Julian Busch

Ruhr-Universität Bochum | RUB · Faculty of Psychology

The goal of this cross-cultural and multi-site project is to investigate social norm enforcement strategies of mother-child dyads in different cultural milieus.

Approximately 5-10% of the general population in Germany identify as part of the LGBTIQ*-community (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex, queer). It is likely that the number is higher among refugees, as sexual orientation or gender identity can be a reason to seek asylum. Due to the influx of immigration to Germany, there has also been an increase of LGBTIQ* refugees. The research project “AsyLGBTIQ*” aims at exploring the psychological well-being and social participation of LGBTIQ refugees in Germany. It is funded by the State Ministry for Children, Family, Flight and Integration of North-Rhine Westphalia. Three main research questions will be examined: 1. What are psycho-social resources and stressors for LGBTIQ*-refugees? 2. Do LGBTIQ*-refugees have specific challenges and distinctive needs? 3. What is the current state of LGBTIQ* refugees’ social participation? To what extent are their needs met by supportive measures?

GESYRES is an interdisciplinary project at the Ruhr-University Bochum. The project was initiated in 2015 by researchers of the Faculty of Psychology, and was joined by researchers from the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Faculty of Medical Sciences in early 2017. The research group focuses on Syrian families with young children who sought refuge in Germany during the past few years. Syrian refugees are a vulnerable population due to its vast number of experienced stressors (e.g. malnutrition, sleep deprivation, travelling) and adverse life events (e.g. armed conflict, torture, loss of loved ones, and loss of property) during the war and flight period, as well as during the post-migration phase. It is essential to establish systematic knowledge about refugee families’ psychosocial status, risk and protective factors with impact on developmental outcomes to establish tailored health care programs and social interventions. The aim of GESYRES is to develop a coherent picture of biopsychosocial factors that influence the health needs of Syrian refugee families, as well as their social-cultural adjustment and psychological adaptation. A multi-method longitudinal design will provide evidence for the applied research questions: a. Which psychosocial resources and burdens are characteristic for Syrian refugees? b. What are the implications of experiencing armed conflict and forced displacement for developmental pathways in early childhood and for sociocultural as well as psychological adaptation processes in adulthood? c. Which protective factors and risk factors are typical for this vulnerable group? How are these factors related to each other? d. How can prevention and intervention programs be effectively developed and improved? Furthermore we will investigate basic research questions, such as: a. Are there epigenetic effects of experiences of forced displacement on development? b. Is there an association between biomarkers of stress and adverse experiences? c. Is there an intergenerational transmission of psychopathological symptoms? d. What is the impact of accommodation settings on sociocultural adaptation and health status? e. How can common test procedures be adapted for refugee populations in a cultural sensitive manner? The project is in its pilot phase. Testing began in February 2017. In May 2017, additional data will be collected in refugee camps for displaced persons in Northern Iraq. Team: Birgit Leyendecker Hanna Lembcke Thimo Buchmüller Julian Busch (Developmental Psychology, ICFR) We cooperate with: Omar Chehadi, Medical Psychology Prof. Dr. Robert Kumsta, Genetic Psychology