Tag: cercetare

Oana David – Research

Research Interests:

  • Personalized technology-based interventions for stress management and emotion regulation

Projects & Grants:

Current grants directed

1.     June 2022-June2024 – Director, Grant Grant PED Experimental Demonstrative Projects, Title REThink ACADEMY: Helping universities to effectively care for the mental health of college students in the digital age, UEFISCDI (548.000 RON;

2.     January 2021 – december 2023 – Director, Grant PCE, REThink Emotions:Game Based Online Assessment of Emotion-Regulation Abilities And Personalised Prevention Of Emotional Disorders In Children and Adolescents, UEFISCDI (1.197.556 RON, PN-III-P4-ID-PCE-2020-2170)

3.     August 2020 – August 2022 – Director, Grant PED, REThinkWELL: An integrative evidence-based platform for the prevention of emotional disorders in children and adolescents, UEFISCDI (550.000 RON; PN-III-P2-2.1-PED-2019-3837)

4.     2020-2023, Coordinator of the National Consortium in Romania (BBU and other three universities) affiliated to the WHO World Mental Health International College Student (WMH-ICS) Initiative and coordinated by Harvard Medical School. Full title: WellbeingAcademy-CaringUniversities – National Consortium Student Mental Health Needs Assessment Survey.

5. 2021-present, National coordinator, WellbeingAcademy-CaringUniversities –  Student Mental Health Support Interventions at PsyTech-Babes-Bolyai Psychology Clinic BBU.

Other grants

February 2021 – present Consultant, Digital media use and socio-emotional development of toddlers: vulnerability and protection, director Dr. Marie Danet, Associate professor at University of L’Ille.

June 2014-July 2017 –  Project Director, Joint Applied Research Projects PN-II-PT-PCCA-2013-4, project title: REThink: Evidence-based therapeutic online game for child and adolescent mental health, National Council for Scientific Research (300.000EUR).

 June 2014-2017, Researcher, Grant Dcombat: A Computerized Preventative and Therapeutic Intervention for Depression, Programme “Research within Priority Sectors”- implemented under the European Economic Area (EEA) Financial Mechanism 2009-2014, Grant coordinated by Babes-Bolyai University, Partners: CheckWare AS; Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

March 2013 – September 2014, Expert mental health and coaching, Grant EduCare FP7, European Commision.

March-September 2012, Researcher, iSofie-Internet based Treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder in Romania, Coordinator: Babes-Bolyai University, Partner Linkoping University, Linkoping, Sweeden.

Diana Nechita – Research

Research Interests:

  • Self-conscious emotions and their relationship with psychopathology
  • Naturalistic interventions in the context of eating disorders
  • Self-compassion as a protective factor in psychopathology
  • Evidence-based psychological interventions

Projects & Grants:

Daniel David – Research

Research Interests:

  • The role of cognitive mechanisms, both explicit (e.g., autobiographical
    memory) and implicit (e.g., implicit memory/learning; priming) in generating subjective/emotional (cognition-emotion relation), behavioral, and psycho-physiological human responses
  • Evidence based psychotherapy, with a focus on clinical trials, with multilevel analyses, concerning (1) outcomes (i.e., efficacy and/or effectiveness); (2) theory/mechanisms of change (both psychological and neurobiological); and (3) economical aspects (e.g., cost-effectiveness, cost-utility)
  • The use of technological developments in clinical psychology/ psychotherapy (i.e., virtual/augmented reality therapy; robotherapy)

Projects & Grants: (selection):

  • European Commission II: DREAM Development of Robot-Enhanced therapy for children with AutisM spectrum disorders (2014 – 2018) (coord. partener)
  • Education for Care – EDUCARE, 527360-LLP-2012-IT-GRUNDVIG-GMP, Leonardo da Vinci (coord. partener)
  • CNFIS, Fond de dezvoltare instituțională:  CNFIS-FDI-2019-0351 Susţinerea cercetării de excelenţă la Universitatea Babes-Bolyai la centenar 1919-2019 (director)
  • SEE Fonduri Structurale: 4NORM-ality Îmbunătățirea Serviciilor Corecționale în România prin Implementarea Principiului Normalității 2019 – 2022 (coordonator partener)
  • MCI, PNIII-1.2PDI-PFC-C1-PFE-404 – Infrastructura strategică la Universitatea Babeș-Bolyai în contextul dezvoltării de tehnologii noi și emergente 2018-2020 (director)
  • UEFISCDI, PNIII – P4 – Cercetare fundamentală și de frontieră, PN-III-P4-ID-PCCF-2016 -Înţelegerea şi modelarea structurilor spaţio-temporale ale inegalităţilor şi polarizării în relaţie cu caracteristicile psihologice – STIP, 2018-2022 (director)
  • UEFISCDI Parteneriate SWARA: Mobile System for Rehabilitative Vocal Assistance of Surgical Aphonia, 2014 – 2016 (coord. partener)
  • CNCSIS Grant PNCDI-MEdC: Rolul psihoterapiei cognitiv-comportamentale în tratamentul chirurgical parodontal: un studiu clinic controlat, 2009-2011, (director)
  • CNCSIS Grant CEEX-MEdC (Capacităţi): O Platformă de Psihoterapie Prin Realitate Virtuală., 2007-2009 (director)
  • CNCSIS Grant CEEX-MEdC (Proiecte complexe): Eficacitatea psihoterapiei versus medicaţiei non-stimulante în ADHD la copiii cu vârsta între 6 şi 11 ani; Un studiu clinic controlat multicentric, 2006-2009 (director)
  • CNCSIS Grant CEEX-MEdC (Grant postdoctoral): Psihoterapii validate ştiinţific, 2006-2008 (director)
  • CNCSIS Grant tip A: Psihoterapie versus medicaţie în tratamentul tulburării depresive majore; Un studiu clinic randomizat, 2004-2007 (director)

Costina Pasarelu – Research

Research Interests:

  • Psychological interventions delivered through technology
  • Transdiagnostic interventions

Projects & Grants:

Project director:

  • A virtual clinic for parents of children with ADHD – an individually-tailored approach to reduce parental distress, PN-III-P1-1.1-PD-2019-1191 (2020-2022)
  • ParentKIT: efficacy of a transdiagnostic internet intervention enhanced with a parental component for children with internalizing problems, GTC 31371/2020 (2020-2021)

Member:

  • Mechanisms of childhood bullying victimization: profiles and tailoredapproach to online intervention – PN-III-P4-ID-PCE-2020-2417 – PI Dr. Anca Dobrean (2021-2023)

Aurora Szentagotai – Research

Research Interests:

  • Links between emotion regulation and psychopathology
  • Early life stress and psychopathology
  • Predictors and outcomes of loneliness
  • Evidence-based psychological interventions

Projects & Grants:

Principal Investigator:

  • 2021-2023: Grant PN-III-P4-ID-PCE-2020-2894: Reducerea costurilor singurătății. O abordare cognitiv-comportamentală a mecanismelor și intervenției.
  • 2017-2019: Grant PN-III-P4-ID-PCE-2016-0864: Ruşinea şi vinovăţia în tulburarea de personalitate borderline. O abordare din perspectiva reglării emoţionale.
  • 2014-2016: Grant PN-II-PT-PCCA-2013-4-1797: Promovarea îmbătrânirii active. O platformă computerizată de training şi reabilitare cognitivă.
  • 2011-2013: Grant ANCS, Modul Capacităţi: Help4Mood: A computational distributed system to support the treatment of patients with major depression.
  • 2011: Workshop exploratoriu: New Advances in Cognitive Bias Modification – A multidisciplinary approach
  • 2010-2014. Grant FP: Help4Mood: A computational distributed system to support the treatment of patients with major depression. (Coordonator UBB)
  • 2008-2010. Grant acordat de Institutul Albert Ellis, New York: The Self in REBT. Moving from self-rating to unconditional self-acceptance.
  • 2009-2011. Grant CEEX, IDEI: Rolul factorilor cognitivi în emoţii: Impactul expectanţelor de răspuns în anxietate şi durere.
  • 2002-2003. Grant CNCSIS AT: Efecte contraintenţionate ale controlului mental intenţionat

Team Member:

  • PN-III-P4-ID-PCE-2020-2609. Markeri neurofiziologici ai reglării emoționale în maltratarea în copilărie. Asocieri prospective cu psihopatologie. Director proiect: Prof. Dr. Andrei Miu (2020-2023).
  • PN-III-P4-ID-PCCF-2016-0084. Înțelegerea și modelarea structurilor spațio-temporale ale inegalităților și polarizării în relație cu caracteristicile psihologice. Director proiect: Prof. Dr. Daniel David. (2018-2022)
  • EEA-JRP-RO-NO-2013-1-0358, DCombat: A computerized preventative and therapeutic intervention for depression. Director proiect: Dr. Cezar Giosan (2014-2017).
  • PN-II-PT-PCCA-2011-3.1-1500, 81/2012, Eficienţa unei platforme web in tratamentul anxietatii la copii (iDARE). Director proiect: Conf. dr. Anca Dobrean (2012-2014).
  • Proiect POSDRU: Dezvoltarea emoţională şi socială armonioasă a copiilor care provin din medii deyavantajate, cu scopul prevenirii fenomenului de părăsite timpurie a şcolii. (2010-2013). (Coordonator ştiinţific). Director proiect: Prof. Dr. Daniel David.
  • PN-II-ID-SSA-2012-2-015: Current and Future Prespectives in Sleep and Circadian Rhythms Research, (2012). Director proiect: Dr. Bogdan Voinescu
  • PN-II-ID-PCE-2011-3-0230/ Psihoterapia Darwinistă – Un studiu clinic de testare a unei intervenţii evoluţioniste pentru depresie. Director proiect: Dr. Cezar Giosan (2011-2014)
  • PN-II-RU-TE-3-2011-3-0080, Mecanisme psiho-sociale si fiziologice ale efectelor interactiunii om-animal asupra abilitatilor socio-emotionale ale copiilor cu autism. Director proiect: Conf. dr. Alina Rusu (2011-2014)
  • Proiect POSDRU: Dezvoltarea emoţională şi socială armonioasă a copiilor care provin din medii dezavantajate, cu scopul prevenirii fenomenului de părăsite timpurie a şcolii. (2010-2123). (Coordonator ştiinţific). Director proiect: Prof. Dr. Daniel David

”Meeting of the Minds”

“Meeting of the Minds” Conference Series

The Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy is part of prestigious, world-class scientific networks through its research programs (consortiums), knowledge exchange programs and memberships. Thus, as part of the “Meeting of the Minds Conference Series” we periodically invite top professionals in the major fields of interest of the Department. These guests are part of the same prestigious scientific network, and are selected from among the top 10 at the international level (through ISI publications, patents, innovative products) in their main field of interest.

The “Meeting of the Minds Conference Series” is organized on levels, so that the entire community of the Department can derive a maximum benefit (professors, researchers, psychologists, students, collaborators). Thus: (1) an initial presentation is organized for the members of the Department, with attendance based on invitation, which revolves around frontier research issues in the field of the speaker; (2) critical analyses and debates follow, related to frontier issues in the domain of the guest, and of interest for the Department, as a starting point for planning new research involving department members and collaborators. Some of these debates are made public, either as they take place – online/videoconference, or later (through recordings), to those interested, with a special focus on our students; (3) guests also give a Workshop/Public lecture, open to students and to others interested.

     This institutional quality assurance mechanism ensures that the Department stays tuned, at the highest levels of quality, to major research/professional areas at the international level. Members of the Department take part, in their turn, in such events organized by other countries in the network (see the CV of department members for a list of these presentations). Not all scientific/professional activities of the Department are also part of the “Meetings of the Minds Conference Series”

Participants 2007

Guests in order of their visit:

(1) Dr. Frank Dattilio, Harvard Medical School, USA; domain – psychotherapy; interest/specialization: couple and family cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy

(2) Dr. Thomas Dowd, Kent State University, USA; domain – psychotherapy; interest/specialization: cognitive- behavioral hypnosis and hypnotherapy

(3) Dr. Manfred Doepfner, University of Cologne, Germany; domain – psychotherapy and clinical psychology; interest/specialization: child and adolescents psychotherapy and clinical psychology (ADHD)

(4) Dr. Steve Lynn, SUNY at Binghamton, USA; domain-psychotherapy/ social and cognitive sciences; interest/specialization: cognitive-behavioral clinical hypnosis

(5) Dr. Albert Rizzo and collaborators, Institute for Creative Technology, USA; domain- scientifically validated assessment and therapy/cognitive science; interest/specialization-virtual reality assessment and therapeutic technologies

(6) “the Key-note” presentations from “Latini Dies – CBT” International Conferences. The Website of the Conferences can be found at: (Link)

Participants 2008

“New Frontiers în Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy“ Symposium

Guests in alphabetical order:

(1) Dr. Jacques Barber, University of Pennsylvania, USA; domain-psychotherapy; interest/specialization-dynamic psychotherapies, mechanisms of change in psychotherapy (2) Dr. Domenico Coviello, University Hospital of Milan, Italy; EuroGenTest; domain-medicine; interest/specialization-clinical genetics

(3) Dr. Raymond DiGiuseppe, Albert Ellis Institute, USA, past-president of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies; domain-psychotherapy; interest/specialization-rational-emotive and cognitive behavioral therapy

(4) Dr. Arthur Freeman, Academy of Cognitive Therapy, USA, past-president of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies; domain-psychotherapy; interest/specialization-cognitive therapy

(5) Dr. Douglas Mennin, Yale University, USA; domain-psychotherapy/clinical psychology; interest/specialization-clinical cognitive science/emotional regulation/anxiety

(6) Dr. Alexandru Popescu, Oxford University, UK; domain-psychiatry; interest/specialization-autism, phenomenological approach

(7) Dr. Bernhard Strauss, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Germany, past-president of the Society for Psychotherapy Research; domain-psychotherapy; interest/specialization-mechanism of change in psychotherapy

(8) Dr. Simon Wallace, Oxford University, UK; domain-clinical psychology; interest/specialization-autism and virtual reality technologies

(9) Dr. Kelly Wilson, USA, past-president of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science; domain-psychotherapy; interest/specialization-acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT; founder along with Steven Hayes)

“Romanian Diaspora in Scientific Research” Conference – “Clinical Cognitive Sciences” Workshop, the “key-note” presentations; funded by the Ministry of Education and Research; see link

Participants – 2009

Guests in order of their visit:

(1) Dr. Giorgio Bonmassar, Harvard Medical School, USA; domain-clinical neurosciences; interest/specialization-brain imaging technologies

(2) Dr. Michael First, Columbia University, USA; domain-psychopathology interest/specialization-nosologic assessment of psychopathology (DSM-V)

(3) Dr. Pietro Pietrini and collaborators., Pisa University, Italy; domain-clinical neurosciences; interest/specialization-clinical cognitive neurosciences and clinical genetics

(4) Dr. Michael Bernard, Albert Ellis Institute, USA; domain- psychotherapy; interest/specialization-child and adolescent psychotherapy; health promotion

(5) Dr. Nadine Gaab, Harvard University, USA; domain-clinical neurosciences; interest/specialization-clinical cognitive neurosciences in children and adolescents

(6) Dr. Carl Lejuez, Maryland University, USA; domain-psychotherapy/cognitive sciences; interest/specialization-behavioral therapy and emotional regulation

(7) Symposium “Diagnostic Assessment and Interventions in Autism and Comorbid Disorders” (November 13-14 2009, Cluj-Napoca); coordinator/director: Dr. Daniel David (Babeş-Bolyai University, Romania) in collaboration with Dr. Anthony Bailey (Oxford University, UK) and Dr. Simon Wallace (Autism Speaks, USA/UK); details will be available shortly

Participanţi – 2010

Guests in order of their visit:

(1) Dr. Julie Schnur, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, USA; domain-clinical psychology; interest/specialization-psychooncology/CBT/REBT/Hipnosis

(2) Dr. Jeffrey Young, Columbia University, USA; domain-clinical psychology/psychotherapy; interest/specialization-CBT (schema-focused therapy)

(3) Dr. Shinji Naruo, Environmental Law and Policy Institute, Japan; domain-bussiness; interest/specialization-coaching/self-management

(4) Dr. Thomas Dowd, Kent State University – psychotherapy; interest/specialization: cognitive- behavioral hypnosis and hypnotherapy

Participants 2011

Guests in order of their visit:

(1) Dr. Bram Vanderborght and Dr. Jelle Saldien, Vrije University, Belgium; domain – engineering/artificial intelligence; interest/specialization – social robotics

(2) Dr. Richard McNally, Harvard University, SUA; domain – clinical psychology; interest/specialization – clinical cognitive sciences (trauma/PTSD/memory)

(3) Dr. Ernst Koster, Ghent University, Belgium: domain – clinical cognitive sciences; interest/specialization – cognitive bias modification

(4) Dr. Rudi De Raedt, Ghent University, Belgium: domain – clinical cognitive sciences; interest/specialization – cognitive bias modification

(5) Dr. Nazanin Derakhshan, Birkbeck, University of London, England: domain – clinical cognitive sciences; interest/specialization – cognitive bias modification

(6) Dr. Stephanos Vassilopoulos, University of Patras, Greece: domain – clinical cognitive sciences; interest/specialization – cognitive bias modification

(7) Dr. Pietro Pietrini, University of Pisa, Italy: domain – neurosciences; interest/specialization – clinical cognitive neurosciences

(8) Dr. Silvia Pellegrini, Universitatea of Pisa, Italy: domain – neurosciences; interest/specialization – clinical cognitive neurosciences

(9) Dr. Claudio Gentili, University of Pisa, Italy: domain – neurosciences; interest/specialization – clinical cognitive neurosciences

(10) Dr. Manuel Schabus, University of Salzburg, Austria: domain – neurosciences; interest/specialization – sleep disorders and psychological treatments

(11) Dr. Irene Guerrini, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust: domain – genetics; interest/specialization – genetics of mental disorders

(12) Dr. Thomas Dowd, Kent State University – psychotherapy; interest/specialization: cognitive- behavioral hypnosis and hypnotherapy

Participants 2012

Guests in order of their visit:

(1) Dr. Serge Thill, University of Skövde, Sweden: domain – engineering/artificial intelligence; interest/specialization – social robotics

(2) Dr. Tom Ziemke, University of Skövde, Sweden:  domain – engineering/artificial intelligence; interest/specialization – social robotics

(3) Dr. Tony Belpaeme, Plymouth University, United Kingdom:  domain – engineering/artificial intelligence; interest/specialization – social robotics

(4) Dr. Honghai Liu, University of Portsmouth, United Kingdom:  domain – engineering/artificial intelligence; interest/specialization – social robotics

(5) Dr. Mark Coeckelbergh, University Twente, Netherlands: domain – ethics; interest/specialization – ethics and technology

(6) Dr. Bram Vanderborght, Vrije Universiteit Brussel:  domain – engineering/artificial intelligence; interest/specialization – social robotics

(7) Dr. Thomas Dowd, Kent State University – clinical cognitive sciences; interest/specialization cognitive-behavioral therapy and hypnosis

Participants 2013

(1) Dr. Michael Cavanagh, University of Sydney, Australia: domain – clinical psychology; interest/specialization – cognitive-behavioral coaching

(2) Dr. Thomas Dowd, Kent State University – psychotherapy; interest/specialization: cognitive- behavioral hypnosis and hypnotherapy

Participants 2014

Guests in order of their visit:

(1) Dr. Thomas Dowd, Kent State University – psychotherapy; interest/specialization: cognitive- behavioral hypnosis and hypnotherapy

(2) Dr. Pim Cuijpers, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands: domain – clinical psychology; interest/specialization – cognitive-behavioral therapy, internet based psychotherapy

(3) Dr. John Raven, Edinburgh, Scotland: domain – cognitive psychology; interest/specialization – assessment and measurement of cognitive abilities

(4) Dr. Ann Vernon, Albert Ellis Institute, New York, U.S.A.: domain – clinical psychology; interest/specialization – rational emotive education

Participants – 2015

Guests in order of their visit:

(1) Dr. Claudio Gentili, University of Pisa, Italy: domain – neuroscience; specialization – clinical cognitive neurosciences

Participants – 2016

Guests in order of their visit:

(1) Dr. Claudio Gentili, University of Pisa, Italy: domain – neuroscience; specialization – clinical cognitive neurosciences

(2) Dr. Ann Vernon, Albert Ellis Institute, New York, U.S.A.: domain – clinical psychology; specialization – rational emotive education

Participants – 2017

Guests in order of their visit:

(1) Dr. Claudio Gentili, University of Pisa, Italy: domain – neuroscience; specialization – clinical cognitive neurosciences

As part of the 9th Congress of International Association of Cognitive Psychotherapy, were invited:

(2) Dr. Gerhard Andersson, Linköping University and Karolinska Institute, Sweden

(3) Dr. Judith Beck, Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy and University of Pennsylvania, S.U.A.

(4) Dr. David M. Clark, University of Oxford, Marea Britanie

(5) Dr. Pim Cuijpers, VU University Amsterdam, Olanda

(6) Dr. Raymond DiGiuseppe, Albert Ellis Institute and St. John’s University, S.U.A.

(7) Dr. Daniel Freeman, University of Oxford, Marea Britanie

(8) Dr. Martin Hautzinger, Tübingen University, Germania

(9) Dr. Steven Hayes, University of Nevada, S.U.A.

(10) Dr. Stefan Hofmann, Boston University, S.U.A.

(11) Dr. Steven Hollon, Vanderbilt University, S.U.A.

(12) Dr. Robert Leahy, The American Institute for Cognitive Therapy, S.U.A.

(13) Dr. Lata McGinn, Yeshiva University, S.U.A.

(14) Dr. John Riskind, George Mason University, S.U.A.

(15) Dr. Philip Spinhoven, Leiden University, Holland

(16) Dr. Mehmet Sungur, Marmara University, Turkey

(17) Dr. Ed. Watkins, University of Exeter, U.K

Participants – 2018

Guests in order of their visit:

(1) Dr. Alexandru Popescu, Balliol College, University of Oxford, UK, interdisciplinary conference: “Faith and Mental Health” – see link and video 

(2) Dr. David Foreman, Institute of Psychiatry, Maudsley Hospital, London, UK: “Psychiatry in the Service of the Family”