'In or Out'—On the Dynamic between Acceptance and Rejection and its Influence on Health in Adolescent Girls. (August 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Flacking, Renée; Jerdén, Lars; Bergström, Erik; Starrin, Bengt
• Is Part Of: Young. Volume 22:Number 3(2014:Aug.)
• Page Start: 291
• Page End: 303
• Publication Date: 2014-08
• Subjects: girls -- Grounded Theory -- health -- qualitative -- shame -- status -- stress -- teenagers -- well-being; Youth -- Research -- Periodicals; Youth -- Scandinavia -- Periodicals; Jeunesse -- Recherche -- Périodiques; Jeunesse -- Scandinavie -- Périodiques; Jeune; Mondialisation; Condition sociale; Recherche; Europe; Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 305.242
• DOI: 10.1177/1103308814534043
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1103-3088

Abstract

Adolescent girls' subjective health, or well-being, is of international concern as the frequency of psychological and psychosomatic complaints is continuously increasing in several countries world-wide. The causes of this development are still obscure. The aim of this study was to explore well-being and strategies for increased well-being among adolescent girls. Grounded Theory method was used, in which in-depth interviews were held with 18 adolescent girls, 17–18 years of age. Results showed that striving for acceptance and avoiding rejection were central for their well-being. When rejection was experienced, emotions of stress–shame were recognized, a phenomena we call the stress–shame cycle. In the struggle to prevent rejection and to become accepted, the girls strived to boost their social attractiveness by impression management.