Qualification offers in geropsychology. A baseline study

The increased need for professional expertise in the domain of aging is accompanied by a lack of academic experts in geropsychology. In order to analyze whether German universities, universities of applied science, and psychotherapy training institutions produce a sufficient number of graduates, two studies were conducted. A complete survey of all courses and modules (study 1) identified only 4 master courses (9.3 %) and no bachelor courses with a substantial focus on geropsychology. All gerontology courses hold a substantial focus on geropsychology; however, only 6 courses are available (5 master, 1 bachelor). In an online survey (study 2) 55 % of the N = 103 psychotherapy training institutions (58 % response rate) stated that they offer geropsychology classes, though only to an average extent of M = 12.7 lessons (≙ 2 % of the required theory lessons). There is urgent need to expand the number of graduates with academic education and clinical training in geropsychology and -psychotherapy.