The meaning of seasonal changes, nature, and animals for adolescent girls’ wellbeing in northern Finland: A qualitative descriptive study
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...
Published in: | International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being |
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:b3cff9a378124afbb65c5367978fca0d 2023-05-15T17:42:13+02:00 The meaning of seasonal changes, nature, and animals for adolescent girls’ wellbeing in northern Finland: A qualitative descriptive study Varpu Wiens Helvi Kyngäs Tarja Pölkki 2016-02-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3402/qhw.v11.30160 https://doaj.org/article/b3cff9a378124afbb65c5367978fca0d EN eng Taylor & Francis Group http://www.ijqhw.net/index.php/qhw/article/view/30160/45147 https://doaj.org/toc/1748-2631 1748-2631 doi:10.3402/qhw.v11.30160 https://doaj.org/article/b3cff9a378124afbb65c5367978fca0d International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being, Vol 11, Iss 0, Pp 1-14 (2016) Wellbeing adolescents girls Northern Finland gender seasonal changes nature and animals Medicine (General) R5-920 article 2016 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3402/qhw.v11.30160 2022-12-30T22:14:33Z 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. Article in Journal/Newspaper Northern Finland Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being 11 1 30160 |
institution |
Open Polar |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Wellbeing adolescents girls Northern Finland gender seasonal changes nature and animals Medicine (General) R5-920 |
spellingShingle |
Wellbeing adolescents girls Northern Finland gender seasonal changes nature and animals Medicine (General) R5-920 Varpu Wiens Helvi Kyngäs Tarja Pölkki The meaning of seasonal changes, nature, and animals for adolescent girls’ wellbeing in northern Finland: A qualitative descriptive study |
topic_facet |
Wellbeing adolescents girls Northern Finland gender seasonal changes nature and animals Medicine (General) R5-920 |
description |
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. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Varpu Wiens Helvi Kyngäs Tarja Pölkki |
author_facet |
Varpu Wiens Helvi Kyngäs Tarja Pölkki |
author_sort |
Varpu Wiens |
title |
The meaning of seasonal changes, nature, and animals for adolescent girls’ wellbeing in northern Finland: A qualitative descriptive study |
title_short |
The meaning of seasonal changes, nature, and animals for adolescent girls’ wellbeing in northern Finland: A qualitative descriptive study |
title_full |
The meaning of seasonal changes, nature, and animals for adolescent girls’ wellbeing in northern Finland: A qualitative descriptive study |
title_fullStr |
The meaning of seasonal changes, nature, and animals for adolescent girls’ wellbeing in northern Finland: A qualitative descriptive study |
title_full_unstemmed |
The meaning of seasonal changes, nature, and animals for adolescent girls’ wellbeing in northern Finland: A qualitative descriptive study |
title_sort |
meaning of seasonal changes, nature, and animals for adolescent girls’ wellbeing in northern finland: a qualitative descriptive study |
publisher |
Taylor & Francis Group |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3402/qhw.v11.30160 https://doaj.org/article/b3cff9a378124afbb65c5367978fca0d |
genre |
Northern Finland |
genre_facet |
Northern Finland |
op_source |
International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being, Vol 11, Iss 0, Pp 1-14 (2016) |
op_relation |
http://www.ijqhw.net/index.php/qhw/article/view/30160/45147 https://doaj.org/toc/1748-2631 1748-2631 doi:10.3402/qhw.v11.30160 https://doaj.org/article/b3cff9a378124afbb65c5367978fca0d |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3402/qhw.v11.30160 |
container_title |
International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being |
container_volume |
11 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
30160 |
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1766144056007589888 |