Visiting INVEST: Shin-ichi Ishikawa

In the “INVEST visitors” series, we present visiting professors and fellows who have arrived at the flagship INVEST. This time introducing professor Shin-ichi Ishikawa, who joined INVEST 2022 and his visit ends 2024.

I’m Shin-ichi Ishikawa, a professor at the Faculty of Psychology, Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan, and a visiting professor at University of Turku from 2022 to 2024.

My expertise lies in clinical child and adolescent psychology, specifically in cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for children with anxiety disorders and school-based preventive approaches for child and adolescent mental health. I conduct controlled trials and practical studies in university clinics and schools, while also working directly with children and their families as a clinical psychologist.

Why INVEST?

I was drawn to INVEST due to its interdisciplinary nature, which offers an ideal platform for researchers seeking collaborations and partnerships. Given the complex societal challenges we face, my projects benefit from the involvement of various specialists, including psychologists, psychiatrists, school teachers, counselors, and social workers. INVEST provides valuable resources for developing, maintaining, and evolving research projects.

Experiences

I collaborated with Professor Andre Sourandar on the development and trial of a CBT-based school-based preventive program called “Let’s Learn About Emotions.” This program was translated into Finnish, and we conducted a feasibility study involving 512 4th graders in the City of Hyvinkää, South of Finland. Our team is now planning larger trials.

INVEST already hosts research on evidence-based school-based interventions like the KiVa® Antibullying program. However, the need for a variety of programs tailored to specific school requirements remains crucial. Moreover, given the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on child and adolescent mental health, there is an urgent need for programs addressing transdiagnostic mental health problems. Through our collaborative study, we aim to explore the cultural adaptation of school-based programs, a task often overlooked in the context of CBT-based interventions.