Infrastructures
At the DZPG site in Bochum-Marburg, two of a total of twelve infrastructures are being developed and managed.
Project description
The Youth Mental Health Infrastructure (YMH-INF) is a nationwide research infrastructure of the DZPG for the dissemination of evidence-based intervention options and the implementation of research standards in the field of child and adolescent psychology.
Background
The psychological stress experienced by children and adolescents remains high. This is shown by data from the German COPSY study, which records the mental health of children and adolescents before and since the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, international studies clearly show that mental disorders in childhood and adolescence can be seen as precursors to disorders in adulthood. For example, 50 percent of all mental illnesses occur before the age of 14 and 75 percent before the age of 24. Nevertheless, current care is inadequate.
Objectives and structure
The main goal of YMH-INF is to disseminate evidence-based prevention and intervention options that children, adolescents, their parents, or educational professionals can implement independently to improve the mental health of children and adolescents. Furthermore, YMH-INF has set itself the goal of developing recommendations for research into the mental health of children and adolescents, particularly in the context of kindergartens/daycare centers and schools.
To this end, YMH-INF is divided into the following areas:
a) Network of cooperating institutions from relevant areas of life for research projects;
b) Harmonized survey and documentation system for the mental health of children and adolescents;
c) Database for the dissemination of evidence-based interventions for kindergartens/daycare centers, schools, and families.
YMH-INF continues to pursue the following strategic goals:
1) Identifying and establishing the best possible methods for recruiting children, adolescents, their families, and teachers/educational professionals for research using participatory processes;
2) developing innovative concepts to improve the interaction between mental health and resilience, well-being at school, academic success, and social participation of children and adolescents;
3) establishing a YMH online platform with health-related, evidence-based interventions and information materials;
4) developing a national early warning system for critical structural factors affecting the mental health of children and adolescents.
To achieve the strategic goals, we work participatively with children, adolescents, their parents, and educational professionals at all levels and in all steps. This participatory involvement of all relevant target groups in the development of YMH-INF bridges the gap between the real world and research (translation-back translation).
Duration
DZPG development phase May 1, 2023, to August 31, 2025
DZPG expansion phase September 1, 2025, to August 31, 2030
Project team at the Bochum-Marburg site
Prof. Dr. Hanna Christiansen
Dr. Martina Dort
Katharina Müller
Project description
The Psychotherapy Research Infrastructure (PT-INF) is a nationwide research infrastructure of the DZPG and forms a central foundation for practice-oriented psychotherapy research.
Background
Psychological and psychotherapeutic research has traditionally been highly fragmented—in terms of interventions, theories, and measurement instruments. This fragmentation makes it difficult to gain cumulative knowledge and transfer research results into clinical practice.
Objectives and structure
PT-INF addresses this problem by pooling expertise and establishing uniform standards. The focus is on harmonizing and standardizing data from psychotherapeutic institutions in Germany. This data is integrated into a secure and sustainable psychosocial research data center.
The PT-INF web platform forms the digital center of the network and bundles information, data access, and coordination on a central interface. It supports researchers with structured data requests, protected data access, methodological tools, information, and training opportunities, thus creating a shared innovation space for the further development of psychotherapeutic care.
Duration
DZPG development phase May 1, 2023 - August 31, 2025
DZPG expansion phase September 1, 2025 - August 31, 2030
Project team at the Bochum-Marburg site
Prof. Dr. Silvia Schneider
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Margraf
Dr. Gabriel Bonnin
Sarah Schmidt