Swedish Program Research Articles

In pursuit of social emotional learning in a Swedish pre-service teacher education programme: A qualitative study of intended curriculum

This study aimed to investigate the intended curriculum of a K-3 pre-service teacher education programme at a large university in Sweden and its focus on social emotional learning. Regulatory documents and semi-structured interviews with course leaders were examined through abductive content analysis. An implicit focus on pre-service teachers' social learning was identified. Further research is needed to examine a) how successful social learning can be without an explicit focus on the development of emotional skills; and b) what pre-service teachers' own social emotional learning means when it comes to their readiness and ability to support pupils’ social emotional development.

Can extended health communication improve newly settled refugees' health literacy? A quasi-experimental study from Sweden.

Structural and contextual factors such as limited work and housing opportunities negatively affect the health and well-being of newly settled refugee migrants in receiving high-income countries. Health promotion initiatives aiming at strengthening health and integration have been tried out within the Swedish Introduction program for refugee migrants. However, longitudinal evaluations of these interventions are rare. The aim of the current study was to compare the effectiveness of a regular and an extended civic orientation course with added health communication and examine whether the latter would improve self-rated health and psychological well-being, health literacy and social capital among newly settled refugee migrants in Sweden. Pre- and post-assessment questionnaires were collected from the intervention group receiving the extended course (n = 143) and a control group receiving the regular course (n = 173). Linear mixed models and chi-square analyses showed a significant increase with a small effect size (0.21) in health literacy in the intervention group. However, there were no significant changes in emotional and practical support, general self-rated health or psychological well-being. The findings indicate that added health communication provided embedded in the civic orientation course can increase health literacy. However, further longitudinal studies are needed to confirm the sustainability of the observed effect and examine whether these short-term improvements in health literacy translate to long-term advances in health and integration.

The Swedish Apparatus of Contract Archaeology and its Entanglement with Society

The Swedish contract archaeology (CA) system has witnessed changes and new goals in the last couple of decades, becoming more steered by the market while new demands have come from Swedish cultural heritage legislation and policies for producing relevant knowledge to society and widening the inclusion of the public. In this paper I examine the Swedish CA system and programs from its three main parties, according to critical heritage studies by Rodney Harrison, especially focusing on the governing tool ‘apparatus’. Criticism, conveyed for instance in a recent survey, has claimed that the apparatus of Swedish CA is unsustainable and inefficient in its present form. This includes deficiencies in the relationships between the parties and with actors and stakeholders outside the system. There is also a democratic discrepancy towards the new heritage goals. I suggest that Harrisons critical view on heritage could be used to argue for changes in the role and boundaries of Swedish CA, taking into accord the conditions of local contexts, interests and needs of communities. An active stance for a more dialogical and inclusive nature of communication could diminish the risk for dissonance, conflict, and negative impacts while creating conditions for positive outcomes and values in society.

What graduates want in teacher education

ABSTRACT To understand what to improve in initial teacher education to better prepare teachers for their profession, we asked alumni (N = 93) from three Swedish initial teacher education programs, what in their education they thought had benefited them the most in preparing them for a teaching career, and what they thought was lacking given their professional needs. Questionnaire responses yielded seven categories: leadership, practicum, didactics, teaching methods, assessment, and personal development. Our results show that the practicum is seen as very valuable and that alumni wish they had been taught more about leadership in the classroom, and teaching methods. On the other hand, there is little evidence that the alumni value the theoretical parts of their programs, including scientific inquiry, in contrast to what research says is essential and what national regulations demand. Differences in replies between the three programs are also discussed and related to the features of the programs.

In their own voices: immigrant mothers’ experiences and perceptions of the group-based self-assured parents programme for parents in disadvantaged areas in Sweden

ABSTRACT Culturally responsive parenting interventions are crucial for immigrant parents in disadvantaged areas. This qualitative study delves into the experiences of 18 immigrant mothers (Mage = 41.2 years) from Somalia, Syria, Turkey, Eritrea, and Iraq participating in the Swedish Self-Assured Parents programme, targeting immigrant parents who live in social disadvantage with teenage children. Thematic analysis revealed seven main themes (1) the meaning of the programme content and structure, (2) enjoying oneself and being comfortable, (3) putting the adolescent in the centre, (4) mothers’ own socioemotional development, (5) changing from being a passive reactor to an active agent, (6) empowered citizenship, and (7) having always been a strong and good mother. Overall, the mothers were positive about both the content and the format of the programme, appreciating the warm and supportive climate. They also perceived themselves as being more attentive to adolescent needs, having improved their own socio-emotional skills, and being empowered both as a citizen and as a mother on account of attending the programme. With the development of culturally responsive programmes that take into account the unique needs and experiences of diverse populations, governments can effectively support parents, promote child positive development, and help cultivate social cohesion among the members of society.

Participants' Experiences of Sex Offender Treatment: Searching for Desisting Narrative Identities.

Life-course criminology has demonstrated the importance of social relationships and life transitions to understand desistance. Yet, individuals convicted of sexual offenses seem to differ in terms of turning points, where treatment is suggested as salient to their desistance processes. Drawing on 13 teller-focused interviews with adult male incarcerated participants in a new Swedish sex offender program, this paper examines the treatment experience and the under-explored aspect of early desistance, as well as the role of society and social relations in the treatment process, through a practice-oriented lens. The thematic analysis suggests participants started developing desisting narrative identities where micro turning points in treatment contributed to offenses being explained and re-integrated into a sense of the self as an acceptable person. The process, which also enabled active responsibility, seemed to be facilitated by a holistic, person-centered treatment environment. Nonetheless, continued desistance requires adequate attention to social support and stigma management post-release.

The vocational teacher, an inventor in special needs education: A study on Swedish vocational programmes

Upper secondary vocational education and training (VET) in Sweden has been subject to frequent educational policy reforms which have resulted in reduced numbers of students and student groups comprising many students with special education needs (SEN). These changes can be assumed to have resulted in increasing demands on VET teachers’ work with special needs education (SNE). The purpose of this study is to contribute knowledge about VET teachers’ conditions for, and work with, SNE in Swedish VET programmes. An analysis of interviews with 15 teachers from eight VET programmes revealed the following themes: 1) Framework factors in the learning environments affecting teaching and learning, 2) The schools’ organisation of special educational competence and the VET teachers’ application of special needs education, 3) Communicative teaching for increased knowledge of students’ strengths and needs, 4) Adaptations at individual and group level, 5) Integration of theory and practice, and 6) Reconsidering teaching approaches through follow-ups. The analysis, based on Skrtic’s theory, reveals a dichotomy in the VET teachers’ conditions for, and work with, SNE. In the schools, a bureaucratic approach is applied where overriding goals are attributed high value, while the VET teachers strive for an adhocratic approach where the teaching is based on their students’ needs. Based on Ainscow’s theory, the analysis shows that the VET teachers take an interactive learning environment-related approach, which means that, based on their understanding of the students’ difficulties, they develop adaptations to stimulate their students’ learning and development.

Актуальність використання людського капіталу на підприємствах: міжнародний аспект

The aim of the article is to analyze the relevance of the use of human capital in enterprises in the international context. According to the results of the carried out study, it has been found that human capital is becoming a key factor of competitiveness at the international level. The article examines the relevance of the use of human capital in international enterprises and its impact on their competitiveness. Various approaches to the development and training of staff in different countries of the world, in particular in Japan, the USA, Sweden and Germany, are analyzed. Through the analysis of various models of corporate training and staff management, the article highlights the features of each country and the most effective practices. In particular, Japanese domestic study programs, American corporate universities, Swedish financial well-being programs, and the German dual education system are considered. A general analysis of approaches to the use of human capital in Japan, the United States, Sweden and Germany indicates a significant variety of methods and strategies used in enterprises in these countries. At the same time, there is some convergence in efforts to improve personnel policy and use innovative approaches to human capital management. Japan and Germany focus on long-term development and loyalty to the company, the United States on flexibility and adaptation to change, and Sweden on well-being and social responsibility. The study highlights the importance of adapting human capital management strategies to the specific conditions of each country and to the particular sector of the economy, with a focus on ensuring high productivity, efficiency and competitiveness of enterprises in the global market environment. The carried out analysis helps to understand how each country adapts to the challenges of the modern labor market and the development of its staff.

Exploring Movement in Creative Dance: Introducing ‘Dancemblage’ in Physical Education Teacher Education

Materialities play a crucial role in both the educational practice of physical education (PE), and in physical education teacher education (PETE). This article explores how, often unnoticed, materialities, human as well as non-human, play part in movement exploration in creative dance in PETE. The methodological point of departure is a pedagogical unit in creative dance enacted as part of an optional dance course in a Swedish PETE program where movement exploration was studied. In the unit, students and a teacher collaboratively explored movement and movement assignments, including the use of materialities. In order to understand how materialities ‘co-act’ in movement exploration during class, this article provides a post-anthropocentric and Deleuzian approach. The concept dancemblage is introduced both as a way to analyse materiality and as something to work with in pedagogical practice. Moreover, the article suggests that by recognising dancemblages in creative dance teaching, teachers can be given a tool to further learn about learners’ explorations and to become open to divergent understandings about what it means to participate in creative dance.

Considerations needed for analysing data from the Swedish Electrofishing RegiSter (SERS), with special reference to the RivFishTIME database of long-term riverine fish surveys

The published database RivFishTIME (Comte et al. 2021, Global Ecology and Biogeography, doi: 10.1111/geb.13210) includes a large section of time-series data on fish abundance in Swedish rivers from the Swedish Electrofishing RegiSter, SERS. Knowledge about the limitations of the source data are important when extracting and analyzing data and with this brief note we provide some details that may be helpful for interpreting the Swedish time-series. The note highlights the importance of linking vital metadata to extracted focal data when constructing new databases, especially concerning time series data from monitoring programs conducted in non-randomly selected sites with human environmental impacts. Many of the SERS data come from rivers that have been affected by human impact, e.g. liming to mitigate environmental acidification and hydropower dams, since before monitoring was initiated. Data in SERS are also biased towards shallow salmonid habitats, due to the configuration of Swedish monitoring programs. Hence, data from many rivers are not representative of their fish biodiversity in general. This information is vital for appropriate interpretation of fish biodiversity trends. For RivFishTIME analyses considerations are important since Swedish data constitutes a large proportion of the database. We also provide background information about SERS and references to other Swedish databases containing complementary information. Finally, we provide contact information of the SERS database curators, who can assist prospective analysts with data extraction from SERS.

Making the BEST decision-the BESTa project development, implementation and evaluation of a digital Decision Aid in Swedish cancer screening programmes- a description of a research project

BackgroundSweden has a long tradition of organized national population-based screening programmes. Participation rates differ between programmes and regions, being relatively high in some groups, but lower in others. To ensure an equity perspective on screening, it is desirable that individuals make an informed decision based on knowledge rather than ignorance, misconceptions, or fear. Decision Aids (DAs) are set to deliver information about different healthcare options and help individuals to visualize the values associated with each available option. DAs are not intended to guide individuals to choose one option over another. The advantage of an individual Decision Aid (iDA) is that individuals gain knowledge about cancer and screening by accessing one webpage with the possibility to communicate with health professionals and thereafter make their decision regarding participation. The objective is therefore to develop, implement and evaluate a digital iDA for individuals invited to cancer screening in Sweden.MethodsThis study encompasses a process-, implementation-, and outcome evaluation. Multiple methods will be applied including focus group discussions, individual interviews and the usage of the think aloud technique and self-reported questionnaire data. The project is based on The International Patient Decision Aid Standards (IPDAS) framework and the proposed model development process for DAs. Individuals aged 23–74, including women (the cervical-, breast- and CRC screening module) and men (the CRC screening module), will be included in the developmental process. Efforts will be made to recruit participants with self-reported physical and mental limitations, individuals without a permanent residence and ethnic minorities.DiscussionTo the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first attempt aimed at developing an iDA for use in the Swedish context. The iDA is intended to facilitate shared decision making about participation in screening. Furthermore, the iDA is expected to increase knowledge and raise awareness about cancer and cancer screening.Patient or public contributionLay people are involved throughout the whole development and implementation process of the digital DA.Trial registrationNCT05512260.

Does fear-of-failure mediate the relationship between educational expectations and stress-related complaints among Swedish adolescents? A structural equation modelling approach.

This study investigated the possible mediating role of fear-of-failure between educational expectations and adolescent stress-related complaints with a specific focus on gender differences among Swedish adolescents, and related these findings more broadly to school-related demands and stress-related complaints. A total of N = 5504 Swedish adolescents (Mage = 15 years, SD = 0.0 years, 50.2% girls) were drawn from the 2018 Swedish Programme for International Student Assessment study for our investigation. We used structural equation models to explore if fear-of-failure mediates the relationship between educational expectations and negative affect, with a specific focus on gender differences. Educational expectations were utilized in the measurement model. Fear-of-failure was constructed as a latent mediating variable. Negative affect was constructed as a latent variable and utilized as an outcome variable. We subsequently undertook bootstrapping tests of indirect effects and non-linear comparisons of indirect effects to assess the reliability of the results. Fear-of-failure partially mediated the association between educational expectations and negative affect (39%). Our gender-specific structural equation model demonstrated that this relationship was more pronounced for girls, suggesting girls are more vulnerable to negative affect as a result of experiencing higher levels of fear of failing. The findings suggest that fear-of-failure partially explains the association between educational expectations and negative affect and that this association is more pronounced for girls. This study provides insights into better understanding adolescent stress-related complaints, and the differential role fear of failing has in regards to gender.

The Palamas Archaeological Project. A preliminary report of the 2022 fieldwork conducted by the ongoing Greek–Swedish archaeological field programme in Palamas, region of Karditsa, Thessaly

This paper presents the preliminary results from the 2022 fieldwork of the Palamas Archaeological Project, an ongoing Greek–Swedish collaboration in the region of Karditsa, Thessaly. Working over the course of two separate field seasons, the project team conducted aerial, architectural, fieldwalking, and geophysical surveys at a number of sites within the survey area, including at the important multi-phase fortified settlements at Metamorfosi and Vlochos. Limited excavations were also conducted at the latter site, producing new evidence for the Hellenistic and Early Byzantine phases of the ancient city, including a probable cemetery. The work continues to add to the knowledge of the archaeology of the region, highlighting the long and dynamic history of human habitation in western Thessaly.

Child–Adult Contract for Prevention of Tobacco Use: “As-Treated” Analysis of a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial (the TOPAS Study) at 3-Year Follow-Up

To estimate the effect of a 3-year commitment to remain tobacco free on tobacco uptake among high school students in Sweden. The commitment is developed in the form of a contract between a child and a significant adult, constituting the core component of Tobacco-free Duo (T-Duo), a Swedish school-based tobacco prevention program. Secondary analysis of data from a cluster randomized controlled trial. Participants were 586 students in high schools assigned to the intervention arm of T-Duo. At inception, participants attended grade 7 (i.e., age 12–13). Only students who were tobacco naïve at baseline for the respective outcome and participated in all follow-ups were included. The exposure was defined as signing a 3-year contract with a significant adult, categorized as “stable contract” (3 years contract with the same contract partner), “unstable” (signed a contract sometime during follow-up but this was not sustained over time and/or with the same partner), and “no contract” at all during the intervention period. The primary outcome was having never tried cigarette smoking at the end of grade 9. Exposure and outcomes were self-reported in yearly questionnaires. Of 586 students, 321 (55%) held a stable contract, 204 (35%) an unstable contract, and 61 (10%) did not sign a contract at all. At the end of grade 9 (age 15–16), the relative risk (RR) to remain cigarette free was 1.11 (95% CI 1.00–1.22) (Number Needed to Treat = 10) among students in any type of contract compared to students that did not write a contract at all. The RRs for remaining tobacco free (secondary outcomes) ranged from 1.07 (0.98–1.16) for regular snus use to 1.16 (1.00–1.35) for any type of tobacco use. A commitment to remain tobacco free through a child–adult contract seems to exert a preventive effect on the uptake of tobacco use among Swedish adolescents over 3 school years. The current findings apply to a selected sample of both schools and students. Registration: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN52858080 Date: January 4, 2019, retrospectively registered.

Figurant types in scenario-based exercises

Scenario-based exercises employing figurants are frequently used in vocational education worldwide. The purpose of these exercises is to help the students develop practical knowledge and skills on their way to becoming professional practitioners. While previous research often concentrates on the exercises’ design, level of realism and complexity, there is a knowledge gap regarding the use of figurants, not least when it comes to advantages and disadvantages with different figurant types. The aim of this study is to investigate how, why and in what type of exercises figurants are used in Swedish police education. The empirical material derives from interviews with teachers, students, and figurants from five Swedish police education programmes, focusing on the interviewees’ experience of the use of internal, external, and semi-external figurants in distinctive exercises. The three figurant types were attributed specific effects on the implementation of exercises and were perceived as having different advantages and disadvantages depending on the purpose of each exercise, the impact being particularly noticeable in relation to levels of realism, permissive environments, the counterpart perspective, safety concerns, feedback, and simulation competence. The choice of figurant type has an equally important impact on the outcome of the scenarios as other factors, and there is a need for more research on the use of figurants in relation to student learning.

Effects of a phonics intervention in a randomized controlled study in Swedish second-grade students at risk of reading difficulties.

Teaching phoneme awareness to children at risk for early reading difficulties has been recognized as successful in several studies. In this randomized controlled trial (RCT)-study, we add to this research by optimizing core procedural as well as teaching components in a phonics-directed intervention and extend the RCT reading intervention research into a semi-transparent language context. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a novel Swedish intensive phonics program. This randomized controlled pre-test and post-test intervention study targeted second-grade students with early reading difficulties. Students were identified by a repeated screening procedure and allocated to intervention (n = 34) and control (n = 34) conditions. A 9-week intensive phonics-based program was administrated one-to-one, by special education teachers in Swedish mainstream elementary schools. Results show an improvement in the intervention group, compared with the controls on all outcome measures. Findings indicate that the supplementary phonics program, delivered with high intensity, can significantly increase word reading skills and reading comprehension in second-grade students with early reading difficulties.

Visual Function after Implantation of Diffractive Extended Depth-of-Focus Intraocular Lenses in Eyes with Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma.

The aim of this prospective study was to compare the visual functions of extended depth-of-focus intraocular lenses (EDOF IOLs) and monofocal IOLs in eyes with mild to moderate primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). Cataractous eyes with POAG controlled using medical treatments, no central visual field defects, and mean deviation (MD) values of -10dB or better on the 30-2 test grid of the Swedish Interactive Threshold Algorithm standard program were included. Twenty-two eyes of 22 patients received EDOF IOLs (ZXR00V and ZXV150-375; J&J), whereas 24 eyes of 24 patients received monofocal IOLs (ZCB00V and ZCV150-375; J&J). MD values, corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), and photopic contrast sensitivity were measured at 3months after surgery. Noninferiority of CDVA and contrast sensitivity in eyes with EDOF IOLs to eyes with monofocal IOLs were examined. The postoperative mean MDs of eyes with EDOF and monofocal IOLs were -2.76dB and -4.21dB with no significant difference. The CDVA of eyes with EDOF IOLs was noninferior to that of eyes with monofocal IOLs (P = 0.02). There were no inferiority in contrast sensitivity at any spatial frequency (P < 0.001). The visual function of EDOF IOLs in eyes with mild-to-moderate POAG was not inferior to that of monofocal IOLs. Registered in the Japan Registry for Clinical Research (identifier: jRCTs032200218).

Young People’s Stories of School Failure and Remedial Trajectories – Clues to Prevention of School Absenteeism and Early School Leaving

This article aims to increase knowledge of ways to counter school absenteeism and early school leaving. It analyses stories of youths who either attended or probably would be referred to a Swedish remedial program because of failure to complete compulsory education. Histories of school absenteeism were frequent in both groups. Most participating students reported that a holistic approach, individually adapted support, and a respectful socio-emotional environment helped them to regain self-esteem and school motivation. The findings indicate essential factors for prevention of school absenteeism and early school leaving.

Insights from the early generations of the Swedish rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) breeding program

ABSTRACT This study aimed to gain insights about the status of the Swedish breeding program through studying key phenotypic traits. In total, 133 and 73 full-sib families were formed during the reproductive seasons of 2016 and 2019, respectively. Growth-related recordings were available from two occasions: ∼ 9 and 24–27 months post-hatch. A preliminary descriptive analysis of the fecundity and early embryo survival identified substantial differences in favor of G0 (year class 2016) which was partly explained by the fact that first-time 3-year-old spawners were used in G1 (year class 2019). Moderate to high heritability values (0.23–0.49) were obtained for body length and weight across both time points and generations. Furthermore, the prediction accuracy of the estimated breeding values was ∼0.65, while the expected genetic gain was 36 g per year. Overall, our results demonstrate the positive performance of the Swedish rainbow trout breeding program.

Probability of independent walking and wheeled mobility in individuals with cerebral palsy.

To estimate the probability of independent walking and wheeled mobility in individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) at home and in the community in relation to age and gross motor function. This was a longitudinal cohort study using data reported into the combined Swedish CP follow-up programme and national quality registry from October 2000 to October 2022. Walking, walking with aids, wheeled mobility, and assisted mobility defined independent or assisted mobility at home and in the community, based on the Functional Mobility Scale with additional data on wheelchair performance, were assessed. There were 52 858 examinations reported for 6647 individuals with CP (age range 0-32 years, follow-up period 0-22 years). Most children and adults in Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I or II walked without assistive devices. The probability of dependence on others for mobility in the community was high for both children and adults in GMFCS levels III to V. Although independent mobility is vital for participation and social inclusion, many children and adults with CP are dependent on others for mobility. We recommend clinicians, together with families and individuals with CP, explore how to increase access to independent mobility from an early age and continuously throughout the life course. • There is a high probability of independent walking in Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I to II. • Mobility options vary most at home and in the community in GMFCS level III. • Being dependent on others for mobility is likely in GMFCS levels III to V.