For several decades, reports on increasing levels of mental illness among youths, in Sweden and globally, have multiplied. In investigating reasons for this, one finding has been that self-reported complaints could frequently be related to everyday problems rather than mental illness, among students in lower secondary school. Three areas of everyday problems have been identified in the questionnaires that alarm reports are often based upon: the body, school, and relationships. The aim of this article is to further investigate adolescents’ experience of everyday problems connected to relationships and to social norms. Data from seven focus groups with students from lower secondary schools in southern Sweden was qualitatively analysed, with a phenomenological ethnographic approach. The findings show how adolescents navigate social norms and the multiple pressures to achieve. This knowledge will be important in developing school-based interventions and demonstrates the importance of including young people’s perspectives in mental health research.

The nursing program is intended to prepare students for future occupational life. One role for nurses in thenursing occupation includes being prepared to communicate well in various patient situations. The aim of thisstudy was to describe variations in nursing students’ conceptions of a drama workshop to practically illustratecommunication in nurses’ work. This qualitative study was conducted at a university in southern Sweden. Interviewswith 15 nursing students were conducted and the data were analyzed using a phenomenographicapproach. Four descriptive categories were identified through the analysis: ‘Conceptions in relation to thedevelopment of empathy’, ‘Conceptions in relation to “my” learning’, ‘Conceptions in relation to personaldevelopment of professional identity’ and ‘Conceptions in relation to the understanding of applying pedagogythrough drama as a method’. This study illustrates that the use of drama in nursing education can increasenursing students’ understanding of professional communication relating to the care of patients. To use drama asan educational method provides opportunities to develop nurses’ professional identity and professional role.Moreover, drama can act as a teaching strategy that increases the understanding of theory through practical exercises.