Research focus and goals
The research conducted in the Psychotherapy and anxiety research group encompass interrelated studies on the fields of psychotherapy (cognitive therapy and cognitive-behavioural therapy), clinical psychology, and youth mental health.
Common themes underlying research targets covered by the groups' research include cognitive and cognitive-behavioural therapy, anxiety and anxiety disorders, social anxiety in adolescents, and the risk and protective factors of anxiety disorders in young people.
The research group conducts both clinical psychotherapy research and population-based research.
Our clinical research is focused on cognitive and cognitive-behavioural therapy for social anxiety, cognitive-behavioural therapy for anxiety disorders and interpersonal therapy in young people. Research covers the development and research of early interventions for both anxiety and depressive disorders and their factors involved un the implementation of interventions to services.
Our population study focuses on the risk and protective factors, correlates and sequlae of anxiety disorders in young people. We examine cognitive factors, family factors, and educational and social functioning associated with anxiety disoders in young people in representative Finnish population samples and follow-up cohorts.
We aim to enhance clinical effectiveness, implementation, and process study of cognitive and cognitive-behavioural therapies for social anxiety and anxiety disorders, the availability of early interventions for anxiety and depression, and recognition of risk factors of anxiety disorders in Finland.
Impact
The impact of our research on the Finnish society results from development of methods, psychotherapy interventions and population data for the enhancement of early recognition and treatment of the most prevalent mental health conditions affecting young people in the Finnish population.
Finnish research indicates that early, effective interventions are rarely available in health and wellbeing services for adolescents and young adults. There also is data on the increase of anxiety in adolescents and young adults in Finland. The economic costs of unrecognised, untreated anxiety and mood disorders for the society are high.
Leader
Klaus Ranta
Associate Professor (tenure track)Other members
Psychoterapy and anxiety research group members:
University of Helsinki, Department of Psychiatry:
Professor Mauri Marttunen
Tampere University, psychology:
Developmentally adapted, brief cognitive therapy for SAD - True Me training:
Siiri Lampela
Jaakko Monthan
Social anxiety in young people - population study:
Tiina Heikkinen
Social anxiety, social cognition and mental health in young people - cohort study:
Mauri Inkinen
Research collaborators:
Helsinki University, clinical psychology:
Professor Jari Lahti
The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare.
Unversity of Oxford, UK.
University of Turku, Department of Teacher Education:
City of Tampere.
Contact persons
Klaus Ranta
LT, PsM
Psykoterapian dosentti, Tampereen yliopisto
Nuorisopsykiatrian dosentti, Helsingin yliopisto
Yliopistonlehtori Tampereen yliopisto
email: klaus.ranta [at] tuni.fi
puhelin: +358 50 4418286