Current projects
Foundation Centrum ’45 is involved in a number of research projects. Through the employees’ involvement in these projects the organisation helps to increase knowledge in the professional field. At the same time, the insights that these projects yield benefit everyday treatment practice, as they are turned to a good use in the treatment programmes on offer at Foundation Centrum ’45.
The projects – initiated by Foundation Centrum ’45 – currently taking place are:
- The Reverberation of War: an Investigation into the Giving of Meaning and the Functioning of the Family
- Aspects of Psychodiagnostics and Treatment of Traumatised Refugees
- Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) versus Grounding in the Ambulatory Treatment of Traumatised Asylum Seekers and Refugees: a Randomised Controlled Trial
- Deconstructing Delayed Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
- The LIN project: Optimizing Diagnostic and Evaluative Instruments for the Group of Refugees who have been in the Netherlands for a longer period.
- Effectiveness of Treatment: the STIP Project
- All in the Family: Effectiveness of System Interventions
- Traumatic Countertransference - Secondary Traumatization - 'Vicarious Traumatization' Traumatische tegenoverdracht - secundaire traumatisering - 'vicarious traumatization'
The Reverberation of War: an Investigation into the Giving of Meaning and the Functioning of the Family
This study is to provide insight into the features and processes in adults who were exposed to the violence and terror of the Second World War as children. The investigation is targeted at victims of the Second World War and at recent categories of younger war victims in Europe. Special attention is given to children of refugees and their families, for example from Kosovo and Bosnia. (Research by Dr Trudy Mooren and Prof. Dr Rolf Kleber)
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Aspects of Psychodiagnostics and Treatment of Traumatized Refugees
The objective is to improve the diagnostics and treatment of traumatized refugees in mental healthcare. The researchers have developed a new instrument with which to capture cultural influences in the diagnostic stage. The target group - traumatized refugees – is researched as to various aspects, on the basis of newly developed or newly translated instruments. First to be investigated is the degree of somatisation (the tendency to experience and report physical ailments and complaints – that cannot be explained through pathological findings – and to ascribe these to a physical disorder and seek medical help accordingly). Working from clinical practice, the researchers also investigate the qualitative aspects of trans-cultural group therapy with traumatized refugees. In addition, their focus is on treating nightmares using medication (prazosin). Further, what roles resilience, social support and coping play during the treatment process is also studied. (Doctoral research project of Hans Rohlof, psychiatrist, with the cooperation of Dr Jeroen Knipscheer and Prof. Dr Rolf Kleber)
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Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) versus Stabilisation in the Outpatient Treatment of Traumatised Asylum Seekers and Refugees: a Randomised Controlled Trial
Despite the scientific evidence concerning the efficacy of EMDR in the treatment of PTSD, in clinical practice many clinicians are reluctant to apply EMDR to traumatised asylum seekers and refugees. Because they regard the traumatisation of this population as too complex, and for fear of psychological decompensation, they tend to avoid confrontation with traumatic memories and stick to stabilisation techniques. This research project focuses on the efficacy of EMDR versus stabilisation in traumatised asylum seekers and refugees. The aim is to improve the treatment of this target group. (Doctoral research project of Jackie June ter Heijde, clinical psychologist, with the cooperation of Dr Trudy Mooren, Dr Jeroen Knipscheer and Prof. Dr Rolf Kleber)
Doctoral research into delayed PTSD with different types of trauma. Among other things, the concept of delayed PTSD is analysed on the basis of a study of the literature and a meta-analysis (of clinical picture, prevalence and associated factors of delayed PTSD with different types of trauma in epidemiological studies) and through secondary data-analysis and qualitative interviews (among other things, as to the influence of pre-trauma characteristics in a longitudinal prospective study among peace-keepers). (Doctoral research project of Geerd Smid,psychiatrist, in cooperation with the Dutch Institute for Psychotrauma, with the cooperation of Prof. Dr Rolf Kleber, Dr Peter van der Velden, Prof. Dr Berthold Gersons, Dr Trudy Mooren)
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LIN-project: Optimizing Diagnostic and Evaluative Instruments for the Group of Refugees who have been in the Netherlands for a longer period.
The project involves research into the development of a diagnostic and evaluative set of instruments aimed at psychiatric and personality diagnostics. It takes trans-cultural aspects into account and is relevant for indications with respect to treatment. Activities include developing a relevant measurement of effectiveness at the end of the treatment. Further, process instruments are being developed that will be suitable for evaluating treatment progress and that can be used clinically during treatment as well. (Coordination Annemarie Smith, psychiatrist, and Wim Kleijn MA; with the cooperation of Dr Jeroen Knipscheer, Dr Trudy Mooren and Prof. Dr Rolf Kleber)
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Effectiveness of Treatment: the STIP Project
The STIP project aims at listing and evaluating the various stages of treatment (from intake to follow-up when contacts cease) by means of measurements with electronic quantitative questionnaires. Besides yielding psychodiagnostic information, the STIP project also serves to achieve such objectives as measuring treatment progress, the scientific validation of instruments, the evaluation of treatment programmes, quality assessments and supplying basic data for the benefit of academic studies. (Coordination Wim Kleijn MA, with the cooperation of Dr Jeroen Knipscheer and Dr Trudy Mooren)
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All in the Family: Effectiveness of System Interventions
This project involves research into the effectiveness of system interventions in families that have been exposed to extreme violence and suffer acculturation problems. Participants in the study are families of refugees or asylum seekers who have turned to Foundation Centrum ’45 at Diemen for help. Trauma-related problems are frequently diagnosed in one or more members of a family; anxiety and mood disorders are frequent in both children and their parent(s). The problems are usually complex, not just because of comorbidity with other disorders (such as personality disorders) but also because of such social problems as uncertainty as to residence and the future. (Realization: Dr Julia Bala)
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Traumatic Countertransference - Secondary Traumatization - 'Vicarious Traumatization' This study constitutes doctoral research into the reactions of therapists when confronted with patients’ traumatic experiences, focusing on how traumatic experiences are dealt with, both in the short and the long run. A topic of interest is also how a psychotherapist’s work experience influences the way she handles these problems. Core questions are: how important are the concepts of burnout, countertransference, secondary traumatization and ‘vicarious traumatization’ when describing the trauma-therapists’ experiences in their work? How specific are the therapists’ reactions to trauma material? And also: how specific are long-term effects on the therapist working with traumatized patients? (Doctoral research project of Annemarie Smith, psychiatrist)
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