A research consortium comprising the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt (KU), Ulm University Medical Center, and the German Youth Institute (DJI) has published the results of a nationwide clinical trial. The study, published in The Lancet Global Health, demonstrates the efficacy of the "BETTER CARE" stepped care model for unaccompanied minor refugees. As the largest controlled intervention study conducted with this vulnerable group to date, it examined 627 adolescents across 58 child and youth welfare facilities in seven German federal states.

The model combines systematic screening with a low-threshold group program titled “Mein Weg”  (My Way) and individual, trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT).

For more information on the project, please see the full publication (Open Access).

What do the results mean for practice?

• After 12 months, the study revealed a small but significant superiority of the BETTER CARE model compared to standard care in reducing post-traumatic stress symptoms and depressive symptoms. When the program was fully implemented (per-protocol analysis), these effects were even more pronounced.
• Beyond the clinical data, the project successfully provided intensive training to numerous professionals in youth welfare, psychotherapy, and interpreting services, while fostering cross-sectoral networking.

The team from the Chair of Clinical Psychology and Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy played an active role in organising this year’s annual conference of the German-Speaking Society for Psychotraumatology (DeGPT) in Berlin. Under the conference title “Racism, Discrimination and Social Inequality – An Intersectional Approach to Psychotraumatology”, the focus was on key questions regarding the development and treatment of trauma-related disorders in the context of social power relations.

Staff from the Chair presented their current research in various formats: Prof. Dr Elisa Pfeiffer and Maike Garbade led a symposium on evidence-based support for children and adolescents with experiences of war and displacement, in which they presented findings on the effectiveness of trauma therapies (TF-CBT and EMDR) in the context of the war in Ukraine, together with Anna Keßler. In addition to aspects of care for refugees and suicidality in youth welfare, the Chair also highlighted innovative approaches in diagnostics: Anna Lachmann, together with the team, presented a network analysis examining the complex interaction between misophonia and post-traumatic stress symptoms in children and adolescents.

The intensive exchange between academia and practice provided valuable impetus for further deepening psychotraumatological research at the Chair and for developing new concepts for the clinical care of young patients.

The ‘Therapie-Tools’ series (Beltz Verlag) has a new addition: Prof. Dr. Elisa Pfeiffer, together with Prof. Dr. Rita Rosner and Dr. Alexander Tewes, has published a new volume on post-traumatic stress disorder in children and adolescents. As is typical for the series, the focus is on immediate applicability and offers therapists a structured collection of worksheets, exercises and materials for diagnosis and treatment.

This new book provides a comprehensive overview of psychotherapeutic care for young refugees. It not only imparts in-depth knowledge about mental illness, risk and protective factors, and the consequences of discrimination, but also analyses the structural framework conditions. The authors explain in a practical way how obstacles to cost coverage can be overcome, how cooperation with interpreters can be organised, and how multi-professional networks can be utilised. In addition to the theoretical foundations, there is a strong focus on concrete, evidence-based treatment approaches.

Prof. Dr Elisa Pfeiffer, Dr Veronica Kirsch, Dr Thorsten Sukale and Jenny Eglinsky provide a key practical example in their chapter on the ‘Mein Weg’ (My Way) intervention. It presents a scientifically based, trauma-focused group programme for youth welfare services andserves as a detailed guide covering everything from the theoretical foundations and screening to the practical implementation of the sessions.

Three days of international exchange and forward-looking research: from 13 to 15 January 2026, the summer residence in Eichstätt was transformed into a centre for trauma research. At the invitation of Prof. Dr. Elisa Pfeiffer, 19 experts from Canada, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany came together. Together, they presented current projects in psychotraumatology and discussed strategies for improving care for children and adolescents.

The conference focused on topics such as child-centred trauma-focused diagnostics, single-case study designs, digital self-help services and therapeutic work in war zones. In various presentations and discussion rounds, participants pooled their expertise, intending to sustainably improve psychotherapeutic care for young people who have experienced trauma. Host Prof. Dr. Elisa Pfeiffer emphasised the power of cooperation: “Our now almost traditional exchange has given rise to a great many new projects in recent years.”

Everyday noises such as chewing or typing can be extremely stressful for people affected by misophonia, which goes far beyond normal sensitivity to noise. The current BR podcast “DIE FRAGE” tells the story of someone affected by misophonia and offers exciting insights into misophonia. As a researcher in this field, Prof. Dr. Elisa Pfeiffer had the opportunity to contribute some scientific findings on misophonia to the podcast. The podcast is available free of charge at:: Misophonie: Schmatzen macht mich aggressiv - ab wann bin ich krank? - Die Frage | BR Podcast

In order to prepare our students optimally for the new licensing examination in accordance with PsychThApprO, the Chair of Clinical Psychology and Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy at KU Eichstätt-Ingolstadt organized a special practice day. This took place at the university psychotherapy clinic and was intended to offer students a practical opportunity to familiarize themselves with the procedures and challenges of the new course examination.

We wish our students every success in the upcoming exam!

On February 4, 2025, the Chair of Clinical Psychology and Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy headed by Prof. Dr. Elisa Pfeiffer and the Chair of Clinical and Biological Psychology headed by Prof. Dr. Rita Rosner held an information and networking meeting as part of the new master's program in the new premises in Ingolstadt. Numerous licensed psychological psychotherapists and child and adolescent psychotherapists took part to learn about the implementation of the psychotherapy program at KU Eichstätt-Ingolstadt and the university outpatient clinics. In addition to presenting the new licensing examination, possible collaborations within the framework of university education were also discussed. We would like to thank all participants for the lively exchange and look forward to future cooperation.