. We interviewed 12 adolescents with T1DM and minority backgrounds. The results indicated resources and constraints in the adolescents' social context and in the health care organization. The adolescents developed conceptions that helped to explain and excuse their self-care failures, and their successes. These findings highlight the importance of integrating T1DM as part of the individual's personal prerequisites. We discuss implications for the organization of diabetes care for adolescents.

Objectives 

Tinnitus is a condition that almost entirely belongs to the field of audiological medicine, predominately regarded as a disorder of the ear. The purpose of this study was to explore the state of the art concerning the scientific discourse on tinnitus. Our main interest was to find the answers to: Who are involved in the research; i.e. within a disciplinary context? What approaches have been most influential?  How much influence does one specific perspective have on the discourse compared to another perspective?

Methods

 A selection of articles with tinnitus as the main objective, published in international journals between 1930-2013, were analyzed according to Critical discourse analysis and influenced by concepts deriving from (Laclau and Mouffe, 1985). Collected articles were representative, disciplinarily seen.

Results

Discourse analysis showed to be an appropriate method for studying the discourses on tinnitus within a time period of more then 80 years. The most influential discourse on the definition of tinnitus states that tinnitus is the perception of a sound (s) in the absence of an external sound source. It is clear that this definition has been adopted regardless of disciplinary field. Philosophical and existential aspects of tinnitus suffering are not prevalent in the discourses on tinnitus, a somewhat understandable result, as the influence of medical science is exceptional. 

Conclusion

Generally seen, the dominance of one discourse in a field of research can lead to an inhibition of other valuable discourses from the periphery (the field of discursivity). The most productive scientific strategy would be to allow several discourses to exist side by side. A significant point to stress, since no epidemiological data so far have demonstrated that the populations of tinnitus patients in any way are homogeneous.

Study investigates how interaction between parents and early adolescent boys and girls, influences different types of risk behaviour. Special focus is given to parental knowledge and monitoring strategies, as well as adolescent interpretation of parental efforts. Usinga sample of 1520 early adolescent boys and girls, we examine the structures in relations between adolescent disclosure parental control, solicitation and knowledge and adolescent feelings of being overly controlled

In this study, we have investigated parental knowledge and its sources, namely adolescent disclosure, parental control, and parental solicitation; and how they relate to adolescents' feelings of being overly controlled, and to three types of adolescent risk behaviors, namely bullying, substance use, and delinquent behavior. This was studied in a sample of 1520 Swedish early adolescent boys and girls (M age = 13.0). A structural equation path model showed that adolescent disclosure and parental control were positively associated with parental knowledge, which in turn related to all three risk behaviors. Adolescent disclosure was related to lower levels of risk behaviors, while parental solicitation was linked to higher levels of adolescent engagement in risk behaviors, especially for boys, through feelings of being overly controlled. The findings support the idea of a functional role of open communication, as well as adequate levels of autonomy granting, for managing boys' and girls' risk behavior.

Using longitudinal Swedish data from 1,373 early‐adolescent youths, this study aims to answer the question of whether the previously established protective function of parental knowledge and its sources — adolescent disclosure, parental solicitation, and parental control—on substance use among early‐adolescents is moderated by the adolescent's temperament. Adolescent temperament moderated several links between parental knowledge and its sources and adolescent substance use. The most pronounced moderating results were found for those adolescents with fearless, socially detached and thrill‐seeking tendencies. For these "detached thrill‐seekers", bidirectional links between adolescent disclosure and substance use, and negative links between parental solicitation and substance use were found. We recommend, therefore, that adolescent temperament is considered when designing parenting programs.

Parents' actions and knowledge of adolescents' whereabouts play key roles in preventing risk behaviors in early adolescence, but what enables parents to know about their adolescents' activities and what links there are to adolescent risk behaviors, such as substance use and delinquent behavior, remain unclear. In this study,we investigated whether different aspects of the parent–adolescent relationship predict parental knowledge, and we examined the direct and indirect longitudinal associations between these aspects of the parent–dolescent relationship and adolescents' self-reported delinquent behavior and substance use. The participants were 550 parents and their adolescent children from two small and two midsized municipalities in Sweden. Parental data were collected when the adolescents were 13 years old (mean), and adolescent data on riskbehaviors were collected on two occasions, when they were 13 and 14 years of age (mean). Structural path analyses revealed that adolescent disclosure, parental solicitation, and parental control predicted parental knowledge, with adolescent disclosure being the strongest source of parental knowledge and the strongest negative predictor of adolescent risk behaviors. Parenting competence and adolescents' connectedness to parents were indirectly, through adolescent disclosure and parental solicitation and parental control, associated with substance use and delinquent behavior. Some paths differed for boys and girls. In conclusion, confident parenting and a close parent–adolescent relationship in which adolescent disclosure is promoted, seem protective of adolescent engagement in risk behaviors

I kapitlet beskrivs musik som en kontext där ungdomars identitetsskapande processer äger rum.

We explored the link between boys’ pubertal timing and offline and online romantic and sexual activities using a sample of 142 Swedish early adolescent boys. Boys reported on two aspects of pubertal timing, a stage-normative (measured by five indicators of physical development related to puberty) and a peer-normative, and on offline and online romantic and sexual activities. Both aspects of pubertal timing was related to being romantically and sexually active offline, but only the stage-normative measure was linked to corresponding activities online. Thus, the implications of stage-normative pubertal timing on sexual activities seem to extend to online contexts.

We explored, for the first time, links between female pubertal timing and adolescent Internet use, Facebook use, and the size of peer networks on Facebook in a Swedish early adolescent sample (N = 166). Although pubertal timing was not linked to Internet use or Facebook use, it was linked to being more open about oneself and having more Facebook friends in grade 7. These associations had disappeared one year later. Consonant with previous studies of offline contexts, this study provides preliminary evidence to suggest that Facebook is a means to make new peers among early maturing girls in early adolescence.

Kapitlet fokuserar på internet som en kontext för identitetsskapande där ungdomar tillåts experimentera med och kommunicera delar av sin identitet både i grupp och individuellt.

Parental attitudes towards young people’s sexuality in traditional (i.e. non-online media) settings have been associated with young people’s sexual activities. In this study, we explored the association between key parent and youth characteristics and parental attitudes towards young people’s online sexual activities. We also examined the association between young people’s self-reported online sexual activities and parents’ attitudes. Questionnaires were completed by parents and young people in 496 families. Parents’ attitudes towards young people’s offline and online sexual activities were closely related, although parents are more accepting in an offline setting. Parents’ attitudes towards online sexuality are related to their sexual attitudes and their preferences with regard to the Internet. Parents’ attitudes differ depending on the sex of the parent and the sex and age of the child. The link between parents’ attitudes and young people’s online sexual activities appears to be mediated by parental rules.

The aims of this study were to determine links between adolescent's well-being and their sexual and romantic activities off- and online. The study includes 245 mid-adolescents (15 years of age; 55 % girls) and 251 late-adolescents (18 years of age; 49 % girls). Of the 496 teenagers, 54 % had experiences of both online and offline sexual and romantic activities, while the remaining (46 %) had only offline experiences.Teenagers' experiences with online sexual/romantic activities were associated with experiences of offline sexual/romantic activities. Multiple regressions showed that age (older) and risk behaviour contributed to higher engagement in offline sexual/romantic activities. In contrast, only higher risk behaviour contributed to higher engagement in online sexual/romantic activities for boys, but for girl several factors, such as age (younger), lower body esteem, higher risk- and problem behaviour contributed to higher engagement in online sexual/romantic activities. We discuss this result from a gender perspective.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate possible associations between college students' attitudes, risk-taking behaviour related to noisy activities, and hearing problems such as threshold shifts or self-experienced hearing symptoms. The sample included 258 students aged between 17 and 21 enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania, USA. A questionnaire measuring attitudes towards noise, use of hearing protection, and self-reported hearing symptoms was distributed among the students. After completing the questionnaire a hearing screening, including pure-tone audiometry and tympanometry, was conducted. The result revealed that 26% had thresholds poorer than the screening level of 20 dBHL. Attitudes were significantly related to self-experienced hearing symptoms, but not to threshold shifts. Attitudes and noise sensitivity was, significantly related to use of hearing protection. Hearing protection use was found in activities such as using firearms, mowing lawns, and when using noisy tools but was less reported for concerts and discotheques. It can be concluded that the young adults in this study expose themselves to hearing risks, since the use of hearing protection is in general very low. © 2009 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved.

Denna rapport genomfördes inom ramen för högskolepedagogisk utbildning. Studien syftade till att undersöka studenters och lärares bedömning av fusk/plagiat och sätta detta i relation till tentamensformer. Ytterligare ett syfte var att beskriva studenters och lärares åsikter om vad som är fusk och vad eventuella skillnader mellan lärares och studenters åsikter kan bero på. Studien genomfördes som en enkätstudie bland lärare och studenter. Deltagarna ombads att bedöma sex olika vinjetter ifråga om grad av fusk samt om personen i vinjetten handlade omoraliskt eller moraliskt riktigt. Resultatet visade att examinationsformer som ur pedagogisk synvinkel underlättar eget reflekterande och lärande också är de former där studenterna anser att det är lättast att fuska. Både lärare och studenter bedömde fuskvinjetterna relativt likartat, däremot skiljde de sig något ifråga om den moraliska bedömningen av vinjetterna, där lärare ansåg att vissa beteenden var mer omoraliska jämfört med studenterna. Det fanns en osäkerhet både bland studenter och lärare ifråga om var gränsen för fusk och plagiat går. En del lärare ansåg att det var svårt att bedöma något som fusk såvida inte hänsyn togs till eventuella förklaringar och förmildrande omständigheter kring enskilda fall. Om det råder en stor osäkerhet om vad som är fusk, finns det en risk att definitionen av fusk landar i enskilda personers moraliska uppfattningar som inte nödvändigtvis baseras på kunskaper om rådande regler.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate possible gender differences regarding psychometric scales measuring risk perception in noisy situations, attitudes towards loud music, perceived susceptibility to noise, and individual norms and ideals related to activities where loud music is played. In addition the purpose was to analyze whether these variables are associated with protective behavior such as the use of hearing protection. A questionnaire was administered to a Swedish sample including 543 adolescents aged 16 to 20. The result revealed significant gender differences for all the psychometric scales. In addition, all psychometric measures were associated with hearing protection use in musical settings. Contrary to previous studies, gender did not contribute to any explanation of protective behavior by itself in the analysis. One conclusion is that although gender does not contribute by itself for the explanation of protective behavior, gender may affect psychological variables such as risk perception, attitudes and perceived susceptibility and that these variables may in turn be valuable for decision-making and protective behavior in noisy situations. Although women tend to be more ′careful′ psychologically, they nevertheless tend to behave in the same way as men as regards actual noise-related risk taking.