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More than 800 clinicians and researchers from all across Europe take part in EACLIPT.
🗞️140+
More than 140 articles published in our affiliate journal Clinical Psychology in Europe.
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More than 20 hours of exclusive conversations, keynotes and discussions at EACLIPT TV.
Jeanine Baartmans, Bonny van Steensel, Loes Pouwel, Tessa Lansu, Reinout Wiers, Susan Bögels, Anke Klein
Research Spotlight
The Relation Between Social Anxiety and Perceptions of Likeability and Friendship in Adolescents
Summary
Adolescents with high worry about negative evaluations tend to underestimate their likeability by peers
Those with strong avoidance tendencies have fewer friends and are less liked but perceive their likeability more accurately
Avoidance behaviors may perpetuate both social anxiety symptoms and negative peer judgments
Implications
Targeting avoidance behaviors in interventions could improve social outcomes for socially anxious adolescents
Enhancing adolescents’ accurate self-perception might foster better peer relationships
These findings underline the importance of distinguishing between different social anxiety symptoms when designing treatments
Poul M. Schulte-Frankenfeld, Josefien J. F. Breedvelt, Marlies E.
Brouwer, Nadia van der Spek, Guy Bosmans, Claudi L. Bockting
Research Spotlight
Effectiveness of Attachment-Based Family Therapy for Suicidal Adolescents and Young Adults
Summary
Attachment-Based Family Therapy (ABFT) aims to repair intrafamiliar ruptures and strengthen caregiver-child bonds to alleviate youth psychopathology
A meta-analysis of four RCTs (n = 287) found no significant reduction in suicidal ideation or depressive symptoms compared to controls
Limitations include small sample sizes, high heterogeneity, and potential bias in existing studies
Implications
Clinicians should remain cautious when considering ABFT as stand-alone intervention for suicidal youth
Larger, well-powered trials are necessary to establish clearer evidence on ABFT's effectiveness
Family-centered approaches remain promising but require further validation through rigorous research
Carina Tudor-Sfetea, Raluca Topciu
Research Spotlight
A Systematic Review of Evidence-Based Cognitive and/or Behavioural
Interventions Targeting Mental Health in the LGBTQ+ Community
Summary
LGBTQ+ individuals are at a higher risk of developing mental health issues due to minority stress, coupled with problematic access to healthcare services.
This systematic review examined 16 studies to explore the effectiveness of cognitive and behavioral interventions aimed at improving mental health outcomes in LGBTQ+ populations.
Although the interventions showed promising results, especially for reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, emotion regulation issues, and internalized homophobia, all studies showed a high or critical risk of bias.
Despite positive effects, there is limited, heterogeneous research in this area, with concerns about publication bias and study inclusion criteria.
Implications
Future clinical efforts should incorporate affirmative and holistic approaches that cater specifically to LGBTQ+ needs.
There is a need for more consistency in research methodologies and a focus on underserved LGBTQ+ populations, especially regarding intersectionality.
Healthcare providers should emphasize the development of generic therapeutic competencies alongside LGBTQ+ affirmative practices.
More detailed investigations into intervention mechanisms of change are recommended to improve their effectiveness and applicability in these populations.
Miguel M. Gonçalves, Wolfgang Lutz, Brian Schwartz, João Tiago Oliveira, Suoma E. Saarni, Orya Tishby, Julian A. Rubel, Jan R. Boehnke, Adrian Montesano, Dario Paiva, Davide Ceridono, Emmanuelle Zech, Jochem Willemsen, Samuli I. Saarni, Katarina Kompan Erzar, Luís Janeiro, Omar C. G. Gelo, Paula Errázuriz, Pawel Holas, Rafał Styła, Tatjana Rožič, Tom Rosenström, Vera Békés, Zsolt Unoka, Michael Barkham
Research Spotlight
Developing a European Psychotherapy Consortium (EPoC): Scientific Objectives and Logistical Challenges
Summary
The European Psychotherapy Consortium (https://www.psychotherapyresearch.org/page/EPoC) is working to unify data collection across European clinics to enhance evidence-based psychological therapy research.
A survey identified 87 different outcome measures used in routine care, complicating data sharing and analysis.
The Emotional and Psychological Outcome (EPO-1) measure has been adopted and translated into 11 languages for widespread use.
Implications
Standardizing outcome measures like the EPO-1 will improve data sharing and analysis across European countries.
Routine outcome monitoring with EPO-1 supports better clinical decision-making and research.
Future efforts will focus on refining common metrics and fostering collaboration across clinics and researchers.
Eva Heim, Sebastian Burchert, Mirëlinda Shala, Anna Hoxha, Marco Kaufmann, Arlinda Cerga Pashoja, Naser Morina, Michael P. Schaub, Christine Knaevelsrud, Andreas Maercker
Research Spotlight
Effect of Cultural Adaptation of a Smartphone-Based Self-Help Programme on Its Acceptability and Efficacy: Randomized Controlled Trial
Summary
An online self-help intervention for the treatment of depression was adapted to Albanians’ cultural concepts of distress.
In a randomized controlled trial among Albanian-speaking immigrants in Switzerland and Germany, two levels of cultural adaptations (surface vs. deep structure adaptation) were compared.
Recruitment was slow, and drop-out rates were high.
No difference was found between the two levels of adaptations with regard to acceptance.
Implications
Including ethnic minorities in randomised controlled trials is desirable, but the current study revealed large difficulties with recruitment and adherence to the intervention.
Cultural factors impacting recruitment strategies should be examined.
To better understand the reasons for the challenges faced during this RCT, a qualitative analysis was conducted (https://doi.org/10.32872/cpe.12887).
Winfried Rief, Stefan G. Hofmann, Max Berg, Miriam K. Forbes, Diego A. Pizzagalli, Johannes Zimmermann, Eiko Fried, Geoffrey M. Reed
Research Spotlight
Do We Need a Novel Framework for Classifying Psychopathology? A Discussion Paper
Summary
Currently, the ICD-11 and DSM-5 are the leading systems for the classification of mental disorders. However, other frameworks have been proposed to supplement or even replace the ICD and the DSM, raising many questions regarding clinical utility, scientific relevance, and, at the core, how best to conceptualize mental disorders.
Implications
We introduce:
· the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP),
· the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC)
· systems and network approaches
· process-based approaches
· a new approach to the classification of personality disorders.
Synergies among these systems may provide promising new avenues for research and clinical practice.
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Maria Kleinstäuber, Andreas Schröder, Sarah Daehler, Karen Johanne Pallesen, Charlotte U. Rask, Mathias Sanyer, Omer Van den Bergh, Marie Weinreich Petersen, Judith G. M. Rosmalen
Research Spotlight
Aetiological Understanding of Fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Classificatory Analogues: A Systematic Umbrella Review
Summary
We included 452 reviews (132 systematic reviews including meta-analyses, 133 systematic reviews, 197 narrative reviews), of which 132 (29%) focused on two or more of the investigated health conditions simultaneously.
Across diagnoses, biological factors were addressed in 90% (k = 405), psychological in 33% (k = 150), social in 12% (k = 54), and healthcare factors in 5% (k = 23) of the reviews.
Implications
High-quality systematic reviews suggest that deficient conditioned pain modulation, genetic factors, changes in the immune, endocrinological, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and nervous system, and psychosocial factors such as sexual abuse and pain catastrophizing increase the risk for FSS.
Mari Hysing, Keith J. Petrie, Allison G. Harvey, Kari-Jussie Lønning, Børge Sivertsen
Research Spotlight
Loneliness Across the COVID-19 Pandemic: Risk Factors in Norwegian Young People
Summary
There is evidence of increasing levels of loneliness in Norwegian young people before the COVID-19 pandemic. It is not clear how the COVID-19 pandemic, and the associated necessary restrictions, impacted on these trends.
This study analyzed data from three waves of a Norwegian national higher education student survey on the development of loneliness over time and associated risk factors.
Implications
Loneliness increased among university students from 2018 to 2021 and decreased from 2021 to 2022, but was still higher in 2022 than pre-pandemic levels.
Loneliness was higher in areas with higher restriction levels in 2021.
Spending time on campus was associated with lower levels of loneliness.
Online learning was related to higher levels of loneliness.
Julia Asbrand, Tanja Michael, Hanna Christiansen, Gerhard Reese
Research Spotlight
Growing (Up) in Times of Multiple Crises – A Call for Mental Health (Research) Action
Summary
European children and adolescents face an array of challenges, including the Ukraine war, COVID-19's mental health consequences, economic decline, societal divisions, biodiversity loss, and climate change.
These crises have tangible implications for youth mental health, though public healthcare has failed to keep up with the developments.
Implications
Clinical psychologists must shift their approach to address systemic factors, moving beyond individual interventions to consider societal influences on mental health.
A multilevel model of societal change is recommended, emphasizing collective efforts to address these multifaceted crises and focus on prevention.
Research Spotlights
Research Spotlights from our journal Clinical Psychology in Europe, highlighting articles from recent issues. Clinical Psychology in Europe (CPE) is the official open-access academic journal of EACLIPT. Learn more →
