This PhD project investigates to what extent the personal (symptom)network approach in psychopathology can improve mental health programs for students with comorbid problems. It is part of a large gravitation grant New Science of Mental Disorders (NSMD). This specific project is a collaboration with Leiden University, Utrecht University and the Caring Universities consortium, led by Free University Amsterdam.
Your project
While the larger NSMD project is focused on testing the added value of the network approach in mental health care, this project tests it in students with mental health problems, through offering a personalized combination of modules, based on the students' answers in ecological momentary assessment (EMA) and a simulation of the effects.
What are you going to do
- Gather EMA data in students with mental health problems, recruited through Caring Universities;
- Test effects of personalized vs. standard e-health interventions;
- Test indicators of change derived from complexity science;
- Pre-register studies, write results up in peer-reviewed journals, present them at (inter)national conferences;
- Actively participate in the communication with students and stakeholders in the Caring Universities and NSMD consortia.
What do you have to offer
- You have a (research) master in behavioral, cognitive, developmental or clinical psychological sciences, or you will obtain a degree in one of these (or similar) directions before the 1st of September 2025.
- You have experience in repeated measures and/or network analyses, preferably in R.
In addition, you satisfy some (nobody fits all of the criteria) of the requirements listed below:
- You have experience in mental health interventions, and/or e-health;
- You have a genuine interest in personalized interventions for behaviour change;
- You are accurate, constructive, and creative;
- You have good writing and presentation skills;
- You value open science;
- You have the ability to function well both in a team as well as independently;
- In addition to scientific English, your Dutch is adequate for meeting with stakeholders (B2 or higher).
What else do we offer you
The position concerns temporary employment of 38 hours per week for a maximum term of four years. The initial employment is for one year. Following a positive assessment and barring altered circumstances, this term will be extended to four years in total, which should result in the conferral of the doctorate. We will put together a curriculum which will also include the opportunity to attend training courses and both national and international events.
