FAQ
Here you can find the answers to our frequently asked questions. if you can't find your answer here or you have any questions during the study please do not hesitate to contact us through the channels on our Contact page.
What is the study about?
Karakter is a project focused on understanding positive development after adversity in young adults from Syrian origin who have recently resettled in the Netherlands.
Why is the study important?
Within the Netherlands, there are many people with refugee backgrounds who are likely to come from places where they have been exposed to major life-changing hardship that can affect their mental health and well-being. On the other hand, these difficult experiences can also lead to personal growth. It is important to increase our understanding of growth in people who have been exposed to adversity, so that the prosperity of young adults who seek or have refugee status in the Netherlands can be improved.
What do I receive for my time and effort?
You will receive financial compensation of up to €50 depending on how many parts of the study you complete.
You can choose to receive this compensation in the form of a bank transfer or vouchers. If you complete all parts of the study, you can also enter our lottery and have the chance to win a tablet.
You can choose to receive this compensation in the form of a bank transfer or vouchers. If you complete all parts of the study, you can also enter our lottery and have the chance to win a tablet.
…additionally we will host some optional events that you can join. Note that participation in these events is free and not obligatory, you can
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- participate in free, interactive seminars at Tilburg University and Utrecht University about different topics related to psychology and earn a certificate.
- share your personal story and/or creative work in an electronic book.
- share your knowledge and culture during a festive event where we share our research findings and celebrate Syrian food, music and dance.
What are the requirements for participation?
To participate, you should be between 18 and 35 years old and living in the Netherlands for no less than 6 months, and no longer than 5 years. You should also originally be from Syria and be able to read and write in Arabic.
Do I have to speak fluent English or Dutch?
No, all questionnaires will be in Arabic. Additionally, there will always be someone available who can speak Arabic to answer any questions you may have during or after the study.
How long will the study take?
The study will occur over a period of 13 months. During this time, there will be 4 sessions in total, for which we will ask you to be available to us for 2-3 hours. In the first three sessions you will complete questionnaires in a location that is convenient to you – the research team will visit you. In the fourth session, you will complete the questionnaire online.
After each of the first 3 sessions, we ask you to answer brief surveys on a smartphone for 1 week. You can complete these surveys anywhere using your smartphone. If you do not have a smartphone, we will provide you with one for the week.
During this week you also have the option to participate in an additional part of the study, in which a smartphone apps takes brief audio recordings of your environment during 2 days. To participate in this part of the study you won’t need to invest any extra time as the audio recordings will automatically start and end after the two days have passed. They will be recorded from a smartphone that we will provide to you, so again you can participate in this part from wherever you are.
After each of the first 3 sessions, we ask you to answer brief surveys on a smartphone for 1 week. You can complete these surveys anywhere using your smartphone. If you do not have a smartphone, we will provide you with one for the week.
During this week you also have the option to participate in an additional part of the study, in which a smartphone apps takes brief audio recordings of your environment during 2 days. To participate in this part of the study you won’t need to invest any extra time as the audio recordings will automatically start and end after the two days have passed. They will be recorded from a smartphone that we will provide to you, so again you can participate in this part from wherever you are.
What are the questionnaires about?
The 4 sessions will be used to assess your character, emotions and personality. Also, questionnaires will be used to collect data on positive and negative parts of your past and present life experiences.
The measurements on the smartphone will consist of brief surveys that will ask you about what you are thinking, feeling and doing throughout your day.
The measurements on the smartphone will consist of brief surveys that will ask you about what you are thinking, feeling and doing throughout your day.
What happens if I forget to complete some of the questionnaires on my smartphone?
Don’t worry, you will have two extra days to catch up on the surveys that you have missed. However, try to complete as many questionnaires as possible; if you complete most of the surveys you will receive a higher compensation, and if you complete all 35 surveys you receive an additional lottery ticket, which will increase your chances to win a prize.
What are the audio recordings?
The audio recordings can be understood as a tool to capture the emotions people experience in real-time. They allow us to directly measure expressions of emotion, such as laughter.
Automatic recordings will not be made non-stop, but infrequently (for 30 seconds every 5-and-a-half minutes) via smartphone provided to you.
Automatic recordings will not be made non-stop, but infrequently (for 30 seconds every 5-and-a-half minutes) via smartphone provided to you.
How will these audio recordings be made?
If you decide to participate in this part of the study you will always borrow a phone from us. So you do not need to download a recording app on your own device. During the study the recordings will automatically start and end after two days have passed. In the face-to-face session we will tell you when recordings will start. We will provide you with everything you need so that after the recording period is over, you can send the phone back to us through certified mail, or arrange for us to collect the phone from you in person.
What if I am in a situation where I do not want to be recorded for a while?
This is not a problem. You can pause the recordings any time by clicking the privacy button in the app on the smartphone. Audio recordings will automatically start again after 10 minutes.
What if I have questions throughout the study?
We will provide assistance throughout the whole study. We will meet with you in person for the first 3 sessions and can answer your questions then. We will also show you how to use your smartphone to complete the surveys after each session as well as the audio recordings if you want to take part in those. For the 4th session, a dedicated researcher will contact you and be available for your questions by e-mail and text. If you have any other questions at any point during or after your participation, you can always e-mail us: karakterproject@uu.nl or message us on Twitter or Facebook.
What do I have to do after each session?
In case you have not borrowed a smartphone from us and do not participate in the audio recordings, we will only contact you to tell you that the session has ended and to ask you to confirm your address to make sure that you receive your reimbursement.
If you have borrowed a smartphone from us to participate in the smartphone questionnaires and/or audio recordings, we will provide you with instructions on how to return the phone, and will get in touch with you to make arrangements.
If you have borrowed a smartphone from us to participate in the smartphone questionnaires and/or audio recordings, we will provide you with instructions on how to return the phone, and will get in touch with you to make arrangements.
What happens with my personal information?
We will treat your personal information very carefully. Any information you provide will be anonymous; your answers cannot be connected to your identity. Only the researchers and supervising institutions will have access to your personal data, but they are not allowed to make it public with your name or share it with others.
What if I do not want to participate anymore?
You can stop participating at any point in time. This will have no consequences for you.
If you do decide to stop please let us know by emailing to karakterproject@uu.nl, we will remove you from our contact lists so you won’t receive updates during the rest of the study.
If you do decide to stop please let us know by emailing to karakterproject@uu.nl, we will remove you from our contact lists so you won’t receive updates during the rest of the study.
Can participation affect my personal life or asylum procedure?
No, your participation is anonymous, COA, IND, and other government agencies will not have access to your data. Participation will not affect your procedure or status in any way.
Can my participation have a negative effect on my psychological well-being?
We do not anticipate that your participation will have a serious negative impact on your psychological state. However, some of the questions can make you think about stressful things that are currently happening or have happened in your life. This is similar to how you might feel when writing in a diary.
It is very important to us that you feel good about your participation in our study. So, if you experience any negative effects because of your participation, please let us know. You can reach us through any of the channels on our Contact page.
It is very important to us that you feel good about your participation in our study. So, if you experience any negative effects because of your participation, please let us know. You can reach us through any of the channels on our Contact page.