The International Institute for the Advanced Studies of Psychotherapy and Applied Mental Health
The International Institute for the Advanced Studies of Psychotherapy and Applied Mental Health is an academic spin-off of the Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy founded at Babeș Bolyai University (UBB) by the UBB and the Albert Ellis Institute in the USA. The Institute has the following objectives: (1) the study of personal optimization and development; (2) the promotion of mental health and prevention of illness; (3) the treatment of mental and psychosomatic disorders that involve psychological mechanisms in etiopathogenesis.
For this purpose, the Institute conducts the following:
- Fundamental/ basic/ exporatory research – identifying the psychological mechanisms involved in mental disorders. The working paradigm is that of “clinical cognitive (neuro) sciences”.
- Translational research – the use of mechanisms involved in mental disorders – identified by us or other research groups – to develop new psychological treatments. The working paradigm is “clinical science”.
- Applied research – testing in controlled clinical trials of new innovative protocols. Their analysis is multilevel: (1) efficacy and effectiveness results, (2) theory/ mechanisms of change and (3) cost-benefit analysis. These protocols use advanced robotic, virtual reality, online, telecommunication, computer-based technologies. The major paradigm is “the personalized evidence-based psychological treatments”.
- Development-innovation research – pursues research that investigates how innovative treatments are assimilated as standards of good practice and the barriers that prevents their dissemination. The work paradigm is the “scientist-practitioner” type.
The results obtained have been published in prestigious journals in the international literature. The Institute’s results also led to some clinical strategies for various disorders being included for the first time in International Clinical Treatment Guidelines based on research conducted at the Insitute.
The Institute is an international research space, in which interdisciplinary teams carry out their research activities here, in the “brain-gain” paradigm. Currently, at the Institute, we have ongoing projects implemented by research teams and researchers from prestigious universities (eg. Oxford University) from the following countries: Belgium, Italy, Spain, Sweden, USA, UK. The International Institute for Advanced Studies of Psychotherapy and Applied Mental Health is an institute that runs programs of excellence belonging to UBB (awarded with the UBB Diploma of Excellence) and has been recognized by CNCSIS.
The Institute’s main research infrastructure is organized into two major platforms, both of which are part of UBB’s strategic research infrastructure (rUBB).
Robotics / Robotherapy and Virtual Reality Psychotherapy Platform – PSYTECH-MATRIX Platform
The platform includes several laboratories and technologies that focus on one of the Institute’s main research directions, namely the integration of psychology and technology for the promotion of evidence-based mental health services.
- Holodeck – Star Trek Lab (Virtual Cube);
- “Stress Control” Laboratory;
- Data / Robot-based Therapy Laboratory;
- Digital Affective Technologies Laboratory for Therapy and Assessment;
- Digital Enhanced Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies Laboratory for Children, Adolescents and Parents;
- “Technologies / Psychological Engineers for Health” Laboratory.
Advanced Imaging Platform – MRI / EEG – in Clinical Cognitive Science – SkyRa Platform
The central element of the platform is a Siemens Skyra 3T MRI, the only one in Romania. In addition to the MRI machine, the platform also has a 32-channel Pegasus / Phoenix EMS EEG system (http://www.emsbiomed.com/), capable of recording evoked potentials and synchronization with the usual visual stimulation programs; integrated audio and photo-stimulation systems. The platform is also associated with two specialized laboratories.
- Research on Sleep Disorders and Circadian Psychobiology Laboratory;
- Human Mind and Complexity Research Laboratory.