Dolt under tröjärmarna: om elever med självskadeproblematik utifrån gymnasiekuratorers perspektiv

Sammanfattning: The main purpose of this study was to examine, and illustrate, highschool social workers experiences of pupils with self-injurious behaviour. Self-injurious behaviour in this study refer to individuals who harm them-selves, with physical injury as consequence, without purpose to commit suicide. A qualitativ method was used and five highschool social workers, in the south of Sweden, were interviewed. The main questions were: - What kind of experiences have highschool welfare officers of pupils with self-injurious behaviour? - What view, and personal opinion have the welfare officers at the problem, and how do this affect them in their work with these pupils. The school social workers experiences of pupils with self- injurious behaviour, were for instance that the pupils often feel ashemed over their behaviour and that they often have lowe self-esteem. The social workers seemed to imagine the behaviour as a copingstrategy. It turned out that the social workers personality and their personal opinion regarding self-injurious behaviour, were of great importance in their work with these pupils.