Members of the division 2025

Antje Frey Nascimento, Nadja Heimgartner, Bojana Degen, Clara Wehlage, Muriel Oswald, David Mawufemor Azilagbator, Emil Nissen, Berfin Bakis, Lea Haas, Sara Hotz, Jana Hochreuter, Lena Glaser, Yannick Schulz, Marc Inderbinen, Oliva Andereggen, Salua Bekhtari and Jens Gaab

Research

Publications 2025 (total impact factor: 58.0)

1. Blease CR, Hagström J, Garcia Sanchez C, Kharko A, McMillan B, Gaab J, Brulin E, Locher C, Hägglund M, Riggare S, Mandl K. 2025. General practitioners' adoption of generative artificial intelligence in clinical practice in the UK: an updated online survey. Digital Health. IF: 3.3
2. Scotti, B., Szczesna, A., Nickel, C. H., Degen, B., Hugli, O., Jean-Scherb, S., ... & Minotti, B. (2025). Defining the need for analgesia in the emergency department: protocol for an international Delphi process. BMJ open, 15(3), e089396. IF: 2.4
3. Azilagbetor DM, Shaw D, Gaab J, Cajiga Morales RM, Elger BS, Geneviève LD. 2025. A scoping review of ethical decisions and decision tools for experimental animal protocols. BMC Medical Ethics. IF: 3.1
4. Fendel JC, Tiersch C, Sölder P, Gaab J, Schmidt S. 2025. Effects of open-label placebos across populations and outcomes: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Scientific Reports. IF: 3.8
5. Carratta K, Bodonyi K, Frey Nascimento A, Friis D, von Känel R, Bircher L, Koechlin H, Bernstein M, Streitberger K, Arnet I, Roth AJ, Ronel J, Olliges E, Locher C. 2025. Conditioned open-label placebos to facilitate opioid reduction in patients with chronic non-cancer pain: study protocol of a randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open. 2025;15(5):e098253. doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-098253. IF: 2.4
6. Kharko A, Garcia Sanchez C, Hagström J, Gaab J, Locher C, McMillan B, Sundemo D, Blease C. 2025. General practitioners’ opinions of generative artificial intelligence in the UK: an online survey. Digital Health. IF: 3.3
7. Kharko A, Garcia Sanchez C, Hagström J, Gaab J, Locher C, McMillan B, Sundemo D, Blease C. 2025. Generative artificial intelligence in medicine: a mixed methods survey of UK general practitioners. BMJ Digital Health and AI.
8. Blease CR, Garcia Sanchez C, Locher C, McMillan B, Gaab J, Torous J. 2025. Generative AI in primary care: a qualitative study of UK general practitioners’ views. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 2025;27:e74428. doi.org/10.2196/74428. IF: 6.0
9. Frey Nascimento A, Bakis B, Gaab J, Schneider T, Papadopoulou A, Ritter M, Bernstein M, Blease CR, Locher C. 2025. Talking placebo: a qualitative study of patients' attitudes towards open-label placebo implementation into clinical practice. Frontiers in Psychology. IF: 2.6
10. Richard M, Ganz M, Gaab J. 2025. A dose of doubt: a qualitative study on placebo regulations. Frontiers in Psychology. IF: 2.6
11. Aegerter KH, Meyer AH, Gaab J, Ooi YP. 2025. Expatriation stressors and the well-being of accompanying partners: a commonality analysis approach. Frontiers in Psychology 16:1607178. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1607178. IF: 2.9
12. Gaab J. 2025. The placebo effect in psychotherapy. In: Benedetti F (ed.). Handbook of Clinical Neurology, Vol. 213 (3rd series), doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-29884-4.00021-2
13. Richard M, Bernstein MH, Gaab J, Elger B. 2025. Ethical issues in open-label placebo: a systematic qualitative review of published research. Scientific Reports. IF: 3.8
14. Degen B, Szczesna A, Nickel CH, Bingisser R, Gaab J, Minotti B. 2025. Open-label placebo for non-specific pain in the emergency department: study protocol for a mixed-method randomised controlled feasibility study (OLP-EM). BMJ Open. IF: 2.4
15. Richard M, Hornstein LD, Ganz M, Stehlik B, Levy M, Blease C, Annoni M, Elger BS, Gaab J. 2025. Noble humbug? Hard and soft laws on clinical placebo use. Frontiers in Psychology. IF: 2.6
16. Frey Nascimento A, Gaab J, Degen B, Rytz M, Holder A, Sezer D, Buergler S, Meyer AH, Kirsch I, Kossowsky J, Locher C. 2025. Efficacy of open-label placebos for premenstrual syndrome: a randomised controlled trial. BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine. doi.org/10.1136/bmjebm-2024-112875. IF: 9.8
17. Marchal Jones E, Reed MO, Meyer A, Gaab J, Ooi YP. 2025. Mapping psychological adjustment in third culture kids: the relative contributions of emotion regulation, cognition, resilience and stress. Journal of Global Mobility. Advance online publication. doi.org/10.1108/JGM-03-2024-0018. IF: 2.9
18. McLennan S, Meyer L, Wangmo T, Gaab J, Elger B, Seaward H. 2025. Psychological stressors of imprisonment and coping of older incarcerated persons: a qualitative interview study. BMC Public Health. 2025;25:328. doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-21452-w. IF: 3.5

Grants

1. Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung, Schweiz, NRP (2022-2025). 3R-sTrategies and Harm-benefIt analysis: uNnderstanding decision-maKing and improving consistency and accountability in animal experiment evaluations in Switzerland [THINK-3R]. Gaab Jens, Würbel Hanno, Blattner Charlotte, Lüscher Christian, Elger Bernice, CHF 444'494.
2. Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung, Schweiz, NRP (2022-2025). Implementing 3Rs in Switzerland: an interdisciplinary in-depth exploration of barriers and facilitators [Implement-3R].  Bernice Elger, Markus Affolter, Charlotte Blattner, Brenda Renata Kwak, Hanno Würbel, CHF 546'531, (Jens Gaab Projektpartner).

Qualifications in 2025

Dissertations

1. Mélina Richard: On Quantifying Subjective Phenomena in Medicine: An Interdisciplinary Inquiry into Pain, Placebo, and Personalized Medicine through Breath Metabolomics and Ethical-Legal Analysis

Master theses

1. Maike Ajaero: Langzeitwirkung von Open-Label-Placebos beim prämenstruellen Syndrom: eine Follow-up-Studie
2. Siro Altorfer: On the Feasibility and Effectiveness of Exergame-Based Motor-Cognitive Training in Older Depressive Inpatients: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
3. Kimrobin Elena Birrer: Evaluating the Potential and Effectiveness of Exergame-Based Motor-Cognitive Training for Older Adults with Depression: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Study
4. Jan Cadalbert: Interpersonal Aspects of Suffering and the Role of Empathy on In-Person Variance
5. Marino Conradin: The Influence of Positive and Negative Affect on the Perception of Suffering and the Desire to Help
6. David Damjanovic: Zwischen Mauern und Kulturen: Wie die Nationalität die Wahrnehmung des sozialen Klimas in Gefängnissen beeinflusst
7. Carolin Fährmann: Something from Nothing – How the Narrative Makes Treatment with Imaginary Pills Work
8. Johnathan Francis: Explorative Moderatoranalysen des Effekts von offen verabreichten Placebopillen auf das subjektive Glücksempfinden
9. Sofie Frey: The Mediating Role of Personality Functioning between Childhood Maltreatment and Psychological Distress in Community-Based Adults
10. Moritz Friedlin: Feasibility and Effectiveness of Exergame-Based Motor-Cognitive Training in Older Depressive Inpatients: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
11. Jonathan Grüter: Happiness from Within: The Interplay of Belief and Expectation in Open-Label Placebo Effects on Happiness – A Randomized Controlled Trial
12. Larissa Hänggi: Chronic Primary Pain in Paediatric Patients: A Comparative Network Meta-Analysis between Pharmacological and Non-Pharmacological Interventions
13. Isabel Hauri: The Mediating Role of Personality Functioning in the Link Between Childhood Maltreatment and Substance Use
14. Sarah Kocher: Detecting Social Cognition: Psychometric Analysis of the Basel Version of the Awareness of Social Inference Test – Theory of Mind (BASIT-ToM) in Healthy Adults
15. Elena Locher: Item Analysis and Psychometric Properties of the «Basel Version of the Awareness of Social Inference Test – Emotion Recognition» (BASIT-ER): A New Diagnostic Tool
16. Eva Lorenz: Helpful Aspects of Cognitive Behavioral and Imaginary Pill Treatment for Procrastination: Qualitative Insights into Participants’ Experiences
17. Philip Oehlers: Mescaline Induces Changes in Emotional and Cognitive Empathy
18. Jasmin Reinau: Feasibility and Efficacy of an Exergaming-Based Cognitive-Motor Intervention for Affective Symptoms in Geriatric Inpatients with Depression: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
19. Valentin Rieder: Qualitative Exploratory Analysis on Body Destruction and Renewal Visions under Intravenous N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT)
20. Rebecca Schenk: Overcoming Procrastination: A Randomized Trial of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Imaginary Pills in Students
21. Sebastian Schnell: The Influence of Personality Traits on the Psychedelic Effects of Mescaline
22. Natascha Stamm: Does Psychotherapy Work Independently from Culture? A Comparative Study on the Person-Centered Approach in Japan and Switzerland
23. Umut Kay: Category-Specific Picture Naming Deficits in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Controlled Group Comparison
24. Marie-Agnes von Strotha: Feasibility and Efficacy of Motor-Cognitive Training Using Exergames in Older Depressed Patients in a Geriatric Inpatient Setting: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
25. Theresa Zehnder: Unveiling the Potential of Imaginary Pills Compared to Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy in Overcoming Academic Procrastination: A Randomized Controlled Trial
26. Enrico Davide Bauer: Basel Version of the Awareness of Social Inference Test – Theory of Mind: Psychometrische Analyse der Scores zur kognitiven Theory of Mind bei gesunden, deutschsprachigen Erwachsenen
27. Mario Grabosch: Zwischen Anspruch und Wirklichkeit – Die subjektive Wahrnehmung medizinethischer Prinzipien
28. Silvana Gross: Determinants of Perceived Suffering: An Experimental Approach to the Interpersonal Aspects of Suffering
29. Desideria Siskia Haas: Characteristic of Non-Responders of a Procrastination Treatment – A Qualitative Content Analysis
30. Melanie Hostettler: Identifying Trajectory Patterns in Subjective Well-Being: A Cluster Analysis in an Open-Label Placebo Trial
31. David Preis: Subjektive Unterschiede in der Erfahrung von LSD, Psilocybin und Meskalin
32. Patricia Prinzing: ProcrastiNOT – A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Imaginary Pills as a Treatment for Academic Procrastination
33. Elliot Schramm: Fighting Stigma in Resource-Limited Settings: A Scoping Review of RCTs on Mental Illness Stigma Interventions
34. Nicole Weller: Wirksamer und ethisch angemessener Einsatz von Selbstoffenbarungen durch Therapeut*innen und deren Einfluss auf die therapeutische Beziehung: Ein Scoping Review
35. Ava Wetzel: Experienced Safety of Employees in Correctional Settings Based on Gender
36. Carolin Zierer: Reducing Self-Stigma in Schizophrenia: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Interventions in LMICs

Advanced Studies in Psychotherapy

The division hosted three postgraduate psychotherapy trainings, which complement our humanistic perspective of psychological interventions. In 2025, the MAS in Humanistic Psychotherapy, the CAS in Motivational Interviewing and the Master of Advanced Studies in Person-centered Psychotherapy were running on smoothly and under full steam. And, yippie, we got the BAG accreditation for the MAS in Humanistic Psychotherapy! 

Admin

Oliva Andereggen, Juliana Forster, Albiona Kiska, und Julia Wichmann

Course director/Chair of the program committee:

• CAS in Motivational Interviewing: Dr. Otto Schmid/Prof Dr. Jens Gaab
• Master of Advanced Studies in Person-centered Psychotherapy: Tobias Steiger/Prof Dr. Jens Gaab
• Master of Advanced Studies in Humanistic Psychotherapy Marc Inderbinen/Prof. Dr. Jens Gaab

Center for Psychotherapy

The Center for Psychotherapy had a very good year with a substantial increase of young and motivated psychotherapists in training. By this, we are starting a perpetuum mobile, i.e. offering both an accredited psychotherapy training as well as a place for young psychotherapists to start their clinical career with the one supporting other and vice versa. The numbers are steadily increasing with interesting cooperations running with the Biozentrum as well as the Universitäre Zentrum für Zahnmedizin Basel. The mean numbers of appointments per month for 2025 and since the start of the Center for Psychotherapy are shown in the graph below.

Members of the Center for Psychotherapy 2025

• Directorate: Jens Gaab, Karin Hediger, Oliva Andereggen
• Head of Operatins and Administration: Oliva Andereggen
• Administration: Sara Hotz, Jana Hochreuter, Salua Bekhtari
• Psychotherapists: Jens Gaab, Karin Hediger, Nadja Heimgartner, Lena Glaser, Mayte Parada, Cora Wagner, Cosima Locher, Carmina Grob, Debora Neyer, Marc Inderbinen, Bojana Degen, Judith Leisibach, Elena Pauli, Salvatore Corbisiero, Johanna Hersberger, Rahel Marti, Sarah Müller, Wanda Arnskötter