Our research profile
Main research areas
In research, the focus of the Clinical Psychology and Sexual Medicine department is primarily on the areas of sexuality and couple relationships. In a tradition that now spans more than three decades, contributions have been made to each of the three major groups of sexual disorders: sexual dysfunctions, paraphilias and gender identity disorders. The focus has been on basic research (psychological and neurobiological) as well as on a broad spectrum of clinical issues. The current focus in the field of sexuality and couple relationships is on
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Psycho-neuro-immunological and -endocrinological basic research on the psychobiology of healthy and disturbed sexual response
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Clinical research into new drug and psychotherapeutic treatment concepts for male and female sexual dysfunction as well as paraphilias/sexual delinquency and gender identity disorders
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Research into the connections between variables in couple relationships and couple sexuality, including the development of innovative therapy concepts
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Research into the dysregulation of sexual impulse control (so-called 'sex addiction'), particularly in the area of internet use
Other key areas of research in our department - in line with the central clinical fields of activity - are psychotherapy research (process and outcome research, especially on inpatient psychotherapy) and behavioral therapy and behavioral medicine research.
Clinical studies
Research in the field of healthy sexuality and sexual disorders is already a tradition in our department. Since 1995, our department has been regularly involved in conducting clinical studies or carrying out its own studies on the subject.
For a long time, the focus was on erectile dysfunction and ejaculatio praecox in men and on pleasure and orgasm disorders and sexual satisfaction in women. From 1995, research into erectile dysfunction focused on the drugs sildenafil, vardenafil and tadalafil. Research on ejaculatio praecox was conducted in 2004-2006 and 2009-2010. Sildenafil, bupropion and Uprima were used in women with sexual desire or arousal disorders. In the years 2007-2009, research was carried out into the possible treatment of lust disorders with flibanserin.
With the opening of the Hanover site of the 'Kein Täter werden' prevention network and the 'I Can Change' prevention project, our research focus expanded to include basic research into paraphilias. In addition to this subject area, we are currently conducting studies on different styles of sexual activity in relationships and internet and sex addiction.
There are various opportunities for doctoral theses and dissertations in the research areas of the Department of Clinical Psychology and Sexual Medicine. On the one hand, certain questions can be assigned as dissertation topics within larger research projects, both in the basic science and clinical-therapeutic areas. In addition, it is occasionally possible to make the analysis of existing data the subject of a doctoral thesis. In principle, interested doctoral students can also come to us with their own topic suggestions - as long as they fit into the research portfolio of the department - in order to check whether the corresponding work is feasible. There are also opportunities for psychology students (specializing in clinical psychology) to write their final theses.
The following selection of theses completed in recent years is intended to illustrate the range of topics:
- Aurich, A. (Dr. med.): Influence of sildenafil on cognition, hormones and cerebral blood flow in healthy subjects.
- Behrens, F. (Dr. med.): Sexual appetence disorder in women in the cyclical change of the couple relationship. A study of female patients and normal subjects.
- Biella, M. (Dipl.-Psych.): Differential courses of therapy: Results of a survey of psychotherapy patients using the weekly patient questionnaire. Diploma thesis, Technical University of Braunschweig.
- Chereath, D. (Dr. med.): Neuroendocrine and cardiovascular effects of sexual activity in men.
- de Boer, C. (Dipl.-Psych.): Nocebo effects in sexual medicine - modulation of sexual appetence and functions by cognitions. Diploma thesis, University of Bremen.
- Haverkamp, J. and Krämer, M. (Dr. med.): Effects and mechanisms of acute prolactin manipulation on appetitive and consummatory sexual behavior in men.
- Jakob, C. (Dr. rer. biol. hum.): Phenotyping of pedophilic/hebephilic subjects of the prevention project "Dunkelfeld - Kein Täter werden" using the Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnostic 2 (OPD-2).
- Kloth, G. (Dr. rer. biol. hum.): Self-esteem regulation mechanisms in women with sexual appetence disorder. An empirical study.
- Koch, M. (Dr. med.): Treatment success and effective factors in inpatient group therapy.
- Koch, M. (Dr. med.): Neuroendocrine and cardiovascular effects of sexual activity in men during coitus.
- Kracke, D. (Dipl.-Psych.): Prognostic significance of attachment styles for relationship quality in the course of therapy. Diploma thesis, Technical University of Braunschweig.
- Manns, D. (Dipl.-Psych.): Self-attention in men with erectile dysfunction and sexually unimpaired men. University of Bonn.
- Povel, C. (Dr. med.): Therapy process and therapy success in inpatient psychotherapy.
- Reinmold, R. (Dr. med.): Compulsive patients and anger: The experience of anger and dealing with anger in compulsive patients, anger suppression and psychopathology.
- Schulze, E. (Dr. med.): Superiority of combined group and individual therapy over group therapy alone.
- Schweizer-Böhmer, I. (Dr. rer. biol. hum.): Erotic imagination: contents of sexual fantasies and personality accentuations. A study of 100 women.
- Strobach, J. (Dr. med.): Predictors of patients' therapy satisfaction after completion of inpatient psychotherapy.