Innovative prevention research

The mental health of children and adolescents is a key societal concern. Research about developmental processes and contextual factors that contribute to mental health or deteriorations in mental health is essential in order to implement scientfically based prevention services in relevant institutions (e.g. day-care centers).

The work unit of Clinical Psychology for Children and Adolescents contributes to this mission with research projects in preschool aged children, e.g. on the long-term effects of the Corona pandemic. A core result of our current research is that a higher percentage of preschool children (about 30% compared with about 18%) suffer from mental health problems following the Corona pandemic. These findings highlight the need for further research projects, especially in the field of prevention research. The aim must be to reduce the increased incidence of mental health problems and disorders as early as possible by scientifically based preventive interventions.

Publications

Holler, A., Maldei-Gohring, T., Reiß, F., Opdensteinen, K. D., Kaman, A., Ravens‐Sieberer, U. & Hechler, T. (2023). COVID statt Kita: Der anhaltende Einfluss der COVID-19 Pandemie auf die psychische Gesundheit von Vorschulkindern. Zeitschrift für Klinische Psychologie Und Psychotherapie, 52(2), 77–86. https://doi.org/10.1026/1616-3443/a000692

Maldei-Gohring, T., Opdensteinen, K. D., Hellbach, C., Nowakowski, N., Graßmann, T., Hofer, J., Walther, E. & Hechler, T. (2022). Ein halbes Leben lang Corona. Kindheit Und Entwicklung, 31(2), 91–99. https://doi.org/10.1026/0942-5403/a000374