Division 2 | Mental Health
Aim and mission
The division Mental Health aims to understand the etiology of mental disorders by using dimensional and trans diagnostic approaches applied to ecological, psychological and biological systems. In addition, the work performed in division Mental Health offers opportunities to develop more individualized treatments and accurate predictive markers that could improve a patient’s quality of life, taking into account the daily context of the patient. The mission of Division 2 is to promote mental health, prevent mental disorders and enhance its treatment by using state of the art research methodology in combination with clinical expertise and lived experience.
Mental Health is organised around cross-disorder themes of research:
The research carried out in Division Mental Health captures a broad range of themes, which can be divided in three different methodological strategies:
- Ecological momentary assessments through the experience sampling method (ESM) by using a tool which acquires data in real life allowing the study of real-time and real-world person-environment interaction patterns. Division 2 is world leader in the field of ESM (www.esm-maastricht.nl), and the Psymate, the data collection tool is freely downloadable from iTunes and Android Store.
- Risk and resilience prediction by employing large datasets of the general population, high risk and specific clinical samples, including those of rare genetic disorders.
- Experimental mechanistic approaches to study proof of concepts or efficacy of novel interventions.
Strategy
The Division’s strategy is to carry out highly innovative clinical science involving both clinical and non-clinical populations across the lifespan and translate and implement its results to the broader community.
Division Leader
Professor Thérèse van Amelsvoort
Division Deputies
Dr. Nicole Leibold
Dr. Sophie Leijdesdorff
Secretary
Ine Schaapkens
Nancy Heuts
Secretary to Prof Thérèse van Amelsvoort
Ine Schaapkens