Vilken mening!? En blandad metodstudie i religionspsykologi av meningsskapandets betydelse för skolungdomar

Abstract in English

The purpose of the study was to explore the role of religion in the development of a meaning system among Swedish adolescents by examining the interactions of their: sense of coherence (SOC), identity process (U-MICS), moral development (SRM-SF), and views on existential and religious questions.

The study used a Mixed Methods Design, with a Sequential Explanatory Strategy consisting of quantitative and qualitative parts. In the quantitative part of the study, 90 students in 8th grade, 50 girls and 40 boys, participated. The qualitative part of the study consisted of 24 semi-structured interviews drawn from the original group.

According to the results, there was a relation between SOC and the following variables in the identity process (U-MICS): commitment to school and reconsideration of commitment to friends, and commitment to school and perception of the importance of religion. The SOC value among girls was significantly lower than among boys. The results did not indicate a significant relationship between moral development, SOC values, and the religious variables.

In the qualitative interview results, the participants in the commitment phase relating to school expressed more satisfaction with their school situations and relationships than those who were predominantly in the reconsideration of commitment phase. Those with a higher level of commitment to school were also more likely to express the view that religion was important in life. Interview material showed that those young people who expressed the belief that religion was important in life today or believed that religion constituted a potential future source of strength dominated the group with higher SOC. The results served to reinforce theoretical perspectives on the meaning-making function of religion. The study results suggest that safe and trustful relationships with peers and adults related closely to SOC values among these adolescents and were singled out as their most important sources of strength and support in life.