Prof. Karin Hediger, PhD
Full Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychology
T +41 41 229 58 22
karin.hediger@unilu.ch
Frohburgstrasse 3, Raum 1.B11
CV
Prof. Dr Karin Hediger is full professor of Child and Adolescent Psychology at the University of Lucerne. After studying psychology at the University of Zurich, she completed her doctorate at the University of Rostock (Germany) in 2012 and habilitated at the University of Basel in 2021, where she was an assistant professor from 2021 to 2024. In 2020, Karin Hediger was appointed professor by the Open University in Heerlen (Netherlands) and has been affiliated with the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute since 2017. She has also worked as a psychotherapist since 2011. Karin Hediger's research focuses on clinical psychology and intervention research with a clear focus on animal-assisted intervention.
Publications
- Carbone, F., Gerber, E.-Y., & Hediger, K. (2025). Neuromechanisms and subjective experiences during human-dog interactions: assessing motivation and mental state in a randomized, controlled trial. Psychophysiology. https://doi.org/10.22541/au.172114362.24370131/v1
- Declercq, I. J. N., Leontjevas, R., Enders-Slegers, M.-J., Molog, M., Gerritsen, D. L., & Hediger, K. (2024). Developing a research agenda on NATure-based and Animal-assisted Intervention Strategies (NATAIS) in people with neurodegenerative diseases with a specific focus on social isolation and loneliness: a group concept mapping procedure. BMC Geriatrics, 24 (795). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-024-05387-2
- Arnskötter, W., Martin, S., Walitza, S., & Hediger, K. (2024). Effects of including a dog on treatment motivation and the therapeutic alliance in child and adolescent psychotherapy: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials, 25 (26). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-023-07854-4
- Schaupp, J., Hediger, K., Wunderli, J. M., Schäffer, B., Tobias, S., Kolecka, N., & Bauer, N. (2024). Psychophysiological effects of walking in forests and urban built environments with disparate road traffic noise exposure: study protocol of a randomized controlled trial. BMC Psychology, 12 (1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-024-01720-x
- Kreuzer, L., Naber, A., Zink, R., Millesi, E., Palme, R., Hedifer, K., & Glenk, L. M. (2024). Horses’ Cardiovascular and Glucocorticoid Responses to Equine-Assisted Therapy with Women with Intellectual Disability: An Exploratory Study. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888705.2024.2396968
- DeWinkel, T., van der Steen, S., Enders-Slegers, M.-J., Griffioen, R., Haverbeke, A., Groenewoud, D., & Hediger, K. (2024). Observational behaviors and emotions to assess welfare of dogs: A systematic review. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 72, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2023.12.007
- Reniers, P., Leontjecas, R., Declercq, I., Enders-Slegers, M.-J., Gerritsen, D., & Hediger, K. (2024). The development of the PET@home toolkit: An experience-based co-design method study. International Journal of Nursing Studies Advances, 6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnsa.2024.100189
- Hediger, K., & Arnskötter, W. (2024). Tiergestützte Therapie bei Kindern und Jugendlichen – Chancen und Herausforderungen. Psychologie & Erziehung, 12–16. Retrieved from https://www.skjp.ch/de/zeitschrift-pe/pe-archiv
- Reniers, P. W. A., Leontjevas, R., Declercq, I. J. N., Enders-Slegers, M.-J., Gerritsen, D. L., & Hediger, K. (2023). The Roles of Pets in Long-Term Care at Home: A Qualitative Study. BMC Geriatrics, 23 (702). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-023-04416-w
- Enders-Slegers, M.-J., & Hediger, K. (2023). Dieren als assistent-behandelaars? Huisarts en Wetenschap, 66 (6), 27–29. https://doi.org/10.1007/S12445-023-2256-1
- Wagner, C., Gaab, J., & Hediger, K. (2023). The Importance of the Treatment Rationale for Pain in Animal-Assisted Interventions: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Healthy Participants. The Journal of Pain, 24 (6), 1080–1093. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2023.01.004
- Reniers, P. W. A., Leontjevas, R., Declercq, I. J. N., Molog, M., Enders-Slegers, M.-J., Gerritsen, D. L., & Hediger, K. (2023). De Betekenis van huisdieren in de langdurige thuiszorg. Tijdschrift Voor Gerontologie en Geriatrie, 54 (4). https://doi.org/10.54195/TGG.18095
- Janssens, M., Eshuis, J., Heilijgers, E., Jacobs, N., Hediger, K., Lataster, J., & Peeters, S. (2023). Animal impact in real‐life: Study protocol for an ecological momentary assessment study on the role of animal characteristics in the relationship between companion animals and mental wellbeing. Mental Health Science, (2), 50–56. https://doi.org/10.1002/mhs2.40
- Enders-Slegers, M.-J., Leontjevas, R., Van Dijke, A., de Winkel, T., & Hediger, K. (2023). Children`s bond with companion animals and associations with psychosocial health: a systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology, 14 (1120000). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1120000
- Locher, C., Petignat, M., Wagner, C., Hediger, K., Roth, B., Gaab, J., & Koechlin, H. (2023). Animal-Assisted Psychotherapy for Pediatric Chronic Pain: Case Series of an Open Pilot Study to Test Initial Feasibility and Potential Efficacy. Journal of Pain Research, 1799–1811. https://doi.org/10.2147/JPR.S394270
- Naber, A., Volk, M., Hediger, K., & Zink, R. (2023). Can equine communication via audible exhales improve the welfare of therapy horses? - A pilot practice project. Human-Animal Interactions. https://doi.org/10.1079/HAI.2023.0039
- Reniers, P. W. A., Declercq, I. J. N., Hediger, K., Enders-Slegers, M.-J., Gerritsen, D. L., & Leontjevas, R. (2022). The role of pets in the support systems of community-dwelling older adults: a qualitative systematic review. Aging & Mental Health, 27 (7). https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2022.2141196
- Zinsstag, J., Hediger, K., Maidane Osman, Y., Abukhattab, S., Crump, L., Kaiser-Grolimund, A., … Pelikan, K. (2022). The Promotion and Development of One Health at Swiss TPH and Its Greater Potential. Diseases, 10 (3). https://doi.org/10.3390/diseases10030065
- Wohlfarth, R., & Hediger, K. (2022). Tierethische Aspekte tiergestützter Therapie. TIERethik, 14 (25), 19–59. Retrieved from https://tierethik.net/data/2022-02/TE_2022_2_WohlfarthHediger.pdf
- Reniers, P. W. A., Leontjevas, R., Declercq, I. J. N., Enders-Slegers, M.-J., Gerritsen, D. L., & Hediger, K. (2022). The Significance of Pets for Vulnerable Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Explorative Qualitative Study. Animals, 12 (20), 2752 ff. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202752
- Hediger, K., Marti, R., Urfer, V., Schenk, A., Gutwein, V., & Dörr, C. (2022). Effects of a Dog-Assisted Social- and Emotional-Competence Training for Prisoners: A Controlled Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19 (17). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191710553
- Marti, R., Petignat, M., Marcar, V. L., Hattendorf, J., Wolf, M., Hund-Georgiadis, M., & Hediger, K. (2022). Effects of contact with a dog on prefrontal brain activity: A controlled trial. PLOS ONE, 17 (10). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0274833
- Kuenzi, P., Ackert, M., Grosse Holtforth, M., Hund-Georgiadis, M., & Hediger, K. (2022). Effects of animal-assisted psychotherapy incorporating mindfulness and self-compassion in neurorehabilitation: a randomized controlled feasibility trial. Scientific Reports, 12. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-14584-1
- Marti, R., & Hediger, K. (2023). Are attachment, animal species, and animal contact duration associated with the health of pet owners and people having regular contact with animals? In International Society for Anthrozoology (Ed.), 32nd International Society for Anthrozoology Conference: Anthrozoology: The Spectrum of Human-Animal Interactions and Relationships (pp. 141–142). Edinburgh: International Society for Anthrozoology.
- Groenewoud, D., Enders-Slegers, M.-J., Leontjevas, R., de Winkel, T., van Dijke, A., & Hediger, K. (2023). Children’s bond with companion animals and associations with psychosocial health: a systematic review. In International Society for Anthrozoology (Ed.), 32nd International Society for Anthrozoology Conference: Anthrozoology: The Spectrum of Human-Animal Interactions and Relationships (pp. 131–132). Edinburgh: International Society for Anthrozoology.
- International Society for Anthrozoology (Ed.). (2023). Protocol for the process-evaluation of the development of the innovative PET@home Toolkit using the comprehensive EBCD+ method for frail client pet guardians. In 32nd International Society for Anthrozoology Conference: Anthrozoology: The Spectrum of Human-Animal Interactions and Relationships (pp. 135–136). Edinburgh: International Society for Anthrozoology. Retrieved from https://isaz.net/news-events/past-conferences.html
- Hediger, K. (2 November 2024). Psychologie in Luzern: ein neues Kapitel für die Universität. Zebi Magazin. Retrieved from https://www.zebi.ch/de/c/psychologie-in-luzern-ein-neues-kapitel-fuer-die-universitaet.56720
- Neuberufen: Karin Hediger im Gespräch. (17 October 2024). Universität Luzern News. Retrieved from https://www.unilu.ch/news/neuberufen-karin-hediger-im-gespraech-8858/
- Vierbeiner als Psychologen: Wie Tiere uns beim Heilen helfen können: Podcastfolge: ‘Durchblick’. (7 November 2024). Retrieved from https://www.blick.ch/life/wissen/podcast/vierbeiner-als-psychologen-wie-tiere-uns-beim-heilen-helfen-koennen-id20299016.html
- Hediger, K. (31 August 2024). Wie wirken sich Tiere positiv auf Menschen mit Behinderungen aus? SRF Sendung - Stiftung Denk an mich. Retrieved from https://www.srf.ch/audio/stiftung-denk-an-mich/wie-wirken-sich-tiere-positiv-auf-menschen-mit-behinderungen-aus?id=17c2840e-0251-43d0-85fa-8e4a2c6b84cc
Vested interests
- Board member, International Society for Animal Assisted Therapy, 2015–2022
- Präsidentin, Gesellschaft für Tiergestützte Therapie und Aktivitäten, 2022–
- Professor, Open University, Heerlen, 2020–
- Scientific Advisory Board, Research group "animal assisted interventions" at the University of Applied Sciences Alice Solomon Hochschule Berlin, Germany, 2020–
- Board member, International Association of Human Animal Interaction Organisations, 2018–
- Präsidentin, compas - Institut für natur- und tiergestützte Interventionen, 2018–
- Scientific Advisory Board, Bundesverband Tiergestützte Interventionen e.V., 2018–
- Präsidentin, Institut für interdisziplinäre Erforschung der Mensch-Tier-Beziehung, 2016–
