Existentiella utmaningar hos unga på HVB : Frihet, ångest och livets grundvillkor
(2025) In Research Reports in Social Work 2025:3.- Abstract
- When young people are placed in residential care (HVB) it is one of the most
far-reaching interventions in social work, often involving significant
disruptions to their everyday lives, future outlook, and sense of self. While
such placements frequently raise questions about meaning and freedom these
challenges remain largely unexplored from an existential perspective in both
research and practice. This study aims to explore the lived experiences of
existential challenges among young people (age 14 – 20) in residential care
(HVB), and to examine the opportunities and dilemmas of applying an
existential perspective in this context. Drawing on existential philosophy, the
study focuses on how ontological... (More) - When young people are placed in residential care (HVB) it is one of the most
far-reaching interventions in social work, often involving significant
disruptions to their everyday lives, future outlook, and sense of self. While
such placements frequently raise questions about meaning and freedom these
challenges remain largely unexplored from an existential perspective in both
research and practice. This study aims to explore the lived experiences of
existential challenges among young people (age 14 – 20) in residential care
(HVB), and to examine the opportunities and dilemmas of applying an
existential perspective in this context. Drawing on existential philosophy, the
study focuses on how ontological conditions of existence manifests in
everyday life in residential care. The empirical material consists of interviews
(N:11) and participatory observations, involving a total of 16 youths across
five different residential care facilities in southern Sweden.
The first paper explores existential dimensions in the youths lived
experience of being in residential care. The findings indicate that their
experience is marked by a fundamental uncertainty, shaped by both structural
conditions and existential challenges. The study concludes that existential
anxiety and uncertainty are deeply intertwined in youths’ everyday lives in
care as a result of handling existential challenges such as reorientation,
impermanence and discerning and situating their freedom.
The second paper examines how the youths experience existential
loneliness, understood as an awareness of being fundamentally separate from
others. The findings indicate that the youths lived experiences of existential
loneliness were characterized mainly by a sense of not being understood, of
being reduced to a client and of lacking emotional recognition. At the same
time, moments of togetherness and everyday conversation emerged as
meaningful and alleviated the emotional burden of loneliness.
The study conceptualizes residential care as a boundary situation in which
fundamental ontological conditions become salient. It highlights the need for
ethically sensitive and carefully reasoned responses to young people’s
existential challenges, mindful of organizational dilemmas and the risk of
pathologizing existential struggles. (Less) - Abstract (Swedish)
- Att placeras på HVB är en av de mest ingripande insatserna inom socialt arbete. För ungdomar innebär den ofta att tillvaron blir präglad av förändring och en känsla av att framtiden är osäker. Licentiatuppsatsen fördjupar kunskapen kring existentiella utmaningar som kan uppstå i denna process. Studien har en teoretisk utgångspunkt i existentiell filosofi och fokuserar på hur grundläggande livsvillkor blir särskilt påtagliga i ungdomars liv under institutionsvistelsen.
Det empiriska materialet består av deltagande observationer och intervjuer med sammanlagt 16 ungdomar i åldrarna 14–20 år, placerade på fem olika HVB i södra Sverige. I resultatet framträder en genomgående känsla av ovisshet som formas både av strukturella villkor och av... (More) - Att placeras på HVB är en av de mest ingripande insatserna inom socialt arbete. För ungdomar innebär den ofta att tillvaron blir präglad av förändring och en känsla av att framtiden är osäker. Licentiatuppsatsen fördjupar kunskapen kring existentiella utmaningar som kan uppstå i denna process. Studien har en teoretisk utgångspunkt i existentiell filosofi och fokuserar på hur grundläggande livsvillkor blir särskilt påtagliga i ungdomars liv under institutionsvistelsen.
Det empiriska materialet består av deltagande observationer och intervjuer med sammanlagt 16 ungdomar i åldrarna 14–20 år, placerade på fem olika HVB i södra Sverige. I resultatet framträder en genomgående känsla av ovisshet som formas både av strukturella villkor och av existentiella utmaningar. Utmaningar som framträder är att behöva omorientera sig i en ny livssituation, hanterar livsavgörande val, bära existentiell skuld utifrån tidigare händelser och försöka föreställa sig en möjlig framtid bortom institutionen. Ungdomarna brottas också med att försöka urskilja sitt eget handlingsutrymme i en tillvaro där de upplever sig intvingade i en passiv och maktlös position samt att bära olika erfarenheter av existentiell ensamhet.
Studien bidrar med en fördjupad förståelse av HVB som en gränssituation där grundläggande existentiella villkor blir särskilt tydliga. Resultatet pekar på behovet av att utveckla ett etiskt lyhört förhållningssätt till placerade ungdomars existentiella frågor som inte patologiserar existentiella erfarenheter. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/3c354cbf-d85b-459f-9d55-f8224939f3c6
- author
- Assarsson, Johan LU
- supervisor
- opponent
-
- Fil. Dr. Andersson, Peter, Stockholm University
- organization
- alternative title
- Existential challenges among young people in residential care : Freedom, anxiety and the basic conditions of life
- publishing date
- 2025-10
- type
- Thesis
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Existentiell ångest, HVB, Ungdomar, Existentiellt socialt arbete, Existential anxiety, Residential care, Youths, Existential social work
- in
- Research Reports in Social Work
- volume
- 2025:3
- pages
- 104 pages
- publisher
- Lund University (Media-Tryck)
- defense location
- Gamla köket, Sh128, Allhelgona Kyrkogata 8, Lund
- defense date
- 2025-11-28 13:15:00
- ISBN
- 978-91-989360-7-0
- 978-91-989360-8-7
- project
- Existential challenges among young people in residential care
- language
- Swedish
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 3c354cbf-d85b-459f-9d55-f8224939f3c6
- date added to LUP
- 2025-10-29 09:14:42
- date last changed
- 2025-11-03 08:57:54
@misc{3c354cbf-d85b-459f-9d55-f8224939f3c6,
abstract = {{When young people are placed in residential care (HVB) it is one of the most<br/>far-reaching interventions in social work, often involving significant<br/>disruptions to their everyday lives, future outlook, and sense of self. While<br/>such placements frequently raise questions about meaning and freedom these<br/>challenges remain largely unexplored from an existential perspective in both<br/>research and practice. This study aims to explore the lived experiences of<br/>existential challenges among young people (age 14 – 20) in residential care<br/>(HVB), and to examine the opportunities and dilemmas of applying an<br/>existential perspective in this context. Drawing on existential philosophy, the<br/>study focuses on how ontological conditions of existence manifests in<br/>everyday life in residential care. The empirical material consists of interviews<br/>(N:11) and participatory observations, involving a total of 16 youths across<br/>five different residential care facilities in southern Sweden.<br/>The first paper explores existential dimensions in the youths lived<br/>experience of being in residential care. The findings indicate that their<br/>experience is marked by a fundamental uncertainty, shaped by both structural<br/>conditions and existential challenges. The study concludes that existential<br/>anxiety and uncertainty are deeply intertwined in youths’ everyday lives in<br/>care as a result of handling existential challenges such as reorientation,<br/>impermanence and discerning and situating their freedom.<br/>The second paper examines how the youths experience existential<br/>loneliness, understood as an awareness of being fundamentally separate from<br/>others. The findings indicate that the youths lived experiences of existential<br/>loneliness were characterized mainly by a sense of not being understood, of<br/>being reduced to a client and of lacking emotional recognition. At the same<br/>time, moments of togetherness and everyday conversation emerged as<br/>meaningful and alleviated the emotional burden of loneliness.<br/>The study conceptualizes residential care as a boundary situation in which<br/>fundamental ontological conditions become salient. It highlights the need for<br/>ethically sensitive and carefully reasoned responses to young people’s<br/>existential challenges, mindful of organizational dilemmas and the risk of<br/>pathologizing existential struggles.}},
author = {{Assarsson, Johan}},
isbn = {{978-91-989360-7-0}},
keywords = {{Existentiell ångest; HVB; Ungdomar; Existentiellt socialt arbete; Existential anxiety; Residential care; Youths; Existential social work}},
language = {{swe}},
note = {{Licentiate Thesis}},
publisher = {{Lund University (Media-Tryck)}},
series = {{Research Reports in Social Work}},
title = {{Existentiella utmaningar hos unga på HVB : Frihet, ångest och livets grundvillkor}},
url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/231639746/Johan_Assarsson_-_WEB.pdf}},
volume = {{2025:3}},
year = {{2025}},
}