Denis Ribeaud

Denis Ribeaud serves as Senior Research Associate and Co-Project Director of the Zurich Project on the Social Development from Childhood to Adulthood (z-proso) at the University of Zurich's Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Since 2006, he has directed the Zurich Youth Surveys (ZYS), which track youth violence trends in Zurich canton using representative student samples. The z-proso project, ongoing since 2003 with over 1,300 participants, examines longitudinal development of violence and problem behaviors through repeated surveys.

His educational background includes:

• Sociology and Social Psychology studies at the University of Zurich
• PhD in Criminology from the University of Lausanne, where he worked at the Criminological Institute for several years

Ribeaud's research focuses on criminology and developmental psychology, specifically investigating how peer victimization, parenting behaviors, socio-emotional skills, and harsh environments influence violence perpetration, mental health, and substance use across adolescence. His work integrates biological measures (e.g., hair cortisol analysis), ecological momentary assessment, and advanced statistical modeling to map causal pathways in youth development. Key specialties include longitudinal cohort design, transdiagnostic mental health analysis, and validation of behavioral instruments.

Recent publications reveal heavy emphasis on multi-method approaches combining biological data with psychological assessments. He explores gene expression changes from victimization, hormonal correlates of aggression, and machine learning applications in EMA data, while consistently addressing Zurich-specific youth cohorts. His articles highlight Switzerland-focused violence research, substance use patterns in immigrant vs. native adolescents, and pandemic impacts on young adult coping mechanisms.

No scientific awards were documented in the provided materials.

Ribeaud's project leadership implies grant management and student supervision, though specific advisees or funding details are absent. His z-proso role involves coordinating cross-disciplinary teams across 13+ years of data collection, suggesting substantial advisory responsibilities in research design and execution.

He directs the z-proso project and Zurich Youth Surveys (ZYS), major longitudinal initiatives based at the University of Zurich. These projects maintain archives of data collections from 2004-2022 and employ interdisciplinary teams for analyzing youth violence, mental health, and social decision-making through combined survey and biomarker approaches.