WPA Research Initiatives

As a global leader in advancing mental health, the World Psychiatric Association (WPA) actively supports, leads, and collaborates on research programmes that drive innovation, improve clinical practices, and shape mental health policies worldwide. This page highlights key WPA-backed initiatives and papers, showcasing our commitment to evidence-based advancements in psychiatry and global mental health.

In the current triennium (2023-2026) research is focused on public health (Healthy Lifestyles) and clinical care (Suicide Prevention) as well as fostering international and intercontinental research collaboration in its mission to address global mental health challenges.

A Collaborative Effort for Global Mental Health

University of Bern

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The World Psychiatric Association (WPA) is proud to announce its collaboration with the University of Bern for the upcoming launch of a Competence Center of Global Mental Health Research.

The establishment of the University of Bern Competence Center of Global Mental Health Research represents a strategic partnership with key stakeholders, including the Department of Health, Social Services and Integration of the Canton of Bern (GSI), the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Bern, and international partners such as the Jimma University in Ethiopia. Other collaborators include the Swiss Brain Health Initiative and the University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy in Bern (UPD).

The primary aim of the Competence Center is to address global mental health challenges through education, research, and policy development, particularly in regions where mental health resources are limited. The Center will serve as a WPA Collaborating Center, a designation that highlights its potential as a major hub for research, higher education, and international collaboration.

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Brief Motivational Intervention and Long-term Regular
Follow-up Contact Program (BIC)

WPA started, in 2021, under the leadership of then- President Elect Danuta Wasserman, the Brief Motivational Intervention and Long-term Regular Follow-up Contact Program (BIC), a suicide prevention project developed in collaboration with the National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention of Mental Ill-Health (NASP) at Karolinska Institutet and a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre.

The BIC program, developed under the WHO SUPRE-MISS initiative, has demonstrated effectiveness in reducing suicide rates through brief motivational intervention and long-term follow-up care. By expanding this initiative, the project seeks to reach individuals at risk, adapt strategies to different healthcare systems, and build a strong evidence base for future policies. Currently, this program is operating in North America (USA), Latin America (Brazil), Asia (India), and Europe (Sweden), and additional centres are encouraged to join.

Brief Motivational Intervention and Long-term Regular
Follow-up Contact Program (BIC)

A recent article in The Lancet Psychiatry highlights the case of a young Iranian student who was involuntarily hospitalized after protesting against the country’s mandatory hijab laws. The authors, including WPA President, Prof. Danuta Wasserman and WPA President-Elect, Prof. Thomas G. Schulze, condemn the misuse of psychiatry for political repression and call for an independent investigation. The piece underscores the importance of protecting medical ethics and human rights in mental health care.