Why train at DABATEM?
DABATEM is an independent research center with internationally recognized expertise in anxiety disorders, psychological trauma, and behavioral treatment. It has been founded in 1995 by Professor Metin Başoğlu, who is one of the most prominent authorities in his field. Since its foundation, DABATEM has been at the forefront of cutting-edge and innovative research on psychological trauma caused by wars, political violence, and natural disasters. It has accumulated a wealth of knowledge and experience in these areas and recently launched three training programs with a view to disseminating such knowledge worldwide.
If you have discovered DABATEM on the Internet by chance and are not familiar with its work, please take your time to examine this website, particularly DABATEM’s research program over the years, publications, and the repercussions of its work in the world media. See also the articles in Professor Başoğlu’s blog on war, torture, and earthquakes to have an idea how DABATEM’s work informs professional and public opinion through social media.
DABATEM’s last research project (a treatment study with refugees) was completed in 2017. Since then Professor Başoğlu has been devoting his time to dissemination of knowledge through various means, including training programs. These programs include:
These training programs are unique in the following respects:
- Mass trauma events raise important issues of concern to mental and public health professionals, social and political scientists, human rights workers, international law experts, policy makers, and governmental and nongovernmental organizations concerned with care of mass trauma survivors. As Professor Başoğlu has pioneered the development of a new science at the crossroads of medicine, mental health, social, and political sciences and human rights, his scientific research informs professionals from a wide range of disciplines. His most recent book on Torture and Its Definition in International Law: An interdisciplinary Approach is an example of the implications of his work across disciplines (see also his editorial in European Respiratory Journal). His training programs provide a unique opportunity to learn about his 30 years of work on mass trauma.
- Professor Başoğlu is an ardent advocate of evidence-based approach to trauma and its treatment (see his blog articles here, here, and here). His approach to trauma is distinct from many others in being firmly grounded in sound theory, stringent methodology, and empirical evidence. As such, his training programs provide a sound orientation in psychological trauma, which is of utmost importance in work with trauma survivors, particularly for beginners in the field.
- Effective dealing with the widespread mental health problems in the aftermath of mass trauma events requires a mental healthcare model based on interventions that are (1) theoretically sound, (2) proven to be effective, (3) brief, (4) easy to train therapists in their delivery, (5) practicable in different cultures, and (6) suitable for dissemination through media other than professional therapists, such as lay people, self-help tools, and mass media. Current trauma treatments do not meet more than two or three of these requirements. Professor Başoğlu has conducted research with more than 15,000 mass trauma survivors in the last 30 years to develop a unique mental healthcare model that meets all six requirements. This model enables effective treatment dissemination to large survivor populations in the most cost-effective fashion.
- This mental healthcare model incorporates various applications of Control-Focused Behavioral Treatment (CFBT) – a novel treatment approach distinct in theory and practice from other evidence-based treatments. CFBT is a brief, largely self-administered, and highly effective intervention, which is based on learning theory principles originating from experimental work with animals. Unlike other treatments that aim for anxiety reduction, it aims for enhancement of sense of control over (or resilience against) trauma. Because it focuses on universals in human behavior, it crosses cultural boundaries and overcomes many of the cross-cultural limitations of other trauma treatments. Research has shown that it achieves 80% to 90% improvement in traumatic stress reactions, when delivered in single session in earthquake survivors and in an average of 6 sessions in war and torture survivors. Training programs involve varying levels of introduction to CFBT.