Department of Health Sciences, Mid Sweden University, Sundsvall, Sweden.
Sociol Health Illn. 2009 Nov;31(7):962-78. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9566.2009.01170.x. Epub 2009 Jul 29.
Despite a well-documented gender pattern in adolescent mental health, research investigating possible explanatory factors from a gender-theoretical approach is scarce. This paper reports a grounded theory study based on 29 focus groups. The aim was to explore 16- to 19-year-old students' perceptions of what is significant for mental health, and to apply a gender analysis to the findings in order to advance understanding of the gender pattern in adolescent mental health. Significant factors were identified in three social processes categories, including both positive and negative aspects: (1) social interactions, (2) performance and (3) responsibility. Girls more often experienced negative aspects of these processes, placing them at greater risk for mental health problems. Boys' more positive mental health appeared to be associated with their low degree of responsibility-taking and beneficial positions relative to girls. Negotiating cultural norms of femininity and masculinity seemed to be more strenuous for girls, which could place them at a disadvantage with regard to mental health. Social factors and processes (particularly responsibility), gendered power relations and constructions of masculinities and femininities should be acknowledged as important for adolescent mental health.
尽管青少年心理健康方面存在着有据可查的性别模式，但从性别理论角度研究可能的解释因素的研究却很少。本文报告了一项基于 29 个焦点小组的扎根理论研究。目的是探讨 16 至 19 岁学生对心理健康重要因素的看法，并对研究结果进行性别分析，以深入了解青少年心理健康方面的性别模式。在三个社会过程类别中确定了重要因素，包括积极和消极方面：（1）社会互动，（2）表现和（3）责任。女孩更多地经历了这些过程的消极方面，使她们面临更大的心理健康问题风险。男孩更好的心理健康似乎与他们承担责任的程度较低以及相对于女孩的有利地位有关。对于女孩来说，协商女性气质和男性气质的文化规范似乎更加艰难，这可能使她们在心理健康方面处于不利地位。社会因素和过程（特别是责任）、性别权力关系以及男性气质和女性气质的构建，应被视为青少年心理健康的重要因素。
