"Vilka speciella människor vi blir": En studie om förändrade självbilder och livsstilar genom självhjälpsgruppen Al-Anon

Sammanfattning: The purpose of this essay was to describe how individual members of the self-help group Al-Anon discuss the importance and the influence the group has/have concerning their own lifestyle and self-image. To find answer to this I carried out qualitative interviews with five female members of a local Al-Anon group and later on analyzed the interviews using various concepts based upon the symbolic interactionism. I have mainly used concepts as; role-taking, significant symbols and referencegroup. Through the analysis of the interviews I have seen that the respondents self-image and thereby also their self-esteem has changed since they became a part of their local Al-Anon group. I have also noticed changes in their behaviors in their way of life. As Al-Anon is a referencegroup to the respondents the group's significant symbols, in the language, has in a great extent become common to them. They use plenty of common concepts, for example; need to control, codependency and relapse. It is also clear how these significant symbols are used by the members to facilitate role-taking and thereby understanding.