Der Projekttitel für Facebook

Dr.ⁱⁿ Carina Bichler, MSc, BSc

Klinische- und Sportpsychologin, Sportwissenschafterin und medizinische Trainingstherapeutin
E-Mail: carina.bichler@i-med.ac.at

Team members

Assoz.-Prof. Johannes Burtscher, MSc, PhD
Alina Dieminger, MSc, BSc
Roxana Ehlers, MA, BSc
Dr.ⁱⁿ Evelyn Pircher Nöckler
Dr. Anupam Sah
Dr.ⁱⁿ Anna Schulze
Dr. Florian Schipplick

Forschungsschwerpunkt

Der Forschungsschwerpunkt Sportpsychiatrie und Sportpsychologie befasst sich mit der therapeutischen Wirkung von körperlicher Aktivität, Bewegung und Sport auf die psychische Gesundheit. Wir erforschen, wie Bewegung als Behandlungsbaustein bei psychischen Erkrankungen eingesetzt werden kann und untersuchen die zugrundeliegenden psychologischen und biologischen Mechanismen. Unsere Arbeit verbindet sportpsychologische Ansätze mit psychiatrischer Expertise, um innovative und evidenzbasierte Therapiekonzepte zu entwickeln. Besonders im Fokus stehen dabei niederschwellige Bewegungsangebote, die den individuellen Bedürfnissen und Barrieren von Patient:innen mit psychischen Erkrankungen gerecht werden. Zudem widmen wir uns spezifischen Herausforderungen im Leistungssport, wo psychische Belastungen wie Stress und Essstörungen häufig auftreten. Durch unsere Forschung tragen wir dazu bei, Bewegung als wirksame und nebenwirkungsarme Ergänzung zu etablierten Behandlungsmethoden zu etablieren und die Lebensqualität unserer Patient:innen nachhaltig zu verbessern.

Sie wollen an der Studie zum Therapeutischen Klettern teilnehmen?

Hier können Sie den Flyer herunterladen und direkt mit uns in Kontakt treten.

Research Focus

The research focus on sports psychiatry and sports psychology deals with the therapeutic effects of physical activity, exercise, and sports on mental health. We investigate how exercise can be used as a treatment component for mental disorders and examine the underlying psychological and biological mechanisms. Our work combines sports psychology approaches with psychiatric expertise to develop innovative and evidence-based therapy concepts. We focus in particular on low-threshold exercise programs that meet the individual needs and barriers of patients with mental health issues. We also address specific challenges in competitive sports, where mental stress and eating disorders are common. Through our research, we are helping to establish exercise as an effective and low-side-effect complement to established treatment methods and to improve the quality of life of our patients in the long term.

What are we currently working on?

Therapeutic climbing for patients with anxiety disorders and PTSD

Climbing as a therapeutic intervention offers unique opportunities for patients with anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This form of exercise combines exposure to anxiety-inducing stimuli (e.g., heights) with the experience of self-efficacy and trust—both in oneself and in the belayer. In a randomized controlled study, we were able to show that bouldering and climbing lead to a significant reduction in anxiety symptoms and increase positive affects (Bichler et al. 2022). Particularly noteworthy: the immediate positive emotional reactions during and after the climbing sessions were associated with a long-term increase in physical activity up to six months after the end of the course.

We are currently investigating the epigenetic mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of climbing in a project funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF; Grant-DOI 10.55776/PAT6749924). We are analyzing how repeated climbing and bouldering sessions can induce epigenetic changes that are associated with improved stress regulation and symptom reduction. This project combines clinical sports psychology with molecular psychiatry and provides new insights into the biological basis of sports therapy interventions

Exercise is Medicine
The global "Exercise is Medicine” initiative establishes physical activity as a standard in prevention and treatment. We investigate effective forms of exercise for psychiatric disorders and how activity barriers can be overcome.
Our case-control study showed that psychiatric patients are significantly less active than healthy individuals. We identified specific exercise preferences (walking, yoga) and barriers (exhaustion, motivation) that must be considered in low-threshold programs.
In our current project, we are developing and evaluating tailor-made exercise programs for patients with mental illness. The aim is to develop evidence-based recommendations for the integration of exercise into standard psychiatric care. This project is supported by the state of Tyrol. We have a project specific website togehter with our partners at the Leopold Franzens University: Excercise is Medicine.

Mental health in competitive sports
Elite athletes face unique mental health challenges—high-performance pressure, public attention, and constant demands for peak performance can lead to mental health disorders. Our research team investigates two key areas:
Relaxation techniques and stress management: We explore how evidence-based relaxation techniques and psychological interventions can help elite athletes manage chronic stress and strengthen their mental resilience. We are particularly interested in the relationship between stress regulation, physical performance, and psychological well-being.

Eating disorders in competitive sports

Eating disorders occur disproportionately often in competitive sports, particularly in weight-sensitive disciplines. We investigate risk factors, prevention, and therapy with a focus on sport-specific interventions that consider both mental health and athletic performance. Our research raises awareness of mental health in competitive sports and supports athletes, coaches, and sports organizations.