research
 

 german version
 

Research

A. Section for Psycho-Cardiology
B. Section for Psychotherapy Research
C. Section for Eating Disorders and Family Therapy
D. Section for Clinical Research of value commitment

A. Section for Psycho-Cardiology

Chair: Christoph Herrmann-Lingen, Prof. Dr. med.
Team: Thomas Meyer, Prof. Dr. mult., Katja Jamrozinski, PhD psychology, Julia Staab, PhD chemistry, Ulrike Mälzig, Dr. med., Alexandra Boese, psychologist, Karima v. Oehsen, MD, Claudia Neitzel, study nurse, Anke Gregus, technician, Heike Hühn, technician

Psycho-cardiology is a subspecialty of Psychosomatic Medicine, constituting a major research focus in our department. Our research group is part of the Heart Center Göttingen, the Heart Research Center Göttingen and the German Center for Cardiovascular Research. Main research topics include bidirectional mind-body-interactions in cardiovascular diseases and psychosocial treatments (including, eg, psychotherapy) for patients with heart disease. A research laboratory for molecular psycho-cardiology has been launched early in 2011.

Current core areas of research:

• Multicenter trial on a “Stepwise Psychotherapy Intervention to Reduce Risk in Coronary Artery Disease” (SPIRR-CAD; funded by the German Research Fund, 2008-2013).
• Development and evaluation of a telephone-based peer-counselling program for depressed women with coronary heart disease (“women's hearts telephone”, in collaboration with KKH-Allianz, 2010-2012)
• Studies of psychological well-being, personality quality of life, psycho-physiology and prognosis ind patients with cardiovascular diseases or risk factors (as part of local, national and international research consortia, eg, competence Network Heart Failure, Aldo-DHF, Ex-DHF, CIBIS-ELD studies, etc., funded by the German Ministry for Education and research and others)
• Molecular research on psychocardiological interactions (Research Laboratory)
• Collaboration in expert panelsand guideline committees in cardiovascular medicine.

Selected references:

• Albus C, Beutel M, Deter HC, Fritzsche K, Hellmich M, Jordan J, Jünger J, Krauth C, Ladwig KH, Michal M, Mueck-Weymann M, Petrowski K, Pieske B, Ronel J, Söllner W, Waller C, Weber C, Herrmann-Lingen C . A Stepwise Psychotherapy Intervention for Reducing Risk in Coronary Artery Disease (SPIRR-CAD) - Rationale and Design of a multicenter, randomised trial in depressed patients with CAD, J Psychosom Res (e-pub 2011; doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2011.02.013)
• Edelmann F, Stahrenberg R, Polzin F, Kockskämper A, Düngen HD, Duvinage A, Binder L, Kunde J, Scherer M, Gelbrich G, Hasenfuß G, Pieske B, Wachter R, Herrmann-Lingen C . Impaired physical quality of life in patients with diastolic dysfunction associates more strongly with neurohumoral activation than with echocardiographic parameters. Am Heart J 2011;161:797-804
• Grande G, Romppel M, Vesper JM, Schubmann R, Glaesmer H, Herrmann-Lingen C . Type-D personality and all-cause mortality in cardiac patients - Data from a German cohort study. Psychosom Med (e-pub 2011)
• Fritzsche K, Albus C, Jordan J, Beutel ME, Wiltink J, Herrmann-Lingen C und die SPIRR-CAD Studiengruppe. Einzel- und Paarintervention für depressive Koronarpatienten - Therapiemanual, Qualitätssicherung und erste Erfahrungen im Rahmen einer randomisierten kontrollierten Interventionsstudie. Psychotherapeut 2011;56:325–336
• Düngen HD, Apostolovic S, Inkrot S, Tahirovic E, Töpper A, Mehrhof F, Prettin C, Putnikovic B, Neškovic AN, Krotin M , Saka c D , Lainšcak M, Edelmann F , Wachter R , Rau T, Eschenhagen T, Doehner W, Anker SD , Waagstein F, Herrmann-Lingen C , Gelbrich G, Dietz R. The CIBIS-ELD Trial: (In-)Tolerability of bisoprolol versus carvedilol in elderly patients with heart failure. Eur J Heart Fail 2011;13:670-80
• Lainscak M, Farkas J, Inkrot S, Gelbrich G, Neskovic A, Rau T, Tahirovic E, Töpper A, Apostolovic S, Radlach HHJ, Herrmann-Lingen C , Anker SD, Düngen HD. Self-rated health predicts adverse events during beta-blocker titration: the CIBIS-ELD randomized trial analysis. Int J Cardiol (e-pub 2011)
• Edelmann F, Gelbrich G, Düngen HD, Fröhling S, Wachter R, Binder L, Töpper A, Lashki DJ, Schwarz S, Herrmann-Lingen C , Löffler M, Hasenfuss G, Halle M, Pieske B. Exercise training improves diastolic function and exercise capacity in patients with diastolic heart failure – Results of the Exercise training in Diastolic Heart Failure (Ex-DHF) Study. J Am Coll Cardiol (in press)
• Meyer T , Stanske B, Kochen MM, Cordes A, Yüksel I, Wachter R, Lüers C, Scherer M, Binder L, Pieske B, Herrmann-Lingen C . Serum levels of interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 in relation to depression scores in patients with cardiovascular risk factors. Behav Med (in press)
• Herrmann-Lingen C . Steps towards integrated psychosomatic medicine—The example of psychocardiology. J Psychosom Res 2011;70: 111–115.
• Kleiber C, Herrmann-Lingen C . Mit Herz und Seele: Psychokardiologische Konsiliar- und Liaisonarbeit. Verhaltensther Verhaltensmed 2011;32:39-43.
• Boese A, Jamrozinski K, Herrmann-Lingen C . Die biografische Dimension der koronaren Herzkrankheit – Felitti und die Folgen. Psychotherapie im Dialog 2011;12:66-69.
• Herrmann-Lingen C . Psychokardiologische Grundversorgung – Ein neues interdisziplinäres Kursangebot für Ärzte und Psychologen. Psychotherapie im Dialog 2011;12:39-43
• Herrmann-Lingen C . Psychosomatik der Herzinsuffizienz - alles nur Depression? Herz 2011;36:135–141.
• Herrmann-Lingen C Interdisziplinäre Kursfortbildung Psychokardiologische Grundversorgung. Psychother Psych Med 2011;61 (im Druck)
• Meyer T, Buss U, Herrmann-Lingen C . The role of cardiac disease severity in the predictive value of anxiety for all-cause mortality. Psychosom Med 2010; 72: 9-15
• Meyer T, Stanske B , Kochen MM, Cordes A, Yüksel I, Wachter R, Lüers C, Scherer M, Binder L, Pieske B, Herrmann-Lingen C : Elevated serum levels of interleukin-10 and tumor necrosis factor a are both associated with vital exhaustion in patients with cardiovascular risk factors. Psychosomatics 2010;51:248-256.
• Pedersen SS, Herrmann-Lingen C , de Jonge P, Scherer M. Type D personality is a predictor of poor emotional quality of life in primary care heart failure patients independent of depressive symptoms. J Behav Med (2010) 33:72–80;.
• Ehrenthal JC, Herrmann-Lingen Ch , Fey M, Schauenburg H. Altered cardiovascular adaptability in depressed patients without heart disease – Implications for treatment outcome. World J Biol Psychiatry 2010;11:586-593. IF 2009:
• Lüers C, Wachter R, Kleta S, Wachtel V, Rasch S, Uhlir M, Griebel K, Koschack J, Binder L, Herrmann-Lingen C , Kulle B, Zapf A, Brunner E, Kochen MM, Pieske B. Natriuretic peptides in the detection of preclinical diastolic or systolic dysfunction. Clin Res Cardiol 2010;99:217-26.
• Grande G, Romppel M, Glaesmer H, Petrowski K, Herrmann-Lingen C . The Type–D Scale (DS14) – Norms and Prevalence of Type–D Personality in a Population Based Representative Sample in Germany . Personality and Individual Differences 2010 (e-pub)
• Edelmann F, Wachter R, Gelbrich G, Binder L, Herrmann-Lingen C , Halle M, Schmidt A, Hasenfuß G, Pieske B. Rationale and Design of the “Aldosterone Receptor Blockade in Diastolic Heart Failure” trial: a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, parallel group study to determine the effects of spironolactone on exercise capacity and diastolic function in patients with symptomatic diastolic heart failure (Aldo-DHF) Eur J Heart Fail 2010;12:874-82.
• Stahrenberg R, Edelmann F, Mende M, Kockskämper A, Düngen HD, Scherer M, Kochen MM, Binder L, Herrmann-Lingen C , Gelbrich G, Hasenfuß G, Pieske B, Wachter R. Association of glucose metabolism with diastolic function along the diabetic continuum. Diabetologia 2010;53:1331-40.
• Stahrenberg R, Mende M, Edelmann F, Kockskämper A, Düngen HD, Lüers C, Binder L, Herrmann-Lingen C , Gelbrich G, Hasenfuß G, Pieske B, Wachter R. The novel biomarker growth differentiation factor 15 in heart failure with normal ejection fraction. Eur J Heart Fail 2010;12:1309–1316
• Ehrenthal JC, Fey M, Herrmann-Lingen C , Schauenburg H. Psychophysiologie als Prädiktor für Behandlungserfolg: Eine Pilotstudie. Psychother Psychosom med Psychol 2010; 60: 474-478.
• Herrmann-Lingen C : Der depressive Herzpatient. Wie erkennen? Wie behandeln? J Kardiol 2010:17: 9-12.
• Herrmann-Lingen C , Meinertz T. Psychosomatik der koronaren Herzkrankheit. Internist 2010;51:826-835.
• Braunschweig F, Boriani G, Bauer A, Hatala R, Herrmann-Lingen C , Kautzner J, Pedersen SS, Pehrson S, Ricci R, Schalij MJ. Management of patients receiving implantable cardiac defibrillator shocks - Recommendations for acute and long-term patient management. Europace 2010;12:1673-90
• Scherer M, Herrmann-Lingen C . Single item on positive affect is associated with one year survival in consecutive medical inpatients. Gen Hosp Psychiat 2009;31:8-13
• Scherer M, Himmel W, Kochen MM, Koschack J Ahrens D, Chenot JF, Simmenroth-Nayda A, Herrmann-Lingen C . Lonely hearts in general practice: Psychosocial determinants for frequent primary health care utilisation in patients with heart failure. GMS Psycho-Social-Medicine 2008;5:Doc02 (20080402)
• Herrmann-Lingen C , Albus C, Titscher G: Psychokardiologie - Ein Praxisleitfaden für Ärzte und Psychologen. Deutscher Ärzteverlag Köln 2008
• Herrmann-Lingen C : Psychosomatik der koronaren Herzkrankheit. Psychotherapeut 2008;53:143–156.
• Ladwig KH, Lederbogen F, Völler H, Albus C, Herrmann-Lingen C , Jordan J, Köllner V, Jünger J, Lange H, Fritzsche K: Positionspapier zur Bedeutung von psychosozialen Faktoren in der Kardiologie. Kardiologe 2008; 2: 274-87
• Scherer M, Himmel W, Stanske B , Scherer F, Koschack J, Kochen MM, Herrmann-Lingen C . Psychological distress in primary care patients with heart failure: A longitudinal study. Br J Gen Pract 2007;57:801-7.
• Scherer M, Stanske B , Wetzel D, Koschack J, Kochen MM, Herrmann-Lingen C . Die krankheitsspezifische Lebensqualität von hausärztlichen Patienten mit Herzinsuffizienz. Z Ärztl Fortbild Qualitatssich 2007;101:185-90
• Fritzsche K, Forster F, Schweickhardt A, Kanwischer H, Drinkmann A, Rabung S, Bergmann G, Geibel A, Herrmann-Lingen C , and the German-Austrian ICD Multicenter-Study-Group (GAIMS). Depressive coping is a predictor for emotional distress and poor quality of life in a German-Austrian sample of cardioverter-defibrillator implant recipients at three months and one year after implantation. Gen Hosp Psychiatry 2007;29:526–36.
• Lache B , Meyer T, Herrmann-Lingen C . Social support predicts hemodynamic recovery from mental stress in patients with implanted defibrillators. J Psychosom Res 2007;63:515–523.
• Lange HW, Herrmann-Lingen C : Depressive symptoms predict recurrence of atrial fibrillation after cardioversion. J Psychosom Res 2007;63:509–513.
• Graham I, Atar D, Borch-Johnson K, Boysen G, Burell G, Cifkova R, Dallongeville J, De Backer G, Ebrahim S, Gjelsvik B, Herrmann-Lingen C et al.. European Guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice: executive summary. Fourth Joint Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology and other Societies on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Clinical Practice. Eur Heart J 2007;28:2375-414. IF 2007: 7,92

B. Section for Psychotherapy Research

Head: Prof. Dr. Eric Leibing
Staff: Dipl.-Psych. Marco Heins, Dipl.-Psych. Dr. Marcus Reeh, Dipl.-Psych. Dr. Simone Salzer
In cooperation with Prof. Dr. Falk Leichsenring (University of Giessen)

This work group focuses on psychotherapy research in mental disorders.

Research projects:

1) A randomized, controlled trial of short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy in generalized anxiety disorder
Principal Investigators: Prof. F. Leichsenring, Prof. E. Leibing
Staff: Dr. S. Salzer
Funding: The study was funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft DFG (LE 1250/1-1 / 1-2) with 200.000 Euro.
Duration: 2000-2006 

Selected publications:

• Leichsenring F, Salzer S, Jaeger U, Kächele H, Kreische R, Leweke F, Rueger U, Winkelbach C, Leibing E. (2009). Short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy in generalized anxiety disorder: a randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Psychiatry, 166:875-881.
• Salzer, S ., Winkelbach, C., Leweke, F., Leibing, E. & Leichsenring, F. (2011). Long-term effects of short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy in generalized anxiety disorder: 12-month follow-up. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 56, 8, 503-508.

2) Diagnosis and treatment of social phobia: The interdisciplinary multicenter psychotherapy research network SOPHO-NET (www.sopho-net.de)
Network Coordinators: Prof. Dr. Falk Leichsenring, Prof. Dr. Eric Leibing
Study Coordinator: Dipl.-Psych. Dr. Simone Salzer
Funding: This research network is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research BMBF ( 01GV0607) with 5 Mio. Euro.
Duration: 2006-2012
Cooperations: Prof. Dr. M. E. Beutel ( University of Mainz ), Prof. Dr. S. Herpertz (University of Bochum), Prof. Dr. W. Hiller (University of Mainz), Prof. Dr. J. Hoyer ( University of Dresden ), Prof. Dr. E. Irle (University of Goettingen), Prof. Dr. P. Joraschky (University of Dresden), Prof. Dr. H.-H. König (University of Hamburg), PD K. Kronmüller (University of Heidelberg), Prof. Dr. G. Reich, Prof. Dr. R. Rosner (University of Munich), Prof. Dr. U. Stangier (University of Frankfurt), Dr. R. Steil (University of Frankfurt), Prof. Dr. B. Strauß (University of Jena), PD Dr. S. V. Vormfelde (University of Goettingen), Prof. Dr. U. Willutzki (University of Bochum).

Selected publications:

• Leibing, E., Salzer, S . & Leichsenring, F. (Hrsg.). (2008). SOPHO-NET – Forschungsverbund zur P sychotherapie der Sozialen Phobie. Göttingen: Cuvillier Verlag.
• Leichsenring F, Hoyer J, Beutel M, Herpertz S, Hiller W, Irle E, Joraschky P, König HH, de Liz TM, Nolting B, Pöhlmann K, Salzer S, Schauenburg H, Stangier U, Strauss B, Subic-Wrana C, Vormfelde S, Weniger G, Willutzki U, Wiltink J, Leibing E. (2009). The Social Phobia Psychotherapy Research Network (SOPHO-NET) - The first multi-center randomized controlled trial of psychotherapy for social phobia: rationale, methods and patient characteristics. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 78: 35–41.
• Leichsenring F, Salzer S, Beutel M, Consbruch von K, Herpertz S, Hiller W, Hoyer J, Hüsing J, Irle E, Joraschky P, Konnopka A, König HH, de Liz TM, Nolting B, Pöhlmann K, Ruhleder M, Schauenburg H, Stangier U, Strauss B, Subic-Wrana C, Vormfelde S, Weniger G, Willutzki U, Wiltink J, Leibing E. (2009). SOPHO-NET – Forschungsverbund zur Psychotherapie der Sozialen Phobie. Psychotherapie Psychosomatik Medizinische Psychologie , 59:117-123.

The work group Goettingen is involved in the following SOPHO-NET projects: 

a) Coordination Unit Q – Quality Assurance, Project and Data Management (Project Q)
Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Eric Leibing
Staff: Dr. S. Salzer
Duration: 2006-2012

b) Short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (STPP) and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in social phobia – a randomised controlled multicenter study (Project A1)
Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. F. Leichsenring
Local Investigator: Prof. Dr. E. Leibing
Staff: Dipl.-Psych. Marco Heins, Dr. S. Salzer
Duration: April 2007 – December 2010 

Selected publications:

• Leichsenring, F; Beutel, M; Leibing, E. (2007). Psychodynamic psychotherapy for social phobia: A treatment manual based on supportive-expressive therapy. Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic, 71,1:56-83.
• Leichsenring F, Beutel ME, Leibing E. (2008). Psychoanalytisch-orientierte Fokaltherapie der sozialen Phobie: Ein Behandlungsmanual auf der Grundlage der supportiv-expressiven Therapie Luborskys. Psychotherapeut, 53:185–197. DOI 10.1007/s00278-007-0573-7 

c) Short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (STPP) and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in social phobia – 2-Year Follow-up
Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. F. Leichsenring
Local Investigator: Prof. Dr. E. Leibing
Staff: Dipl.-Psych. Marco Heins, Dr. S. Salzer
Duration : 2010-2012

d) Economic evaluation: Cost-effectiveness of psychotherapy in the SOPHO-NET (Projects B2, B2-1)
Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. H.-H. König
Local Investigator: Prof. Dr. E. Leibing
Staff: Dipl.-Psych. M. Heins, Dr. S. Salzer
Duration : 2006-2012 

Selected publications:

• Konnopka A, Leichsenring F, Leibing E, König HH. (2009). Cost-of-illness studies and cost-effectiveness analyses in anxiety disorders: a systematic review. Journal of Affective Disorders, 114(1-3):14-31. 

e) Genetic polymorphisms and social phobia (Projects C1, C1-1)
Principal Investigator: PD S. V. Vormfelde
Local Investigator: Prof. Dr. E. Leibing
Staff: Dipl.-Psych. M. Heins, Dr. S. Salzer
Duration : 2006-2012 

Selected publications:

• Leibing E, Jamrozinski K, Vormfelde SV, Stahl J, Doering S. (2008). Dimensions of Personality - Relationship between DSM-IV Personality Disorder Symptoms, the Five-Factor Model, and the Biosocial Model of Personality. Journal of Personality Disorders, 22(1):101-8  

f) Neural functional and structural changes in patients with social phobia treated with short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy (Projects C2, C2-1)
Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. E. Irle
Local Investigator: Prof. Dr. E. Leibing
Staff: Dipl.-Psych. M. Heins, Dr. S. Salzer
Duration : 2006-2012 

Selected publications:

• Irle E, Ruhleder M, Lange C, Seidler-Brandler U, Salzer S, Dechent P, Weniger G, Leibing E, Leichsenring F. (2010). Reduced amygdalar and hippocampal size in adults with generalized social phobia. Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience , 35(2),126-121.

g) Cognitive therapy versus short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy for social phobia in adolescents – a randomized controlled multicenter study (Project A2)
Principal Investigator: PD Dr. K. Kronmüller, Prof. Dr. E. Leibing; Dr. R. Steil
Local Investigator: Prof. Dr. E. Leibing
Staff: Dr. M. Reeh, Dr. S. Salzer
Duration : 2010-2012 

h) Transfer of manualized cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for social phobia into clinical practice (Project D1)
Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. J. Hoyer
Local Investigator: Prof. Dr. E. Leibing
Staff: Dipl.-Psych. M. Heins
Duration : 2010-2012 

i) Project GCP-ICH for Psychotherapy
Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. S. Klingberg
Local Investigator: Prof. Dr. E. Leibing
Duration : 2010-2012 

3) Further research topics:

a) Interpersonal subtypes and change of interpersonal problems after psychotherapeutic treatment
Investigators: Dr. S. Salzer, Prof. Dr. E. Leibing
Duration: ongoing 

Selected publications:

• Salzer S, Pincus AL, Hoyer J, Kreische R, Leichsenring F, Leibing E. (2008). Interpersonal Subtypes Within Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Journal of Personality Assessment, 90 (3):292–299.
• Salzer S, Streeck U, Jaeger U, Masuhr O, Warwas J, Leichsenring F, Leibing E. (2010). Der Zusammenhang von interpersonalen Subtypen und der Veränderung interpersonaler Probleme am Beispiel stationärer Psychotherapiepatienten. Zeitschrift für Psychosomatische Medizin und Psychotherapie, 56, 190-205 .
• Salzer, S. , Leibing, E., Jakobsen, T., Rudolf, G., Brockmann, J., Eckert, J., Huber, D., Klug, G., Henrich, G., Grande, T., Keller, W., Kreische, R., Biskup, J., Staats, H., Warwas, J. & Leichsenring, F. (2010). Patterns of interpersonal problems and their improvement in depressive and anxious patients treated with psychoanalytic psychotherapy. Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic, 74, 4, 283-300 .
• Salzer, S. , Pincus, A.L., Winkelbach, C., Leichsenring, F. & Leibing, E. (2011). Interpersonal subtypes and change of interpersonal problems in the treatment of patients with generalized anxiety disorder: a pilot study. Psychotherapy, 48, 3, 304-310 . 

b) Diagnosis and treatment of borderline personality disorder
Investigators: Prof. Dr. E. Leibing and Dr. S. Salzer in cooperation with Prof. Dr. F. Leichsenring
Duration: ongoing 

Selected Publications:

• Leichsenring, F., Leibing, E., Kruse, J., New, A.s. & Leweke, F. (2011). Borderline personality disorder. Lancet, 377, 9759, 74-84.
• Salzer, S. & Leichsenring, F. Das Borderline-Persönlichkeitsinventar. In: S. Doering und S. Hörz (Hrsg). Handbuch der Strukturdiagnostik. Schattauer Verlag, im Druck.

c) Meta-Analyses on the efficacy of psychotherapeutic treatments
Investigators: Prof. Dr. E. Leibing, Dr. S. Salzer
Duration: ongoing

Further selected publications:

• Leibing, E. Das Fibromyalgie-Syndrom – Psychosomatische und medizin-psychologische Befunde. (2006). Cuvellier-Verlag, Göttingen.
• Hiller, W., Leibing, E., Leichsenring, F. & Sulz ,S. (Hrsg). (2004). Das große Lehrbuch der Psychotherapie, Bd. 1: Wissenschaftliche Grundlagen der Psychotherapie. (2004). CIP-Medien, München.
• Hiller, W., Leibing, E., Leichsenring, F. & Sulz , S. ( Hrsg. der Gesamtreihe ). (2004). Lehrbuch der Psychotherapie, Bd.2 : Psychoanalytische und tiefenpsychologisch fundierte Therapie (Hrsg. des Einzelbandes: Falk Leichsenring). CIP-Medien, München.
• Hiller, W., Leibing, E., Leichsenring, F. & Sulz , S. ( Hrsg. der Gesamtreihe ). (2004). Lehrbuch der Psychotherapie. Bd.3: Verhaltenstherapie ( Hrsg. des Einzelbandes: Eric Leibing, Wolfgang. Hiller, Serge K. D. Sulz). CIP-Medien, München.
• Hiller, W., Leibing, E., Leichsenring, F. & Sulz ,S. (Hrsg. der Gesamtreihe). (2006). Lehrbuch der Psychotherapie. Ausbildungsinhalte nach dem Psychotherapeutengesetz. Band 4: Verhaltenstherapie mit Kindern, Jugendlichen und ihren Familien (Hrsg. des Einzelbandes: Fritz Mattejat). CIP-Medien, München.
• Hiller, W., Leibing, E., Leichsenring, F. & Sulz, S. (Hrsg. der Gesamtreihe). (2007). Lehrbuch der Psychotherapie. Ausbildungsinhalte nach dem Psychotherapeutengesetz. Band 5: Analytische Kinder- und Jugendtherapie (Hrsg. des Einzelbandes: Eberhard Windaus & Hans Hopf). CIP-Medien, München.
• Hiller, W., Leibing, E., Leichsenring, F. & Sulz, S. (Hrsg.) (2009). P1 – Prüfungsfragen zum Lehrbuch der Psychotherapie. Band 1: Wissenschaftliche Grundlagen. CIP-Medien, München.

C. Section for Eating Disorders and Family Therapy

Head: Prof. Dr. Günter Reich
Staff: Dipl.-Psych. Antje v. Boetticher, Dipl.-Psych. Ulrike Frost, Dipl.-Biol. Britta Nimis, Dipl.-Soz.päd. Ursula Ohmes

This work group focuses on diagnostics, treatment and evaluation in family therapy.

Research projects:

Randomized controlled trail of psychodynamic psychotherapy and cognitive therapy for adolescent girls with bulimia nervosa and atypical bulimia nervosa

• This study is carried out in cooperation with the following institutes and departments General Psychiatry, University Hospital Heidelberg , Institute for Analytic Child- and Adolescent-Psychotherapy Heidelberg , Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital Heidelberg , Institute for Psychology, University of Heidelberg , Institute for Psychology, University of Göttingen, Lou Andrea—Salomé Institute for Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy Göttingen
• In our study design, we compare psychodynamic psychotherapy and cognitive therapy in adolescent females suffering from bulimia nervosa or atypical bulimia. Both treatments are manualised and conducted with maximum 60 therapy sessions. We hypothesize that both treatment conditions are effective, however differential therapy effects, due to structural characteristics, are expected. To asses the severeness of bulimia nervosa we use the Eating Disorder Examination as questionnaire and interview as well as the Eating Disorder Inventory 2 . We also use the Symptom Check List (SCL-90-R, German version: Franke 2002) to capture the overall severity of psychiatric symptoms. To check for comorbidity, we use the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders (SCID I). To measure self-conscious affects, the German version of the Test of Self-Conscious Affect (TOSCA-A, Tangney et al. 1991) for adolescents (TESE-KJ, Kronmüller et al. 2008) is used. For multiaxial psychodynamic diagnosis we use the operationalized psychodynamic diagnostics system for children and adolescent (OPD-KJ).
• We intend to treat one hundred adolescent females suffering from bulimia nervosa or atypical bulimia were treated with either psychodynamic psychotherapy or cognitive therapy.
• Patients are found through public advertising on the website of our ambulances. Measurements are carried through at Baseline, the 30. Session, end of therapy (60 sessions) and at 1-year follow-up.
• The study protocol was approved by the local ethics committees in Göttingen and Heidelberg and was prepared in accordance with the ethical standards laid down in the Declaration of Helsinki.

Selected Publications:

Lectures and Poster

Journal articles

• Reich G. (2007): Disorder oriented psychodynamic psychotherapy of bulima nervosa. An introduction into an integrated treatment. Psychotherapeut 52: 113-120
• Faber, R., Stefini, A., Kremsreiter, K., Horn, H., Winkelmann, K., Bents, H., Reich, G. & Kronmüller, K.-T. Bulimia nervosa, shame and guilt in adolescence. (in preparation)
• Vonderlin, E., Stefini, A., Mulfinger, M., Bents, H., Rutz, U., Kronmüller, K.-T. & Reich, G. Therapieabbruch in der Behandlung jugendlicher Patientinnen mit Bulimia nervosa. (in preparation)

D. Section for Clinical Research of Value Commitment

Head: Dr. Dirk von Boetticher

Clinical research of value commitment and the notion of the pathic self:

Clinical research of value commitment is a new field of study within psychodynamically oriented psychotherapeutic research. This new field investigates the hitherto unconsidered significance of moral experience for the process and effectiveness of psychodynamic psychotherapy. The methodical approach adopted by the project includes theories from social science and philosophy.

The conceptualized clinical research of value commitment is divided into (1) a theoretical part and (2) an empirical part.

(1) The theoretical part is about the development of a clinically applicable and normative contextualized concept of the self. In the past 30 years the research on the self in different theoretical and empirical disciplines has generated a lot of new findings, considerations and theories: “One of the insights that has emerged from this ongoing discussion is the recognition that the self is so multifaceted a phenomenon that various complementary accounts must be integrated if we are to do justice to its complexity “ (D. Zahavi 2010). The multiple facets of the self are expressed in multiple self-descriptions: emergent self, core self, subjective self, verbal self (D. Stern 1985); ecological self, interpersonal self, extended self, private self, conceptual self (U. Neisser 1988); protoself, core self, autobiographical self (A. Damasio 1999); minimal self, narrative self (S. Gallagher 2000); embodied self (Fuchs et al 2010).

The term pathic self is supposed to present a facet that has not been described so far. Based on Victor v. Weizsäcker's considerations about a pathic anthropology , the conceptualization of the term pathic self is about the articulation of normative aspects within a clinically applicable theory of the self.

Such a normative contextualized theory of the self needs a sound basis that applies psychogenetic and moralgenetic aspects to each other. Drawing on the mentalization model posited by Fonagy et al. (2002) and the theory of the self advocated by C. Taylor (1989) differences between a recent developmental psychological theory and a recent philosophical theory of the self are presented and then critically applied to one another.

Secondly, the theories are converged to provide a framework for the development of a normative contextualized concept of the self, using the guideline of affects ( am Leitfaden der Affekte) .

(2) The terms value commitment narrative (Wertbindungsnarrativ) and narrative evaluative scene (narrativ-evaluative Szene) are focused in the empirical part: in these terms the results of the hitherto uncorrelated narrative ethics and clinical narrative research are applied to each other.

The term narrative ethics includes approaches from different disciplines (philosophy, theology, literary studies, bioethics). These approaches describe the correlations between the act of narrating and the reflection, modification and communication of value commitments. In addition, these correlations are used as a starting point for a reflection on morals. This is neither done by illustrating previous discursively achieved abstract ethical considerations and principles in a narrative way only, nor by entirely transforming argumentation and discursivity into narration (Lesch 2003), but by examining, “in what way narrative, which is never ethically neutral, proves to be the first laboratory of moral judgement.” (Ricoeur). Generally speaking, narrative ethics are about the phenomenons of morals, which are constituted in and through narrating. Narrative ethics also examine how and in what way moral insights and commitments develop during the act of narrating and in the reception of narrations, which could not be developed in the same way through argumentation or discursivity.

Within the psychodynamically oriented clinical narrative research , different approaches have been established during the past years: Luborsky‘s (1977) Core Conflictual Relationship Theme method (CCRT); Strupp and Binder's (1984) Dynamic Focus as a focal narrative; Boothe's (since 1994) narrative-analytic program called JAKOB; Main & Goldwyn's (1985-1996) Adult-Attachment-Interview; T. Habermas' (since 2000) research on emotion representation and regulation by narratives.

Aspects of both research directions, especially of Boothe's, T. Habermas' and Ricoeur's concepts are connected in the terms value commitment narrative and narrative evaluative scene . Analyzing patients' narrations, a more detailed empirical understanding of correlations between affectivity and normativity is supposed to be gained by looking at the narrative enactment and modelling in the clinical process.

Lectures 2011: