Location: Braga, Portugal
Link: http://www.cipsi.uminho.pt/

The Psychology Research Centre (CIPsi), a research unit of the University of Minho, was founded in 2003. Its main goal is to promote and coordinate scientific research in Psychology and related areas of inquiry. The CIPsi strategically integrates all the research programs of the Department of Psychology. The CIPsi integrates the entire faculty from Department of Psychology (37 Full Time equivalent) and more than 200 students involved in Masters or PhD research. It is our belief that basic and applied research should be at the core of the educational and professional training of psychologists at both the undergraduate and graduate level. The general goal is to provide a training that is well grounded on scientific research. In the most recent research assessment exercises by an external international review panel the CIPsi received a qualification of “excellent” (the maximum in Portugal).

Research: The CIPsi Eating Disorders Group works closely together with the Department of Psychology, and several inpatient and outpatient units throughout the country. This unit was responsible for the national co-ordination of COST Action B6 on the treatment of eating disorders, and twelve research projects funded by national research funding agencies. Of special importance are the well established collaborations with the Portuguese Association of Friends and Families of Patients with Eating Disorders.

Training: The Department of Psychology, currently offers two degrees in psychology: (1). A five years integrated Masters Program in seven different specialities (clinical psychology; health psychology; sports and exercise psychology; school and educational psychology; justice psychology; organizational, work and human resources psychology; experimental psychology and its application). Even though aimed at training psychologists at the professional level, the masters program requires core research and lab courses and final research masters dissertation (30 ECTS); (2). a three years PhD Program in nine specialities (clinical psychology; health psychology; sports and exercise psychology; school psychology; vocational psychology; justice psychology; organizational, work and human resources psychology; social psychology; cognitive science and experimental psychology). The entire program is organized to train advanced researchers in each field with all the courses preparing for conducting research and culminating with the Doctoral Dissertation (120 ECTS).

The network team:

Scientist in Charge:

Paulo Machado, Ph. D.

Isabel Soares, Ph. D.

Early Stage Researchers:

Daniel Fassnacht, Ph. D. Student

Araceli Núñez Navarro, Ph. D. Student

Local Scholars:

Ana Rita Vaz, Ph. D. Student

Eva Conceição, Ph. D. Student

 

Intact Studies:

The research interest of the Eating Disorder Group at the University of Minho covers a wide range of issues regarding eating disorders. Consistent with a stepped-care approach the different research activities of the group are being enmeshed with each other, hence the main investigators are working closely together as a team

• Risk factors for the development of Eating Disorders:
  A longitudinal study is conducted at the University of Minho to examine risk factors for the development of an eating disorder. If participants develop severe symptoms over time they get referred to the Psychological Counselling Service of the University.
• Prevention of Eating Disorders:
  A longitudinal study is conducted at the University of Minho to examine the efficacy of an Internet-based prevention program. Participants who develop substantial ED symptoms during their participation are referred to the Psychological Counselling Service of the University for a face-to-face consultation and/or treatment.
• Guided Self Help for patients with Bulimia Nervosa:
• CBT for Eating Disorders

To conduct these studies different approaches are used, including new technologies (SMS, Internet-based data collection, Internet-based prevention program).