Caring Science Youth Research during Three Decades in the Light of Eriksson's Caritative Caring Theory.

Background: International research notes the challenges facing youth research and it is, therefore, urgent to examine its own knowledge base to be able to provide the lay of the land and uncover research gaps in caring science youth research. This study examines several decades of the development of caring science youth research. Aim: The aim of this study was twofold - to explore and discuss caring science youth research in the light of Eriksson's Caritative Caring theory during a period of three decades and to uncover research areas or topics within youth research during that time. Methodology: The data consists of 46 theses that deal with young people written in Åbo Akademi University from 1990 to 2020. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The results of the thematic analysis was mirrored against the Caritative Caring theory and the development of caring science. Results: A paradigm shift in caring science has influenced youth research. Caring science has put its special stamp on youth research to discover a new substance. Research areas uncovered were a young person's multifaceted health dimensions and suffering, a young person as a patient in need of caring encounters, caring and learning in education of young nursing students. The substance of these topics has changed focus during the three decades. The caring science perspective gives a special focus such as highlighting existential issues among young persons. Conclusion: Caring science has put its special stamp on youth research to discover a new substance through its specific focus on ontological dimensions of health and suffering and on existential life questions among the youth. The view on young people's health and health promotion, their caring needs and learning processes, has changed during three decades in the light of Eriksson's theory. Further research in caring science youth research should focus on these deeper existential dimensions for the purpose of developing basic research and uncovering the social life conditions in which the youth of today lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]