Mental Health Research Group
„Our mission is to understand what sustains mental health in an increasingly complex and challenged society and to develop innovative, technology-driven solutions for prevention, early detection, and personalized care.“
News
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New research group member
We welcome MSc Jiexi Xiong in our research group!
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Funding
The DFG is funding the research project ‘Individualised internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy for patients with suicidal thoughts: a randomised controlled pilot study’ with €499,966.00 for two years.
Research priorities
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Digital Mental Health
We develop, evaluate, and implement digital interventions to promote mental health and prevent mental disorders. Our focus is on evidence-based, low-threshold, and personalized tools designed to reach vulnerable and underserved populations.
Current projects
- GO-ONline: Remote blended care for people with suicidal ideation.
- Digital self-help for people experiencing intimate partner violence: The ByMySide Intervention.
- Individual participant data meta-analysis on digital interventions for people with suicidal ideation.
Selected publications
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Digital interventions in mental health: An overview and future perspectives
Internet Interventions, 2025
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Network intervention analysis of a digital intervention for the prevention of depression in patients with chronic back pain
Behaviour Research and Therapy, 2025
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Digital interventions for the treatment of depression: A meta-analytic review.
Psychological Bulletin, 2021
Prevention of Depression and Suicide
Our research aims to prevent depression and suicide by creating innovative, accessible interventions that reach people before a crisis occurs. We design and test digital programs that provide timely support, identify early warning signs, and adapt to individual needs. Through this work, we strive to reduce suffering and save lives.
We are member of the Global Consortium for the Prevention of Depression – Overcoming Borders in the Prevention of Depression
Current projects
- Individual participant data meta-analysis on digital interventions for people with suicidal ideation.
- GO-ONline: Remote blended care for people with suicidal ideation.
Selected publications
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Network intervention analysis of a digital intervention for the prevention of depression in patients with chronic back pain
Behaviour Research and Therapy, 2025
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Remote blended treatment for individuals with suicidal ideation: A single‐arm proof‐of‐concept trial
Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 2024
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Effectiveness of a guided web-based self-help intervention to prevent depression in patients with persistent back pain: the PROD-BP randomized clinical trial
JAMA psychiatry, 2020
Global (digital) Mental Health
A high level of cultural diversity among patients can pose major challenges for healthcare systems. The findings regarding the prevalence of mental disorders, particularly among refugees, indicate a high need for psychotherapeutic treatment. However, in this group and in many low- and middle-income countries, there are various barriers that make access to mental health care more difficult. We investigate the specific access barriers and needs of these target groups, develop culturally appropriate (digital) treatments and analyse their accessibility and effectiveness. In this way, we aim to reduce existing inequalities in healthcare.
We are member of the research community co-minded for global, digital, and mental health and the interest group cross-cultural psychology and psychotherapy of the specialist group clinical psychology of the DGPs
- Cognitive-affective mapping in the context of refugee healthcare.
- Cross-cultural validation of a suicide questionnaire for people from Afghanistan in Germany.
Selected publications
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Assessing the cultural fit of a digital sleep intervention for refugees in Germany: qualitative study.
JMIR Formative Research, 2025
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Wie praktikabel ist digitale Kultursensitivität? Herausforderungen bei der Entwicklung und Erforschung kulturell adaptierter digitaler Interventionen.
PPmP-Psychotherapie· Psychosomatik· Medizinische Psychologie, 2024
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Cultural adaptation of internet- and mobile-based interventions for mental disorders: a systematic review.
Npj Digital Medicine, 2021
Impact of Climate Change and Natural Hazards
Our goal is to deepen the understanding of how natural hazards and extreme weather events impact the epidemiology of mental health disorders. We investigate prevalences of mental disorders including risk and protective factors for mental ill-health, the impact of forced displacement, and how to prevent and treatment mental disorders in the context of natural hazards.
We are member of the DGPs interest group Mensch-Klima-Nachhaltigkeit and the European HeBEC Network (Health, Behaviour, and Environment-Related Challenges).
Current projects
- Systematic review on the psychosocial co-benefits of climate protection policies
- Meta-analysis on risk and protective factors for mental disorders following exposure to natural hazards
- Development of a German task to assess selective interrogation of information for positive and negative climate change–related information
Selected publications
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Prevalence of common mental disorders in survivors of natural hazards – a meta-analytic comparison of exposed vs. non-exposed samples.
Journal of Environmental Psychology, 2025
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A meta-analysis on treatment efficacy of psychological interventions for mental disorders in individuals exposed to natural disasters.
Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology, 2024
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Prevention of mental disorders after exposure to natural hazards: a meta-analysis.
BMJ Mental Health, 2025
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Smart Sensing and Digital Phenotyping
Utilizing advanced technologies for the early identification and passive monitoring of mental disorders.
Selected publications
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Acceptance of smart sensing: a barrier to implementation—results from a randomized controlled trial
Frontiers in digital health, 2023
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Predicting Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety Using Smartphone and Wearable Data
Frontiers in Psychiatry, 2021
Team
We embrace the values of openness and transparency in science and signed the commitment to research transparency.
