Lennart Nygren | Umeå University (original) (raw)

Papers by Lennart Nygren

Journal of Youth Studies, 2016

ABSTRACT Alternative approaches to power in youth politics are needed to overcome the conceptual ... more ABSTRACT Alternative approaches to power in youth politics are needed to overcome the conceptual dichotomy between youth political action that is either linked to – or delinked from – state institutions. This paper offers an alternative drawn from a study that sought to empirically explore, and build theory upon, how teenagers construct their political action. Our qualitative study among 10 activists aged between 17 and 19 in a medium-size city in Northern Sweden found that youth constructed their political action as four different processes: moving from consciousness to action, moving from personal experience to shared goals, moving from social activities to political activities, and moving from single to multiple arenas. We integrated these processes in the concept Youth Politics as Multiple Processes. Youth efforts to bring about these processes were not always fruitful because, as their political action gained complexity, youth faced greater constraints for recognizing, addressing and challenging power from age-based exclusion, state-centered definitions of politics, and adult disinterest in youth demands. According to our findings, youth constructed political action based in an approach to power that was not state-centered. We linked our findings to youth politics research and social movement theory that similarly proposed alternative approaches to power.

För att kunna utföra ett socialt arbete som ger resultat för de som berörs, behövs en ständig gra... more För att kunna utföra ett socialt arbete som ger resultat för de som berörs, behövs en ständig granskning av de metoder och tillvägagångssätt som används. Men vad innebär det att utvärdera socialarbetares enskilda insatser, liksom hela verksamhetsfält?

Social Sciences, Jun 13, 2018

In June 2016, China promulgated the "Opinions of the State Council on Strengthening the Work of R... more In June 2016, China promulgated the "Opinions of the State Council on Strengthening the Work of Rescuing Children in Difficulty", which broadened the coverage of child welfare in China. The document clearly encourages and supports the participation of nonprofit charitable organizations in improving and complementing the public support system for children living in difficulty. This paper reports an assessment study of the relief program for children with congenital heart disease, which was launched by the Red Cross in L Province. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews with six Red Cross employees and 10 parents of stricken families, and telephone interviews with 66 recipient families, were carried out. Additionally, a review of a large number of background documents was analyzed to assess interventions by social organizations in the rescue of children in difficulty. The project was shown to reduce poverty and improve medical treatment for children with congenital heart disease. The role of nonprofit charitable organizations in relation to the child protection system can be characterized as "leak-filling".

Journal of Family Issues, 2014

The family is a fundamental component of society, and marital satisfaction is the main characteri... more The family is a fundamental component of society, and marital satisfaction is the main characteristic of a healthy family. The aim of this cross-sectional research was to assess marital satisfaction in medical staff in Tehran, with a special focus on gender differences. Data were collected from 653 medical staff using sociodemographic questions and the ENRICH marital satisfaction questionnaire. The results indicated that marital satisfaction was significantly higher in men than in women. There was a negative correlation between age and marital satisfaction in women. Educational level was associated with marital satisfaction in both genders. Number of children was correlated with marital satisfaction in both men and women. Gender differences in marital satisfaction were revealed, and all sociodemographic factors showed significant relationships, with at least one subscale of marital satisfaction. This study provides a general view of marital satisfaction in Iranian medical profession...

This article focuses on how families are defined and conceptualized by social workers in the Swed... more This article focuses on how families are defined and conceptualized by social workers in the Swedish social services. Using a qualitative study design, we carried out telephone interviews with 60 social workers in five major sectors of the social services in two smaller and two larger municipalities. These sectors included elderly care, disability, child welfare, addiction and economic support, with a qualitative content analysis approach used to analyze the data.The results showed that the practices in social service organizations are both individualized and specialized. Social workers primarily focus on the individual as the client when deciding upon interventions, and when asked about how they regard, define and delimit the family in their work, our analysis revealed that different mediating mechanisms were engaged in what can be seen as a deconstruction of the family. These mechanisms included legislation (as a control mechanism), household composition (boundary mechanism) and s...

Socionomens forskningssupplement, 2020

Artikeln beskriver och analyserar förekomst och erfarenheter av diskontinuitet för unga vuxna und... more Artikeln beskriver och analyserar förekomst och erfarenheter av diskontinuitet för unga vuxna under deras väg som föremål för samhällets insatser. Underlaget består av detaljerade studier av akt- och journaldata, kombinerat med livshistoriska intervjuer med ett tjugotal unga vuxna med erfarenheter av placering i samhällsvård. Studien visar att diskontinuiteter förekommer i olika faser i samhällets insatser: i tiden mellan första dokumentation av risktecken och de första åtgärderna från socialtjänsten; i de besluts- och insatsprocesser som sker i tidsspannet mellan första åtgärd och den tidpunkt då den unge lämnar samhällsvården; samt, i övergången mellan samhällsvårdens avslutning och den unges självständiga vuxenliv. Diskontinuitet kan vara kontextuellt och individuellt betingad och kopplad till administrativ hantering, relationer, informationsflöden eller vara erfaren eller associerad med problematikens allvarlighetsgrad. I många fall kan diskontinuitetsproblem ge negativa erfarenheter för unga i samhällsvård.

Australian Social Work, Jan 1, 2009

Abstract Looking After Children (LAC) is an approach (care philosophy and working tools) used to ... more Abstract Looking After Children (LAC) is an approach (care philosophy and working tools) used to assess the psycho-social development of children being cared for by child welfare agencies. It is an international initiative that was developed in England and then travelled ...

Qualitative Research, Jan 1, 2001

This article describes and discusses a method for analysing and working with short reflective nar... more This article describes and discusses a method for analysing and working with short reflective narratives. The method is inspired by the interpretation theory of Paul Ricoeur, and applied to short written stories where social work students reflect on situations from their field studies - situations they experienced as critical or problematic. The article starts with a discussion about the need to develop complementary methods in narrative research. This is followed by an argument for written narratives as an alternative research approach. A pilot study of 14 narratives from social work students containing critical or problematic events is then presented with a focus on the analysing process. The analysis is evaluated as focused and manageable, easy to combine with quantitative analyses and it appears to generate findings in a form that is easy to publish. It provides a shortcut to a deeper understanding of both the narrative and the narrator. On the negative side, the method using written narratives has potential risks of 'over-interpretation', and the loss of the 'midwife' effect that can appear in an oral interview.

Nordic Journal of Social Research, Jan 1, 2010

Acta dermato-venereologica, 2005

The aim was to analyse use of psoriasis care and expectations from a gender perspective in a psor... more The aim was to analyse use of psoriasis care and expectations from a gender perspective in a psoriasis population. The study is based on questionnaire data from 1,060 subjects. The response rate was 74%. The relation between care consumption and studied variables was measured using regression and chi-square analysis. Care consumption was strongly influenced by age, quality of life, income and joint symptoms. Men visited a dermatologist more often, while women visited a general practitioner and treated themselves topically more frequently. Important expectations among both women and men concerned the receiving of professional care and amelioration, while more women wanted to be treated politely. Expectations were fulfilled, except those regarding amelioration, especially among men. Awareness of gender differences is important among professionals. In order to decrease such differences decision-makers should provide for a maintained specialized care as well as a local health care syste...

Alternative approaches to power in youth politics are needed to overcome the conceptual dichotomy... more Alternative approaches to power in youth politics are needed to
overcome the conceptual dichotomy between youth political
action that is either linked to – or delinked from – state institutions. This paper offers an alternative drawn from a study
that sought to empirically explore, and build theory upon, how
teenagers construct their political action. Our qualitative study
among 10 activists aged between 17 and 19 in a medium-size city in Northern Sweden found that youth constructed their political action as four different processes: moving from consciousness to action, moving from personal experience to shared goals, moving from social activities to political activities, and moving from single to multiple arenas. We integrated these processes in the concept Youth Politics as Multiple Processes. Youth efforts to bring about these processes were not always fruitful because, as their political action gained complexity, youth faced greater constraints for recognizing, addressing and challenging power from age-based exclusion, state-centered definitions of politics, and adult disinterest in youth demands. According to our findings, youth constructed political action based in an approach to power that was not state-centered. We linked our findings to youth politics research and social movement theory that similarly proposed
alternative approaches to power.

Health Policy, 2008

During the 1990s priority discussions were actualized in Sweden due to increased demands on healt... more During the 1990s priority discussions were actualized in Sweden due to increased demands on health care and limited resources. In the county of Västerbotten in northern Sweden, with large rural areas, the decision makers faced special challenges due to distances and cost. Despite discussions striving for fairness in priorities, decision makers are still dealing with limited resources and difficult priority decisions regarding different diseases and treatments.

Health Policy, 2008

During the 1990s priority discussions were actualized in Sweden due to increased demands on healt... more During the 1990s priority discussions were actualized in Sweden due to increased demands on health care and limited resources. In the county of Västerbotten in northern Sweden, with large rural areas, the decision makers faced special challenges due to distances and cost. Despite discussions striving for fairness in priorities, decision makers are still dealing with limited resources and difficult priority decisions regarding different diseases and treatments.

Acta Dermato-Venereologica, 2003

The aim of this study was to assess possible determinants of quality of life in psoriasis patient... more The aim of this study was to assess possible determinants of quality of life in psoriasis patients in northern Sweden, and to analyse the association between these determinants and quality of life. A questionnaire was mailed to 1,707 subjects, resulting in a response rate of 74%. The study is therefore based on 1,060 subjects, since 195 denied having psoriasis. Quality of life was measured using a version of the Dermatology Life Quality Index. The extent of the disease was estimated using the patients' sketches. The association between determinants and quality of life was calculated in a risk analysis using logistic regression. Large disease extent and joint symptoms were the strongest indicators for impaired quality of life. Other indicators were withdrawal from medical treatment due to distance to treatment facilities, which strongly influenced the quality of life and choice of treatment.

Acta Dermato Venereol, 2003

The aim of this study was to assess possible determinants of quality of life in psoriasis patient... more The aim of this study was to assess possible determinants of quality of life in psoriasis patients in northern Sweden, and to analyse the association between these determinants and quality of life. A questionnaire was mailed to 1,707 subjects, resulting in a response rate of 74%. The study is therefore based on 1,060 subjects, since 195 denied having psoriasis. Quality of life was measured using a version of the Dermatology Life Quality Index. The extent of the disease was estimated using the patients' sketches. The association between determinants and quality of life was calculated in a risk analysis using logistic regression. Large disease extent and joint symptoms were the strongest indicators for impaired quality of life. Other indicators were withdrawal from medical treatment due to distance to treatment facilities, which strongly influenced the quality of life and choice of treatment.

Acta dermato- …, Jan 1, 2003

Qualitative Health …, Jan 1, 2007

In this study, the authors aimed at a sociological approach to the individual&amp... more In this study, the authors aimed at a sociological approach to the individual's everyday life with psoriasis and to this end conducted qualitative interviews with 18 persons from a county in northern Sweden. The most difficult aspects of living with psoriasis were being marked by the visibility of psoriasis, especially in the younger ages, and the visibility of joint changes. Therefore, those with both rashes and joint changes felt marked and discredited in a twofold way. Commonly used coping strategies were routinization of both the treatment and the adjustment to the marking process, and acceptance, and these strategies developed with age. Most participants experienced a good quality of life but still could find nothing positive about psoriasis. The authors suggest efforts toward increased awareness among health care professionals of the marking process and future qualitative studies about experiences of psoriasis during adolescence.

Journal of Youth Studies, 2016

ABSTRACT Alternative approaches to power in youth politics are needed to overcome the conceptual ... more ABSTRACT Alternative approaches to power in youth politics are needed to overcome the conceptual dichotomy between youth political action that is either linked to – or delinked from – state institutions. This paper offers an alternative drawn from a study that sought to empirically explore, and build theory upon, how teenagers construct their political action. Our qualitative study among 10 activists aged between 17 and 19 in a medium-size city in Northern Sweden found that youth constructed their political action as four different processes: moving from consciousness to action, moving from personal experience to shared goals, moving from social activities to political activities, and moving from single to multiple arenas. We integrated these processes in the concept Youth Politics as Multiple Processes. Youth efforts to bring about these processes were not always fruitful because, as their political action gained complexity, youth faced greater constraints for recognizing, addressing and challenging power from age-based exclusion, state-centered definitions of politics, and adult disinterest in youth demands. According to our findings, youth constructed political action based in an approach to power that was not state-centered. We linked our findings to youth politics research and social movement theory that similarly proposed alternative approaches to power.

För att kunna utföra ett socialt arbete som ger resultat för de som berörs, behövs en ständig gra... more För att kunna utföra ett socialt arbete som ger resultat för de som berörs, behövs en ständig granskning av de metoder och tillvägagångssätt som används. Men vad innebär det att utvärdera socialarbetares enskilda insatser, liksom hela verksamhetsfält?

Social Sciences, Jun 13, 2018

In June 2016, China promulgated the "Opinions of the State Council on Strengthening the Work of R... more In June 2016, China promulgated the "Opinions of the State Council on Strengthening the Work of Rescuing Children in Difficulty", which broadened the coverage of child welfare in China. The document clearly encourages and supports the participation of nonprofit charitable organizations in improving and complementing the public support system for children living in difficulty. This paper reports an assessment study of the relief program for children with congenital heart disease, which was launched by the Red Cross in L Province. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews with six Red Cross employees and 10 parents of stricken families, and telephone interviews with 66 recipient families, were carried out. Additionally, a review of a large number of background documents was analyzed to assess interventions by social organizations in the rescue of children in difficulty. The project was shown to reduce poverty and improve medical treatment for children with congenital heart disease. The role of nonprofit charitable organizations in relation to the child protection system can be characterized as "leak-filling".

Journal of Family Issues, 2014

The family is a fundamental component of society, and marital satisfaction is the main characteri... more The family is a fundamental component of society, and marital satisfaction is the main characteristic of a healthy family. The aim of this cross-sectional research was to assess marital satisfaction in medical staff in Tehran, with a special focus on gender differences. Data were collected from 653 medical staff using sociodemographic questions and the ENRICH marital satisfaction questionnaire. The results indicated that marital satisfaction was significantly higher in men than in women. There was a negative correlation between age and marital satisfaction in women. Educational level was associated with marital satisfaction in both genders. Number of children was correlated with marital satisfaction in both men and women. Gender differences in marital satisfaction were revealed, and all sociodemographic factors showed significant relationships, with at least one subscale of marital satisfaction. This study provides a general view of marital satisfaction in Iranian medical profession...

This article focuses on how families are defined and conceptualized by social workers in the Swed... more This article focuses on how families are defined and conceptualized by social workers in the Swedish social services. Using a qualitative study design, we carried out telephone interviews with 60 social workers in five major sectors of the social services in two smaller and two larger municipalities. These sectors included elderly care, disability, child welfare, addiction and economic support, with a qualitative content analysis approach used to analyze the data.The results showed that the practices in social service organizations are both individualized and specialized. Social workers primarily focus on the individual as the client when deciding upon interventions, and when asked about how they regard, define and delimit the family in their work, our analysis revealed that different mediating mechanisms were engaged in what can be seen as a deconstruction of the family. These mechanisms included legislation (as a control mechanism), household composition (boundary mechanism) and s...

Socionomens forskningssupplement, 2020

Artikeln beskriver och analyserar förekomst och erfarenheter av diskontinuitet för unga vuxna und... more Artikeln beskriver och analyserar förekomst och erfarenheter av diskontinuitet för unga vuxna under deras väg som föremål för samhällets insatser. Underlaget består av detaljerade studier av akt- och journaldata, kombinerat med livshistoriska intervjuer med ett tjugotal unga vuxna med erfarenheter av placering i samhällsvård. Studien visar att diskontinuiteter förekommer i olika faser i samhällets insatser: i tiden mellan första dokumentation av risktecken och de första åtgärderna från socialtjänsten; i de besluts- och insatsprocesser som sker i tidsspannet mellan första åtgärd och den tidpunkt då den unge lämnar samhällsvården; samt, i övergången mellan samhällsvårdens avslutning och den unges självständiga vuxenliv. Diskontinuitet kan vara kontextuellt och individuellt betingad och kopplad till administrativ hantering, relationer, informationsflöden eller vara erfaren eller associerad med problematikens allvarlighetsgrad. I många fall kan diskontinuitetsproblem ge negativa erfarenheter för unga i samhällsvård.

Australian Social Work, Jan 1, 2009

Abstract Looking After Children (LAC) is an approach (care philosophy and working tools) used to ... more Abstract Looking After Children (LAC) is an approach (care philosophy and working tools) used to assess the psycho-social development of children being cared for by child welfare agencies. It is an international initiative that was developed in England and then travelled ...

Qualitative Research, Jan 1, 2001

This article describes and discusses a method for analysing and working with short reflective nar... more This article describes and discusses a method for analysing and working with short reflective narratives. The method is inspired by the interpretation theory of Paul Ricoeur, and applied to short written stories where social work students reflect on situations from their field studies - situations they experienced as critical or problematic. The article starts with a discussion about the need to develop complementary methods in narrative research. This is followed by an argument for written narratives as an alternative research approach. A pilot study of 14 narratives from social work students containing critical or problematic events is then presented with a focus on the analysing process. The analysis is evaluated as focused and manageable, easy to combine with quantitative analyses and it appears to generate findings in a form that is easy to publish. It provides a shortcut to a deeper understanding of both the narrative and the narrator. On the negative side, the method using written narratives has potential risks of 'over-interpretation', and the loss of the 'midwife' effect that can appear in an oral interview.

Nordic Journal of Social Research, Jan 1, 2010

Acta dermato-venereologica, 2005

The aim was to analyse use of psoriasis care and expectations from a gender perspective in a psor... more The aim was to analyse use of psoriasis care and expectations from a gender perspective in a psoriasis population. The study is based on questionnaire data from 1,060 subjects. The response rate was 74%. The relation between care consumption and studied variables was measured using regression and chi-square analysis. Care consumption was strongly influenced by age, quality of life, income and joint symptoms. Men visited a dermatologist more often, while women visited a general practitioner and treated themselves topically more frequently. Important expectations among both women and men concerned the receiving of professional care and amelioration, while more women wanted to be treated politely. Expectations were fulfilled, except those regarding amelioration, especially among men. Awareness of gender differences is important among professionals. In order to decrease such differences decision-makers should provide for a maintained specialized care as well as a local health care syste...

Alternative approaches to power in youth politics are needed to overcome the conceptual dichotomy... more Alternative approaches to power in youth politics are needed to
overcome the conceptual dichotomy between youth political
action that is either linked to – or delinked from – state institutions. This paper offers an alternative drawn from a study
that sought to empirically explore, and build theory upon, how
teenagers construct their political action. Our qualitative study
among 10 activists aged between 17 and 19 in a medium-size city in Northern Sweden found that youth constructed their political action as four different processes: moving from consciousness to action, moving from personal experience to shared goals, moving from social activities to political activities, and moving from single to multiple arenas. We integrated these processes in the concept Youth Politics as Multiple Processes. Youth efforts to bring about these processes were not always fruitful because, as their political action gained complexity, youth faced greater constraints for recognizing, addressing and challenging power from age-based exclusion, state-centered definitions of politics, and adult disinterest in youth demands. According to our findings, youth constructed political action based in an approach to power that was not state-centered. We linked our findings to youth politics research and social movement theory that similarly proposed
alternative approaches to power.

Health Policy, 2008

During the 1990s priority discussions were actualized in Sweden due to increased demands on healt... more During the 1990s priority discussions were actualized in Sweden due to increased demands on health care and limited resources. In the county of Västerbotten in northern Sweden, with large rural areas, the decision makers faced special challenges due to distances and cost. Despite discussions striving for fairness in priorities, decision makers are still dealing with limited resources and difficult priority decisions regarding different diseases and treatments.

Health Policy, 2008

During the 1990s priority discussions were actualized in Sweden due to increased demands on healt... more During the 1990s priority discussions were actualized in Sweden due to increased demands on health care and limited resources. In the county of Västerbotten in northern Sweden, with large rural areas, the decision makers faced special challenges due to distances and cost. Despite discussions striving for fairness in priorities, decision makers are still dealing with limited resources and difficult priority decisions regarding different diseases and treatments.

Acta Dermato-Venereologica, 2003

The aim of this study was to assess possible determinants of quality of life in psoriasis patient... more The aim of this study was to assess possible determinants of quality of life in psoriasis patients in northern Sweden, and to analyse the association between these determinants and quality of life. A questionnaire was mailed to 1,707 subjects, resulting in a response rate of 74%. The study is therefore based on 1,060 subjects, since 195 denied having psoriasis. Quality of life was measured using a version of the Dermatology Life Quality Index. The extent of the disease was estimated using the patients' sketches. The association between determinants and quality of life was calculated in a risk analysis using logistic regression. Large disease extent and joint symptoms were the strongest indicators for impaired quality of life. Other indicators were withdrawal from medical treatment due to distance to treatment facilities, which strongly influenced the quality of life and choice of treatment.

Acta Dermato Venereol, 2003

The aim of this study was to assess possible determinants of quality of life in psoriasis patient... more The aim of this study was to assess possible determinants of quality of life in psoriasis patients in northern Sweden, and to analyse the association between these determinants and quality of life. A questionnaire was mailed to 1,707 subjects, resulting in a response rate of 74%. The study is therefore based on 1,060 subjects, since 195 denied having psoriasis. Quality of life was measured using a version of the Dermatology Life Quality Index. The extent of the disease was estimated using the patients' sketches. The association between determinants and quality of life was calculated in a risk analysis using logistic regression. Large disease extent and joint symptoms were the strongest indicators for impaired quality of life. Other indicators were withdrawal from medical treatment due to distance to treatment facilities, which strongly influenced the quality of life and choice of treatment.

Acta dermato- …, Jan 1, 2003

Qualitative Health …, Jan 1, 2007

In this study, the authors aimed at a sociological approach to the individual&amp... more In this study, the authors aimed at a sociological approach to the individual's everyday life with psoriasis and to this end conducted qualitative interviews with 18 persons from a county in northern Sweden. The most difficult aspects of living with psoriasis were being marked by the visibility of psoriasis, especially in the younger ages, and the visibility of joint changes. Therefore, those with both rashes and joint changes felt marked and discredited in a twofold way. Commonly used coping strategies were routinization of both the treatment and the adjustment to the marking process, and acceptance, and these strategies developed with age. Most participants experienced a good quality of life but still could find nothing positive about psoriasis. The authors suggest efforts toward increased awareness among health care professionals of the marking process and future qualitative studies about experiences of psoriasis during adolescence.