RAISE Study

The aim of the RAISE study is to investigate how resilient people respond to stress. Specifically, we will study how key biological systems (HPA-axis, immune system) interact with the brain and social environment in order to facilitate resilient functioning after childhood adversities.

Please note – We are no longer recruiting new participants for the RAISE Study

Approximately half of all children and adolescents in our society experience at least one adverse event when they are growing up. Such adversity can take many forms, ranging from being bullied or having experienced abuse or neglect, to having had parents with mental health issues. For some, such stressful experiences can be very difficult to deal with and sometimes may lead to mental health problems. Others, however, have normal mental health after experiencing adversity. We call this 'resilient functioning' or 'resilience'.

We do not yet know what it is that makes some individuals do well after adversity. We know that having the support of friends and family, and being able to talk to someone may help, but we do not know what it is within the body that may help people to become resilient. It is important to research these factors and mechanisms in order to better understand resilience, and to ultimately help others to become more resilient.