Eric Hahn

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Verified

Eric verified their affiliation via an institutional email.

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• Priv.-Doz. Dr. med.
• Consultant Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist at Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Der Krankheitsbegriff “Schizophrenie”, abgeleitet aus den altgriechischen Wörtern schizein („spalten, zersplittern“) und phrēn („Geist, Seele“), geht auf den Schweizer Psychiater Eugen Bleuler (1911) zurück, der genaugenommen bereits den Plural Schizophrenien vorschlug. Im Vergleich zu dem zuvor von Emil Kraepelin (1896) verwendeten Begriff „Dement...

Objectives We aimed to examine levels of plasma cortisol in the morning and evening before and after standardised treatment, and analyze the correlation between these levels and scores of psychological assessment scales among patients with recurrent depressive disorder (PRDD) in Vietnam. Methods From January 2020 to December 2021, a cross-sectiona...

Introduction This cross-sectional, explorative study examines university students’ attitudes (n = 610) in Hanoi, Vietnam, toward the rights of psychiatric patients. Methods Medical students responded to self-report questionnaires investigating their attitudes towards restrictions and compulsory admissions in case of severe mental illness after att...

Background Despite social transitions in attitude toward the LGBT+ community, homonegativity, genderism, or transphobia persist, even found in healthcare providers (HCPs), which can hamper the goal of equality and equity in general health and that of gender minorities. The lack of knowledge about the community is also a problem, especially in devel...

Background Dropout from healthcare interventions can negatively affect patients and healthcare providers through impaired trust in the healthcare system and ineffective use of resources. Research on this topic is still largely missing on refugees and asylum seekers. The current study aimed to characterize predictors for dropout in the Mental Health...

Background Vietnam’s mental health care system is undergoing significant changes since the government has initiated large-scale programs to reform and develop the mental health care infrastructure. Cultural belief systems on mental illnesses influence help-seeking behavior and compliance. This study investigates the belief systems about people with...

Background and Hypothesis The efficacy of yoga as an adjunctive treatment for schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) has garnered interest. While yoga may positively influence various symptom domains, further investigation is needed due to the limited number, quality, and generalizability of studies. This study assessed the feasibility and acceptab...

Background: The present study explored the feasibility and acceptability as well as the impact of mindfulness-based group therapy (MBGT) on oxytocin levels (OXT) and clinical parameters in outpatients with schizo-phrenia spectrum disorders (SSD). Methods: In a randomized-controlled design, outpatients with SSD (N = 48) were assigned to either MBGT...

The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in enhancing mental well-being and reducing positive, negative, and depressive symptoms in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) has been demonstrated by a growing body of evidence. However, the underlying mechanisms of MBIs still need further examination. Psychological flexibility (PF),...

Face masks were undoubtedly one of the most visible and (at least in some countries of the Global North) most controversial markers of the Covid-19 pandemic. Contrary to the white-German majority society in Berlin, Vietnamese migrants in the city were aware of the essential role of wearing masks in public right from the beginning of this health cri...

This study aimed to determine the influence of psychiatric training and hands-on learning with individuals with mental illness on increasing medical students' benevolent attitudes towards psychiatry and psychiatric patients. The cross-sectional study compares medical students' attitudes before and after a compulsory psychiatry curriculum and psychi...

Background Worldwide migration represents a major challenge of the 21st century. Despite the strong association between acculturation and mental health, research findings on underlining mechanisms remain inconsistent. Prior research urges to investigate sample characteristics in a more structured manner. Aims The purpose of this study was to syste...

Background Against the background of missing culturally sensitive mental health care services for refugees, we developed a group intervention (Empowerment ) for refugees at level 3 within the stratified Stepped and Collaborative Care Model of the project Mental Health in Refugees and Asylum Seekers (MEHIRA). We aim to evaluate the effectiveness of...

Objectives To examine potential deteriorations in mental health and well-being in the first COVID-19 pandemic year compared with the previous decade focusing on the following vulnerable subgroups in Germany: women with minor children in the household, those living without a partner, younger and older adults, those in a precarious labour market situ...

For the first time since the foundation of the Global Health Hub Germany in 2019, the members voted on an overarching and crosscutting topic for 2022: mental Health and well-being. By choosing this topic, Community members aimed for a deeper understanding of the relevance of mental health for the work of various Hub Communities and to start a conve...

Background Research exploring the effects of yoga therapy (YT) on individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) is scarce. Therefore, the current study aimed to explore possible mechanisms of actions and processes, as well as adverse effects of a novel yoga-based group intervention (YoGI) for in-patients with SSD in a German university ho...

Background Providing adequate living conditions for forcibly displaced people represents a significant challenge for host countries such as Germany. This study explores refugee mental health’s reciprocal, dynamic relationship with post-migration living conditions and social support. Methods The study sample included 325 Arabic- or Farsi-speaking a...

Background Research on outcome predictors in the field of transcultural treatment for refugees and asylum seekers (RAS) is scarce. We aimed to evaluate predictors of outcome of a group intervention (Empowerment) for RAS with affective disorders which were incorporated at level three of the stratified stepped-care model within the Mental Health in R...

Objectives Meditation and mindfulness, though rooted in eastern traditions, have been increasingly embraced in western psychology. However, questions remain regarding the mechanisms through which the beneficial effects of mindfulness occur. The present study aimed to address cognitive fusion as a potential mediator between mindfulness and negative...

Introduction Research indicates improvements in negative symptoms and empathy for schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) after mindfulness-based interventions (MBI). Current treatment approaches for SSD remain limited regarding their effectiveness on negative symptoms and sociocognitive deficits. After oxytocin (OXT) administration, especially in a...

Introduction Current research suggests emotion recognition to be significantly impaired in individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD), whereby negative symptoms are theorised to play a crucial role. Emotion recognition deficits are assumed to be predictors of transition from clinical high risk to schizophrenia. So far, little attention...

In the last decades, third wave approaches in cognitive-behavioral therapies (CBT) have shown effectiveness in treating several mental disorders, including schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD). Three crucial processes associated with clinical changes in patients include mindfulness, psychological flexibility (PF) and self-compassion (SC). PF is g...

Background and Hypothesis Meta-analyses have shown that the majority of patients with schizophrenia who have not improved after 2 weeks of treatment with an antipsychotic drug are unlikely to fully respond later. We hypothesized that switching to another antipsychotic with a different receptor binding profile is an effective strategy in such a situ...

Background Stigmatization of people with schizophrenia remains a highly relevant topic worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries like India. It is crucial to identify the determinants of the desire for social distance as a proxy for discriminatory behavior in a socio-cultural context to indicate ways to reduce stigma. This study a...

Background Current evidence points towards a high prevalence of psychological distress in refugee populations, contrasting with a scarcity of resources and amplified by linguistic, institutional, financial, and cultural barriers. The objective of the study is to investigate the overall effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a Stepped Care and Coll...

Current research suggests that emotion recognition is impaired in individuals affected by schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD). However, the specific impact of negative symptoms on the ability to recognize single basic emotions has not yet been explored sufficiently and is the aim of the present study. A sample of N = 66 individuals diagnosed wit...

Schizophrenia has a heritability of 60–80%1, much of which is attributable to common risk alleles. Here, in a two-stage genome-wide association study of up to 76,755 individuals with schizophrenia and 243,649 control individuals, we report common variant associations at 287 distinct genomic loci. Associations were concentrated in genes that are exp...

Schizophrenia has a heritability of 60–80%1, much of which is attributable to common risk alleles. Here, in a two-stage genome-wide association study of up to 76,755 individuals with schizophrenia and 243,649 control individuals, we report common variant associations at 287 distinct genomic loci. Associations were concentrated in genes that are exp...

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) represent a central pillar of the third wave of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. In recent years, MBI have been implemented in treating patients with psychotic disorders, and their efficacy has been evaluated in a small number of randomized-controlled trials (RCTs). This narrative review presents the current state...

Achtsamkeitsbasierte Interventionen (AI) stellen mittlerweile eine zentrale Säule der dritten Welle der Kognitiven Verhaltenstherapie dar. In den letzten Jahren wurden AI bei Patient*innen mit psychotischen Störungen implementiert und deren Wirksamkeit im Rahmen von einer kleineren Anzahl von randomisiert-kontrollierten Studien (RCTs) gezeigt. Der...

The purpose of this systematic literature review is to provide an exhaustive summary of current research to explore the prospects of compassion-based approaches in treating persons with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders (SSD). Thereby, studies investigating the relationship between clinical parameters and self-compassion in SSD, as well as the accep...

Trầm cảm tái diễn là một rối loạn hay gặp trong tâm thần học, có bệnh nguyên bệnh sinh chưa rõ ràng, còn nhiều khó khăn trong chẩn đoán. Nghiên cứu được thực hiện trên 96 người bệnh được chẩn đoán xác định rối loạn trầm cảm tái diễn theo tiêu chuẩn của ICD-10 (1992) điều trị nội trú tại Viện Sức khỏe Tâm thần - Bệnh viện Bạch Mai từ 5/2020 đến 8/20...

Background Meditation is commonly implemented in psychological therapies since the ‘third wave’ of cognitive–behavioural therapy has increased the focus on mindfulness-based interventions. Although extensive research literature demonstrates its benefits, little is known about potential adverse effects. Aims The aim of this study is to report the p...

Introduction: Forcibly displaced people are at particular risk of mental health problems and also face specific integration challenges upon resettlement. Existing literature suggests that there may be a bidirectional relationship between mental health and integration. The present study seeks to understand the relationship between integration proces...

Background: Integration of psychiatric care with public health services and offering mental health care services to patients from lower socioeconomic status remains a global challenge. Scarcity of funds and professional workforce in psychiatric hospitals contribute to this situation. However, negative attitudes in the population are also a known im...

The atypical antipsychotic clozapine is one of the most potent drugs of its class, yet its precise mechanisms of action remain insufficiently understood. Recent evidence points toward the involvement of endogenous retinoic acid (RA) signaling in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Here we investigated whether clozapine may modulate RA-signaling....

Background: Schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) are frequently accompanied by comorbid depressive and anxiety symptoms, as well as impaired quality of life (QoL). A growing body of evidence has demonstrated the relevance of mindfulness for SSD in recent years. The study examined the association between mindfulness, depression, anxiety, and QoL....

Objectives Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) of Schizophrenia (SCZ) have provided new biological insights; however, most cohorts are of European ancestry. As a result, derived polygenic risk scores (PRS) show decreased predictive power when applied to populations of different ancestries. We aimed to assess the feasibility of a large-scale data...

Background: Yoga may pose a promising complementary therapy in the multimodal treatment of in-patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD). However, to date, no studies have qualitatively examined in-patients' with SSD experiences of Yoga as well as their perceptions of its limitations and benefits as a treatment component. This qualitative...

Negative symptoms in schizophrenia remain a clinical challenge with small effect sizes and evidence for pharmacological or psychotherapeutic treatment approaches. Studies suggest that electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) holds some promise as a treatment option of often persistent negative symptoms with clinically meaningful effects. This review summari...

Der Buchbeitrag stellt die affektiven Dynamiken einer zunehmenden Diversifizierung in dem ausgewählten institutionellen Feld, der ambulanten psychosozialen Betreuung von Patient*innen mit psychischen Störungen in Berlin dar. Der Ausgangspunkt einer über 10 jährigen, durch vielfältige Reibungen begleitenden Entwicklung hin zu einem Netzwerk, ist die...

This Habilitation thesis examined dimensions of public attitudes and perceived stigma and discrimination related to persons with mental illness, treatment of psychiatric disorders, and systems of care in LMICs using six original papers from three Global South regions. With global prevalence estimates of 800 million people directly affected by menta...

Background Because refugees face significant adversities before, during, and after resettlement, resilience is of central importance to this population. However, strengths-based research on post-migration refugee experiences is sparse. Methods We conducted semi-structured interviews with 54 adult refugee participants who arrived in Germany between...

Objectives Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) of Schizophrenia (SCZ) have provided new biological insights; however, most cohorts are of European ancestry. As a result, derived polygenic risk scores (PRS) show decreased predictive power when applied to populations of different ancestries. We aimed to assess the feasibility of a large-scale data...

Introduction The therapeutic effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) has been shown for various mental disorders. However, for schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD), only a few trials have been conducted, mostly in outpatient settings. Objectives This study aimed to investigate feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effective...

Introduction Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have successfully revealed genetic risk variants for schizophrenia (SCZ). However, the vast majority of GWAS largely comprise European samples. As a result, the derived polygenic risk scores (PRS) show decreased predictive power when applied to non-European populations. Objectives A long-term sci...

Introduction Mindfulness-based interventions have received growing attention over the last years for the treatment of various mental disorders, including schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD), demonstrating their transdiagnostic validity. However, no study has examined the relationship of probable mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of m...

Introduction Yoga may pose a promising complementary therapy in the multimodal treatment of schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD). However, to date, no studies have qualitatively examined the patients’ experience of practising Yoga. Objectives This qualitative study aimed to assess the mechanisms and processes of Yoga-based group therapy (YBGT) f...

Objective: Numerous studies support the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for chronic pain, yet little research has been conducted about its underlying mechanisms of change, especially regarding patients with comorbid mental disorders. The present investigation addressed this issue by examining associations of processes targe...

Background Arabic represents one of the most frequently spoken languages worldwide, especially among refugee populations. There is a pressing need for specialized diagnostic tools corresponding to the DSM-5 criteria in Modern Standard Arabic, which can be administered on Arabic speakers in the West and Arab region alike. Objectives To develop and...

Background and Aim The Kurdish Region of Iraq (KRI) is home to Kurds, internally displaced persons, and Syrian refugees. In the last decades, its inhabitants have witnessed a great deal of political instability, which has led to increased rates of psychological distress. Mental illness contrasts with limited access to and availability of mental hea...

This study introduces and investigates the validity of a brief scale measuring a challenged sense of belonging. The sense of belonging as well as challenges to this sense are important, albeit neglected aspects of social integration and of significance to migration and refugee studies as well as to virtually all other social science contexts. Asses...

Objective: To determine migration related distress pattern in refugees and feasibility of a de novo established, central low-threshold outpatient clinic serving more than 80,000 newly arrived refugees in the metropole of Berlin. Methods: In an observational cohort study the relative prevalence of major psychiatric disorders by age, place of living...

Objective Transdiagnostic approaches are needed to effectively treat patients with a broad range of diagnoses and comorbidities in routine general hospital care. Yet the evidence for the effectiveness of treatments beyond Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is largely lacking. We describe the process of implementing an interdisciplinary multi-profes...

Schätzungen zufolge erkranken in Deutschland jedes Jahr rund 8.000 Menschen an Schizophrenie. Meist tritt die Erkrankung, die sich vorrangig durch Halluzinationen und Wahnvorstellungen äußert, erstmals im jungen Erwachsenenalter auf. Das Achtsamkeitsprogramm »SENSE« ist speziell für Gruppen mit psychotisch erkrankten Patient_innen entwickelt worden...

Background A growing body of literature indicates therapeutic effectiveness of mindfulness for mental disorders. Only few trials have been conducted with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD), mostly in outpatient settings. Primary objective was to assess feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of mindfulness-based group therapy (MBGT...

Die Akzeptanz- und Commitment-Therapie (ACT) zählt zu den modernen evidenzbasierten Verfahren der Verhaltenstherapie. Psychische Probleme und Erkrankungen basieren hiernach auf ungünstigen Lernprozessen und sind daher durch neue Erfahrungen modifizierbar. In der ACT ist es dabei zentral, einer Person die grundlegenden Fertigkeiten und Kompetenzen f...

Background: Mental health risk-factors for Asian migrants have been studied almost exclusively in the US, Canada, and Australia but not in European countries. Therefore, we aimed to identify sociodemographic, clinical, and migration-surrounding factors associated with experienced mental distress among Vietnamese migrants in Germany. Method: 305 Vie...

The number of distressed refugees from the Arab world is relatively high in Germany and other host countries worldwide. For this specific population, substantial challenges and barriers have already been identified that hamper access to Germany's health care system. This study aims to contribute to this line of research by exploring the representat...

Abstract Early life stress is an important factor in later psychopathology, including symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of early life stress on psychiatric symptoms within a sample of Syrian refugees. In this model, the use of cognitive emotion r...

Objectives The aim of the study was to assess the convergent and divergent validity, reliability, utility, and treatment sensitivity of a newly translated German version of the Southampton Mindfulness Questionnaire (SMQ). The SMQ is a 16-item instrument measuring mindful awareness of distressing thoughts, images, and perceptions, developed original...

Objectives Responding to the mental health needs of refugees remains a pressing challenge worldwide. We estimated the prevalence of psychological distress in a large refugee population in Germany and assessed its association with host country factors amenable to policy intervention and integration indicators. Design A cross-sectional and populatio...

Current literature points toward several challenges in the access to sufficient and effective psychosocial care for Syrian refugees in host settings. This study is a comparative investigation into the relationship between “perceived social stress” and “perceived social support” on three of the most prevalent symptom dimensions in Syrian refugees ac...

In recent years, mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) have gained clinical relevance in the treatment of patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs). High symptom burden, long durations of hospitalization and high rehospitalization rates demonstrate the severity and cost-intensity of these disorders. MBIs have shown promising treatment o...

Purpose An increasing number of migrants and refugees seeking asylum in Germany is challenging psychiatrists and psychotherapists in multiple ways. Different cultural belief systems on the causes of mental illness and their treatment have to be taken into consideration. The purpose of this study is to explore perceived causes of depression among Fa...

Culture and socialization influence how individuals perceive and express emotional distress. Research therefore, mustconsider the context to capture individual experiences. However, the majority of studies on factors associated withemotional distress among migrants use quantitative approaches, limiting an in-depth understanding. This study inves-ti...

Unaccompanied refugee minors (URM) represent one of the most vulnerable refugee groups due to their young age, developmental status, and insufficient coping strategies. Clinical observations indicate that the frequency of mental health problems varies between different URM subgroups. In the present research project, clinical interviews as a source...

Objectives Public stigma against psychiatric disorders leads to delayed treatment utilization and worsens treatment outcome. This study analyses the impact of expectations regarding the course of illness and attribution as medical illness on the desire for social distance towards schizophrenia and depression in Vietnam. Methods In 2013, a survey (...

The sudden arrival of culturally diverse asylum seekers and refugees into Germany has created a strong demand for recognizing and appropriately treating those suffering from mental health issues. Due to many systemic, organizational, cultural and socio-linguistic barriers, psychiatric treatment of refugees is posing a major challenge to Germany’s m...

Zusammenfassung Ziel der Studie Trotz des erheblichen Bedarfs nach einer schnellen und effizienten Diagnostik aufgrund von aktuellen humanitären Krisen in der arabischen Welt, steht bisher keine validierte, hocharabische Version des Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) für die Versorgungsforschung zur Verfügung. Das Ziel der vorlieg...