Research Assistant: Impact of Preventative Initiatives on the Mental Health and Wellbeing of Danish High School Students

Introduction to the topic:

This project aims to understand why so many Danish high school students today struggle with mental health issues, while also exploring the impacts of various preventative initiatives aimed at increasing student wellbeing. Throughout the project, we will uncover what types of mental health issues youth today are facing and explore potential factors contributing to the current trends.

Most importantly, the project will also explore whether these challenges can be prevented or mitigated by supporting students in integrating simple wellbeing strategies and practices in their daily life. The project aims to educate & enable high school students to become experts of their own mental health and wellbeing by giving them concrete tools and a nuanced understanding of what it means to “feel good and in balance.”

Project details:

In your role as a Research Assistant, you will be involved in tasks related to designing and conducting research, where quantitative and/or qualitative research skills will be applicable. Furthermore, you should be prepared to help with organizing workshops, collecting data at local Danish high schools, and working directly with local students. Depending on when in the lifetime of the project you join, you may be conducting a literature review, designing questionnaires and interviews, collecting data, or analyzing previously collected responses and communicating findings.

In addition to creating impactful preventative initiatives for Danish youth, this project also aims to build connections between DIS students and Danish high school students. By engaging closely with this local community, we hope to cultivate meaningful and high-impact peer-to-peer relationships between Danish and DIS students, where they can support one another in maintaining a balanced mental wellbeing. We also plan to connect these findings back to DIS students by organizing informal seminars and pop-up events to share our findings and gather input from fellow DIS students on the research and initiatives we are exploring.

Selected relevant publications:

Colizzi et al. (2020). Prevention and early intervention in youth mental health: is it time for a multidisciplinary and trans-diagnostic model for care?https://ijmhs.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13033-020-00356-9
Hirani et al. (2022). Understanding the Role of Prosocial Behaviour in Youth Mental Health. https://documentcloud.adobe.com/spodintegration/index.html?locale=da-dk
Llistosella et al. (2023). Effectiveness of resilience-based interventions in schools for adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10587685/
Background information from current Danish project from SDU on youth mental health https://www.sdu.dk/en/sif/forskning/projekter/mindhelper

Prerequisites

At least one course in research methods, as well as two courses in the fields of psychology, neuroscience, and/or public health, all at the university level.

Additional application required

You must submit an additional application through the Online Registration portal.

All application materials must be submitted on the following dates by midnight in your time zone:

November 1 for spring semester applicants
May 1 for fall semester applicants

Complete your application through Student Registration.

Faculty

Mette Bohn Jespersen

Faculty

Neuropsychologist, C. Psych. Master of Psychology with a double major in Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology, University of Copenhagen, 2015. B.A of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, 2011. Previously I studied Economies and Organizational Psychology at Copenhagen Business School, and I have a background within the field of management and recruitment. I have worked as a clinical psychologist since 2012 providing counselling and therapy to individuals and couples from various backgrounds, and since 2016 I have worked within the field of neuroscience and rehabilitation after acquired brain injury. I have lived several years abroad both in Europe and North America, and I completed my internship as a graduate psychologist in Toronto, CA. I love teaching, and I have taught courses and workshops on several occasions trying to explore all matters within the field of neuroscience and psychology. With DIS since 2022.

Emily Childers Brocks

Faculty; Senior Alumni Engagement Specialist

Cand.Soc. (Social Work, Aalborg University, 2010). B.A. (Gender Studies, Indiana University, 2002). Exchange student: University of Adelaide, Australia (2001). External Consultant, Danish Center against Human Trafficking, 2010-2012. External Faculty in Gender Studies, DIS, 2010-2013. Housing Team Coordinator, DIS, 2011-2019. Associate Director of Housing, DIS, 2020. With DIS since 2010.

Research Assistantship FAQ

Learn more about research at DIS.

: Earning authorship within the course of a semester is challenging. Exceptional Research Assistants may be considered for co-authorship, subject to evaluation from the supervising Research Mentor.

Though you may not ultimately become an author on a published paper, you will gain many practical skills and insights into the publication process.

: Many research projects last across several semesters, so not all RAs on the same project will conduct the same research.

: On average, students in 3-credit Research Assistantships spend at least 10 hours a week on research tasks. These 10 hours per week consist of a variety of different research-related tasks, including conducting a literature review, data collection, analyses, coding, documentation, and meetings with your mentor. You may decide on a particular block of time (consistent each week) for you to carry out the work, or adjust it on a week-by-week basis.

Students in a 6-credit Research Assistantships spend an average of 20 hours per week with lab and clinically based research tasks. You decide the exact meeting and lab times with your supervisor, but your schedule consists of classes at DIS two days a week, with two days a week in the lab.

There may be peak times in the research process where all Research Assistant students are expected to spend a few more hours, and then possibly fewer hours another week – to reflect the individual research project and process.

: Work for the 3-credit Research Assistantships may take place outside DIS, on your own time at a location of your choosing, or at DIS – this varies from project to project. The 6-credit research assistantships generally take place at labs in Copenhagen or Stockholm outside DIS.

: Students with a variety of academic backgrounds are encouraged to apply for the 3-credit Research Assistant course. While some courses do have prerequisites, many opportunities do not require prior research experience.

The 6-credit Research Assistant opportunity is designed for highly motivated students who have a strong science background within the field of interest and some basic research experience. The student must be willing to commit a large portion of their semester to an engaging opportunity involving hands-on research in universities and medical institutes in Copenhagen or Stockholm.

Introduction to the topic:

Project details:

Prerequisites

Additional application required

Faculty

Mette Bohn Jespersen

Emily Childers Brocks

Research Assistantship FAQ

Will I publish a research paper?

What exactly will I do?

What is the time commitment for a 3-credit or 6-credit Research Assistantship?

Where is the research work carried out?

What type of student applies for the 3- and 6-credit Research Assistant courses?