"Fixar jag till mig så kommer jag må bra" : En kvalitativ studie om kuratorers uppfattning om kroppsfixering hos unga kvinnor

Sammanfattning: This study examines counselors understanding of body fixation (alt: body image fixation) as a social problem among young women aged 15-25 years. Earlier research on this subject highlights the standards and ideals placed on the female body where happiness is associated with a slim body figure. Research has shown that young women that compare their own bodies with others are at higher risk at developing an unhealthy relationship with their body, which can lead to eating disorders. The data for this study was collected through semi-structured interviews with nine counselors from youth clinics, schools and primary healthcare. The results were interpreted and analysed in the light of social constructionist perspective as developed by Berger & Luckmann and Loseke's social constructionist definition of social problems. The results of analysis show that counselors’ understandings of body fixation are constructed and perceived as a problem of body fixation which itself is part of a larger problem. Namely, the cause of body fixation is connected to a variety of factors such as poor self-esteem, parents’ behaviour in relation to their own bodies and the depiction of female body ideals in mass media, among others. Counselors meant that body fixation often becomes problematic as it drives young women to isolation and withdrawal from their social environments. The results reveal several similarities in relation to earlier research on the subject, and we conclude by presenting our own suggestions and ideas for future research within the subject, such as for instance increasing of the awareness of body fixation among young men.