Forschungsförderpreis 2022

Der Forschungsförderpreis 2022 in Höhe von 6.000 Euro ging an Dr. med. Judith Rohde aus Zürich für ihr Forschungsprojekt:

Digitales Selbstwirksamkeits-Training zur Überbrückung von Wartzeiten für Psychotherapie

Self-efficacy is an important factor for well-being and mental health. It is highly relevant e.g. in psychopathology and for psychotherapeutic processes. The concept of self‐efficacy refers to people’s belief in their own ability to exercise control over their environment, thoughts, emotions and behavior. It is the belief to be able to influence life circumstances and e.g. to achieve desired goals. There are different sources of self-efficacy, and the most effective way of strengthening self-efficacy beliefs is through mastery experiences (Bandura, 1997). Self-efficacy determines motivation and effort one will exert to achieve the desired outcome (Bandura, 1982, 1994) and e.g. influences the selections of goals insofar that people with a higher self-efficacy choose more challenging goals (DeVellis & DeVellis, 2000). 

Research has shown associations between low self-efficacy and mental health problem (Benight & Bandura, 2004; Bosmans & van der Velden, 2015; Kwasky & Groh, 2014; Rabani Bavojdan, Towhidi, & Rahmati, 2011; Thomasson & Psouni, 2010). Furthermore, self-efficacy plays an important role in the treatment of mental health problems and is e.g. linked to treatment adherence, outcome and therapy motivation (Bardone-Cone, Thompson, & Miller, 2020; Raeder et al., 2019; Thomasson & Psouni, 2010). 

The proposed study aims to optimize psychotherapy via a smartphone-based one-week self-efficacy training prior to specialized psychotherapy. This is based on promising findings from our previous study investigating a smartphone-based self-efficacy training in students experiencing increased stress during the covid-19 pandemic. Here, we found significant improvements of anxiety and hopelessness. This follow-up study in a clinical population aims to improve waiting periods, which are unfortunately common in Switzerland if people seek for specialised treatment, and therapy outcome. It will also generate more experience in smartphone-based interventions. To date, there are no studies investigating (mobile) self-efficacy trainings as pre-treatment.

Da wegen der Pandemie die Jahrestagung 2022 in Zürich auf das kommende Jahr verlegt wurde, fand die Preisübergabe virtuell im Rahmen eines Symposiums der DeGPT statt.