Our Research
What is Karakter? |
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Karakter is a developmental research study focused on examining how everyday emotional experiences are related to positive personal growth in Syrian origin young adults who have recently resettled in the Netherlands.
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Why is this project important? |
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Around the world, the number of people who seek or have refugee status is increasing. Within the Netherlands, there are at least 200,000 people with refugee status, many of whom are young adults of Syrian origin. Young adults who seek or have refugee status are likely to come from places where they have been exposed to major life-changing hardship, affecting their mental health and well-being.
The difficult times that young adults who seek or have refugee status often face can bring about many challenges. However, they may also lead these young adults to experience personal growth, in the form of character development. Until now, there is very little research about how this happens. There are social and financial complications of integrating people who have resettled in the Netherlands into their new communities, making it important to better our understanding of adaptation and growth in people who have been exposed to trauma and chronic stress. The primary aim of the Karakter project is to identify factors of positive development in young adults of Syrian origin. The results of this study can provide knowledge on how to further the prosperity of young adults who have resettled in the Netherlands as they continue to grow and build communities. |
Who funds this project? |
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The John Templeton Foundation.
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How is the study being conducted? |
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The Karakter project is a developmental research study -- this means that our study involves a number of sessions over a period of time. At present, we have been funded to conduct 4 sessions over 13 months (but we expect to receive additional funding for future assessments).
At this time, we have recruited 168 young adults who are between the ages of 18 and 35, who are of Syrian origin, and who have been in the Netherlands for at least 6 months, but for less than 5 years to participate. The primary project is projected to end in June, 2020. We have been using different methodologies to conduct our study. These different methodologies are needed to gain a comprehensive understanding of emotions and personal growth in young adults of Syrian origin who are resettling in the Netherlands.
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