Germany

Freie Universität Berlin, FUB,

Freie Universität Berlin is a leading research institution. It is one of nine German universities that participated with success in all three funding lines of the Excellence Initiative of the German Federal and State Governments, thereby receiving additional funding for its institutional future development strategy. Freie Universität can thus take its place as an “International Network University” in the global competition among universities. Freie Universität has various offices abroad, e.g., in New York, Beijing, and Moscow, that provide a platform for international cooperation.

Social, Behavioural, and Neuro-cognitive Sciences make up the profile of the Department of Psychology. In the future, Psychology at Freie Universität Berlin will be dedicated to Health Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Occupational and Industrial Psychology, and Experimental as well as Neuro-cognitive Psychology. In terms of the “International Network University”, the Department of Psychology cooperates closely with international partners (e.g. Future Leaders of Aging Research in Europe [FLARE], Autonomy Despite Multimorbidity in Old Age [AMA], Multimorbidity in Old Age and Selected Care Problems [GRADMAP] or Fostering Lifelong Autonomy and Resources in Europe: Behaviour and Successful Aging [FLARE-BSA]).

Prof. Herbert SCHEITHAUER

Professor Herbert Scheithauer is Professor for Developmental and Clinical Psychology at Freie Universität Berlin, head of the Division of Developmental Science and Applied Developmental Psychology and Faculty Member at the International Max Planck Research School “LIFE”. Since July 2008, Prof. Scheithauer is delegate of the administration board of COST Action IS0801 "Cyber bullying: coping with negative and enhancing positive uses of new technologies, in relationships in educational settings" of the European Union and member of the scientific board of the project “Konzeption und Evaluation eines Modularen Präventionskonzepts für Kinder aus suchtbelasteten Familien” (Federal Ministry of Health, BMG). Prof. Scheithauer has extensive experiences in conducting longitudinal studies and in the development and evaluation of preschool and school based preventive interventions.

Relevant publications:

  • Ittel, A., Bergann, S. & Scheithauer, H. (2008). Alkohol und der Gender Gap: Geschlechterspezifische Bedingungen des Alkoholkonsums im Jugendalter. In H.P. Tossmann & N. H. Weber (Hrsg.), Alkoholprävention in Erziehung und Unterricht (2., völlig neue Auflage) (S. 44-56). Herbolzheim: Centaurus Verlag.
  • Mayer, H., Heim, P. & Scheithauer, H. (2007). Papilio. Ein Programm für Kindergärten zur Primärprävention von Verhaltensproblemen und zur Förderung sozial-emotionaler Kompetenz. Ein Beitrag zur Sucht- und Gewaltprävention. Praxis- und Methodenhandbuch für ErzieherInnen (2., aktualis. & erw. Aufl.). Augsburg: beta Institutsverlag.
  • Scheithauer, H., Barquero, B., Bondü, R. & Mayer, H. (submitted). Papilio®: Preventing behavioural disorders and promoting social-emotional competence in preschool children.
  • Scheithauer, H., Niebank, K. & Ittel, A. (2008). Developmental science: Integrating knowledge about dynamic processes in human development. In J. Valsiner, P. Molenaar, M. Lyra & N. Chaudhary (Eds.), Dynamic Process Methodology in the Social and Developmental Sciences (in press). New York: Springer Publishers.

Universität of Hildesheim, UHI

The University of Hildesheim is one of the first universities in Germany which made an application to the government for being transformed into a public funded foundation. The teaching and research profile offered within the University's four faculties incorporates a broad and diverse range of subjects, covering Educational and Social Sciences, Cultural S and Esthetical Communication, Linguistics and Information Science as well as Natural Sciences. Overall 5500 students attend the university. The University of Hildesheim cooperates with 90 European universities in 21 countries. For years the University of Hildesheim has been dominating one of the top positions throughout Germany regarding the percentage ranking for outgoing students. Department I, Educational and Social Sciences, will support the project on behalf of the university.

The division "Research methods and Evaluation” of the department of Psychology concentrates its research on juvenile alcohol and drug use, drug mortality and diagnostics of drug dependence, evaluation of health preventive interventions with adolescents as well as with parents of adolescents at risk. Renate Soellner is member of the board of trustees of the German main office against addiction and member of the European Society for Social Drug Research (ESSD).

Professor Renate SOELLNER

Professor Renate Soellner is head of the division “Research Methods and Evaluation“. The main focus is on methodology and methods of evaluation research. Prof. Soellner has a long lasting experience in drug research, namely on cannabis, drug mortality and diagnostics of drug dependence. She is member of the board of trustees of the German main office against addiction, and member of the European Society for Social Drug Research (ESSD).
Relevant publications:

  • Soellner, R. & Rummel, C. (2009). Cannabiskonsum - zwischen Verharmlosung und Dramatisierung: Zum Umgang mit empirischen Befunden und Angebote der Hilfepraxis zur Früherkennung und Frühintervention. ZJJ - Zeitschrift für Jugendkriminalrecht und Jugendhilfe, 20(4), 306-312.
  • Soellner, R. & Hapkemeyer, J. (2008). Substanzkonsum, -missbrauch und -abhängigkeit. In: H. Scheithauer, T. Hayer & K. Niebank, Problemverhalten und Gewalt im Jugendalter. Erscheinungsformen, Entstehungsbedingungen und Möglichkeiten der Prävention. (S. 143-163). Stuttgart: Kohlhammer.
  • Soellner, R. (2005). Dependence on cannabis - An ever lasting issue. Substance Use & Misuse, 40, 857-867.
  • Soellner, R. (2005). Club drug use in Germany. Substance Use & Misuse, 40, 1279-1293.
  • Soellner, R. (2005). Zur Typologie von Cannabiskonsumenten. In: Die Drogenbeauftragte der Bundesregierung (Hrsg.), Jugendkult Cannabis: Risiken und Hilfen, Dokumentation der Fachtagung am 29. und 30. November 2004 im Bundesministerium für Gesundheit und Soziale Sicherung (S. 71-84). Berlin: BMGS.