Pim Cuijpers is emeritus professor of Clinical Psychology at VU Amsterdam and director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Dissemination of Psychological Interventions. His research focuses particularly on the prevention of mental disorders, psychological treatments of depression and anxiety disorders, and Internet-delivered treatments. He does this by conducting randomised controlled trials and meta-analyses.
The American Psychological Association (APA) jury praised Cuijpers as the researcher who has contributed more than anyone else to answering the crucial question, "What works?" in the treatment of mental health disorders. The jury report highlights his pioneering work in the field of meta-analyses, in which Cuijpers has developed methods to evaluate and interpret treatment outcomes systematically. "The importance of his work is reflected in his 1300 publications and his recognition as the top author and expert in the world in psychiatry/psychology, psychotherapy, and depression," the jury said.
Cuijpers' work not only has a scientific impact but also provides direct tools for clinicians and policymakers to provide better care for people with mental health conditions. For example, Cuijpers and his team have created a database including all relevant randomized control trials in the treatment of depression. This database allows researchers to quickly and easily conduct meta-analyses to evaluate the effectiveness of treatments, which the jury praised as a "paradigm-shifting development".
"I am very honoured by this award," Pim Cuijpers says. "But at the same time, it is also a tribute to all those researchers worldwide who have been trying for decades to improve the lives of people with mental health conditions. And also a tribute to the people on my team who, with me, have tried to improve knowledge about treatments in recent years."
Cuijpers is the first European to receive this award. This puts him on a list of important pioneers in psychology such as Albert Ellis, Marvin R. Goldfried and Paul E. Meehl. The official presentation of the award will take place on 24 October. The December issue of American Psychologist features a biography of Cuijpers and an article summarizing his important research findings.
