Fanny Gyberg

I hold a PhD in Psychology and am a Senior Lecturer at Karlstad University, as well as Deputy Director of the Centre for Research on Children’s and Young People’s Mental Health and Living Conditions (CBU).

My research focuses on identity development from developmental, social, and narrative psychological perspectives. I am particularly interested in how identity is shaped in relation to social, cultural, and institutional contexts and how these processes are influenced by minority status, marginalization, and experiences of, in various ways, standing outside normative expectations.

I work with both qualitative and quantitative methods and have a broad interest in how stories, both individual and collective, contribute to people’s identities. My research has examined global patterns of identity processes, integration across identity domains, and narratives related to ethnicity, gender, sexuality, family, and cultural norms. A recurring focus in my work is how culture and social conditions shape young people’s possibilities to create meaning and coherence in their lives.

Current research:

OWN YOUR BODY - A colloboration with University of Gothenburg, where youth with ASD and their experiences of sexting are investigated. PI: Jonas Burén. Funder: Allmänna barnhuset.

SCHOOLING, DEVELOPMENTAL PATHWAYS, AND SCHOOL EXPERIENCES FOR STUDENTS WITH NEUROPSYCHIATRIC DISABILITIES - By utilizing data from the SOFIA study in combination with narrative interviews, the project aims to generate knowledge about students' development and school experiences over time. The goal is to examine gendered developmental trajectories and experiences of how interventions, measures, and support have functioned from a long-term perspective. PI: Åsa Olsson. Funder: Vetenskapsrådet.

Co-supervisor for Emma Westerberg, a doctoral student at KaU, working on her dissertation within the research project VULVODYNIA INTERVENTION (VI): THE EFFECT OF MULTIMODAL TREATMENT FOR VULVODYNIA. PI and main supervisor: Ida Flink. Funder: Forte.

I currently teach in the Psychology Programme, the Master’s Programme in Psychology with a focus on the Future and Global Survival, the Social Work Programme, the Behavioural Science Programme, and various standalone courses. I also teach at Ingesund School of Music. Previously, I taught at the University of Gothenburg and held temporary teaching assignments at University West and Stockholm University. Since 2023, I have been employed at Karlstad University.

Internationally, I am involved in the International Society for Research on Identity (ISRI), where I serve as the International Member at Large. Through ISRI, I participate in and contribute to conversations on identity, intersectionality, and developmental processes across the lifespan within the global academic community.

I defended my PhD in 2019 with the dissertation IDENTITY: Understanding aspects of process, content, and structure in context at the University of Gothenburg. My supervisors were Professor Ann Frisén (University of Gothenburg) and Professor Moin Syed (University of Minnesota).

My dissertation examined identity as a multidimensional phenomenon and showed how young adults in Sweden explore, negotiate, and organize different life domains and forms of belonging. Through both quantitative and narrative analyses, I highlighted how experiences of fitting in, comparing oneself to others, and balancing conflicting identifications are shaped within a sociocultural context.