Specialisation II: Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy

The aim of this high-impact specialisation is the epidemiological, family-genetic and clinical experimental testing and development of improved aetiologic and pathogenetic models of mental disorders, as well as the derivation and implementation of innovative psychological therapy methods. Its many promising approaches are already developing an attractive profile of innovative, inter-disciplinary basic and applied research in the field of mental disorders for students, postgraduates and leading international researchers, which is unique in Germany. This level of development, which is achieved almost exclusively thanks to external funding (Endowed Chairs), is to be reinforced across the disciplines by coordinated structural measures, especially in the areas of clinical and neurobiological-focussed developmental psychology, as well as Competence Centres for Behavioural Health and Diagnostics and Intervention. In coordination with Specialisations I (Cognitive Affective Neuroscience) and III (Human Factors and Cognitive Technologies), as well as close collaboration with the medical disciplines (Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Internal Medicine, Centre for Prevention, Public Health), the following aims and specialist topics are currently being pursued:

• The experimental and empirical derivation of disorder-specific aetiological development models for clinically significant mental disorders (anxiety, depression, addiction),
• In particular, the identification of the formation and maintenance of specific neurobiological (molecular-biological, family-genetic) and key psychological processes.

• The study of biological, cognitive-behavioural and social determinants, correlates and consequences of mental disorders on the formation and progression of physical illnesses (targeted behavioural prevention, e.g. behavioural medicine and relationship prevention, e.g. occupational and public health).
• The development and evaluation of improved, optimised and better informed (cognitive and neurobiological modes of action) intervention methods and models for individual psychotherapy and system-based intervention measures (therapy and practical research, clinical epidemiology and healthcare research).

Our current leading position is the result of the restructuring of the Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy Departments, initiated in 2001, which created the conditions for both excellent basic and clinical application research, as well as teaching and on-the-job training. As well as (a) a restructured curriculum, (b) the founding of the Institute's Outpatient Department and Day Clinic for research and teaching, (c) the appointment of an Endowed Chair of Eating Disorders and an externally funded Chair of Addiction Research, this primarily also includes (d) the establishment of a successful three and five-year PTG-accredited postgraduate programme for the medical profession of psychological psychotherapist, which currently has 64 participants (oversubscribed) and is successfully creating teaching and research synergies.

You can request the latest annual report of Clinical Psychology  here