Dr. Sebastian Ertl

My main research interest is the further development of practical psychotherapy research in the field of child and adolescent psychotherapy. I am particularly interested in how psychotherapeutic interventions can be successfully adapted to individual treatment processes of patients. The investigation of this question is closely linked to the topics of quality assurance and evaluation of psychotherapy. Therefore, one aim is to find out how information relevant to the therapy process can be collected from children and adolescents as well as caregivers and made usable for treatment (therapy feedback). Further linked to this is the question of the effectiveness of psychotherapy under routine conditions as well as the development and testing of suitable survey modalities and instruments.

Another research interest is the development and testing of "single-session intervention" approaches based on idiosyncratic psychopathological network models. Mental disorders are seen as complex networks of symptoms influencing each other. For this reason, interventions should address symptoms particularly relevant to maintaining an individual "symptom network". Therefore, identifying relevant symptoms is important in order to support children and adolescents in influencing their symptoms through a psychotherapeutic session. These interventions are not intended to replace "ordinary" psychotherapy but are rather intended to help overcoming waiting times for psychotherapy and providing initial relief in the event of supply shortfalls.?

In addition to these topics, I am interested in investigating how services in the field of child and adolescent psychotherapy can be improved. Especially in child and adolescent psychotherapy there are several active professions from different care systems – youth welfare. Concludingly, it should be investigated how existing resources of existing services can be used most efficiently through successful cooperation.