Unga vuxnas kunskaper om familje- och nära relationer i samband med självkänsla och hälsotillstånd: en fenomenologisk analys

Sammanfattning: The purpose of the study was to achieve an increased understanding of young adults’ views regarding relationships in the family, self-esteem and psychological state. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight people who were in emerging adulthood and considered their relational experience as crucial for personal development. Six themes were identified in an interpretive phenomenological analysis. Important results were that positive relational patterns (open communication, equality, security) as well as negative models (lack of communication, balance of power, insecurity) experienced in childhood, affected young adults’ self-esteem at long-term, based on participants’ retrospective reconstruction. The patterns, on the other hand, seemed to be processed into more adaptive and well-thought-out models in participants’ romantic relationships in the emerging adulthood. The participants who experienced previous relationships as harmful or ambivalent expressed a great desire to practice interactions with new contacts. The following principles in relationships were emphasized: to have good communication with partners, to devote time and space for each other, to give love, to maintain equality and to set boundaries. These principles were considered to reflect both learned relational patterns and those formed due to one’s own relational experience. The results suggested that a balanced self-esteem should manifest itself in the positive emotions and acceptance of life, which together with a good state of health characterizes the individual’s well-being. Future research should deepen the study’s findings by using the combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches or multiple interviews and interviews in focus groups, respectively. Keywords: emerging adulthood, family relationships, self-esteem, well-being, interpretative phenomenological analysis.