Wiens Varpu, Kyngäs Helvi, Pölkki Tarja
Research Unit of Nursing Science and Health Management, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland;
Research Unit of Nursing Science and Health Management, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being. 2016 Feb 22;11:30160. doi: 10.3402/qhw.v11.30160. eCollection 2016.
Wellbeing is complex, holistic, and subjectively perceived. Issues such as gender, age, and environment seem to affect it. Therefore, the aim of this qualitative study was to describe the meaning of seasonal changes, nature, and animals towards 13-16-year-old girls' wellbeing in Northern Finland. In the spring of 2014, through purposive sampling, a total of 19 girls participated in semi-structured interviews from various parts of Northern Finland. The data were analysed using content analysis. Afterwards, the analysis combining the category participatory involvement with environment was found, and this consisted of three main categories: adaptation to seasonal changes, restorative nature, and empowering interactivity with animals. Seasonal changes had an effect on girls' wellbeing; in the summertime, they felt happy and vivacious, active, and outgoing. Instead, during the winter months, girls' mood and activity seemed to be lower and they felt lazier and depressed. Nature brought mainly positive feelings to girls; being in nature was experienced as liberating and relaxing, and it offered opportunities to relax and have sensory perceptions. Interaction with animals was perceived as empowering. They were experienced as altruistic and comforting companions. Animals were important to girls, and they contributed to girls' lives through positive effects towards their mental and physical wellbeing. Based on the results of this study, we can recommend that being in nature and interacting with animals should be supported because they seem to have benefits towards adolescent girls' health and wellbeing. In order to facilitate the negative effects of winter, the school days should be arranged in such a way that it would be possible for girls to have outdoor activities during the daytime. The challenge for the future is perhaps the purposeful utilisation of nature's and the animals' positive effects towards their wellbeing.
幸福是复杂、全面且主观感知的。性别、年龄和环境等问题似乎会对其产生影响。因此，这项定性研究的目的是描述季节变化、自然和动物对芬兰北部13至16岁女孩幸福的意义。2014年春天，通过目的抽样，共有19名女孩参与了来自芬兰北部不同地区的半结构化访谈。数据采用内容分析法进行分析。之后，发现了将参与性与环境相结合的分析类别，这包括三个主要类别：适应季节变化、恢复性自然和与动物的赋能互动。季节变化对女孩的幸福有影响；在夏季，她们感到快乐、活泼、积极和外向。相反，在冬季，女孩的情绪和活动似乎较低，她们感到更懒惰和沮丧。自然主要给女孩带来积极的感受；身处自然被体验为解放和放松，它提供了放松和有感官感知的机会。与动物的互动被视为赋能。它们被体验为利他和安慰性的伙伴。动物对女孩很重要，它们通过对女孩身心健康的积极影响为女孩的生活做出贡献。基于这项研究的结果，我们可以建议支持身处自然和与动物互动，因为它们似乎对青春期女孩的健康和幸福有益。为了减轻冬季的负面影响，学校日程的安排应该使女孩有可能在白天进行户外活动。未来的挑战可能是有目的地利用自然和动物对她们幸福的积极影响。
