Research
Professor of Social Work Department of Social and Psychological Studies
Associate Professor in Public Health
My research explores the social and mental well-being of children and adolescents, with a focus on how contextual understandings of risk and protective factors can inform efforts to improve young people’s living conditions and access to support. Key areas include the psychosocial school environment, health and learning, experiences of violence and bullying, and the perspectives of young people with autism and ADHD.
My research is driven by the ambition to generate knowledge that is directly relevant for health promotion and preventive interventions. I work to develop and implement sustainable approaches that foster mental health and equity in schools and in services for young people and their families. Central to this is collaboration with those most affected—young people, parents, and professionals—and a commitment to participatory approaches that bridge research and practice. Intersectoral collaboration between schools, social services, and healthcare is a core dimension of my work.
I apply interdisciplinary perspectives in both research and teaching, drawing on social work, public health, sociology, psychology, gender studies, and educational science. My methodological approach combines quantitative and qualitative methods.
In addition to my role as researcher and lecturer in social work at the Department of Social and Psychological Studies, I serve as Director of the Centre for Research on the Mental Health and Life Circumstances of Children and Youth - CBU - at Karlstad University as of January 1, 2026.
Links to project descriptions
Descriptions of research projects
Hand in Hand We Stand
The SOFIA study
Evaluation of Stop! Min kropp!