Strik og hæklings betydning for unge voksnes mentale trivsel

Abstract

In recent years there has been a significant increase of young adults taking up different types of craft activities, in particular knitting and crocheting. Researchers in the field of mental health amongst young adults suggest that this emerging trend can be seen as a response to the psychological impact of the COVID-19 lock-downs and the climate crisis that we’re currently facing. Furthermore, statistics from the Danish Health Au-thority indicate that the mental health of young adults in Denmark is continuously de-creasing, which is why we find it interesting to investigate the connection between mental health and the hobbies; knitting and crocheting. Previous studies have found significant benefits of knitting and crocheting, and they all emphasize that it can have a positive impact on mental health. To our knowledge no studies have investigated the possible negative impacts that could be associated with the hobbies. Therefore this the-sis aims to examine the field in a more nuanced way. To investigate this objective, the following research question was formulated: How do young adults experience knitting and/or crocheting, and what impact do these experiences have for their mental health? By employing a reflective lifeworld research approach, combining phenomenological and hermeneutic perspectives, this thesis examines the research question through seven loosely-structured interviews. The participants were all Danish adults between 18-30 years old who knit and/or crochet on a regular basis. The interviews were audio rec-orded and later transcribed and coded. Thereafter, the data was presented in a descrip-tive thematic analysis. This inductive approach allowed us to answer the research ques-tion based on the experiences of the participants. The themes that were identified in-cluded 1) personal development and identity, 2) sensory experiences and environmen-tal awareness, 3) mental health and well-being, and 4) knitting and crocheting in a so-cial and digital context. The results of the study confirm the positive benefits of knitting and crocheting found in previous studies, as it can be calming, help process difficult thoughts, create an experience of flow and boost confidence in various ways. Further-more it indicates that it simultaneously can have a negative impact on one's mental health if the participants don't have enough energy to work on a certain project, if the project is too difficult, and/or as a result of internal or external expectations. Subsequently we applied theoretical perspectives to further enlighten these experiences while interpreting them in a more general context. By employing a moderate eclectic theoretical approach it was therefore possible to examine nuances ranging from indi-vidual factors to societal impact. First we applied theories from positive psychology to explain the positive emotions all of the participants experienced. These theories could confirm the results of previous studies in the field, who also tend to focus more on this theoretical perspective. To further investigate identity development and how this might be affected by a societal context, we applied psychological theories of personality and identity. Finally we applied critical theories in order to explain how societal expecta-tions can impact the experiences of the participants. These theories could therefore fur-ther enlighten the external and internal expectations the participants experienced. In the discussion of the research methods and methodology, we argued that there’s a strong connection between the research question, the methodology and methods uti-lized. Furthermore, we examine the objectivity, validity and generalizability of the the-sis according to the standards of reflective lifeworld research. Finally we discussed the empirical findings in light of previous and future re-search. By focusing on investigating a broader spectrum of the experiences linked to knitting and crocheting, the thesis have found results that indicate how these experienc-es can be both good and bad for one’s mental health, which therefore indicates a more nuanced understanding of the phenomenon. Overall knitting and crocheting seem to mainly have a positive impact on mental well-being, but the results of this thesis also emphasize that these impacts must be understood in a societal context. We argue that external stressors, pressure and expectations can lead to internalized expectations which can be carried into one's hobby, potentially resulting in negative experiences. Therefore further scientific research is encouraged.

A master thesis from Aalborg University

Strik og hæklings betydning for unge voksnes mentale trivsel - Et refleksivt livsverdensstudie

[The Impact of Knitting and Crocheting for Young Adults' Mental Well-Being - A Reflective Lifeworld Research Study]