Utenfor og innenfor : En kvalitativ studie av skolen som sosial arena – og dens betydning for ungdoms psykiske helse

Abstract

Background Exclusion still have good conditions in school today. In this study, mental health and quality of life are seen in relation to school as a social arena and from the youth's perspective. Aim and research question I want to contribute to creating opportunities for new practices in school, in the way they work with mental health and quality of life. Research question: What importance has school as a social arena, when youth who have sought mental health care and the people in the network describe the difficulties - and change for the better? Method The study has a hermeneutical phenomenological approach. The main method of data collection has been qualitative research interviews. The data I have used belongs to a doctoral dissertation "They say yes; they don’t say no. Experiences of Change in Dialogical Approaches to Mental Health - A Qualitative Exploration"(Bøe 2016). The empirical data is analyzed using systematic text condensation. Results Findings in the interviews shows youth’s having difficulties in finding their place at school. The findings tell about painful experiences in face of fellow students and school as a social arena. The youth in this study experience exclusion from others at school. It is expressed in both visible and invisible ways. They experience loneliness, not being included, and lack of friends at school. Conclusion Increased focus on mental health within school contributes to greater openness about the topic among students. Exclusion and inclusion are central expressions of how youths experience school. Dialogical practice as an approach can be a way for both recovery and increased focus on mental health in school. Keywords Blocking, Mental Health, Dialogue, Exclusion, Relationship, Gestures, Status.