Gerhard Andersson

As a clinical psychologist working in the field of behavioral medicine for 20 years, Andersson has devoted much of his research to the study of how behavioral, cognitive, biological, and social variables influence health and illness. His research in this area covers a broad range of conditions, including chronic pain, cancer, irritable bowel syndrome, dizziness, hearing loss, tinnitus, burn damages, and health anxiety. Andersson’s work focuses primarily on the development and evaluation of behavioral and cognitive therapies for medical conditions, but his research in health psychology also concerns the study of how cognitive, behavioral and genetic factors are involved in health and prevention of illness. A particular interest of his is cognitive aspects and to apply various theories and methods from cognitive psychology in the study of health problems. Among many recent activities, Andersson is currently involved in studies on the role of acceptance in chronic medical conditions, including the first clinical trials on acceptance oriented CBT for tinnitus.

Professor Andersson has published more than 650 scientific papers, 21 books and more than 40 book chapters. His present h-index is 85 (last updated 2019-11-22).

Professor Andersson is one of the most influential researchers in the world on Internet-based psychological treatments. Moreover, his contributions in the field of tinnitus have enriched the research field widely. Andersson was appointed as a professor at the age of 37, and has been highly productive, having produced more than 600 scientific papers. He is known for his many collaborations with researchers and clinicians and has remained clinically active during his whole career. Gerhard Andersson has been nominated for the Swedish Psychologist Award both in 2009 and in 2011 and won the award in 2014 . He received a Lifetime Achievement Award 2017 from the International Society for Research on Internet Interventions. Professor Andersson is currently main supervisor of 10 PhD students and co-supervisor for 15 PhD students. To date, 20 former PhD students for whom Professor Andersson has been the main supervisor have been awarded a PhD. Five of Professor Andersson’s former PhD students have become full professors, and three of those in clinical psychology: Professor Per Carlbring Stockholm University, Professor Viktor Kaldo (Linnéuniversitetet), and Professor Hugo Hesser (Örebro University). Moreover, Professor Andersson has been faculty opponent for several PhD candidates and was external reviewer for several PhD theses in Sweden, but also abroad. In 2014 Andersson was awarded the Nordic prize in medicine and the outstanding psychologist prize. In 2017 he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Society for Research on Internet Interventions.

Gerhard Andersson can further be named as the founder of the Swedish approach to internet-delivered cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT). In one of the publications from the group, Andersson et al. (2008, p. 164) refer to the Internet-based approach as:"a therapy that is based on self-help books, guided by an identified therapist which gives feedback and answers to questions, with a scheduling that mirrors face-to-face treatment, and which also can include interactive online features such as queries to obtain passwords in order to get access to treatment modules"

Gerhard Andersson is one of the world leading researchers in the field of psychologically oriented tinnitus research. His contributions to the field has been influential. For example, Andersson and his colleagues provided the first comprehensive meta-analytic review on psychological treatments of tinnitus in 1999. In the following years, Andersson was interested in basic research as well as in the development and improvement of psychological treatment approaches. Thus, he studied for example cognitive disruptions in tinnitus patients, changes in regional cerebral blood flow or the role of tinnitus loudness for perceived distress. Moreover, Andersson and his colleagues developed several treatment concepts to reduce tinnitus distress based on cognitive behavioural therapy.

Professor Andersson received his education at Uppsala University, Department of Psychology, and graduated in 1991 (M.Sc. in Clinical Psychology). His first Ph.D. was in Clinical Psychology (1995) and his second Ph.D. was in Medicine (2000). He has also completed a B.A. in Theology (2010). In terms of clinical training he has completed a degree in psychotherapy (2005) and supervisor training (2016). In 1997, Andersson received the qualification as associate professor. He was appointed full professor in clinical psychology at Linköping University in 2003. Since 2007, Andersson also holds a position as affiliated researcher at the Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, in the department of Clinical Neuroscience, Psychiatry. He is also connected to the Swedish Institute for Disability Research in Linköping, Sweden. During his whole career he has worked part-time as a clinician, mainly in audiology, but also in psychiatry.

Gerhard Andersson (born June 10, 1966) is a Swedish psychologist, psychotherapist and Professor of clinical psychology at Linköping University, and Affiliated Professor at Karolinska Institutet. He was a co-recipient of the Nordic Medical Prize in 2014.