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Participants wanted!

Do you or someone you know suffer from hearing voices – a form of auditory hallucination?

We are currently looking for participants for a new therapy study in Bochum.
Participation in our study will be compensated with €90.


Who are we looking for?

There are a few requirements for participation.

  • You have had at least one psychotic episode in the past.
  • You have been experiencing auditory hallucinations (hearing voices) for at least 6 months.
  • The onset of the condition was no more than 5 years ago.
  • You are at least 16 years old.

What would participation involve?
Initially, all candidates are allocated to one of two groups, one of which receives the therapy immediately, the other after a waiting period of 6 months.

  • 3 assessment appointments, each lasting 2-3 hours (1 before and 2 after therapy).
  • 10-13 therapy sessions, each lasting 1 hour, at our treatment center in the Bochumer Fenster (near the Bochum Central Station).

Compensation

  • Each participant will be compensated with €30 per examination appointment, for a total of €90.
  • Travel expenses may also be partially reimbursed.

Contact

If you are interested or have any questions, feel free to contact us!

WhatsApp: +49 171 319 0338
Phone Number: +49 234 32 19477 (Usually monday – thursday, 9:00 – 13:00)
Email: avatar-psy@rub.de / melina.luker@rub.de

Weitere Informationen

In our study, we want to offer AVATAR therapy for the first time in Germany. AVATAR therapy is a therapy for hearing voices in the context of psychosis. The therapy has already been successfully applied in several studies. The treatment comprises several components. The core, however, is that people who suffer from voice hearing create an embodiment of their voice and then, with the support of a therapist, confront it in a dialog. So far, AVATAR has successfully helped other people to gain more control over their voices and reduce suffering.

The department of Digital Psychotherapy is one of the newest and most modern research departments here at the FBZ. Our aim is to use the unique possibilities of modern technology to improve the availability and effectiveness of psychotherapy for all. Our department is headed by Prof. Mar Rus-Calafell, an expert in the field of psychosis research and recent recipient of the prestigious Sofja Kovalevskaja Award (Alexander von Humboldt Foundation). The study and therapy coordinator is Melina Luker.


Cooperation Partners