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Contact Person - Behavioral Medicine and Climate Change
Univ.-Prof.in Dr.in Katharina Hüfner
Team members
Elisabeth Schiechtl, MSc
E-Mail: elisabeth.schiechtl@tirol-kliniken.at
and our research partners at Leopold Franzens University
Forschungsschwerpunkt
Besonders wichtig ist uns die Inter- und Transdisziplinarität. Wir bringen unterschiedliche wissenschaftliche Disziplinen mit Praxisakteur:innen zusammen, um komplexe Fragestellungen gemeinsam zu bearbeiten und integrative, anwendungsnahe Lösungsansätze zu entwickeln.
Research Focus
Climate change represents not only an ecological challenge but also an immense behavioral and psychological one. At the heart of our research focus are questions such as: How can young people develop self-efficacy and the agency to cope with the consequences of climate change? How can we successfully bridge the gap between climate knowledge and concrete action? Furthermore, how do young people with mental health conditions experience climate change, and how can they be appropriately supported within the framework of psychiatric treatment?
A core principle of our work is inter- and transdisciplinarity. We bridge the gap between diverse scientific disciplines and frontline practitioners to collaboratively tackle complex challenges and develop integrative, evidence-based solutions tailored for real-world application.
What are we currently working on?
Within the research focus of behavioral medicine and climate change, we investigate across several projects (e.g., k.i.d.Z.21_aCtiOn, KIDZ PAZ NOWn) how psychological resilience to climate change-related stressors in the Alpine region can be strengthened. These stressors include, among others, increasing heat days, natural disasters, and socio-economic changes.
Selected recent publications
- Why Do We Harm the Environment or Our Personal Health despite Better Knowledge? The Knowledge Action Gap in Healthy and Climate-Friendly Behavior.
Frick, M; Neu, L; Liebhaber, N; Sperner-Unterweger, B; Stötter, J; Keller, L; Hüfner, K. Sustainability. 2021; 13; 13361. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132313361 - Conceptual links between environmental psychology and climate change education to encourage climate-friendly behavior of young people. Is there a role for self-regulation?
Frick, M; Guggenberger, JA; Liebhaber, N; Michelsen, G; Oberauer, K; Schackmar, S; Schickl, M; Keller, L; Hüfner, K. Environmental Education Research. 2025; Jan 25; https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2024.2448681 - Changing Climate Change Education: Exploring moderate constructivist and transdisciplinary approaches through the research-education co-operation k.i.d.Z.21.
Keller, L., Stötter, J., Oberrauch, A., Kuthe, A., Körfgen, A., & Hüfner, K. (2019). GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society, 28(1), 35-43. https://doi.org/10.14512/gaia.28.1.10