Stress og kroppslig regulering hos unge innsatte gutter- toleransevindumodellen som ramme for å belyse stress og kognitiv fungering.

Abstract

Denne masteroppgaven retter fokus mot sammenhengen mellom stress og kognitiv fungering. Det finnes godt empirisk belegg for en slik sammenheng. Derfor ønsker jeg å se på hvordan stressaktivering kan gjenkjennes og hvilke innganger som finnes til kroppslig regulering. Hovedinformantene i denne studien er unge innsatte gutter. Støtteinformanter er ansatte i et ungdomsfengsel. Jeg har benyttet semistrukturerte intervjuer. Møtene er gjennomført i samtaleform der informantenes historier og språk kommer tydelig frem. Jeg har benyttet en fenomenologisk tilnærming, både i møtene, analysen og i diskusjon av funnene. Toleransevindumodellen brukes som fortolkningsramme i analysen. Modellen tilhører et paradigme med vitenskapsteoretiske teorier, oppfatninger og begreper som tilhører en tverrfaglig og flerfaglig tilnærming til hvordan mennesket fungerer i relasjon til omgivelsene. Analysen viser guttenes historie, hvordan skole fungerer i fengsel, deres stressaktivering og muligheter til regulering. Konklusjonen på studien er at guttene har høy stressaktivering. Fortellingene deres kan ikke entydig slå fast i hvilken grad dette henger sammen med familiehistorie. Alle har hatt kognitive utfordringer på skolen, men trives med undervisningen i fengselet. Studien konkluderer også med at må gå varsomt og informert frem hvis man skulle ønske å implementere kroppslige stressreguleringsverktøy for disse guttene. Oppgaven avsluttes med noen forslag til hvordan toleransevindumodellen kan benyttes som verktøy i skolen og indikerer dermed at forståelsesmodellen er av betydning for å forstå læringsutfordringer for mange barn.

This master thesis focuses on the relationship between stress and cognitive function. There is good empirical coating for such a connection. Therefore, I want to look at how stress activation can be recognized and what inputs exist for bodily regulation. The theoretical foundation is based in part on recent neuro-scientific research on stress also connecting stress to cognitive reactions. Research on yoga, meditation, physical activity and play as regulatory tools indicate what works for whom and the challenges in implementing these tools in school settings. The main informants in this study are three male inmates, ages 15 to 19, from two different prisons. In addition, I have three informants, working in a juvenile prison. A phenomenological approach is used in conversation with the informants to facilitate their own words and stories. The descriptive part of the analysis describes the young informants' stories about their family background, attention and learning throughout primary school, and how this works in prison. In the analytic part the juveniles talk about what sort of physical activity that they tend to appreciate, their access to emotions and perception, and how they relate to aggression and acting out. The employees speak around the same subjects concerning young male inmates in general. The findings are interpreted using the 'window of tolerance' model, which is an imaginary presentation of how to understand the different levels of stress-activation and regulation. The findings show that the young boys have had challenges in relation to cognitive functioning at school. However, adapted education works well in prison, and quite a few of the boys are able to complete parts of their education as inmates. In relation to emotions, affect regulation, and understanding of their own bodily reactions, they have challenges. They express a need of control and are unwilling to approach own sensory signals. These findings point to the need to proceed with caution when it comes to regulatory tools. Further research is presented through a few simple models, which hopefully can be of use in school-settings, the Norwegian Correctional Service, as well as other institutions and activity systems. This concerns knowledge and understanding, communication and language, stress-regulation, acceptance, and access to cognitive functioning.