The Institute exists since 1996 and covers relevant psychosocial teaching in the preclinical and clinical curriculum. Research issues cover psychotherapy research, health psychology, psychological assessment, clinical attachment research, development and evaluation of psychological short-term interventions, psychotherapy training, psycho-oncology, prevention of eating disorders and health service research. Since 2020 the team comprises a full professorship of social neuroscience, which is hold by Veronika Engert.

Prof. Dr. Bernhard Strauß
Stoystraße 3, 07743 Jena
Bernhard.Strauß@med.uni-jena.de

Institute of Psychosocial Medicine, Psychotherapy, and Psycho-Oncology

Research projects

Soul work in socialism: Psychology, psychiatry and psychotherapy in the GDR

Subproject: The ambivalent role of psychotherapy

Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Strauß
BMBF 2019-2022

Aim if the project is the scientific evaluation of the structures in the health system of the GDR that were relevant for psychology, psychiatry and psychotherapy during the time between 1945 and 1990. Research results and approaches so far were treated very heterogeneously and separately, i.e. without a relation to the health system and the SED state. They will now be re-evaluated and connected in a research cooperation of the universities of Jena, Erlangen-Nürnberg, Dortmund and Rostock/Greifswald.

http://www.seelenarbeit-sozialismus.de

Patient information, communication and competence empowerment in oncology

Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Strauß, PD Dr. Uwe Altmann
Innovationsfonds G-BA 2017-2021

This project evaluates a therapy accompanying counseling and support service for patients with cancer. It includes patient navigators, an additional offer of advice and courses offered by the SKG, and a patient website operated by the DKG. This should help patients to be better informed, reduce psychological stress and improve the quality of life. In addition to the DKG, the SKG and the IPMPP, four statutory health insurances and the KV Saarland are involved. Data collection is performed in the state of Saarland.

https://www.pikko.de/

TIMPATHIN 2: Timing of nonverbal patient-therapist interactions and treatment outcome in social phobias: Examination of paraverbal features.

Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Strauß
DFG 2019-2021

The project investigates the nonverbal communication of patients with social anxiety disorder and their psychotherapists. While the previous project investigated the synchronization of (unconscious) body movements, the current project focuses on the synchronization of para-verbal and linguistic features (e.g., alignment of fundamental frequency, rate of speech, frequency of I-related statements) and their prediction of therapeutic alliance and success of psychotherapy. The findings of the project will contribute to the extension of the “in-sync” therapy model.

REPAIR: Reducing posttraumatic stress after severe sepsis in patients and their spouses

Principal Investigator: PD Dr. Jenny Rosendahl
BMBF (CSCC) 2016-2019

In this project, we conducted a randomized-controlled trial to assess the efficacy, safety, and applicability of an internet-based, therapist-guided, cognitive-behavioral writing therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in patients who have survived severe sepsis and their partners. The primary efficacy outcome is PTSD symptom severity at the end of treatment in comparison to a waitlist-control group.

EMILY: Empathic stress in the family system

Principal Investigator: Prof. Veronika Engert
DFG 2020-2023

Experiencing stress is not limited to one’s own challenges. Linked with their capacity for empathy, individuals also resonate with the stress of others. This stress resonance is characterized by a proportional secretion of the stress hormone cortisol between actively stressed and observing individuals. Goal of this project is to better understand the mechanisms and consequences of stress transmission within the family system. Our results will provide the basis for developing approaches to protect vulnerable populations from the negative impact of chronic stress resonance.

Selected further projects

Development and evaluation of documentation, information and research tools for patients on adverse effects and malpractice in psychotherapy

Principal Investigator: Prof. Bernhard Strauß

Köhler Foundation, Hamburg Foundation for the Promotion of Science and Culture; Mental Health Foundation 2017 – 2019
Quantification of current preventive approaches for back pain – Correlations between psychosocial and neuropsychological/morphological variables

Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Strauß

Professional association for food and restaurants 2009-2020
HARMS: Harmful effects of psychotherapy

Principal Investigator: Prof. Bernhard Strauß, PD Dr. Jenny Rosendahl

BMBF 2017-2020
Health research: Prevention through participation

Principal Investigator: apl. Prof. Dr. Uwe Berger

BMBF 2014-2019

Selected publications

Barkowski, S., Schwartze, D., Strauss, B., Burlingame, G.M., & Rosendahl, J. (2020). Efficacy of group psychotherapy for anxiety disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychotherapy Research, 30(8), 965-82. doi: 10.1080/10503307.2020.1729440
Engert, V., Grant, J., & Strauss, B. (2020). Psychosocial factors in disease and treatment – a call for the biopsychosocial model. JAMA Psychiatry, 77(10), 996-997.
Marmarosh, C., Forsyth, D., Strauss, B., & Burlingame, G.M. (2020) The Psychology of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Group-Level Perspective. Group Dynamics, 24, 122-138.
Schneider, N., Bäcker, A., Brenk-Franz, K., Keinki, C., Hübner, J., Brandt, F., von der Winkel, G., Hager, L., Strauss, B., & Altmann, U. (2020). Patient information, communication and competence empowerment in oncology (PIKKO) – evaluation of a supportive care intervention for overall oncological patients. Study protocol of a nonrandomized controlled trial. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 20, 120. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-020-01002-1
Schoenherr, D., Paulick, J., Strauss, B., Deisenhofer, A.-K., Schwartz, B., Rubel, J., Lutz, W., Stangier, U., & Altmann, U. (2019). Nonverbal synchrony predicts premature termination of psychotherapy for social phobic patients. Psychotherapy, 56(4), 503-513. doi: 10.1037/pst0000216

Outstanding achievements

1st Conference on „Risks and Side-Effects of Psychotherapy" 01.-02. February 2019 in Jena
Adolf-Ernst-Meyer Award for Psychotherapy Research of the German College of Psychosomatic Medicine (DKPM) for Dr. Desiree Schönherr
Roemer-Award of the German College of Psychosomatic Medicine (DKPM) for Dr. Katja Brenk-Franz for her work on: „Interdisciplinarity alive – The relevance of attachment theory for primary care”
Rahel Klatte, M. Sc.; Ph.,S. Dissertation finalisation grant of the Graduate Academy Jena for her work „Negative Effects of Psychotherapy“, 2020
Grant by the Interdisciplinary Center for Cinical Research at Jena University Hospital for Joana Jost´s M.D. thesis: Influence of a short Biofeedback Intervention on physiological stress-resonance in healthy couples