Tim Hollenhorst, M.A.

Qualification Project

Consequences of collective problem handling in health-related
self-help groups

The subject of this reconstructive research project is health-related self-help groups. The empirical basis of the work is formed by group discussions with thematically different health-related self-help groups and open guideline interviews with participants. The aim of the work is the typification of self-help groups based on a comparative analysis of their practical organization and their formal framework. The practice of the groups is examined multidimensionally. On the one hand, the significance and relationship of experiential knowledge and expertise as well as their inclusion in everyday practical ways of dealing with illnesses are of interest. On the other hand, the significance of being equally affected and the relationship of self-help groups to professional help are examined. Finally, a typology of different modes of action of self-help groups is developed, allowing conclusions to be drawn about specific consequences for the participants.

Curriculum Vitae

2011 – 2014
Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Ethnology at the Johannes Gutenberg-University  Mainz

2014 – 2019
Master of Arts in Sociology at Bielefeld University

2018 – 2020
Project Consultant at the Bundesvereinigung Stottern & Selbsthilfe e.V.

2021 – 2022
Teaching assignments at the Chair of the Chair of Sociology and Politics of Rehabilitation, Disability Studies, at the Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Cologne

since October 2021
Research assistant and doctoral student at the Research Training Group “Consequences of Social Services Work”