Clinical Psychology I

Chair:
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Dr. Elisabeth M. Weiss

Team:
Ass.-Prof. DI MMag. Markus Canazei, MMSc PhD
Maximilian Dick, BSc MSc
Dr. Verena Dresen, BSc, MSc
Dr. Laura Fischer-Jbali
Dr. Ronen Hershman, PhD
Laura Staller, BSc, MSc

Focus

• The effects of various interventions (e.g. psychotherapy, light therapy, exercise, cognitive training) on affective and cognitive processes in healthy individuals and patients with psychiatric and neurological disorders.

Prevention and health considerations

• Biopsychological correlates of various psychiatric, neurological and medical conditions (collaborative projects with the MUI)
• Psychophysiological stress reactivity and recovery
• Gender-specific differences in affective and cognitive characteristics and psychopathology.
• Web-based interventions for psychoeducation and stress management, as well as for technology-assisted care and support for people with dementia living at home

A life-course perspective

• Changes in cognitive and socio-emotional functions in old age and in dementia

Externally funded projects

Development and evaluation of a web-based stress management self-help training programme for residential care staff working with older people
(FFG project, duration: 2021–2023)

• Healthcare workers often suffer from work-related stress. This occupational group has been subjected to additional significant work-related stress as a result of the COVID-19 crisis and therefore represents a risk group for long-term mental health problems.
• A new, cost-effective and widely accessible approach to reducing stress levels among healthcare workers (nurses, hospital staff, etc.) is internet-based stress management training (iSMT), which draws on proven methods of cognitive behavioural therapy. Research into the effectiveness of these training programmes is currently still in its infancy in Austria.
• The iSMT developed in this project in collaboration with a Tyrolean company was evaluated by means of an acceptance and usability study, first in a pilot study involving students and subsequently among healthcare workers.

A platform for technology-assisted care and support for people with dementia living at home
(FFG flagship project, duration: 2022–2026)

• In Austria, approximately 116,000 people provide care for a family member with dementia at home. The associated strain is often recognised too late.
• The flagship project follows a ‘Stepped Telecare’ approach and will provide technology-supported services that enable an immediate, evidence-based and culturally sensitive response to individual burdens in care situations.
• A two-year scientific field study aims to provide evidence of positive effects on care provision and positive impacts on the health and quality of life of those affected.

Development and evaluation of a seven-week web-based psychoeducation programme and a seven-week web-based self-help stress management training programme for students (FFG project, duration: 2021–2023)

• As part of the FFG Care4Stress project, a seven-week psychoeducation programme for students and nursing trainees was also developed, as well as a seven-week web-based stress management programme for students.The sample for the web-based psychoeducation group comprised a group of students (n = 294) and a group of nursing students (n = 204) from Austria and Germany
• Initial analyses demonstrated an improvement in emotion regulation and coping strategies among students. Thus, the present study demonstrated a preventive effect of an internet-based passive psychoeducation programme among students with few clinically relevant psychopathological symptoms. Emotion regulation strategies
• A total of 318 students took part in the seven-week web-based stress management self-help programme and were divided into three groups: one group received support from an eCoach, one group completed the training without support, and a waiting group, which received no intervention, was randomly divided into a supervised and an unsupervised subgroup and compared with a waiting group
• Initial analyses show a significant reduction in stress levels following the stress management self-help programme compared with the control group.

Reducing stress symptoms in students during the exam preparation period using light therapy
(FFG project, duration: 2021–2023)

• Stress is a significant problem for many students and is a major risk factor for reduced academic performance and impaired mental and physical health. Stress levels are particularly high during exam preparation periods.
• As part of the project, two innovative table lamp concepts for students’ study spaces were developed in collaboration with a Tyrolean industry partner.
• These lighting technologies were then used in two randomised, controlled studies (in the laboratory and in the field) to investigate the modulating effects of regular exposure to bright light on psychophysiological stress responses and maladaptive coping strategies among students experiencing significantly elevated stress levels.

Reducing gender-specific strain and physiological stress at computer workstations
(FFG project, duration: 2021–2025)

• More than half of all Europeans now work at a computer workstation. This type of work generates specific strains that are often recognised by people too late, or not at all.
• As part of the project, a contactless stress monitoring system is currently being developed in collaboration with a Tyrolean company to continuously record visual strain and musculoskeletal stress at computer workstations. This system is then intended to subtly encourage users to modify their behaviour through regular light-based feedback.
• Furthermore, wearable sensors will be used to measure cardiovascular stress parameters, with the aim of offering light-based biofeedback breathing exercises during micro-breaks or whilst working at a computer.
• The functional models of both systems will be tested in two laboratory studies to assess their practical benefits and initial effects. Subsequently, in two field studies, the functional models will be installed at real computer workstations and evaluated under natural working conditions.

Methods

• Psychophysiological stress reactivity
• Light intervention
• Ecological momentary assessment
• Actigraphy
• Neuropsychological assessment
• Web-based interventions

Selected publications

• Canazei M, Dick M, Pohl W, Weninger J, Hubel N, Staggl S, Weiss EM (2023). Effects of repeated morning exposure to bright white light on attention in a simulated office environment. Scientific Reports 13, 8730.
• Weiss EM, Canazei M, Perchtold-Stefan CM, Rominger C, Papousek I, Fink A (2022). Various facets of creativity among employees exhibiting non-clinical to clinical manifestations of burnout. Journal of Intelligence.
• Canazei M, Weninger J, Pohl W, Marksteiner J, Weiss EM (2022). Effects of dynamic bedroom lighting on the measurement of sleep and the circadian sleep-wake cycle in in-patient patients with severe depressive disorders. Scientific Reports 12, 6137.
• Weiss EM, Deisenhammer EA, Fink A, Marksteiner J, Canazei M, Papousek I (2022). Disorder-specific profiles of self-reported emotional abilities in schizophrenia and major depressive disorder. Brain Sciences, 12(3), 356.
• Lindner N, Moeller K, Dresen V, Pixner S, Lonnemann J (2022). Children’s spatial language skills predict their verbal numeracy skills: A longitudinal study. PLOS ONE.
• Canazei M, Papousek I, Weiss EM (2021). Effects of a light intervention on circadian activity rhythm parameters and night-time sleep in people with dementia, as measured by wrist-worn actigraphy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Gerontologist.