B. Simonsson - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Uploads

Papers by B. Simonsson

Research paper thumbnail of Sense of coherence and psychological well-being: improvement with age

Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 2010

Psychological well-being is important for individuals, communities and health services throughout... more Psychological well-being is important for individuals, communities and health services throughout the world because of the costs associated with psychological ill-health and the loss of quality of life for those affected and their relatives. Following a salutogenic approach, there is a link between health-promoting resources, such as generalised resistance resources and a positive state of health. Generalised resistance resources have been proposed to relate to an individual's sense of coherence (SOC). The objectives of the present study were (i) to investigate SOC in relation to age and sex, (ii) to investigate psychological well-being in relation to age and sex, and (iii) to investigate the relationship between generalised resistance resources and psychological well-being. A random sample of 43 598 respondents (54% female) aged 18-85 years participated in the present study via a postal survey questionnaire. SOC was measured by the SOC-13 and well-being by the General Health Questionnaire-12 questionnaire. Males had both stronger SOC and well-being compared to females. There was a relationship between SOC and age, with stronger SOC in the older age groups. There was a larger proportion of individuals who experienced well-being as a function of age. In addition, an increase in SOC was related to a decrease in psychological well-being, that is, a stronger SOC corresponded to higher well-being. Males showed a stronger SOC and more well-being than females. Moreover, SOC and well-being increased with age in both sexes. Our findings suggest that SOC may develop over a entire lifetime.

Research paper thumbnail of Psychosomatic complaints and sense of coherence among adolescents in a county in Sweden: a cross-sectional school survey

BioPsychoSocial Medicine, 2008

Background: Over the last five to ten years there has been an increase in psychosomatic complaint... more Background: Over the last five to ten years there has been an increase in psychosomatic complaints (PSC) in Swedish children. The objective of the study was to examine the relation between PSC and sense of coherence (SOC).

Research paper thumbnail of Alcohol-related problems among adolescents and the role of a sense of coherence

International Journal of Social Welfare, 2007

Alcohol abuse is generally regarded as a major risk factor for antisocial problem behaviour among... more Alcohol abuse is generally regarded as a major risk factor for antisocial problem behaviour among adolescents. On the other hand, personal coping strategies hypothetically can be seen as protective of alcohol-related behaviour problems. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of sense of coherence (SOC) on alcohol-related behavioural problems in an SOCalcohol intoxication model. The method of study was a crosssectional, school-based questionnaire study of 4,305, 16-and 19-year-old adolescents. We found that both a SOC and the frequency of alcohol intoxication were independently associated with alcohol-related behavioural problems. Our model shows that the combination of these two independent factors amplifies them considerably, and adolescents with a strong SOC, despite frequent intoxication, were protected to a large degree from experiencing alcohol-related problems.

Research paper thumbnail of Sense of coherence and psychological well-being: improvement with age

Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 2010

Psychological well-being is important for individuals, communities and health services throughout... more Psychological well-being is important for individuals, communities and health services throughout the world because of the costs associated with psychological ill-health and the loss of quality of life for those affected and their relatives. Following a salutogenic approach, there is a link between health-promoting resources, such as generalised resistance resources and a positive state of health. Generalised resistance resources have been proposed to relate to an individual's sense of coherence (SOC). The objectives of the present study were (i) to investigate SOC in relation to age and sex, (ii) to investigate psychological well-being in relation to age and sex, and (iii) to investigate the relationship between generalised resistance resources and psychological well-being. A random sample of 43 598 respondents (54% female) aged 18-85 years participated in the present study via a postal survey questionnaire. SOC was measured by the SOC-13 and well-being by the General Health Questionnaire-12 questionnaire. Males had both stronger SOC and well-being compared to females. There was a relationship between SOC and age, with stronger SOC in the older age groups. There was a larger proportion of individuals who experienced well-being as a function of age. In addition, an increase in SOC was related to a decrease in psychological well-being, that is, a stronger SOC corresponded to higher well-being. Males showed a stronger SOC and more well-being than females. Moreover, SOC and well-being increased with age in both sexes. Our findings suggest that SOC may develop over a entire lifetime.

Research paper thumbnail of Psychosomatic complaints and sense of coherence among adolescents in a county in Sweden: a cross-sectional school survey

BioPsychoSocial Medicine, 2008

Background: Over the last five to ten years there has been an increase in psychosomatic complaint... more Background: Over the last five to ten years there has been an increase in psychosomatic complaints (PSC) in Swedish children. The objective of the study was to examine the relation between PSC and sense of coherence (SOC).

Research paper thumbnail of Alcohol-related problems among adolescents and the role of a sense of coherence

International Journal of Social Welfare, 2007

Alcohol abuse is generally regarded as a major risk factor for antisocial problem behaviour among... more Alcohol abuse is generally regarded as a major risk factor for antisocial problem behaviour among adolescents. On the other hand, personal coping strategies hypothetically can be seen as protective of alcohol-related behaviour problems. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of sense of coherence (SOC) on alcohol-related behavioural problems in an SOCalcohol intoxication model. The method of study was a crosssectional, school-based questionnaire study of 4,305, 16-and 19-year-old adolescents. We found that both a SOC and the frequency of alcohol intoxication were independently associated with alcohol-related behavioural problems. Our model shows that the combination of these two independent factors amplifies them considerably, and adolescents with a strong SOC, despite frequent intoxication, were protected to a large degree from experiencing alcohol-related problems.

Log In