Current Research Projects

Young People with Disabilities and Sexual Health
Together with Hanna Öfors at Funktionsrätt Sverige, I am conducting the project Improved Sexual Health as a Basis for Violence Prevention: A Study on Increased Knowledge and Empowerment Among Youth with Disabilities. The project aims to deepen understanding of how staff at habilitation centers and youth clinics work—and could work better—to promote sexual health among young people with mobility impairments. This is both to ensure their right to knowledge and influence over their lives, and to strengthen violence prevention efforts, thereby reducing vulnerability to sexual violence and abuse through increased empowerment.

We have conducted a survey study with two questionnaires tailored to habilitation and youth clinic services to map existing competencies and working methods for the target group.

We are currently conducting interviews with staff from these services to explore challenges and difficulties in more depth, while also pursuing an exploratory aim by discussing development needs and proposed actions.

The project is funded by the Norrbacka-Eugenia Foundation.

DigRep
I am currently leading the Forte-funded research project Representation in the Age of Digitalization: Democratic Consequences of Changing Engagement in the Swedish Disability Rights Movement. We are investigating the challenges faced by patient and disability organizations regarding digitalization, representation, and member engagement during the pandemic, as well as the long-term effects on organizational involvement. The project has carried out:

• A survey of all disability rights organizations in Sweden
• Focus groups and workshops with selected representatives at national and regional levels
• Interviews with selected representatives at the local level
• An analysis and comparison of Instagram accounts run by disability rights influencers versus disability rights organizations
• A case study of the Swedish Covid Association

With funding from the Swedish Agency for Youth and Civil Society (MUCF), we are continuing to explore youth participation and representation in the Swedish disability rights movement through the project Where Are the Youth?
This project addresses the lack of young people in Swedish patient and disability rights organizations and develops strategies to reverse this trend. The aim is to investigate how young people with disabilities perceive barriers and opportunities for engaging in disability rights issues. Based on these insights, the goal is to develop concrete methods and tools for organizations representing this group to become more inclusive. These tools may involve organizational development, new digital communication platforms, and new forms of advocacy and activism.

The background to these projects is a previous study I conducted on behalf of the Council for Disability Issues and the Committee for Human Rights in the Västra Götaland Region. It examined the nature of the disability rights movement, its political advocacy, and its perceived influence (see this link for the report and this link for the scientific article).

Previous Projects on Sexuality and Disability

My most recent research in the area of sexuality and disability was the two-year postdoc project Sexuality – An Accessibility Issue (2019–2021). The aim was to explore how people with various accessibility needs—due to disability, chronic illness, neuropsychiatric diagnoses, etc.—experience how inaccessibility affects their ability to express their sexuality, form relationships, date, and more. The project was based on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, particularly Articles 23 and 25, which address sexuality, family life, and sexual health. The results from the interview study are published in the book Sexuality and Disability (Gleerups 2025). I also conducted a mapping of civil society projects working on sexuality and disability, published at the following link: Access to Sexuality.

In part of the project, I collaborated with Funktionsrätt Sverige and RFSU through their project My Sexuality, My Right (link). We conducted a survey of people with disabilities about sexual health and held workshops with authorities to support them in developing their services. A presentation of our results from autumn 2021 can be seen at the following link: Webinar.

In my doctoral dissertation So Close No One May Go? A Study on Sexuality, Disability, and Personal Assistance, I examined how mobility-impaired users of personal assistance, personal assistants, and assistance managers think about and handle support related to sexuality. I also analyzed documents addressing these issues. The results are presented in four scientific articles and the dissertation summary (link).

For two years, I worked at the University of Leeds in England on the postdoc project Sexual Citizenship and Disability (link). The study compared England, the Netherlands, and the state of New South Wales in Australia regarding policy on sexual support and how disability rights organizations and other relevant actors work with these issues. The results are presented in the book Sexual Citizenship and Disability: Understanding Sexual Support in Policy, Practice and Theory.

In a smaller project, I studied sex education at the National Upper Secondary School for Students with Mobility Impairments (see the article Cripping Sex Education, link).

Other Research Projects

On behalf of the Public Health Agency of Sweden, I conducted a mapping literature review on motivational interviewing (MI) about sexual health with young people, and whether the method can be considered effective in HIV and STI prevention work. The results are presented in a report and in the article Motivational Interviewing as Evidence-Based Practice? (link).

I teach in the social work bachelor's and master's programs and supervise doctoral student Ida Hall. I also guest lecture at other institutions and universities in Sweden.

My research often involves collaboration with civil society, and I am happy to lecture for staff and authorities working with disability issues.

I am currently conducting a project with FUB Uppsala County where we are developing easy-to-read material based on my book Disability and Sexuality.

I also lead a study circle for young people with disabilities based on my book, in collaboration with Folkuniversitetet in Malmö.