Facts

Contact person:
Madeleine Sjöman
Financer:
  • Swedish Agency for Participation
  • The Swedish National Council of Adult Education
Responsible at MaU:
Madeleine Sjöman
Project members at MaU:
Time frame:
01 September 2025 - 26 June 2026
Faculty/department:
Research subject:

Project description

This project aims to critically examine structural and pedagogical conditions shaping health-promoting practices within Swedish folk high schools, with a particular emphasis on the design of educational provision and learning environments for individuals diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). The study further seeks to interrogate the extent to which these institutional practices may function as enabling mechanisms for fostering future orientation, psychological well-being, and trajectories toward autonomy and labor market participation among young adults with NDD.

Empirical Framework

The empirical design comprises a multi-method approach, including:

  • Scoping review to establish the conceptual and theoretical foundations of health promotion within Folk high schools for individuals diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD)
  • Qualitative inquiry through semi-structured interviews with participants enrolled in the general course at folk high schools who have a clinically verified NDD diagnosis, as well as with institutional leadership and pedagogical staff engaged in these programs.
  • Quantitative component in the form of a survey distributed to the entire population of general course participants and associated staff, aimed at generating comparative and generalizable insights.

Expected Scholarly Contribution

The project is anticipated to advance the theoretical and empirical understanding of how folk high school education—particularly the general course—can be conceptualized within a health promotion framework. It will illuminate the interplay between institutional arrangements, pedagogical strategies, and psychosocial outcomes, thereby contributing to knowledge on how such educational contexts may operate as sites for resilience-building, mental health enhancement, and social inclusion for young individuals with NDD.