About
The Center for Psychotraumatology led by prof. E. Kazlauskas at Vilnius University is conducting multidisciplinary research in the field of psychotraumatology and disseminates evidence-based trauma-informed care knowledge to society. The team at the Center has expertise in research of resilience and risk factors of the trauma- and stress-related disorders, development and implementation of psychosocial interventions for stress-related disorders. The Center has a wide network of collaborators nationally and internationally.
Mission
Acknowledgment of the effects of trauma and stress on individuals and society by providing evidence-based knowledge for the advancement of trauma-informed care.
Vision
The leading psychotraumatology excellence center in the region.
Contacts
M. K. Ciurlionio str. 29
Center for Psychotraumatology
Vilnius University
Vilnius, Lithuania
E-mail:
Phone: +370 5 268 6952
www.ptc.fsf.vu.lt (Lithuanian version)
Team
Team Leader
Center for Psychotraumatology is led by a professor of clinical psychology and psychotraumatology Evaldas Kazlauskas, who is the leading expert of trauma- and stress-related disorders in Lithuania and the region. Prof. Kazlauskas has been involved in psychotraumatology research and clinical practice since 2000. He is a board member of the European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, and President of the Lithuanian Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.
Core researchers
Paulina Želvienė, PhD, Senior Researcher, Research group leader
Inga Truskauskaitė-Kunevičienė, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Neringa Grigutytė, PhD, Assoc. Prof.
Odeta Geležėlytė, PhD, Research Fellow
Ieva Daniūnaitė, PhD student
Goda Gegieckaite, PhD student
Monika Kvedaraitė, PhD student
Austėja Dumarkaitė, PhD student
Affiliated researchers
Ieva Norkienė, M.D., PhD, Assoc. Prof.
Lina Gervinskaitė-Paulaitienė, PhD, Assistant Professor
Ieva Biliūnaitė, PhD student
Daiva Gražulytė, M.D., PhD student
Students
Agnietė Kairytė
Augustė Nomeikaitė
Emilija Zalieckaitė
Gabija Petrauskaitė
Gintarė Astrauskaitė
Greta Raklevičiūtė
Ieva Stonytė
Irma Sabonytė
Julija Mingaudaitė
Karolina Jocytė
Karolina Kančiauskytė
Lukas Juozapavičius
Miglė Rudytė
Milda Baronaitė
Nerilė Kopcikaitė
Rūta Budreckytė
Rūta Ostreikaitė-Jurevičė
Sigita Tindžiulytė
Vaiva Milašiūnaitė
Vitalija Rogovska
Past core team members
Jonas Eimontas, PhD
Former students
Jogilė Medeišienė (BSc, 2018)
Gintarė Korsakaitė (MSc, 2019)
Saulė Makutėnaitė (BSc, 2019)
We invite students to join our group and get involved in our research activities.
Research
RESEARCH
The current research lines at the Center for Psychotraumatology are focused on online interventions for stress-related disorders, effects of abuse and trauma on children and youth, conducting an ICD-11 stress-related disorders studies, analyzes the role of somatic serious illness on stress responses and explores stress in professions exposed to high levels of stressors, such as medical staff or police.
RESEARCH GRANTS
Research grants
Center for Psychotraumatology has received external funding for its research activities over the recent years.
- Research project ‘Psychosocial stress reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic and research-based coping recommendations’ (2020). Funded by Research Council of Lithuania. Grant number P-COV-20-10, Budget 33,566 EUR.
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Research project ‘Stress and resilience among adolescents and young adults: Cross-cultural study‘ (2020–2022). Bilateral Lithuanian – Japan research project co-funded by Research Council of Lithuania and Japan Research Foundation. Project partner Hiroshima University, Japan. Grant number S-LJB-20-2, Budget of the Lithuanian study part 78,174 EUR.
- PostDoc research project ‘Positive mental health of young people and links with stress’. This research is funded by Vilnius university. PI Inga Truskauskaitė-Kunevičienė, PhD), scientific advisor prof. dr. E.Kazlauskas. Project budget is 45,000 Eur.
- PostDoc research project ‘Effects of Childhood Trauma: Stress and Resilience (STAR-A) (2017–2019). This research is funded by the European Social Fund under the No 09.3.3-LMT-K-712-02-0096 “Development of Competences of Scientists, other Researchers and Students through Practical Research Activities” measure. (PI dr. P. Zelviene, scientific advisor prof. dr. E. Kazlauskas). Project budget 42,502 EUR.
- PhD research project ‘Longitudinal study of stressors and stress-related disorders in adolescence’ (2018–2022). PhD student - I. Daniunaite, expected defense in October 2022. The project is funded with external funding by the Grant from the Research Council of Lithuania. Supervisor prof. dr. E. Kazlauskas.
- Research project ‘Mediating effects of psychosocial factors on stress and trauma-related psychological after-effects in the context of social psychotraumatology’ (2015-2017). Funded by Research Council of Lithuania. Grant number MIP-006/2015 (PI dr. Evaldas Kazlauskas). Budget 87,759 EUR.
- The research project ‘Effectiveness of Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy for PTSD and comparison to internet-based intervention’ (2012–2014). Funded by Research Council of Lithuania. Grant number MIP-011/2012 (PI dr. Evaldas Kazlauskas). Budget 53,200 EUR.
- Research project ‘Psychosocial factors of psychological well-being in the Context of Psychotraumatology’. (2012–2013). Funded by Research Council of Lithuania. Grant number SIN-01/2012 (PI dr. Evaldas Kazlauskas). Budget 40,480 EUR.
- Research project ‘Ambulatory psychological assessment in psychotraumatology’ (2010–2011). Funded by Research Council of Lithuania. Grant number MIP-19/2010 (PI dr. Evaldas Kazlauskas). Budget 47,380 EUR.
ESTSS-COVID
During the current COVID-19 pandemic, people in Europe are exposed to self-isolation, quarantine, job loss, risk of contracting COVID-19, or grief of loved ones. Such a complex array of stressors may lead to psychological difficulties. Europe is concerned about the effects of the pandemic on well-being of the society.
In June, 2020, European Society of Traumatic Stress Studies (ESTSS) launched a study to investigate the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic across eleven European countries (Lithuania, Austria, Croatia, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, and Sweden). The longitudinal online cohort study aims to explore psychosocial reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic across eleven European countries; examine the relationships between risk and resilience factors, stressors and symptoms of adjustment disorder during the pandemic; and investigate whether these relationships are moderated by coping behaviors.
Center for Psychotraumatology is conducting research in Lithuania.
More information about the study: www.estss.org.
Lithuanian website of the study: www.manosavijauta.lt.
Still Me, Mindfulness-based internet intervention for PTSD (2019-2023)
Information under preparation.
STAR-A, Stress and Resilience in Adolescence (2019-2022), STAR-A-JP in Japan (2020-2022)
Information under preparation.
Posttraumatic Stress and Quality of Life after Heart Surgery (2018-2023)
Information under preparation.
PAST PROJECTS
BADI Brief Adjustment Disorder Intervention
Registration to BADI is suspended. We would like to thank everyone who used BADI and participated in BADI trials. Our research showed that BADI can effectively help to cope with stress. Please see our published papers for more information. For our latest research on internet interventions please see our website.
Please contact Center for Psychotraumatology at Vilnius University for further inquiries:
Collaboration
Active collaboration and communication with organizations working in the field of psychotraumatology is a priority for the Center for Psychotraumatology. Successful collaboration has led to joint research projects, publications, and development of trauma-informed care. The Center for Psychotraumatology is currently collaborating with institutions and researchers globally in many countries including, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, USA, etc. The Center for Psychotraumatology is open to new collaboration opportunities nationally and internationally. Please contact us for more information.Current Core International Partners
- Internet, health and clinical psychology research group, Linköping University, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany
- Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies, University of Oslo
- ARQ Nationaal Psychotrauma Centre, The Netherlands
- Danish National Centre for Psychotraumatology, University of Southern Denmark
- Division of Clinical Psychopathology and Intervention, University of Zurich, Switzerland
- European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
Publications
We make our research articles available to those who are interested. Papers that are not available directly from our website, can be obtained from the staff of the Center for Psychotraumatology. Please contact us for articles and other questions via email: .
Recent publications
Gegieckaite, G., & Kazlauskas, E. (2020). Fear of death and death acceptance among bereaved adults: associations with prolonged grief. Omega: Journal of Death and Dying. https://doi.org/10.1177/0030222820921045
Truskauskaite-Kuneviciene, I., Kazlauskas, E., Ostreikaite-Jurevice, R., Brailovskaia, J., & Margraf, J. (2020). Positive mental health and adjustment following life-stressors among young adults. Current Psychology, 1–6. doi:10.1007/s12144-020-00714-3
Kazlauskas, E., Eimontas, J., Olff, M., Zelviene, P., & Andersson, G. (2020). Adherence predictors in internet-delivered self-help intervention for life stressors-related adjustment disorder. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11, 137. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00137
Kazlauskas, E., Zelviene, P., Daniunaite, I., Hyland, P., Kvedaraite, M., Shevlin, M., & Cloitre, M. (2020). The structure of ICD-11 PTSD and Complex PTSD in adolescents exposed to potentially traumatic experiences. Journal of Affective Disorders, 265, 169–174. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2020.01.061
Zelviene, P., Kazlauskas, E., & Maercker, A. (2020). Risk factors of ICD-11 adjustment disorder in the Lithuanian general population exposed to life stressors. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 11, 1708617. doi:10.1080/20008198.2019.1708617
Kvedaraite, M., Zelviene, P., Elklit, A., & Kazlauskas, E. (2019). The role of traumatic experiences and posttraumatic stress on social anxiety in a youth sample in Lithuania. Psychiatric Quarterly, 1-10, doi: 10.1007/s11126-019-09684-7
Patasius, A., Kincius, M., Kazlauskas, E., & Smailyte, G. (2019). The role of androgen‐deprivation therapy on suicide among patients with advanced prostate cancer: A nationwide population-based cohort study. Psycho-Oncology, 28, 2098–2100. doi: 10.1002/pon.5186
Knefel, M., Lueger-Schuster, B., Bisson, J., Karatzias, T., Kazlauskas, E., & Neil, P. R. (2019). A cross-cultural comparison of ICD-11 Complex PTSD symptom networks in Austria, Lithuania, and UK. Journal of Traumatic Stress. doi: 10.1002/jts.22361
Schäfer, I., Hopchet, M., Vandamme, N., Ajdukovic, D., El-Hage, W., Egreteau, L., Javakhishvili, J., Makhashvili, N., Lampe, A., Ardion, V., Kazlauskas, E., Mouthaan, J., Sijbrandij, M., Dragan, M., Lis-Turlejska, M., Figueiredo-Braga, M., Sales, L., Arnberg, F., Nazarenko, T., Nalyvaiko, N., Armour, C., & Murphy, D. (2018). Trauma and trauma care in Europe. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 9, 1556553. doi:10.1080/20008198.2018.1556553
Meili, I. Gegieckaite, G., & Kazlauskas, E. Metaphors of Posttraumatic Growth: A Qualitative Study in Swiss, Lithuanian, and Brazilian Rural Communities (2018). In A. Maercker, E. Heim, & L. J. Kirmayer (Eds.). Cultural Clinical Psychology and PTSD. (pp. 141–156). Hogrefe Publishing.
Paliaukiene, V., Kazlauskas, E., Eimontas, J., Skeryte-Kazlauskiene, M. (2018). Music performance anxiety among students of the academy in Lithuania. Music Education Research, 20(3), 390–397. doi:10.1080/14613808.2018.1445208
Eimontas, J., Gegieckaite, G., Dovydaitiene, M., Mazulyte, E., Rimsaite, Z., Skruibis, P., Zelviene, P., & Kazlauskas, E. (2018). The role of therapist support on effectiveness of an internet-based modular self-help intervention for adjustment disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Anxiety, Stress, and Coping, 31, 146–158. doi:10.1080/10615806.2017.1385065
Kazlauskas, E., Gegieckaite, G., Hyland, P., Zelviene, P., & Cloitre, M. (2018). The structure of ICD-11 PTSD and complex PTSD in Lithuanian mental health services. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 9, 1414559. doi:10.1080/20008198.2017.1414559
Zelviene, P., & Kazlauskas, E. (2018). Adjustment disorder: Current perspectives. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 14, 375–381. doi:10.2147/NDT.S121072
Kazlauskas, E., Gegieckaite, G., Eimontas, J., Zelviene, P., & Maercker, A. (2018). A brief measure of the International Classification of Diseases-11 adjustment disorder: Investigation of psychometric properties in adult help-seeking sample. Psychopathology, 51, 10–15. doi:10.1159/000484415
Grazulyte, D., Norkiene, I., Kazlauskas, E., Zelviene, P., Korsakaite, G., Ringaitiene, D., Sipylaite, J. (2018). Long-term quality of life following heart surgery: preliminary findings of a 5-year follow-up study. Comprehensive cardiac care. Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia (32), S21–S37.
Karatzias, T., Cloitre, M., Maercker, A., Kazlauskas, E., Shevlin, M., Hyland, P., Bisson, J., Roberts, N.P., & Brewin, C.R. (2017). PTSD & complex PTSD: ICD -11 updates on concept and measurement in the UK, USA, Germany and Lithuania. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 8. doi:10.1080/20008198.2017.1418103
Eimontas, J., Rimsaite, Z., Gegieckaite, G., Zelviene, P., & Kazlauskas, E. (2018). Internet-based self-help intervention for adjustment disorder: Preliminary findings. Psychiatric Quarterly, 1-10. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s11126-017-9547-2
Kazlauskas, E., Gailiene, D., Vaskeliene, I., & Skeryte-Kazlauskiene, M. (2017). Intergenerational transmission of resilience? Sense of coherence is associated between Lithuanian survivors of political violence and their adult offspring. Frontiers in Psychology, 8: 1677. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01677
Kazlauskas, E. (2017). Challenges for providing health care in traumatized populations: barriers for PTSD treatments and the need for new developments. Global Health Action, 10(1), 1322399.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2017.1322399
Kazlauskas, E., Zelviene, P., & Eimontas, J. (2017) ‘No posttraumatic stress disorder in Lithuania’: National health care fails to identify PTSD. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 30, 99–102. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jts.22152
Zelviene, P., Kazlauskas, E., Eimontas, J., & Maercker, A. (2017). Adjustment disorder: Empirical study of a new diagnostic concept for ICD-11 in the general population in Lithuania. European Psychiatry, 40, 20–25.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.06.009
Kazlauskas, E., Jovarauskaite, L., Mazulyte, E., Skruibis, P., Dovydaitiene, M., Eimontas, J., & Zelviene, P. (2017). ‘It will get even better’: preliminary findings from a trauma-focused psychotherapy effectiveness study reveal false positive patients’ long-term outcome expectations after the treatment. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, 71(4), 277-281. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08039488.2016.1276623
Kazlauskas, E., & Zelviene, P. (2017). Association between posttraumatic stress and acceptance of social changes: Findings from a general population study and proposal of a new concept. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 63 (2), 126-131. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020764016687788
Skruibis, P., Eimontas, J., Dovydaitiene, M., Mazulyte, E., Zelviene, P., & Kazlauskas, E. (2016). Internet-based modular program BADI for adjustment disorder: Protocol of a randomized controlled trial. BMC Psychiatry, 16(1).http://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-016-0980-9
Kazlauskas, E., & Zelviene, P. (2016). Trauma research in the Baltic Countries: From political oppression to recovery. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 7, 29295. http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/ejpt.v7.29295
Kazlauskas, E., Javakhishvilli, J., Meewisse, M., Merecz-Kot, D., Şar, V., Schäfer, I., ... & Gersons, B. P. (2016). Trauma treatment across Europe: where do we stand now from a perspective of seven countries. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 7. http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/ejpt.v7.29450
Events
Courses and conferences
We provide training and supervision of evidence-based trauma-focused treatments for mental health professionals. There are ongoing EMDR, BEPP training at the moment. Contact us about the possibilities of training and supervision of trauma-informed treatments.
We organize Annual Vilnius Trauma Conferences since 2010. Keynote speakers in past conferences were: prof. Andreas Maercker from Switzerland (2010), prof. Berthold Gersons from the Netherlands (2011 2017), prof. William Yule from Great Britain (2012), prof. Onja Grad from Slovenia (2013), Marinus van IJzendoorn from the Netherlands (2014), prof. Grete Dyb from Norway (2016), and others.
IX Annual Vilnius Trauma Conference was held on 25th October, 2019 in Vilnius University, invited keynote speakers: prof. Ulrich Schnyder (University of Zurich, Switzerland), prof. Siri Thoresen (Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic), prof. Rachel Dekel (Bar-Ilan University, Israel).
Resources
Assessment
We provide a specialized psychological assessment of traumatic experiences and trauma-related mental disorders. Using the most up-to-date measures validated in the Lithuanian population we provide psychological assessment and recommendations for treatment.
Treatment
- Evidence-based trauma-focused treatments are offered at the Center. Please contact us for more information.
NEWS
During the current COVID-19 pandemic, people in Europe are exposed to self-isolation, quarantine, job loss, risk of contracting COVID-19, or grief of loved ones. Such a complex array of stressors may lead to psychological difficulties. Europe is concerned about the effects of the pandemic on well-being of the society.
In June, 2020, European Society of Traumatic Stress Studies (ESTSS) launched a study to investigate the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic across eleven European countries (Lithuania, Austria, Croatia, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, and Sweden). The longitudinal online cohort study aims to explore psychosocial reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic across eleven European countries; examine the relationships between risk and resilience factors, stressors and symptoms of adjustment disorder during the pandemic; and investigate whether these relationships are moderated by coping behaviors.
Center for Psychotraumatology is conducting research in Lithuania.
More information about the study: www.estss.org.
Lithuanian website of the study: www.manosavijauta.lt.