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We investigate mechanisms of stress and resilience underlying dementia processes. The aim is to gain a better understanding of the extent to which biopsychological stress as a risk factor influences the occurence and course of dementia and how resilience - psychological resistance - contributes to remaining healthy instead.

Research areas

Methodologically, these questions are investigated by means of ambulatory assessment studies set in daily life, which make it possible to examine the associations of interest directly in everyday life without time delay and retrospective bias. Based on these studies, care innovations for older people in general, but also especially for people living with dementia and their family caregivers, will then be conceptualized and tested. Interdisciplinary thinking to integrate the perspectives of psychology, medicine and care characterizes these studies in order to be able to develop age- and dementia-sensitive forms of care for older people.

In terms of content, a special focus is placed on the dyadic processes among people living with dementia and their informal caregivers in order to better understand how they influence each other in everyday life. This knowlegde is important to tailor low-threshold interventions in daily life to the needs of these dyads. In addition, a special target group of the interventions form vulnerable, older adults, who should be strengthened in their mental health through preventive care services. This should also help to anchor psychotherapeutic approaches more firmly in the target group of older adults in general.

Team

Head

• Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Alexandra Wuttke
  Tel. +49 931 201-76370
  E-Mail: wuttke_a@ ukw.de

Study Nurse

• Stefanie Reim
  E-Mail: reim_s@ ukw.de

Current projects

Current projects are being carried out in cooperation with the Center for Mental Health in Old Age (ZpGA) in Mainz.

• RESQ-CAR
  Implementation and evaluation of the RESQ-Care questionnaire in the context of counseling.
  The Resilience and Strain Questionnaire for Caregivers (RESQ-CARE) was developed to recognize as early as possible informal caregivers at particular risk for adverse health outcomes and to be able to provide preventive advice and support. In a current study, the use of this questionnaire is being tested in care support centers.
  Duration from 2023 to 2024
   
• EMA-DEM
  Biopsychological mechanisms of stress and resilience factors in the everyday life of informal caregivers of people living with dementia.
  This is an ambulatory assessment study in which informal caregivers of people living with dementia documented their stress experience in everyday life six times per day for 14 days in addition to collecting biological stress markers. Currently, evaluations are underway to identify informal caregivers at particularly risk for adverse health outcomes.
  Duration from 2020 to 2023
   
• TraBe
  This is an online survey of bereaved individuals who lost a significant other during the COVID pandemic. A sub-analysis of the study focuses on informal family caregivers and examines the needs of this group compared to non-caregiver family members.
  Duration from 2022-2023

Publications

Publications can be found here or under pubmed.