Frida Åström

Lecturer
Department of Social work , School of Health and Welfare
Presentation Publications

Research

After completing her PhD, Frida has coordinated and conducted research in the Nordic research project EXPECT, which examines the consequences of the Covid‑19 pandemic restrictions for Nordic preschools. Read more here: https://ju.se/en/research/research-groups/child/research-projects/expect.html

Recently, Frida and her colleagues received funding from NordForsk for the project HOPE, which aims to investigate the living conditions of children and young people with disabilities and/or a migrant background. Read more here: https://www.nordforsk.org/projects/navigating-vulnerability-post-pandemic-social-sustainability-migrant-children-disabilities  

Frida's thesis work "Everyday life in preschool - Swedish and international approaches" contributes with a snapshot view of preschool everyday life from various perspectives. It also contributes a new observational method to study children's and preschool staff's everyday environments and activities in preschools in Sweden, Portugal and the US, as well as children's participation in the Swedish preschool free play.

A popular science report in Swedish aimed at preschool staff has been written and it is based on Frida's thesis and some additional analyses from Participation and Engagement in Preschool International (PEPI): En Dag i Förskolan

In addition, Frida and colleagues have created a reflection material in PowerPoint based on the report "En dag i Förskolan". It is in Swedish and intended to be used as a competence development tool in the work team at preschools. It may be used freely, but users are asked to cite the authors. You download the reflection material (pptx) by clicking this link: Reflektionsmaterial

Biography

Frida holds a PhD in Disability Research from the School of Education and Communication at Jönköping University (2023). She also holds a Master of Science in Psychology from Örebro University (2014) and a Bachelor of Science in Cognitive Neuroscience from the University of Skövde (2011).

Research environment

Frida is affiliated with the research environments CHILD and Studies on Integrated Health and Welfare (SIHW), with a focus on the theme Social Perspectives on Health and Welfare.

Article

Björck, E., Åström, F., Öhman, C. (2025). Early Childhood Intervention and Inclusion in the Swedish Welfare System Infants and young children, 39(1), 51-68. More information
Ritoša, A., Åström, F., Björck, E., Borglund, L., Karlsson, E., McHugh, E., Nylander, E. (2023). Measuring Children's Engagement in Early Childhood Education and Care Settings: A Scoping Literature Review. More information
Åström, F., Almqvist, L. (2022). Patterns of Observed Child Participation and Proximity to a Small Group including Teachers in Swedish Preschool Free Play Frontiers in Education, 7. More information
Åström, F., Björck-Åkesson, E., Sjöman, M., Granlund, M. (2022). Everyday environments and activities of children and teachers in Swedish preschools Early Child Development and Care, 192(2), 187-202. More information
Coelho, V. Åström, F. Nesbitt, K. Sjöman, M. Farran, D. Björck-Åkesson, E. , ... Pinto A. (2021). Preschool practices in Sweden, Portugal, and the United States Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 55, 79-96. More information
Åström, F., Khetani, M., Axelsson, A. (2018). Young Children's Participation and Environment Measure: Swedish Cultural Adaptation Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics, 38(3), 329-342. More information

Doctoral thesis

Åström, F. (2023). Everyday life in preschool – Swedish and international approaches (Doctoral thesis, Jönköping: Jönköping University, School of Education and Communication). More information

Book chapter

Åström, F., Ritoša, A. (2025). Främja engagemang hos förskolebarn. In: Mara Westling Alloda & Heidi Selenius (Ed.), Specialpedagogisk forskning och tidiga insatser (pp. 203 -218). Stockholm: Stockholm University Press More information

Conference paper

Åström, F. (2019). Characteristics of Swedish Inclusive Preschools Where Children with Special Support Needs Are Highly Engaged. International Society on Early Intervention Conference, Sydney, Australia, June 25-28, 2019. More information

Other publications

Ritoša, A., Mc Hugh, E., Nylander, E., Åström, F., Karlsson, E. (2021). Assessing young children’s engagement in preschool - a scoping review protocol [protocol]. More information

Dataset

Åström, F. (2022). Mönster i barns observerade delaktighet och närhet till liten grupp med lärare i den svenska förskolans fria lek. Göteborg: Svensk nationell datatjänst More information
Åström, F., Sjöman, M. (2020). Vardagsmiljöer och aktiviteter hos barn och personal i svenska förskolor. Göteborg: Svensk nationell datatjänst More information