How Migration Status Shapes Susceptibility of Individuals’ Loneliness to Social Isolation

Objectives: Our research provides competing hypotheses and empirical evidence how associations between objectively social isolation and subjective loneliness differ between host populations, migrants, and refugees.Methods: The analysis uses data of 25,171 participants from a random sample of the German population (SOEP v.35). We estimate regression models for the host population, migrants, and refugees and test five hypotheses on the association between social isolation and loneliness using a Bayesian approach in a multiverse framework.Results: We find the strongest relative support for an increased need for social inclusion among refugees, indicated by a higher Bayes factor compared to the hosts and migrants. However, all theoretically developed hypotheses perform poorly in explaining the major pattern in our data: The association of social isolation and loneliness is persistently lower for migrants (0.15 SD−0.29 SD), with similar sizes of associations for refugees and the host population (0.38 SD−0.67 SD).Conclusion: The migration history must be actively considered in health service provision and support programs to better cater to the needs of the different groups

The Crowdsourced Replication Initiative: Investigating Immigration and Social Policy Preferences. Executive Report.

In an era of mass migration, social scientists, populist parties and social movements raise concerns over the future of immigration-destination societies. What impacts does this have on policy and social solidarity? Comparative cross-national research, relying mostly on secondary data, has findings in different directions. There is a threat of selective model reporting and lack of replicability. The heterogeneity of countries obscures attempts to clearly define data-generating models. P-hacking and HARKing lurk among standard research practices in this area.This project employs crowdsourcing to address these issues. It draws on replication, deliberation, meta-analysis and harnessing the power of many minds at once. The Crowdsourced Replication Initiative carries two main goals, (a) to better investigate the linkage between immigration and social policy preferences across countries, and (b) to develop crowdsourcing as a social science method. The Executive Report provides short reviews of the area of social policy preferences and immigration, and the methods and impetus behind crowdsourcing plus a description of the entire project. Three main areas of findings will appear in three papers, that are registered as PAPs or in process

Social Networks and Refugee Mental Health – From Social Isolation to Family Reunification

Geflüchtete sind aufgrund ihrer Fluchterfahrung eine besonders vulnerable Gruppe. Dennoch fehlt es an Wissen über den Ressourcengewinn und andere schützende Faktoren, die mentale Gesundheit von Geflüchteten positiv beeinflussen. In dieser Dissertation wird ein soziales Ressourcenmodell der psychischen Gesundheit von Geflüchteten entwickelt, das theoretische Überlegungen aus der Soziologie und Gesundheitsforschung kombiniert (Kapitel 1). Darüber hinaus leistet diese Dissertation einen Beitrag zum Verständnis sozialer Ressourcenverluste und -gewinne sowie deren Zusammenhänge mit der psychischen Gesundheit von Geflüchteten unter Verwendung des Sozio-oekonomischen Panels. In Kapitel 2 werden Theorien zum Bedarf sozialer Ressourcen, emotionaler Taubheit und der Selbstselektion konkurrierende Hypothesen zur Stärke des Zusammenhangs zwischen sozialer Isolation und Einsamkeit bei Geflüchteten, der Aufnahmebevölkerung sowie anderen MigrantInnen getestet. Die Anfälligkeit unter sozialer Isolation an Einsamkeit zu leiden ist bei Geflüchteten und der Aufnahmebevölkerung gleich ausgeprägt. Kapitel 3 untersucht die Familienstrukturen von Geflüchteten nach der Flucht. Unter Anwendung sozialer Netzwerktheorie und der Theorie zu familiären Rollenbeziehungen weisen die Analysen auf einen signifikant positiven Zusammenhang zwischen der Größe der Kernfamilie und der psychischen Gesundheit hin. Darüber hinaus zeigt sich, wie die Trennung von der Kernfamilie mit einem niedrigeren Niveau der psychischen Gesundheit von Geflüchteten korreliert. Kapitel 4 betrachtet Familienzusammenführungen von Geflüchteten in Deutschland und wie dieser Ressourcengewinn mit deren psychischer Gesundheit zusammenhängt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Familienzusammenführung mit der Kernfamilie einen signifikant positiven Zusammenhang mit der psychischen Gesundheit von Geflüchteten hat. Darüber hinaus zeigt die Analyse keine klaren Geschlechterunterschiede der Assoziationen.Refugees are a particularly vulnerable group of migrants, given experiences throughout forced migration. Yet, knowledge on their resource gain and protective factors is largely missing. This dissertation develops a social resource model of refugee mental health, combining theoretical considerations from health with sociology (Chapter 1). Moreover, this dissertation makes an empirical contribution to understanding social resource loss and gain as well as links to refugee mental health, using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel Study. Chapter 2 asks the initial question whether refugees are more susceptible to social isolation with regards to loneliness. Drawing on theories of resource needs, numbing and self-selection, the analysis tests competing hypotheses on the strength of association between social isolation and loneliness among refugees, host populations and other migrants in Germany. Susceptibility to social isolation with regards to loneliness is equally strong for refugees and host populations. Chapter 3 investigates refugee family structures after resettlement and how this potential social resource relates to refugee mental health. Applying social network theory and approaches on family role relations, the analyses point towards a significant positive association between the size of the nuclear family and mental health. Moreover, the chapter shows how separation from the nuclear family is associated with lower levels in refugee mental health. Chapter 4 observes family reunification taking place in Germany and how this resource gain specific to the migration context is associated with refugee mental health. Results show how family reunification with the nuclear family has a significant positive association with refugee mental health. However, the return on mental health outcomes decreases for additional members joining. Moreover, the analysis does not show clear gender differences between these associations

DataSheet1_How Migration Status Shapes Susceptibility of Individuals’ Loneliness to Social Isolation.pdf

Objectives: Our research provides competing hypotheses and empirical evidence how associations between objectively social isolation and subjective loneliness differ between host populations, migrants, and refugees.Methods: The analysis uses data of 25,171 participants from a random sample of the German population (SOEP v.35). We estimate regression models for the host population, migrants, and refugees and test five hypotheses on the association between social isolation and loneliness using a Bayesian approach in a multiverse framework.Results: We find the strongest relative support for an increased need for social inclusion among refugees, indicated by a higher Bayes factor compared to the hosts and migrants. However, all theoretically developed hypotheses perform poorly in explaining the major pattern in our data: The association of social isolation and loneliness is persistently lower for migrants (0.15 SD−0.29 SD), with similar sizes of associations for refugees and the host population (0.38 SD−0.67 SD).Conclusion: The migration history must be actively considered in health service provision and support programs to better cater to the needs of the different groups.</p

DataSheet2_How Migration Status Shapes Susceptibility of Individuals’ Loneliness to Social Isolation.pdf

Objectives: Our research provides competing hypotheses and empirical evidence how associations between objectively social isolation and subjective loneliness differ between host populations, migrants, and refugees.Methods: The analysis uses data of 25,171 participants from a random sample of the German population (SOEP v.35). We estimate regression models for the host population, migrants, and refugees and test five hypotheses on the association between social isolation and loneliness using a Bayesian approach in a multiverse framework.Results: We find the strongest relative support for an increased need for social inclusion among refugees, indicated by a higher Bayes factor compared to the hosts and migrants. However, all theoretically developed hypotheses perform poorly in explaining the major pattern in our data: The association of social isolation and loneliness is persistently lower for migrants (0.15 SD−0.29 SD), with similar sizes of associations for refugees and the host population (0.38 SD−0.67 SD).Conclusion: The migration history must be actively considered in health service provision and support programs to better cater to the needs of the different groups.</p

Mentorenprogramme fördern die Integration von Geflüchteten

Krieger M, Jaschke P, Kroh M, Legewie N, Löbel L-M. Mentorenprogramme fördern die Integration von Geflüchteten. DIW-Wochenbericht. 2020;87(49):905-914

Bringing together Community Organizations and Social Science Research - The "Mentoring of Refugees" Project

Jacobsen J, Jaschke P, Krieger M, Kroh M, Legewie N, Löbel L-M. Bringing together Community Organizations and Social Science Research - The "Mentoring of Refugees" Project. Canadian Diversity. 2020;17(2: Comparing the German and Canadian Experiences of Resettling Refugees):82-88

Integrating Randomized Controlled Field Trials into (Existing) Panel Surveys: The "Mentoring of Refugees" Study

Legewie N, Jaschke P, Krieger M, Kroh M, Löbel L-M, Schacht D. Integrating Randomized Controlled Field Trials into (Existing) Panel Surveys: The "Mentoring of Refugees" Study. Brief s on Methodological, Ethical and Epistemological Issues. 2019;7:9

Mentoring as a grassroots effort for integrating refugees – evidence from a randomised field experiment

Jaschke P, Löbel L-M, Krieger M, et al. Mentoring as a grassroots effort for integrating refugees – evidence from a randomised field experiment. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies. 2022:1-21

Patenschaften zwischen Geflüchteten und Einheimischen: Determinanten von Zufriedenheit in der Tandembeziehung

Jursch B, Kroh M, Krieger M, Legewie N, Löbel L-M. Patenschaften zwischen Geflüchteten und Einheimischen: Determinanten von Zufriedenheit in der Tandembeziehung. In: Gesemann F, Nentwig-Gesemann I, Seidel A, Walther B, eds. Engagement für Integration und Teilhabe in der Einwanderungsgesellschaft. Wiesbaden: Springer VS; 2020: 307-326