"Att mata monstret" : en kvalitativ studie om gymnasieelevers kroppsuppfattning

Sammanfattning: Background: Previous research has shown that body image can have an impact on wellbeing. A negative body image can increase psychological suffering and have physical implications on health. A positive body image can provide protection against external factors that could lead to a negative body image. Aim: The aim of the study is to explore high school students body image and which situations and environments that has an impact on their body image. Method: The study was conducted through a qualitative method with semi structured interviews, the high school students was in the age range of 15-18. The data was gathered without any pre decided codes for analyzing. Result: The study showed that body image was not static within the high school students, body image could change from day to day and from situation, often depending on the mood. Negative body image could have effect on wellbeing overall, like thinking less of themselves, and also limit the high school students in their everyday life. Most high school students felt strongly that the body is something that you can control, with the right amount of motivation, physical activity and limited food intake, everybody could achieve their dream body. Social media had a negative impact on many of the high school students but could, for some work as a way of controlling what images they meet by unfollowing accounts that made them feel bad about themselves. Conclusion: The result of this study shows that body image can be fluid and strongly affected on the situation. Further research, focusing on what influences body image in this specific target group, could have a great impact on future interventions to improve body image.