The VU participates in and leads collaborative research on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on scalable psychological interventions for common mental disorders and future projects. The WHO CC works on the science of conducting randomized controlled trails with the developed psychological interventions to test their effectiveness. The VU and WHO also collaborate on systematic reviews on psychological interventions, assessing the evidence for interventions. This is done by synthesizing evidence on psychological interventions and advice on WHO guideline development. The VU also collaborates on regulatory and methodological aspects of building an evidence base for psychological interventions. This development has to be supported by evidence about the effectiveness, acceptability and scalability of these interventions. The VU also advises the WHO on issues related to mental disorders.
World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center
Change your world
Projects per year
- U-RISE: Ukraine’s displaced people in the EU: Reach out, Implement, Scale-up and Evaluate interventions promoting mental wellbeing
van der Ven, E., Sijbrandij, M., Frankova, I. & Witteveen, A.
1/12/22 → 1/12/24
Research output per year
- Additive effects of adjunctive app-based interventions for mental disorders - A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
Fuhrmann, L. M., Weisel, K. K., Harrer, M., Kulke, J. K., Baumeister, H., Cuijpers, P., Ebert, D. D. & Berking, M., Mar 2024, In: Internet Interventions. 35, p. 1-13 13 p., 100703.
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Review article › Academic › peer-review - Attachment-Based Family Therapy for Adolescents and Young Adults With Suicide Ideation and Depression An Open Trial
van der Spek, N., Dekker, W., Peen, J., Santens, T., Cuijpers, P., Bosmans, G. & Dekker, J., Jan 2024, In: Crisis. 45, 1, p. 48-56 9 p.
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review - Correction: Effectiveness of a scalable, remotely delivered stepped-care intervention to reduce symptoms of psychological distress among Polish migrant workers in the Netherlands: study protocol for the RESPOND randomised controlled trial
Roos, R., Witteveen, A. B., Ayuso-Mateos, J. L., Barbui, C., Bryant, R. A., Felez-Nobrega, M., Figueiredo, N., Kalisch, R., Haro, J. M., McDaid, D., Mediavilla, R., Melchior, M., Nicaise, P., Park, A. L., Petri-Romão, P., Purgato, M., van Straten, A., Tedeschi, F., Underhill, J. & Sijbrandij, M., 2024, In: BMC Psychiatry. 24, p. 1-2 2 p., 24.
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Erratum / Corrigendum › Academic Open Access - Current evidence on the efficacy of mental health smartphone apps for symptoms of depression and anxiety. A meta-analysis of 176 randomized controlled trials
Linardon, J., Torous, J., Firth, J., Cuijpers, P., Messer, M. & Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, M., Feb 2024, In: World Psychiatry. 23, 1, p. 139-149 11 p.
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review - Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of online recorded recovery narratives in improving quality of life for people with non-psychotic mental health problems: a pragmatic randomized controlled trial
Slade, M., Rennick-Egglestone, S., Elliott, RA., Newby, C., Robinson, C., Gavan, S. P., Paterson, L., Ali, Y., Yeo, C., Glover, T., Pollock, K., Callard, F., Priebe, S., Thornicroft, G., Repper, J., Keppens, J., Smuk, M., Franklin, D., Walcott, R., Harrison, J., & 12 others, Feb 2024, In: World Psychiatry. 23, 1, p. 101-112 12 p.
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review
Current ongoing projects
-
STRENGTHS
Scaling up psychological interventions with Syrian Refugees
When a country receives a high number of refugees, there are challenges to be met. One of the challenges is to provide mental health care to people who are very vulnerable.
This challenge is felt by the countries hosting refugees from Syria. There is a lack of Arabic-speaking mental health professionals to provide mental health care on the scale that it is needed.
The STRENGTHS project trained Syrian refugees to provide a mental health intervention called Problem Management+ (PM+) to fellow Syrian refugees. PM+ is developed by the WHO. It is a short programme that does not target a single disorder. Instead it targets symptoms of common mental disorders.
PM+ for individuals has already been successfully tested and implemented in Pakistan and Kenya and is being implemented in several other settings.
The STRENGTHS project translated, adapted, tested and implemented the PM+ programmes Individual, Group, Early Adolescent Skills for Emotions (EASE) and an internet-delivered version.
But the project went further than that.
It is not enough to know if an intervention works or not. It is also necessary to understand how it can be implemented in the specific context, and whether it is cost effective or not. STRENGTHS attempted to answer these questions in eight different countries in Europe and the MENA region.
-
SCALES-S
-
REMAIN
Refugee Minors and Integration
The aim of the research environment REMAIN is to gain knowledge on strategies to improve the social integration of refugee minors with mental ill-health.
Despite growing migration, research on mental ill-health and poor social integration among refugee minors/youth is still underdeveloped and intervention and treatment studies are rare.
REMAIN is a research consortium between five research groups in four European countries: Sweden, Denmark, The Netherlands and Austria. We are multidisciplinary and multiprofessional.
This research environment is financed by the Swedish Research Council.
-
Step-By-Step
E-mental health in Lebanon
The mental health treatment gap has been estimated to be >90% in Lebanon due to limited resources, the effects of the refugee crisis, and high levels of stigma. Much of the country’s mental health care is provided privately and concentrated in Beirut, resulting in grave inequalities in access to care. An innovative approach is needed to reach those in need.
Step-by-Step, called “Khoutweh Khoutweh” in Lebanon, is a digital mental health intervention consisting of 5 sessions that people go through on their own and have access to 15 minutes per week remote (phone or message) guidance by a trained non-specialist “e-helper”. The intervention goal is to reduce the mental health treatment gap in Lebanon.
-
REDEFINE
-
RESPOND
RESPOND is an EU-funded research project running from 2020 to 2024. The project aims to identify which groups are most at risk for adverse mental health effects due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to understand what determines that risk.
Related content
Maybe you were looking for this as well?
Do you have any questions?
Contact our secretariat