Head: PD Dr. biol.-hum. Dipl. Psych. Marc Grischa Schmid

Distressed children and adolescents who have been victims of neglect and abuse are at the center of our research interests and efforts.

Through our research findings and clinical work, we aim to make a significant contribution to improving the interdisciplinary care of affected children and adolescents, as well as to implementing, evaluating and optimizing innovative care concepts. In the area of epidemiological and neurobiological basic research, we are committed to highlighting the serious consequences of abuse and neglect on the mental and physical health as well as on the social participation of those affected, in order to derive the need for intensive, evidence-based interventions.

Our translational research work is divided into the following areas:

• Epidemiological and neurobiological research on the consequences of maltreatment, neglect and sexual abuse in high-risk populations (especially children and adolescents in out-of-home care and care leavers).
• Continuity and interdisciplinary cooperation in the care and treatment planning of children and adolescents with severe psychological distress.
• Applied care research and quality assurance in psychosocial and child and adolescent psychiatric institutions (EQUALS).
• Implementation and evaluation of evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions for families, particularly multisystemic therapy.
• The impact of psychological distress and boundary violations on social work processionals; staff resilience (secondary traumatization, burnout prevention).
• Development and evaluation of trauma-sensitive and relationship-oriented pedagogic concepts.
• Services in the sense of training, expertise, consulting and organizational development of youth welfare providers, cantons and municipalities – in some of which the impacts are scientifically monitored in the context of “action research”.

Team

Katharina Beck
Raphael Bermeitinger
Bettina Breymaier
David Bürgin
Alison Crivelli
Delfine d‘Huart
Anaïs Gasser
Laura Gurri
Jill Huberty
Nils Jenkel
Christopher Kahmen
Tom Kirsch
Birgit Lang
Milou Leiting
Tania Perez
Martin Schröder
Petra Wallnöfer

Further information on our research group and our projects.

Publications: Researchgate, GoogleScholar & ORCID