Psychological Aging Research
Welcome to the Psychological Aging Research Lab (PAR) of the University of Siegen!
Psychological aging research deals with psychological aging processes, and their modifiability and improvability by means of personal interventions (e.g., training, therapy) or contextual interventions (e.g., social, spatial). Psychological aging research explores healthy as well as pathological aging. In doing so, it is important to discriminate between healthy development and pathological changes and to consider their mutual interactions.
The complexity of aging processes cannot be understood by one discipline alone, but instead relies on constant interdisciplinary exchange. Psychological ageing research (also referred to as gerontopsychology) is a subdiscipline of gerontology.
The research focus of the PAR Lab lies on applied gerontopsychology, and specifically on dementia and health care research. The PAR team develops, evaluates, and enhances strengths-based diagnostic procedures (e.g., functional communication assessment, assessment of capacity to consent) and interventions to maintain and increase functionality, autonomy, mental health, and social inclusion of old and very old people (e.g., communication trainings in dementia care, enhanced consent procedures).