The performativity of surveys: Teenagers’ meaning‐making of the 'Health Behavior in School‐aged Children Survey' in Sweden

• Published in: Children & society Vol. 35; no. 3; pp. 428 - 444
• Main Authors: Wickström, Anette, Zeiler, Kristin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.05.2021
• Subjects: Adolescents; Children; constructions of childhood; Health behavior; Health problems; Health status; health surveys; Life satisfaction; Meaning; meaning-making; Mental disorders; Mental health; Performativity; Polls & surveys; Science and technology; Shame; Socioeconomic status; Sociology of science; Student behavior; Teenagers

The Health Behaviour in School‐Aged Children survey contains scales intended to measure life satisfaction, mental health problems and socioeconomic status. This article takes inspiration from science and technology studies and analyse the survey as performative. It also examines subjective meaning‐m...