Chasing Efficiency Can operational changes fix European asylum systems? Bertelsmann Stiftung Migration Policy Institute Europe March 2020

The heightened arrivals of asylum seekers and migrants on European shores in 2015–16 sent policymakers across the continent scrambling for new strategies to manage migration. Proposals to reform the European Union’s legal framework for asylum were the first out of the starting blocks but, several years later, no such agreement has been reached. And with new EU leadership having taken office in late 2019, Brussels is hungry for fresh ideas that will either revive or reform the Common European Asylum System (CEAS). Crucial to this search will be a recognition that, while deficiencies still plague Europe’s asylum systems, these systems have changed significantly since the onset of the migration and refugee crisis—even in the absence of legal reforms

Somatic and emotional well-being among Turkish immigrants in Belgium: acculturation or culture?

The present studies investigate differences in well-being between Turkish immigrants, Belgian majority members, and Turkish majority members. Furthermore, the relationships between two acculturation dimensions (adaptation and maintenance) and well-being is investigated within the immigrant group. In a first study, somatic well-being is studied in a sample of 519 Belgian majority members, 229 Turkish immigrants, and 232 Turkish majority members. Turkish immigrants reported the most somatic complaints, followed by Turkish majorities, and Belgian majorities. No relationships with acculturation were found. In a second study, emotional well-being (sadness/anxiety, anger, and positive emotions) was investigated in 519 Belgians, 151 Turkish immigrants, and 200 Turkish majority members. No differences were found for sadness/anxiety. Turkish majority members report less anger than the other two groups. For positive emotions, Turkish majority members score the lowest, followed by the Turkish immigrant group and the Belgian majority members. In the immigrant group only adaptation was associated with more positive emotions. Both studies demonstrate that indices of well-being behave differently in cross-cultural comparative research

Chasing Efficiency: Can operational changes fix European asylum systems? Bertelsmann Stiftung Making Asylum Systems Work in Europe Initiative February 2020.

The heightened arrivals of asylum seekers and migrants on European shores in 2015–16 sent policymakers across the continent scrambling for new strategies to manage migration. Proposals to reform the European Union’s legal framework for asylum were the first out of the starting blocks but, several years later, no such agreement has been reached. And with new EU leadership having taken office in late 2019, Brussels is hungry for fresh ideas that will either revive or reform the Common European Asylum System (CEAS). Crucial to this search will be a recognition that, while deficiencies still plague Europe’s asylum systems, these systems have changed significantly since the onset of the migration and refugee crisis—even in the absence of legal reforms. The mounting pressure on asylum systems as arrivalsrose in 2014 and 2015 left European countries, and especially those on the asylum seekers’ travel routes, no other choice but to tackle deficiencies head on, from incomplete registration of newcomers to poor reception conditions and lengthy asylum procedures. These and other problems were neither new nor unknown to national and EU policymakers, but the institutional crises that followed the large-scale arrivals fostered change where multiple rounds of EU legal reforms and funding from the Asylum, Migration, and Integration Fund (AMIF) had struggled to do so. This sense of urgency was underpinned by recognition that fair and swift asylum procedures were needed not only to guarantee access to protection for those in need, but also to deter misuse of asylum systems and to maintain public and political support. State and nonstate actors began to dissect asylum and return systems and find answers to persistent questions, including why reaching a final decision on certain asylum cases took so long and why certain rejected asylum seekers were so difficult to return to their countries of origin. A common conclusion was that these issues demanded not (solely) legal but often process-focused solutions. Across Europe, Member States tested new or revamped old ideas to improve the operation of their asylum systems as they register those seeking protection, offer them reception and material assistance, investigate their protection claims, and then, depending on the outcome of their cases, integrate or return them. This was a period of intense innovation, driven by necessity. The task now is to take what has been learned about practices that foster swift, high-quality asylum processes and explore how the European Union can best promote their application across the bloc

Development of the Ghent Multidimensional Somatic Complaints Scale

The present study aimed at developing a new scale that operationalizes a hierarchical model of somatic complaints. First, 63 items representing a wide range of symptoms and sensations were compiled from somatic complaints scales and emotion literature. These complaints were rated by Belgian students (n = 307) and Belgian adults (n = 603). Exploratory factor analyses identified a gastrointestinal, cardiorespiratory, pain, temperature regulation, and fatigue factor. Next, the number of complaints was reduced to 18. Second, the short scale, called the Ghent Multidimensional Somatic Complaints Scale (GMSC), was administered to Belgian students (n = 735), Belgian adults (n = 664), and Turkish adults (n = 222). Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that a higher-order model with five first-order and one second-order factor fitted best. Regression analyses demonstrated that the first-order factors were differentially related to anxiety, depression, anger, age, and gender. In sum, the GMSC scale offers the possibility to assess individual differences in somatic complaints from a hierarchical perspective

Voluntary child soldiering : a case-study of the anti-apartheid struggle

In this thesis, I present a theoretical framework in which children's voluntary participation in armed conflict becomes a reasonable act within their social environment. I argue that in order to gain a more analytical understanding of why children volunteer, social scientists require an in-depth knowledge of the political, social and economic conditions in which they join up And of the meanings that children attach to those situations and their reactions. Prior quantitative data on the social distribution of child volunteering have often been used to proclaim that `the most vulnerable of the vulnerable' are recruited. On the basis of a discourse analysis of UNHCR's policies and activities in relation to under-age recruitment, I illustrate my claim that dominant Euro-American conceptualisations of childhood have primarily shaped research and humanitarian aid regarding child soldiering and resulted in the portrayal of child soldiers as innocent victims who are corrupted by adult wars. I subsequently go on to show how a new paradigm for the study of childhood can enhance contemporary knowledge on the social processes and factors that lead children to consider and eventually join a military group or opt for an alternative mode of action to cope with their dire situation. In my qualitative case-study of child soldiering in the anti-apartheid struggle, I found that in joining a political organisation and subsequently its military wing, young South Africans sought to assert their (political) agency within the structural and cultural features that shaped their social environment. Within the context of changing peer and intergenerational relationships, these children carved out more powerful identities for them to address the social injustices that had affected their personal and collective lives

Voluntary child soldiering : a case-study of the anti-apartheid struggle

In this thesis, I present a theoretical framework in which children's voluntary participation in armed conflict becomes a reasonable act within their social environment. I argue that in order to gain a more analytical understanding of why children volunteer, social scientists require an in-depth knowledge of the political, social and economic conditions in which they join up And of the meanings that children attach to those situations and their reactions. Prior quantitative data on the social distribution of child volunteering have often been used to proclaim that `the most vulnerable of the vulnerable' are recruited. On the basis of a discourse analysis of UNHCR's policies and activities in relation to under-age recruitment, I illustrate my claim that dominant Euro-American conceptualisations of childhood have primarily shaped research and humanitarian aid regarding child soldiering and resulted in the portrayal of child soldiers as innocent victims who are corrupted by adult wars. I subsequently go on to show how a new paradigm for the study of childhood can enhance contemporary knowledge on the social processes and factors that lead children to consider and eventually join a military group or opt for an alternative mode of action to cope with their dire situation. In my qualitative case-study of child soldiering in the anti-apartheid struggle, I found that in joining a political organisation and subsequently its military wing, young South Africans sought to assert their (political) agency within the structural and cultural features that shaped their social environment. Within the context of changing peer and intergenerational relationships, these children carved out more powerful identities for them to address the social injustices that had affected their personal and collective lives.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Help-seeking behaviour for internalizing problems

Objective Although adolescent girls from ethnic minorities are at an increased risk of internalizing problems (e.g. depression), only a small fraction seeks formal help for these problems. To enhance help-seeking for internalizing problems among ethnic minority adolescent girls, insight into their help-seeking behaviour is required. This study explored the perceptions of adolescent girls from different ethnic backgrounds regarding their help-seeking behaviour for internalizing problems. Design A qualitative study using focus group discussions (FGDs) was employed. Eight ethnic-specific FGDs were conducted with 50 adolescent girls of mostly Turkish (n=23), Moroccan (n=13), and Dutch (n=10) backgrounds recruited in Rotterdam, a multicultural city in the Netherlands. FGDs were conceptually framed within a help-seeking model, facilitated by a vignette and analysed using NVivo software. Results When describing the internalizing problems presented in the vignette, participants of non-Dutch FGDs tended to state the causes of the problems (e.g. lack of attention) whereas participants of Dutch FGDs mentioned the emotional state. Participants did not perceive the presented internalizing problems as severe. If participants were to face internalizing problems of their own, their decision to seek help would be hampered by negative attitudes towards professionals and school-based services. Particularly in non-Dutch FGDs the fear of parental and friend's reactions was identified as a barrier. Participants identified their mother and a good friend as primary sources of help.ConclusionIn this study, adolescent girls of Turkish, Moroccan and Dutch backgrounds had difficulty recognizing the severity of internalizing problems, and various barriers could hamper their decision to seek help. To enhance utilization of mental health services by youth, promoting a change in their attitudes towards mental health/school-based services is recommended. Guaranteeing confidentiality within school-based services, and training for professionals in communicating with adolescent girls, may also prove beneficial. In ethnic minorities, tackling the negative reactions of family/friends requires attention

Anastomotic leaks in colorectal surgery

Background: Anastomotic leaks are a serious complication of bowel surgery. This study aimed to evaluate the rate and severity, and identify risk factors for leaks in patients undergoing bowel anastomoses. Methods: Prospective evaluation was performed on patients undergoing bowel surgery within a colorectal surgical unit. Anastomotic leak was defined and graded according to severity. A nurse independently collected the information. Stepwise logistic regression analysis was performed. Results: Two thousand three hundred and sixty-three patients underwent 2994 anastomoses. Their median age was 64 years. Seven per cent were emergency operations. Anastomotic leak occurred in 82 patients (2.7%). Sixty-three per cent of leaks were managed with drainage or re-operation. Ultra-low anterior resection (ULAR) was associated with the highest subgroup leak rate (7.3%). In multivariable analysis, independent predictors for a leak included ‘other’ pathologies (iatrogenic injury, ischaemia, radiation enteritis) (P = 0.016, odds ratio (OR): 6.3, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.4–28.0), ULAR (P = 0.001, OR: 8.5, 95% CI: 2.3–31.2) and the surgeon (A: P < 0.001, OR: 3.4, 95% CI: 2.1–5.6). Conclusion: Majority of predictors for anastomotic leak were fairly intuitive. Nonetheless, it was relevant to note the importance of the individual surgeon as an independent predictor for leaks

Why Do Parents with Toddlers Store Poisonous Products Safely?

Unintentional poisoning is a major cause of nonfatal injuries in children aged 0–24 months. Associations between self-reported habits on the child safe storage of medication and cleaning products and family, and psychosocial factors were assessed, using a model based on the Protection Motivation Theory. By identifying correlates of safety behavior in this manner, more insight in factors which influence this behavior is obtained. Health promotion activities in order to promote safety behavior should address these factors in order to increase the effectiveness of the health message. Data were gathered from a cross-sectional survey using self-administered questionnaires, mailed to a population sample of 2470 parents with toddlers. The results indicate that the promotion of safe storage of medication and cleaning products should address the family situation, personal cognitive factors as well as social factors. Interventions should particularly focus on parents' self-efficacy of storing poisonous products in a child safe manner and on the vulnerability of their child in their home concerning an unintentional poisoning incident