Research projects

In an interdisciplinary team, the institute conducts basic and application-oriented research in the fields of social medicine, rehabilitation science and research, and health care research. The main focus is on the field of rehabilitative, therapeutic social work, curative education, transdisciplinary early intervention and systemic counseling and therapy. The members of the Institute conduct research in close cooperation with national and international partners, including the German Pension Insurance, national and international universities, and other societies and research institutions.

Ongoing research projects

Experiences and life situations of unintentionally pregnant women - Counseling and care services - Vulnerable groups (ELSA-VG)

Project title: Experiences and life situations of unintentionally pregnant women - counseling and care services - vulnerable groups (ELSA-VG)

Project management: Prof. Dr. Petra J.Brzank

Project staff: M.A. Martin Nowak, M.A. Kristina Winter, B.A. Nele Schneider, B.A. Mara Pfeifer

Third-party funder: Federal Ministry of Health (BMG)

Duration: 11/2020 - 04/2024

Website: www.elsa-nordhausen.de

The ELSA joint project

The research project "Experiences and life situations of unintended pregnant women - counseling and care services (ELSA)" aims to collect findings on key factors influencing the experience and processing of unintended pregnancies in Germany as well as on the needs of women* and the medical and psychosocial care situation.

In order to further develop the care of women* with unwanted or terminated pregnancies and to be able to address support needs, knowledge of stressful experiences as well as coping strategies and consequences is required. The subjective and structural significance of the health and psychosocial counseling system also plays a decisive role here.

Existing research gaps are to be closed and social and health burdens and resources before, during and after unintended pregnancies are to be investigated over time.

The multicenter and interdisciplinary research project ELSA is funded by the Federal Ministry of Health. Work will be carried out in six study centers (Fulda, Freiburg, Berlin, Ulm, Merseburg, Nordhausen) with different focuses in the period from November 2020 to the end of April 2024. The project will also be overseen by an advisory board consisting of experts from the healthcare sector, professional societies and advisory associations.

The aim is to use the scientific data to draw conclusions for improving the health and psychosocial care of unintentionally pregnant women*, on the basis of which the support system can be further developed effectively and in line with demand.

 

ELSA-VG at Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences

ELSA-VG at Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences examines the perspective of women* who may be confronted with particular challenges due to their life situation. In particular, we focus on the experiences and perspectives of women* who have experienced migration and/or flight, illegalized [1] women* and women* who experienced violence [2] in their partnership at the time of the unwanted pregnancy.

We would like to use the interviews with the women in our target groups to derive needs from their life situations and identify influencing factors. We will examine the structural and personal challenges and burdens they were confronted with and what resources were available to them.

Based on their individual experiences, existing services and possible access barriers and gaps in the psychosocial and medical support system will be recorded.

Through our scientific contribution, we want to support federal and state policy as well as institutions and facilities in sustainably improving the care of unintentionally pregnant women*.

Methods

1. standardized cross-sectional survey

Under the direction of Prof. Dr. Petra J. Brzank, our project team is conducting a cross-sectional survey together with the Fulda University of Applied Sciences (Prof. Dr. Daphne Hahn), the Social Science Research Institute for Gender Issues Freiburg (Prof. Dr. Cornelia Helfferich†), Merseburg University of Applied Sciences (Prof. Dr. Maika Böhm), Freie Universität Berlin (Prof. Dr. Christine Knaevelsrud) and the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy II of the Medical Faculty of Ulm University (Privatdozentin Dr. Silvia Krumm).

All research centers contributed their own questions to the questionnaire, depending on their own work package.

2. in-depth qualitative interviews

In addition to the standardized survey, 50 in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with the women* in our target group in order to capture their individual experiences in the best possible way and as formulated by them. In the interviews, the interviewees were given the opportunity to present their perspectives comprehensively.

We are aware that the counselling and care situation of these women is strongly influenced by external factors and is characterized by a lack of care. These unintentionally pregnant women* sometimes have no access to counseling and care via standard care. In addition, the care landscape in Germany varies greatly from region to region and the access routes are diverse and in some cases heavily dependent on the resources of the women* seeking support.

This is where our research project comes in.

It is important to us to learn about the experiences and life situations of women* directly from them in order to describe their needs in more detail and thus contribute to the improvement and further development of the care situation for these groups in particular.

For further information, please visit our website.

 

Literature

BMFSFJ (2020): Domestic violence. Protecting women from violence, online: https://www.bmfsfj.de/bmfsfj/themen/gleichstellung/frauen-vor-gewalt-schuetzen/haeusliche-gewalt/haeusliche-gewalt-80642

[1 ] Illegalized means people without papers (undocumented migrants, sans papiers, sin papeles etc.)

[2 ] In Germany, around one in four women* have experienced physical or sexualized violence from their current or former partner at least once (see BMFSFJ 2020). Psychological violence also plays a key role, for example when the partner exercises power through social isolation and economic control. If you are personally affected by violence or have come into contact with this issue as a relative, friend, etc., you can find support by calling the nationwide help hotline on 08000 116 016 or via the online advice service at www.hilfetelefon.de/no_cache/das-hilfetelefon/beratung/online-beratung.html

International Research Project on Couple Therapy and Couple Counseling - Relational Mind

Project Title: Relational Mind in Events of Change in Multiactor Therapeutic Dialogues - Relational Self and Moments of Therapeutic Change in Systemic Couples Therapy.

Project Management: Prof. Dr. Maria Borcsa

Third party funding:inside:

Research Promotion Fund University of Applied Sciences Nordhausen

Systemic Society

German Pension Insurance

German Society for Systemic Therapy, Counseling and Family Therapy

Duration: 09/2017 - 12/2023

Research question / project object:

This international research project focuses on the interaction of couples and therapist*s within couples therapy. The aim is to identify and examine the significant moments of therapeutic interaction and to highlight what influence these have on the outcomes of therapy. In the present phase of the project, the focus is on the qualitative analysis of the therapies and the individual interviews in the context of the Stimulated Recall Interviews.

Brief Description of Project:

Participants in the naturalistic research project are clients who receive couples therapy as well as therapists who are responsible for these couples therapies.

Couples therapy will take place with a co-therapist team. All therapy sessions are

  1. all therapy sessions are recorded on video
  2. during two sessions, measurements of the reactions of the autonomic nervous system are taken (heart rate). The measurements are taken both by the therapist and the client.

After these measurements, an individual interview (Interpersonal Process Recall/Stimulated Recall Interview) is conducted within 24 hours with each participant. During the interview, some excerpts of the recorded real therapy session are viewed and discussed with the project staff member.

The research project, jointly planned by members of the European Family Therapy Research Group, was started in 2013 at the Training and Research Center for Psychotherapy, University of Jyväskylä (Principal Investigator: Jaakko Seikkula). Subsequently, the data collection was extended to four universities/colleges in Europe.

This research is peer-reviewed by the Ethics Committee of the Friedrich Schiller University.

Publications

Borcsa, M., Lebow J.L., Singh, R., Larner, G. & Messent, P. (2020). Publication in Family Therapy Journals: Family Process, Journal of Family Therapy, and Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy - A Discussion with Editors. In Ochs, M., Borcsa, M. & Schweitzer, J. (Eds.). Systemic Research in Individual, Couple and Family Therapy and Counseling (EFTA Book Series, Volume 4). Cham, CH: Springer International, pp. 417-430.

Nyman-Salonen, P., Vall, B., Laitila, A., Borcsa, M., Karvonen, A., Kykyri, V-L., Kaartinen, J., Penttonen, M., Tsatsishvili, V. & Seikkula, J. (2020). Significant moments in a couple therapy session: Towards the integration of different modalities of analysis. In Ochs, M., Borcsa, M. & Schweitzer, J. (Eds.). Systemic research in individual, couple and family therapy and counseling (EFTA Book Series, Volume 4). Cham, CH: Springer International, pp. 55-73.

Transgenerational effects

Project Title: Transgenerational effects on families after forced migration. What can be learned from history(s)? (Part 1)

Project Management: Prof. Dr. Maria Borcsa

Project members:

Julia Hille
Paula Witzel
Fady Guirgis
Leonie Krahl

Third party funding:

German Society for Systemic Therapy, Counseling and Family Therapy
ISRV

Duration: 10/2020 - 12/2021

Research question / project object:

This international and interdisciplinary research project (medicine, psychology, health and social sciences, ethnography, history) deals with the forced migration of German and Polish families triggered by the Second World War.

The aim of the present study is:

  1. the structural reconstruction of familial patterns of processing and transgenerational transmission of experiences in German and Polish families who experienced flight and expulsion in the context of World War II,
  2. the investigation of the influence of social and cultural contexts on transgenerational processing and on family rules or values,
  3. the elaboration of recommendations for action for current psychosocial practice with refugee families.

While family research is mostly entrenched in a methodological nationalism (Beck & Beck-Gernsheim, 2010), in which the focus is on differences in a comparison of nations, this project - also in the sense of European understanding - focuses on the structural similarities of the families studied.

First of all, the families studied have the following similarities: they consist of at least three generations, with the oldest generation having personally experienced flight and expulsion. The generation structure is composed of a grandparent generation (birth cohorts between 1930-1939); the parent generation (birth cohorts between approx. 1955-1975) and a grandchild generation (birth cohorts between approx. 1980-2000).

The research project is carried out in collaboration with the following cooperation partners:

  • Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Krakow (Poland): Prof. Dr. med. habil. Mariusz Furga?, Dr. phil. Bernadetta Janusz,
  • University of Opole (Poland): Prof. Dr. theol. habil. Pawe? Landwójtowicz
  • Pedagogical University of Krakow (Poland), Prof. Dr. habil. Ma?gorzata ?wider.

Faculty of Human Sciences, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Prof. Dr. habil. Dietmar J. Wetzel

Brief description of the project:

Five families in today's Nowy Las (Poland) are interviewed, who were settled from the former Eastern Poland (Kozowa, today Ukraine) and already lived there together in a village community. Similarly, communal structures were maintained by families from what was then Neuwalde (Silesia/now Nowy Las) who settled in Bohmte (Lower Saxony, Germany); five families from this group are also interviewed.

In total, there will be one narrative individual interview with the representative of the oldest generation, one pair interview with the middle generation, and one family interview with at least one representative from all three generations. All interviews will initially be analyzed in Polish or German using single-case reconstructive methods; these will be supplemented by ethnographic observation protocols. The individual case studies will allow the research design to be tested and adapted if necessary.

Impact of the coronal pandemic on research:

Due to the impact of the coronal pandemic, the research process has shifted to digital alternatives. Since face-to-face meetings were largely unrealizable, individual interviews were conducted via a cloud-based videoconferencing service. Some of the family interviews were postponed to a later date; likewise, the ethnography at the Nowy Las and Bohmte sites had to be suspended for the time being.

 

Publications:

planned publications

Julia Hille, Katarzyna Gdowska, Milena Kansy & Maria Borcsa (2022). "Yes, because I generally already live a settled life" - Ambiguity(ies) in narratives of families with a history of displacement. In Peter Jakob, Maria Borcsa, Jan Olthof & Arist von Schlippe. Handbook of Narrative Practice. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.

 

Lectures:

Scheduled lectures

Borcsa, M., Guirgis F., Hille, J., Wetzel, D.: Transgenerational crisis processing after forced migration. A transnational mixed-methods study of value change in families with a history of displacement. Joint Congress of the Austrian Sociological Association (ÖGS) and the German Sociological Association (DGS), August 2021.

Transgenerational effects on families after forced migration. Narratives that promote resilience (Part 2)

Project title:

Transgenerational effects on families after forced migration. Part II: Narratives that promote resilience

Project management: Prof. Dr . Maria Borcsa

Co-project leader (partner institution): Dr. phil. habil. Bernadetta Janusz (Uniwersytet Jagielloński, Kraków)

Project funding:

Institute for Social Medicine, Rehabilitation Sciences and Health Services Research (ISRV) Research Fund of Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences

Cooperation partners:

Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Kraków (Poland) Faculty of Human Sciences, MSH Medical School Hamburg Migration Department of Horizont e.V., Nordhausen

Duration: 07/2022 - 07/2025

Subject of the project:

The transnational research project focuses on the transgenerational effects of forced migration in Russian and Ukrainian families as a result of the armed conflict in Ukraine.

Presentations:

Borcsa, M., Erzar, T., Toth, E. & Možina, K. (2022). Invited Round Table - To free the next generation: From genes to society - intergenerational transmission and possible resolution of trauma. 11th Conference of the European Familiy Therapy Association: Systemic Resonances And Interferences. 07.-10.09.2022, Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Medically and vocationally oriented rehabilitation for mental illness (MBOR-P)

Project title: Medically and vocationally oriented rehabilitation for mental illnesses (MBOR-P)

Project leader: Prof. Dr. Markus Bassler

Project assistant: M.A. Nina Gabriel

Third-party sponsor: German Federal Pension Insurance

Duration: 10/2019 - 03/2023

Medical-occupational rehabilitation (MBOR) has been developed and optimized in recent years to effectively support people with health impairments in finding their way back into everyday working life and participation in a healthy way or to redesign it. The evidence regarding effectiveness in the field of psychosomatic rehabilitation has not yet been conclusive, as the few current studies have only examined a very specific area.

The aim of our three-year study is to further develop the approach and provide clear evidence of its effectiveness and implementation in the field of psychosomatic rehabilitation.

The randomized controlled trial will use a mixed methods approach. The responsibility for the quantitative survey lies with our cooperating partner, the University of Lübeck. Our focus is on qualitative research. A total of 1500 patients from five German rehabilitation facilities will be recruited for written surveys over the course of 15 months. We conduct interviews with volunteers from the pool of these rehabilitation patients and other members of the facilities.

Further information can be found on our project homepage .

Completed research projects

2022

Effect of biomediators on the course and outcome of interdisciplinary orthopedic-psychosomatic rehabilitation of chronic multilocular pain syndromes

Project title: Effect of biomediators on the course and outcome of interdisciplinary orthopaedic-psychosomatic rehabilitation of chronic multilocular pain syndromes

Project management: Prof. Dr. Markus Bassler

Third-party sponsor:

German Pension Insurance Braunschweig-Hanover

Duration: 10/2019 - 09/2022

Research question / project object:

Investigation of the effects of pain-relevant biomediators with regard to diagnostics, course and outcome of interdisciplinary orthopaedic-psychosomatic rehabilitation in multilocular chronic pain syndromes (chronic widespread pain - especially fibromyalgia syndrome).

Brief description of the project:

The research project aims to investigate the effect of biomediators on the course and outcome of interdisciplinary orthopaedic-psychosomatic rehabilitation. Furthermore, it will be examined whether and to what extent psychological and biographical factors interact with various biomediators relevant to chronic pain syndromes. Based on these results, it will be investigated which biomarkers are specifically suitable for an extended diagnosis of chronic pain syndromes and for an improved prognosis of the outcome of differential therapy concepts. Building on this, the intention is to develop treatment modules specifically tailored to problem groups of chronic pain patients as part of the interdisciplinary pain ward at the Bad Pyrmont rehabilitation center and to evaluate these in terms of their clinical effectiveness. Overall, the results of the proposed research project are expected to lead to a significant improvement in the complex diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain patients.

Publications / presentations

Publications in scientific journals and presentations at scientific conferences are planned.

Development of an instrument for the differentiated assessment of everyday impairments due to cognitive decline processes

- Continuation at Erfurt University of Applied Sciences -

Project title: Development of an instrument for the differentiated assessment of everyday impairments due to cognitive decline processes - an approach to improve the early detection and diagnosis of dementia and its precursors of mild neurocognitive disorders in research and practice

Project management: Prof. Dr. Tobias Luck

Cooperation partners: Prof. Dr. Steffi G. Riedel-Heller, MPH, University of Leipzig

Third-party funders:

German Alzheimer's Association - Dementia Self-Help

Duration: 02/2019 - 08/2022

Research question / project object:

Development of an instrument for the differentiated assessment of everyday impairments due to cognitive decline processes

Brief description of the project:

In the diagnosis of dementia according to the international classification systems (ICD-10, DSM-5), the careful assessment of the extent to which patients can still cope with their everyday life is of enormous importance, as even mild forms of dementia must be proven to have impairments in everyday functions. Despite this enormous importance of everyday impairments, diagnosticians are given a surprising amount of leeway when recording them. The aim of the proposed research project was to provide a standardized German-language instrument for the differentiated assessment of everyday impairments due to neurodegenerative degradation processes. In project phase 1 (Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences), a pilot version of the assessment instrument was created. In project phase 2, the psychometric evaluation and finalization of the assessment instrument was carried out as part of a pilot study with test persons without cognitive deficits, with mild neurocognitive disorders and with clinically manifest dementia. The provision of the standardized assessment instrument should represent a significant starting point for improving the early detection and (differential) diagnosis of dementia and its precursors of mild neurocognitive disorders in research and clinical practice and thus contribute to a substantial improvement in the care situation of those affected themselves as well as to relieving the burden on their relatives.

Publications / Presentations:

Open access dissemination of the developed instruments on the websites of the participating research institutions and in scientific journals; presentation at scientific conferences

 

Feelings of guilt: causes, processing strategies and putative risk factors - A standardized online survey

- Continuation at Erfurt University of Applied Sciences -

Project title: Feelings of guilt: causes, processing strategies and putative risk factors - a standardized online survey

Project management: Prof. Dr. Tobias Luck

Cooperation partner:

Prof. Dr. Claudia Luck-Sikorski, SRH University of Applied Sciences for Health, Gera

Third-party funding:

Own funds

Research promotion fund of the Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences

Duration: 01/2019 - 12/2022

Research question / project object: Provision of empirical information on causes, processing strategies and putative risk factors of feelings of guilt in the adult population in Germany

Brief description of the project:

Using a standardized online survey, empirical data on causes, processing strategies and putative risk factors of guilt in the adult population in Germany will be collected and provided.

The prevalence of feelings of guilt in the adult population - A population-based telephone survey

- Continuation at Erfurt University of Applied Sciences -

Project title: The prevalence of feelings of guilt in the adult population - a population-based telephone survey

Project management: Prof. Dr. Tobias Luck

Cooperation partner:

Prof. Dr. Claudia Luck-Sikorski, SRH University of Applied Sciences for Health, Gera

Third-party funding:

Own funds

Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) (funding code: 01EO150 - Integrated Research and Treatment Center (IFB) Obesity Diseases)

Duration: 01/2019 - 12/2022

Research question / project object:

Provision of empirical information on the prevalence of feelings of guilt in the adult population in Germany

Brief description of the project:

Using a population-based telephone survey, empirical data on the prevalence (point and lifetime prevalence) of feelings of guilt and associated risk factors in the adult population in Germany will be collected and made available.

 

2021

Social (SINUS) environments and mental illness: Perspectives and course of patient:s in psychosomatic rehabilitation.

Project title: Social (SINUS) Milieus and Mental Illness: Perspectives and course of patient:s in psychosomatic rehabilitation.

Project Management: Prof. Dr. Markus Bassler

Third party funding:

German Pension Insurance Association

Duration: 12/2019 - 05/2021

Research question / project object:

Influence of sociocultural milieus on the subjective perception of illness.

Brief description of the project:

This project aims to investigate the extent to which the personal "lifeworld" of patients, and in particular their membership of certain sociocultural milieus, influences the subjective perception of illness, the course of mental illness and the success of treatment in psychosomatic rehabilitation. The aim is to statistically determine, on the basis of the SINUS social milieus, whether patients from different "lifeworlds" or different social milieus differ with regard to the above aspects.

Impact of the corona pandemic on research:

The start of data collection was delayed by several months due to the COVID pandemic; accordingly, data analysis was not possible until December 2020.

Publications/Presentations:

A publication in scientific journals and a lecture in scientific congress is planned.

Health of students at the HS-Nordhausen

Project Title: Health of students at the HS-Nordhausen

Project Management: Prof. Dr. Petra Johanna Brzank

Third-party funders:inside:

ISRV funds

Duration: 10/2020 - 09/2021

Research question / project object:

How healthy are students at HS-Nordhausen? What influences student health, well-being, and health literacy? What differences are evident compared to before and during the Corona pandemic measures?

Brief description of the project:

In the summer semester 2019, in the "WP Student Health Management", a standardized online survey of students of the HS-Nordhausen was designed and invited to answer, based on a survey at the HS-Fulda. For the secondary evaluation, a data set of 650 valid cases is available. A repeat survey is planned for the summer semester 2021, which will allow to represent health status and health literacy before and during the Corona pandemic.

Research Impact of the Corona Pandemic:

There was no impact

Publications:

Several publications are planned.

Presentations:

Planned lectures

Brzank, P., Guirgis, F. (2021): "Health and health literacy of students at the HS- Nordhausen: before and during the Corona pandemic measures. Results of an online (repeat) survey", invited lecture at the DGMP/DGMS Congress on Sept. 1-17, 2021.

2020

Development and psychosometric testing of an instrument to measure social participation in adolescents.

Projekt title: Development and psychosometric testing of an instrument to measure social participation in adolescents.

Project Management: Prof. Dr. Britta Gebhard, Dr. Astrid Fink (MLU Halle-Wittenberg)

Third-party funders:inside: German Research Foundation

Duration: 10/2019 - 09/2021

The aim of this project is to develop, test, pilot, and begin psychometric testing of a participation measurement instrument for adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17.

In a sequential mixed-methods study, adolescents with and without physical impairments will be surveyed via semi-structured interviews about their experiences and satisfaction with social participation and the individual meaning of self-determination. The perspective of the adolescents is supplemented by focus groups, on the one hand with experts from social pediatric care and on the other hand with parents. These different perspectives provide the greatest possible gain in knowledge for the development of the instrument, which also integrates the current international findings. Based on the results of the first step, a measurement instrument will be developed close to the target group, evaluated by the target group of adolescents as well as the applying experts, implemented in a pilot study in exemplary social pediatric centers and rehabilitation clinics and psychometrically tested.

This study provides meaningful findings on social participation in adolescents, which make it possible to describe the theoretical construct of social participation and its significance for the lives of adolescents as well as for the planning of support goals in rehabilitative processes, and to evaluate the core goal of participation in individual measures as stipulated by the legislature. The developed instrument can be used in science to identify disadvantaged groups and to compensate for the disadvantages that could affect their development with targeted interventions. In practice, the instrument can be used to identify the goals of rehabilitation together with the adolescent and the importance he or she attaches to them, and to evaluate the achievement of the goals.

Translation YC-PEM

Project Title: Translation and cultural adaptation of the Young Children's Participation and Environment Measure (YC-PEM) for German-speaking countries.

Project Management:

Prof. Dr. Christina Schulze, occupational therapist M. Sc.
Beate Krieger, occupational therapist M. Sc.

Project collaborators:

Prof. Dr.Britta Gebhard, University of Applied Sciences Südwestfalen
Friedrich Ederer, ISRV
Ruth Amann, University Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent Surgery Graz

Third party funding:

Foundation for Occupational Therapy Zurich

Duration: 10/2019 - 12/2020

Research question / project object:

Since the introduction of the ICF (-CY), participation has been the yardstick for successful inclusion of children with impairments. The environment plays a mediating role for this. As long as current participation in meaningful life contexts becomes ascertainable, participation-oriented goals, as well as the measures required to achieve them, can be developed and evaluated together with parents. The Young Children's Participation and Environment Measure (YC-PEM) developed by Khetani, Coster, Law, and Bedell is one such participation measurement tool (Khetani et al. 2013). It captures, from the parents' perspective, the participation of children ages 0-5 in significant life situations (home, daycare/preschool, community) that build on the ICF-CY domains of activities and participation (Chien 2014). At the same time, it is assessed to what extent the environment represents facilitating factors or barriers for this and which family participation strategies already exist. To date, however, no German-language version of the YC-PEM exists.

Aim: Culturally adapted, German-language version of the YC-PEM.

Question: Which linguistic adaptations have to be made in a German translation of the YC-PEM in order to record participation of 0-5-year-old children in German-speaking countries?

Brief description of the project:

In cooperation with the developers of CanChild, the YC-PEM (0-5 years) will be harmonized with the already translated and culturally adapted PEM-CY (5-17 years). For translation and cross-cultural adaptation, an internationally accepted guideline (Beaton et al. 2000) is combined with cognitive interviews (Willis 2005; Hak et al. 2008) in several runs. After comparative translations, parents (n~20-30) of children with (n~15-20) and without impairments (n~5-10) from 3 German-speaking countries reflect on their implementation of the assessment. Deductive content analysis will be used to analyze the parent interviews (Hsieh, Shannon 2005). The results will be discussed in iterative expert:ing discussions with 9-10 professionals. These will consist of 1-2 parents of a child with impairment as well as professionals from the fields of occupational therapy, early intervention and special education.

The project is carried out in cooperation with the following institutions and partners:

  • Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW).
  • CanChild
  • McMaster University Canada
  • University of Applied Sciences South Westphalia, Scientific Center for Early Childhood Education
  • University Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent Surgery Graz

Impact of the corona pandemic on research:

Due to 2020-2021 contact restrictions, cognitive interviews could not be conducted until much later, resulting in an expected project completion date of 2022.

Publications

Project flyer

https://projektdaten.zhaw.ch/Research/Projekt-00003123/ProjektflyerYCPEM.pdf

Implementation Istanbul Convention

Project title: Implementation of the Istanbul Convention in Brandenburg

Project Management: Prof. Dr. Petra Johanna Brzank, MPH

Third party funding:inside:

State of Brandenburg
Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Integration and Consumer Protection (MSGIV)

Duration: 09/2020 - 12/2020

Research question / project object:

Preparation of an expert report on the further development of the state action plan to combat violence against women and their children.

Brief description of the project:

Using a triangulation of methods, the previous state action plan in Brandenburg was evaluated and recommendations for further development according to the requirements of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (so-called Istanbul Convention (IC)) were formulated in an expert opinion. The recommendations made are based on the findings of an online survey to which residents of the shelters, employees of the support structures as well as of offices and authorities were invited. This survey was dedicated to the topics of equipment and resources as well as perceived needs with regard to IC. Employees of the women's shelters were further questioned about their working conditions, and residents were asked about key sociodemographic data. A total of 16 in-depth, guideline-based expert interviews were conducted with employees of the support structure and ministries, which substantiate and explain the results in terms of content.

Impact of the corona pandemic on research:

The Corona pandemic measures had no further impact on the surveys, as the qualitative interviews took place at a time when incidence was low. However, due to the measures, no project meetings could be held to jointly evaluate the qualitative and quantitative results in presence, which might have yielded more in-depth findings

Publications:

The report will be published by the Ministry after revision.

 

Eldereha/ -kids

Project Title: Eldereha/-kids

Project Management: Prof. Dr. Andreas Seidel

Third party funding:inside:

Own funds

Duration: 01/2020 - 12/2020

Research question / project object:

Psychological impairments of children / adolescents whose parents have a depressive disorder.

Brief description of the project:

Within a questionnaire survey, the mental impairments of children and adolescents whose parents have a depressive disorder will be assessed.

Impact of the corona pandemic on research:

no impact was recorded

Publications:

Publications are planned for 2022, following evaluation of the project in 2021

Presentations: Presentations on the research project are planned for 2022, following successful evaluation of the project

BeTH-F

Project Title: BeTH-F Impairment of participation in children in early intervention.

Project Management: Prof. Dr. Andreas Seidel

Third party funding:inside:

Own funds

Duration: 01/2020 - 12/2020

Research question / project object:

Recording of possible impairments in the areas of life / participation in children in early intervention.

Brief description of the project:

Interviews with professionals from Interdisciplinary Early Intervention will be used to record possible impairments in life domains / participation among children in early intervention.

Impact of the corona pandemic on research:

Due to the coronal pandemic, interviews had to be conducted online, rather than face-to-face

Presentations:

Planned presentations

Seidel, A.: Participation impairments in children in early intervention (infant, toddler, preschool child) from an (inter-)disciplinary perspective, VIFF-Bundessymposium (online), 20.03.2021

Publications:

publications on the research project are planned for 2022

 

2019

Kindness for Kids Supply Price

Projekt title: Kindness for Kids Supply Price

Project management:
Prof. Dr. med. Andreas Seidel
Prof. Dr. med. Thomas Lücke (Kath. Klinkum Bochum)

Third party funding:inside: Kindness for Kids, Foundation for Children with Rare Diseases

Duration: 03/2018 - 06/2019

The aim of the project is, in addition to the implementation of a consultation hour "Social Counseling/Case Management" in the metabolic consultation hour of the University Children's Hospital Bochum, an accompanying research (as a mixed-methods-study), which focuses on the health status of children and adolescents with metabolic diseases from the perspective of the affected persons and their families.

Based on the bio-psycho-social model of the ICF, patients and their families will be interviewed on the topic of health status and therapy goals. The transcribed interviews will be recorded using the ICF category and code system and then evaluated using descriptive statistics. This makes it possible to show in which areas of life the affected persons and their families experience limitations and which contextual factors promote their state of health (promoting factors) or negatively influence it (barriers).

In addition to this qualitative method, the parents and, as far as possible, the patients are interviewed using a standardized questionnaire in order to determine the frequency of mental health problems among the patients. The results recorded here are compared with the evaluations from the KiGGS/BELLA study (as a representative German control group) (15). A current and systematic study of psychological abnormalities in children and adolescents with metabolic diseases does not yet exist in Germany. The relevance for patients is improved care (counseling/case management) and greater participation in the treatment process.

The "Social Counseling/Case Management" consultation hour is to be continued after the end of the project, based on the experience gained during the project period. This psychosocial counseling and case management is already being continuously developed in the clinic and continuously adapted to the needs of patients and their families. Through the presentation and publication of the results from the research project as well as a continuation of the research activities in this field, the sustainability of the project contents is ensured.

The project is carried out by the cooperation of the University Children's Hospital Bochum with the University of Applied Sciences Nordhausen with the support of the German Interest Group Phenylketonuria as well as the Society for Mucopolysaccharidoses. Nationally and internationally, the experiences and results are presented at various working meetings and congresses and made known in written form through publications.

Resilience through citizen participation in rural areas using the example of the Donnersberg district (Rhineland-Palatinate)

Projekt Title: Resilience through citizen participation in rural areas using the example of the Donnersberg district (Rhineland-Palatinate)

Project Management:
Prof. Dr. Cordula Borbe
Prof. Dr. Markus Steffens

Third party funding:inside: Pfalzklinikum, AOK Rhineland-Palatinate

Duration: 10/2018 - 09/2019

With the present project it is planned to strengthen resilience in a selected municipality (Donnersbergkreis) and to promote health literacy in this rural area with the participation of citizens. The latter are to be invited to reflect in public forums on which resilient and health-promoting structures can be identified in the region.

The project focuses on the following research questions:

  1. What characterizes existing concepts for strengthening resilience and promoting health literacy in rural areas, especially with regard to citizen participation?
  2. What quality-of-life/health-related issues move people in the Donnersbergkreis? Which spatial, ecological, economic and socio-cultural characteristics influence the resilience factors of citizens in the region? (Social space analysis)
  3. Which central aspects should - on the basis of this analysis - shape the concept of a new social space-oriented and citizen-involved, resilience-founded health offer in the Donnersbergkreis?
  4. How effective and efficient is such a new approach in Donnersbergkreis?

The study is conducted in a mixed-method design that incorporates both quantitative and qualitative elements. After an extensive literature analysis and research of statistical data, a theory-based analysis of the social space was conducted first. This was followed by concrete social space inspections using social space methods and spontaneous interviews with the aim of collecting further quantitative and qualitative data. In addition, an analysis of the current situation was carried out with the involvement of all regional institutions. Qualitative data was also collected through citizens' forums, which were held at four different times, using the activating survey method. The collected data was evaluated by the team during several project meetings in the Donnersberg district and at the Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences. The final project report is currently being prepared and will contain a detailed presentation of the results.

Link to the research report

Complaint validation in psychosomatic rehabilitation

Project Management: Prof. Dr. med. Markus Bassler

Third party funding:inside: DRV Braunschweig-Hannover

Duration: 04/2018 - 09/2019

In the socio-medical validation of complaints, aggravation and, to a lesser extent, simulation play an important role, since, according to available estimates, a considerable part of the patient's descriptions of symptoms must be judged as not valid (Kobelt et.al.2012). For the validation of complaints by experts, recognized guidelines are available for psychosomatic complaints (Schmitt 2012). However, there is a lack of operationalized validated procedures that combine clinical assessment and test psychological assessments in a multilevel diagnostic process when invalid symptoms are suspected.

In this research project, a multi-stage clinical and test-psychological diagnostic system is to be developed which is capable of detecting cases of invalid symptom description with the highest possible sensitivity and specificity already at the first stage of an exclusively psychometric screening procedure. In addition to the screening procedure, an extended clinical and test-psychological diagnosis is to be used to achieve the highest possible hit rate of correctly positive cases in order to ensure an optimized specificity of the socio-medical diagnosis.

Quality Pact for Teaching - Q3

Project title: Quality Pact for Teaching - Q3 Diversity

Project Management:

Prof. Dr. Cordula Borbe
Prof. Dr. Sebastian Möller-Dreischer

Third-party funders:inside:

Federal Ministry of Education and Research

Duration: 01/2017 - 12/2019

Research question / project object:

Implementation of diversity in teaching and research; teaching diversity-oriented competencies in teaching and research.

Brief description of the project:

Financed by the funds of the Quality Pact for Teaching, the project deals with the question of how diversity as a topic can be better addressed and implemented at the university and in society in the form of measures, awareness-raising, research, etc.

The focus of the position in 2019 was the work on the "Diversity" action plan with a focus on the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. For this, needs were identified in a participatory process with members and stakeholders of the university as well as in networking with external organizations and other universities. These were translated into more than 30 individual measures in six fields of action to be addressed by the university from 2019 to 2021. In the process, diversity was identified and advanced as an important cross-cutting issue in university development.

In the course of implementing the action plan, a study was designed to collect equality and diversity data (with a focus on students with disabilities and chronic illnesses), further training on the topic of "diversity-appropriate teaching" was organized for qualification purposes, and public relations work on the topic of "diversity" was carried out.

Within the framework of the project, the introductory study week (STEW) at the university was further developed after the initial experiences following a new conception in the previous year. As the moment of first contact of new students with the university, the STEW plays a central role for the further course of studies. The training is a 6.5-hour training of tutors, in which they are prepared to accompany the new freshmen in a successful start into their university life. Based on the evaluation of the previous year, the focus of the training was changed somewhat and the point "critical thinking" and critical reflection was strengthened and the topic "scientific work", which was still rather abstract in the first week of study, was weakened.

In addition, the content-related and supportive work with students, student groups such as Amnesty International and the Student Advisory Service, and teachers as well as the sensitization in the topic area of diversity at the university were important components of the work. In the context of this, there was, among other things, participation in the action week "Achtung und Respekt - Für mich! For you! For all!", which was organized by the Thuringian Competence Network Equality 2019 and in which Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences also participated. During this week, a further training course for students of the "Public Management" course was held on the topic of "Diversity in Administration", as well as a film screening. Other events were also supported, such as the excursion week, in which the project staff accompanied a group of students.

Furthermore, there was continuous cooperation with the university's Equal Opportunity Officer and Press and Public Relations as well as support for the newly created position of Diversity Officer at Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences with regard to planning, organizing and implementing measures for family-friendly and diversity-sensitive design of studies, academic careers, working conditions and administrative work as well as public relations. Collaboration with external networks was also advanced. This resulted in cooperation with the Thuringian Competence Network for Equality, but above all, the connection to the newly founded network of diversity officers at Thuringian universities was strengthened.

International networking also took place: in 2019, support was provided for the "JEU" project, which connects Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences with a number of European partner institutions. JEU is a cooperation of NGOs and universities from seven European countries, has the goal to contribute to creating a more inclusive and respectful Europe. It does this by raising awareness and empowering young people and teachers on issues of European citizenship, gender equality and environmental protection. Over a three-year period, "serious games," educational video games, will be developed for middle and high school youth. These games will then be played in classroom contexts in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Ireland, Portugal, Poland and Germany. The project is funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Agency.

Publications

Schulze, Heiner (2019): Critical Westness. Invisible norms and (West) German perspectives. In: Ost|Journal, issue 05/2019 "The turn of the others". S. 38-43.

Schulze, Heiner (2019): 50 years of Stonewall and the struggle for emancipation. In: tz - Thüringer Zeitschrift der Bildungsgewerkschaft, December 2019, p.12/13.

Lectures

"Diversity in Public Administration," May 2019, lecture in the context of the action week "Achtung und Respekt - Für mich! For you! For all!" Of the Thuringian Competence Network Equality.

"Queering Institutions: Inclusive Cultural Institutions." Contribution to the Ideas Slam of the Annual Conference 2019 of the German Museums Association, May 2019, Hygienemuseum Dresden.

Advanced Training in Psychosomatic Medicine

Project Title: Advanced Training in Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy in China.

Project Management: Prof. Dr. Markus Bassler

Third party funding:inside:

German Academic Exchange Service

Duration: 01/2016 - 12/2019

Research question / project object:

Training in primary psychosomatic care for physicians in China - teaching program at Beijing Union Medical College Hospital.

Brief description of the project:

Building on the intensive preliminary work of Freiburg University Hospital in the field of education and training in psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy at multiple mental health centers in China over the past 10 years, a project on continuing education in psychotherapy for China was designed jointly with Freiburg University Hospital and Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH). The aim of the project is to establish PUMCH as a reference center for psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy in China with a focus on patient:inpatient care, continuing education in psychotherapy, and research relevant to the Chinese context in the mental health field. This is to be achieved through the following measures:

  1. Professional and didactic qualification of physicians and psychologists
  2. Establishment of a curriculum for further training in psychotherapy in the field of psychosomatic medicine.
  3. Networking and steering meetings
  4. Accompanying research

The project is planned for four years and provides for the further training of two groups of physicians and psychologists, each with 15 participants. At the end of the project, 30 physicians and psychologists should be professionally and didactically qualified to conduct psychotherapy according to the state of the art and to continue teaching the curriculum in the future. The project was applied for on the German side by Prof. Dr. Markus Bassler from the Institute of Social Medicine, Rehabilitation Sciences and Health Services Research (ISRV) at Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences, in close cooperation with Prof. Michael Wirsching and Prof. Kurt Fritzsche from the Psychosomatic Clinic at Freiburg University Hospital. The cooperation partner in China is Prof. Jing Wei from the Department of Psychological Medicine at Beijing Union Medical College Hospital.

Publications / Presentations:

Publications in scientific journals and presentations at scientific congresses are planned.

2018

Multicenter Study - Qualified Withdrawal in Internal Medicine

Projekt Title: Multicenter Study - Qualified Withdrawal in Internal Medicine

Project Management:
Prof. Dr. Uwe Saint-Mont
Prof. Dr. Markus Steffens

Third party funding:inside: AKQEIM Working Group on Qualified Withdrawal in Internal Medicine.

Duration: 01/2017 - 12/2018

In the context of the cooperation with the Diakonie Hospital Elbingerode, there is contact with the "Arbeitskreis qualifizierter Entzug in der Inneren Medizin" (AKQEIM). In cooperation with this working group, a prospective study (questionnaire for qualified withdrawal) is conducted at 10-15 German hospitals.

The study is explorative and quantitative. In order to gain as comprehensive a picture as possible, seven German internal medicine clinics are to complete a standardized questionnaire for each of their patients in Qualified Withdrawal (QE) during an a priori defined period of time, which has been previously agreed upon in the AKQEIM of the BDI. This will provide an overview of the patient population for the first time: How many people are treated in Qualified Withdrawal in Internal Medicine and what are their characteristics. In addition, the focus is on the therapeutic measures and their success (especially disease acceptance, therapy success evaluation, initiation of further measures). The study is divided into several steps:

  • Creation and adoption of a standardized survey questionnaire for all participating clinics.
  • Creation of an associated Excel file for entering and collecting the data
  • Collection and encrypted transmission of the data in three tranches
  • Consolidation, evaluation and interpretation of the data

Dortmund nurseries - scientific monitoring

Project Management: Prof. Dr. Sebastian Möller-Dreischer

Third-party funders:inside: Family Project, City of Dortmund, co-financing by RhurFutur.

Duration: 01/2016 - 12/2018

Since the beginning of 2016, the ISRV has been involved in the scientific monitoring and conceptual development of the FABIDO Kinderstube in Dortmund-Eving. In November/December 2015, the Kinderstube was opened and 9 children from the Märchensiedlung and closely neighboring neighborhoods were admitted. Of the 9 children, 8 children and their parents are cared for within the framework of youth welfare according to § 27 ff SGB VIII. A large part of the children admitted there receive various support services, for example SPFH and/or early intervention as a complex service. The aim of the project is to find out whether the preventive and low-threshold work in the children's homes can provide support and relief within the framework of HzE as well as a socio-educational and fiscal effect.

The main focus of the project is to analyze to what extent, for example, processes of youth welfare in the context of help for upbringing can be implemented in the work of the childcare centers. Overall, the conceptual development focuses on various aspects:

  • Which support services for families can be implemented in cooperation with the Kinderstube?
  • How can the idea of (partially) bundling support services (legally) be implemented that the children receive (e.g. SPFH, educational counseling, early intervention services)?

Questions to be investigated are:

  • What agreements need to be made on the part of socio-educational coordination and youth services?
  • What can day care workers achieve? What not yet? (Analysis on conceptual level, interview if necessary)
  • Where are overlaps between the low-threshold work of TPP and SPFHs? Which activities mean additional work for the TPP? (i.e. which activities (close to the family) are performed anyway?) (Analysis of a documentation of the TPP's activities, case documentation and analysis of two selected families).

The overall question is how to avoid overburdening / overstraining the day care workers in this context, which professional support services are needed and how high the personnel costs of the provider would be with regard to the professional support of the day care workers. In addition, the question of the acceptance of such a support service by the families and how the support is accepted and perceived by the parents will be investigated.

The scientific monitoring of the project will run until the end of 2017.

Optimization of the self-evaluation of the Berlin care support points

Project Management: Prof. Dr. Petra J. Brzank

Third-party funders:inside: Berlin Senate Department for Health, Care and Equality.

Duration: 10/2018 - 12/2018

Within the framework of the project, the annual performance reports of the Berlin care support points are analyzed for potential improvements. The service and client data available from 2018 will be statistically evaluated and suggestions will be made for adapting the data collection mask to a changed task situation as well as for longitudinal presentation.

Evaluation of questionnaires on youth development plan

Project Title: Evaluation of questionnaires on the youth development plan

Project Management: Prof. Dr. Cordula Borbe

Third party funding:inside

District Office Nordhausen

Duration: 04/2018 - 05/2018

Research question / project object:

Evaluation of questionnaires on the youth development plan according to poverty aspects.

Brief description of the project:

Within the scope of the project, data on the youth development plan collected by the Nordhausen district office with questionnaires were evaluated according to poverty aspects. In addition, a linguistic and visual preparation of the data in report form was carried out.

(Planned) publications / presentations:

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Qualified withdrawal in internal medicine (multicenter study in cooperation with Diakoniekrankenhaus Elbingerode)

Project title: Qualified withdrawal in internal medicine (multicenter study in cooperation with Diakoniekrankenhaus Elbingerode)

Project Management:
Prof. Dr. Uwe Saint-Mont
Prof. Dr. Markus Steffens

Third party funding:inside:
AKQEIM (Working Group Qualified Withdrawal in Internal Medicine)

Duration: 01/2017 - 12/2018

Research question / project object:
What are the characteristics of patients in Qualified Withdrawal (QE) in internal medicine? How effective is this treatment setting (QE) in terms of disease acceptance, treatment success assessment and initiation of further measures?

Brief description of the project:

Within the framework of the cooperation with the Diakonie Hospital Elbingerode, there is contact with the "Arbeitskreis qualifizierter Entzug in der Inneren Medizin" (AKQEIM). In cooperation with this working group, a prospective study (questionnaire for qualified withdrawal) is to be conducted at 10-15 German hospitals.

The envisaged study is prospective and quantitative. This means that in an a priori defined period of time several (up to 15, at least five) German internal medicine clinics will complete a standardized questionnaire for each of their patients in Qualified Withdrawal. Included in the study will be all patients with a discharge date within the pre-agreed time period (approximately six months in 2017). This will provide an overview of the patient population for the first time: How many people are treated in Qualified Withdrawal in Internal Medicine and what are their characteristics. In addition, the focus is on the therapeutic measures and their success (esp. disease acceptance, therapy success evaluation, initiation of further measures).

The study is divided into several steps:

1. Creation and adoption of a standardized survey questionnaire for all participating clinics (already done, see attachment "Questionnaire")
2. Creation of an associated Excel file for convenient input and uniform collection (already done, can be sent on request).
3. Determination of the study period as soon as the consent of the Ethics Committee of the University of Jena (obtained by the ISRV1) has been received by the secretariat of the AKQEIM2 as a copy and at least 5 hospitals have bindingly participated in the study - i.e. have signed the present document as well as sent it to the secretariat of the AKQEIM.
4. Decentralized collection of data in three tranches (one, three, and six months).
5. After completion of the survey, each clinic sends its anonymized data encrypted by e-mail to the evaluators in Nordhausen using the standardized Excel file (see 2.).
6. Compilation, analysis and interpretation of the data by Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Saint-Mont and Prof. Dr. med. Steffens (both ISRV).
7. Timely oral presentation of the results by the persons mentioned in point 6 at a meeting of AKQEIM.
8. Written final report by ISRV.
9. Legal aspects

The above study aims to provide basic information on success criteria in Qualified Withdrawal in Internal Medicine. In follow-up projects, more comprehensive information - also comparative - could be collected on a nationwide and standardized basis. Corresponding questionnaires, which have already proven themselves in clinical use, are available. In this way, a detailed picture of the status of the different withdrawal treatments in Germany could emerge. In particular, different treatment approaches could also be compared in a targeted manner.

Furthermore, the ISRV was commissioned to evaluate the statistical data of patients in alcohol withdrawal available in Elbingerode. A bachelor's thesis of the business administration course on the topic of "Qualified withdrawal in Elbingerode" was concerned with the evaluation of this data in the period from 1.9.2016 to mid-2017 (completed).

2017

Qualified withdrawal in internal medicine

Project title: Qualified withdrawal in internal medicine (multicenter study in cooperation with Diakoniekrankenhaus Elbingerode)

Project Management: Prof. Dr. Uwe Saint-Mont

Funding source: AKQEIM (Working Group Qualified Withdrawal in Internal Medicine).

Duration: 01/2017 - 12/2017

Research question / project object:

Overview of the patient population; How many people are treated in Qualified Withdrawal in Internal Medicine and what are their characteristics?

Brief description of the project:

Within the framework of the cooperation with the Diakonie Hospital Elbingerode, there is contact with the "Arbeitskreis qualifizierter Entzug in der Inneren Medizin" (AKQEIM). In cooperation with this working group, a prospective study (questionnaire on qualified withdrawal) is to be conducted at 10-15 German hospitals.

The study is explorative and quantitative. In order to gain as comprehensive a picture as possible, seven German internal medicine clinics are to complete a standardized questionnaire for each of their patients in Qualified Withdrawal (QE) in an a priori defined period of time, which has been previously agreed upon in the AKQEIM of the BDI. This will provide an overview of the patient population for the first time: How many people are treated in Qualified Withdrawal in Internal Medicine and what are their characteristics.  In addition, the focus is on the therapeutic measures and their success (in particular disease acceptance, therapy success evaluation, initiation of further measures).

Final approval and acceptance of the survey questionnaire took place in November 2016. The participating clinics received the associated file in December 2016. The implementation of the study and analysis of the data are planned for the first to third quarter of 2017.

In addition, the ISRV was commissioned to evaluate the statistical data of patients in alcohol withdrawal available in Elbingerode. A bachelor's thesis of the business administration course on the topic of "Qualified withdrawal in Elbingerode" was concerned with the evaluation of this data in the period from 1.9.2016 to mid-2017 (completed).

ICF-based discharge management of people with dependency disorders and mental comorbidity.

Project Management: Prof. Dr. Andreas Seidel, Prof. Dr. Markus Steffens

Third party funding: Rheinhessen Fachklinik Alzey, co-financing state of Rhineland-Palatinate.

Duration: 03/2017 - 09/2017

People addicted to addictive substances are of considerable importance in the inpatient context of psychiatry due to their complex problem situations and the resulting difficulty of adequate, especially seamless, further treatment planning. Their often precarious living conditions require early interdisciplinary cooperation and coordination. The project is embedded as a master thesis in a larger study of the department of general psychiatry of the Rheinhessen Fachklinik Alzey. It aims at an analysis of the internal interfaces from admission to discharge and the associated professionalization of the discharge management of patients with addiction. With the help of a diagnostic instrument based on the ICF, the particularly problem-intensive, i.e. aftercare-intensive, clientele is to be identified in order to be able to direct them to discharge management, which is to be standardized within the framework of this project. The results of these processes, which will then be written down in a concept, are to be tested, documented and finally evaluated on approx. 8-10 patients.

Residential care needs of severely mentally ill people with regard to inpatient and all-day outpatient medical rehabilitation (Altenburg region)

Project Management: Prof. Dr. Markus Steffens, Prof. Dr. Cordula Borbe

Third-party sponsors: Evangelical Lukas Foundation Altenburg

Duration: 01/2015 - 12/2017

In response to a specific request, a survey was conducted within the framework of the cooperation with the Evangelische Lukas-Stiftung Altenburg on the "Care needs of severely mentally ill people close to their place of residence with regard to inpatient and full-day outpatient medical rehabilitation". One focus of the survey was the generation of quantitative data, which was collected by means of questionnaires. The aim was to achieve a survey of all patients with severe mental disorders at the Clinic for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics of the Evangelical Lukas Foundation Altenburg within six months. Approximately 100 questionnaires were collected and evaluated. Furthermore, an ACTUAL status analysis was carried out at all regional providers and facilities within the framework of the community psychiatric network system in the Altenburg region in the form of standardized telephone interviews with qualitative elements. The project ran from January to December 2015.

Quality Pact for Teaching - Q3 Diversity

Project title: Quality Pact for Teaching - Q3 Diversity

Project Management:
Prof.in Dr.in Cordula Borbe
Prof. Dr. Sebastian Möller-Dreischer

Third party funders:inside:
Federal Ministry of Education and Research

Duration: 01/2017 - 09/2017

Research question / project object:
Implementation of diversity in teaching and research; teaching diversity-oriented competencies in teaching and research.

Brief description of the project:

As part of the Teaching Quality Pact, the university submitted a follow-up application to the Federal Ministry for the 2016-2020 funding period. This included a sub-application formulated by ISRV on the focus area "Diversity". The aim of the activities and measures described in the application is to implement diversity more strongly in teaching and research, to recognize social and individual diversity criteria in the subject cultures in their enabling and hindering dimensions, and to impart more diversity-oriented competencies in teaching and for research. With the approval of the funding for the new period, a 100% position could be created, which will initially perform the following tasks for 1 year:

- Implementation of diversity aspects as part of re-accreditation (review of module descriptions of all degree programs at the university for diversity competencies).
- (Further) development of modules and teaching content on the topic of diversity, including e-learning modules
- development and implementation of a diversity audit for the University of Applied Sciences Nordhausen
- Analysis, evaluation and preparation of data
- further development of the conception and implementation of the diversity strategy of Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences.
- onception of training measures for staff and teachers
- Acquisition of cooperation partners and networking
- third-party funding acquisition

2016

Inclusion in a different way

Project title: Inclusion with a difference (accompanying research project on inclusive schooling at a special school)

Project leader: Prof. Dr. Britta Gebhard

Duration: 2012 - 2016

Research question / project object:

Longitudinal analysis; students' academic performance, participation, and social-emotional school experience.

The project "Inklusion einmal anders" analyzed the following aspects over the entire primary school period of the inclusive class at K-v-G-H (Kardinal-von-Galen-Haus) in Dinklage: On the one hand, the fears and expectations as well as the experiences of the teachers/staff and the parents of the students with and without need for special educational support regarding inclusive schooling were surveyed. Second, the academic development of students with and without a need for special education support was measured in the areas of German and mathematics. In addition, the effects of inclusive schooling on extracurricular participation were examined in the inclusive class in comparison to the parallel classes. In addition, the social-emotional school experience was recorded for both classes. Thus, the scientific monitoring of the inclusive class at the K-v-G-H included different perspectives.


The aim of the scientific monitoring was to be able to make statements about the development of the academic performance of the students, their participation as well as their social-emotional school experience both in each class level and in the overall impression over the first four school years. Observations of developments from grade level to grade level in the form of performance or assessment comparisons were particularly significant here. This was designed in the form of a longitudinal analysis. Parents and staff of the K-v-G-H were interviewed at three measurement points. Here, the attitudes towards the inclusive school project at the respective measurement time, as well as the experiences were the focus of the survey. The results offer the possibility to further develop the design of inclusive schooling at the K-v-G-H. A final report was submitted to the school and the school board (Josegsgesellschaft).

Developmental psychology counseling

Project Management: Prof. Dr. Armin Sohns

Third party funding: Thuringian Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, Health, Women and Family (TMASGFF)

Duration: 04/2016 - 06/2016

For the Thuringian Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, Health, Women and Family (TMASGFF), a (accompanying) study was conducted for the project Developmental Psychological Counseling (EPB). EPB is a counseling concept with which professionals can support and accompany parents of infants and toddlers in establishing a parent-child relationship conducive to development. The aim of the evaluation/study was to critically reflect on the success of the training. In particular, questions were explored as to what benefits the graduates were able to draw for their later work, how they can embed the knowledge in their work, and how they were able to develop professionally with the help of the qualification. In December 2015, a follow-up application was submitted so that the project could be continued in 2016.

Firstly, a further survey was to record graduates of the further training who had changed their jobs in the meantime, in order to check what proportion of their professional development had been due to the EPB further training. This was intended to test the hypothesis that professionals change to more professionally demanding fields of work as a result of this continuing education. On the other hand, it seemed interesting to use selected parameters from the responses received from both surveys of professionals with the help of cross-tabulations to check whether individual trends that had been surveyed could be traced back to specific items to a particular extent. The following categories of the survey were used:

  • Professionals (age, education, fields of work, regions of work, work experience, motives for training, fulfillment of expectations, importance and evaluation of training).
  • Application of EPB (frequency, placement instances, indications, cooperating institutions, social origin of families).

A large number of differentiation possibilities emerged, which could provide interesting information about the success of EPB in practice. At the same time, more detailed information about the strengths and weaknesses of the training from the perspective of the professionals and possible structural limitations with specific groups of people or (regional) backgrounds could emerge. For example, it was of interest whether certain occupational groups or fields of work, use EPB in practice frequently, rarely or not at all, especially also depending on the individual evaluation and thus the attitude of the professionals towards their further training. Such in-depth findings were to be collected and presented through the extensive analysis of the cross-tabulations. This was implemented in cooperation between the Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences and the Department of Mathematics at the University of Paderborn.

The second part of the study took place from April to June 2016 and resulted in a final report, which was presented at a symposium organized by the Ministry of Social Affairs together with scientific background information on effectiveness.

Health Reporting Thuringia

Project Management: Prof. Dr. med. Andreas Seidel

Third party funding: Thuringian Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, Health, Women and Family (TMASGFF)

Duration: 08/2014 - 04/2016

In August 2014, the ISRV was commissioned by the Thuringian Ministry of Social Affairs, Family and Health to prepare the overall report on the health situation of Thuringian children based on data from the Public Health Service (here: school entry examinations year 2012/13). The overall report was completed at the beginning of 2015. The available data were presented and analyzed by districts and cities and for Thuringia as a whole. The report also included an evaluation of the Thuringian data in comparison to other data in the federal or international comparison. In addition to a scientific analysis, a presentation of focal points for action was also made, with the help of which the planning and implementation of necessary health policy measures to ensure child health in Thuringia will be further optimized in the future within the framework of health reporting. After completion of the general reporting, further supplementary analyses and evaluations were carried out in cooperation with the Thuringian Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, Health, Family and Women (TMAGSFF) under the project title "The Health Situation of Thuringian Children and Adolescents - An Analysis of the Available Examination Results from the Public Health Service from the 1990s to the Present" and recorded in a report. The report describes the development of the examination results in the preventive examinations of children and adolescents in the public health service in Thuringia in the period from 1997 to 2014, with a summary presentation of the most important findings and topics, also with regard to further health reporting. Recommendations for future measures and target formulations are named.

2015

Family midwives + follow-up project Statement on the recommendations for a municipal conception of health-oriented family support (GFB).

Projekt Title: Family midwives + follow-up project Statement on the recommendations for a municipal conception of health-oriented family support (GFB).

Project Management: Prof. Dr. Torsten Schaumberg

Third-party funders: National Center for Early Help (NZFH) of the BZgA.

Duration: 12/2014 - 04/2015

In 2014, a legal expertise on the use of family midwives was prepared for the National Center for Early Help. The project focused on clarifying open legal issues - labor law, social security law, tax law - regarding the deployment of family midwives (and other health care professionals). In cooperation with the DIJUF, these legal aspects and questions about when family midwives are self-employed or employed, what social insurance and tax obligations they face, were examined. The three resulting legal reports were published by the NZFH at the end of the project in April 2015. The aim of the expertise was to create legal certainty and security of action for the actors at all levels involved in the qualification or deployment of family midwives and other health care professionals (which is the object of funding of the Federal Initiative for Early Support). This concerns the federal and state level as well as municipal actors in offices (youth welfare offices, health offices) as well as free carriers. In addition to the publication of the legal opinions, they are also included and explained at conferences / lecture events.

Relational Mind

Since 2013, ISRV has been participating in an international research project on the topic of "Couples Counseling and Couples Therapy" (Relational Mind).

The research project deals with the interaction of couples and therapists within couples therapy. Subjects of the research project are clients who use couple therapy as well as the therapists who are responsible for these couple therapies. The role of the autonomic nervous system at significant moments within a therapy session will be explored. All participants (couples and therapists) will be studied. It will be analyzed how the couple and the therapists attune to each other in the conversation and how this attunement becomes visible in the reactions of the autonomic nervous system. The aim of the research project is to gain information about which psychophysiological factors accompany human interactions and how the human psyche is shaped by these interactions.

You can find more detailed information at the following link: Couples Counseling and Couples Therapy

 

If you are interested in couples counseling or therapy, please contact us without obligation!

We are looking forward to your mail, your call or your visit...

You will find more information on the following pages. If you have any questions or comments, we would be happy to hear from you.

Research team and contact details:

Project leader: Prof. Dr. Maria Borcsa Project collaborator: Julia Hille (M.A.)

Link to the current research report:

DGSF research report Relational Mind / May 2019.

 

Our approach to pair talks:

In couple conversations with a counseling team, the first step is to initiate a process of understanding in which the partners can express their various needs, fears and anxieties and clarify them together.

Together with you, we draw on your wealth of experience as a couple, look at what you have already mastered together and build on this during the discussions.

We offer you a broad range of expertise within a trusting atmosphere and support you in overcoming your difficulties and finding solutions.