Camilla Wasserman

I am a public health researcher with degrees in Anthropology and Health Sciences. My research activities focus on youth and their mental health. I develop mental health promotion interventions, collaborate on program adaptation and evaluation, and design and analyze qualitative research studies, some of which have been adjacent to larger epidemiological studies. In all my work I set out to center youth, inviting their experiences and the meanings and vocabulary they attribute to events and everyday life to take center stage.

I am co-creator of the evidence-based mental health promotion program Youth Aware of Mental health (YAM) designed to empower youth in reflecting on mental health and developing problem-solving skills and solidarity through play and discussion with their peers.

I am currently heading Youth Play, a research project about mental health and leisure. This investigative effort aims to center youth and their real-life conditions through the exploration of leisure. The initiative seeks to illuminate the impact of meaningful leisure on youth mental health while identifying barriers that hinder access to meaningful free time. The Youth Play project fills a gap in mental health research by turning to a qualitative exploration of the leisure context and experience.

I recently developed a new educational curriculum for adult professionals who work with young people. The course centers youth experiences and will support adults in how to build trust with young people in order to create a better psycho-social environment for all. In the course, adults will consider their positioning vis-à-vis youth through immersive exercises and role-play.

In the fall of 2023 I initiated Karolinska Institutet's first Network for Qualitative Researchers. KI is a productive environment for qualitative research, but inquiry is confined by department and the network was created in response to the need to facilitate inter-departmental exchange and collaboration.

Youth, Mental Health, Leisure, Mental Health Promotion, Qualitative Research