Dr. Annina Zysset

Work at ZHAW

Position

Research Associate

Focus

Children and Adolescents Public Mental Health, Eco-Anxiety and Global Uncertainty, Prevention and Health Promotion in Educational Settings, Student Health, Mental Health Intervention, Child and Adolescent Public Health

Teaching

• Scientific work
• Child development

Experience

• Research associate
  ZHAW Winterthur, Institute Public Health
  04 / 2018 - today
• Doctorate student
  University Children's Hospital Zurich
  10 / 2013 - 03 / 2018

Education and Continuing education

Education

• Doctorate in Psychology (Dr.phil.) / Psychology
  University of Zurich
  10 / 2013 - 03 / 2018
• PhD Program / Public Health
  Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+)
  02 / 2016 - 01 / 2018
• Master in Psychology (M.Sc.) / Psychology
  University of Bern
  10 / 2009 - 07 / 2011
• Bachelor in Psychology (B.Sc.) / Psychology
  University of Bern
  10 / 2006 - 07 / 2009

Network

Membership of networks

• European Public Health Association
• Public Health Schweiz
• Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Psychologie SGP
• CYPHER - Child and Youth Public Health Research competence network

ORCID digital identifier

ORCID ID: 0000-0002-9871-5324

Media presence

Development of a serious game for support with writing difficulties

Projects

• Digital Health Information for Older Adults with Hearing Loss / Team member / ongoing
• Serious Game Approach to improving Writing Skills in School-Aged Children / Co-project leader / ongoing
• Developing a SSPH+ Initiative for Students' Mental Health / Team member / completed
• Immediate Support for School Stress: A Digital Feedback System for Adolescents Immediate help with school stress. A Digital feedback system for adolescents / Project leader / completed
• Development of a Machine Learning program for Injury Surveillance in Children and Adolescents / Team member / completed
• Health in Students during the Corona pandemic / Team member / completed
• Digital Health for parents facing language and cultural access barriers to the Swiss health system / Team member / completed
• Health and prevention in early childhood / Team member / completed
• Psychosomatic comorbidities: Use of Screening instruments in General and Pediatric Practice / Team member / completed

Publications

Articles in scientific journal, peer-reviewed

• Zysset, A., Schwärzler, P. and Dratva, J. (2023) 'Seeking health in a digital world : exploring immigrant parents' quest for child health information – a scoping review', International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(19), p. 6804. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20196804.
• Tancredi, S. et al. (2023) 'Changes in socioeconomic resources and mental health after the second COVID-19 wave (2020-2021) : a longitudinal study in Switzerland', International Journal for Equity in Health, 22(1), p. 51. doi: 10.1186/s12939-023-01853-2.
• Zysset, A. et al. (2023) 'Diagnosis and management of ADHD : a pediatric perspective on practice and challenges in Switzerland', BMC Pediatrics, 23(1), p. 103. doi: 10.1186/s12887-023-03873-x.
• Zysset, A. et al. (2022) 'Change in alcohol consumption and binge drinking in university students during the early COVID-19 pandemic', Frontiers in Public Health, 10(854350). doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.854350.
• Lelong, M. et al. (2021) 'How effective is fine motor training in children with ADHD? : a scoping review', BMC Pediatrics, 21(490). doi: 10.1186/s12887-021-02916-5.
• Volken, T. et al. (2021) 'Generalized anxiety among Swiss health professions and non-health professions students : an open cohort study over 14 months in the COVID-19 pandemic', International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(20), p. 10833. doi: 10.3390/ijerph182010833.
• Wieber, F. et al. (2021) 'Prävention psychischer Erkrankungen im Kindes- und ­Jugendalter', Schweizerische Ärztezeitung, 102(38), pp. 1228–1231. doi: 10.4414/saez.2021.20015.
• Dratva, J. et al. (2021) 'To vaccinate or not to vaccinate : this is the question among Swiss university students', International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(17), p. 9210. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18179210.
• Amendola, S. et al. (2021) 'A longitudinal study on generalized anxiety among university students during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland', Frontiers in Psychology, 12(643171). doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.643171.
• Zysset, A. et al. (2021) 'Students' experience and adherence to containment measures during COVID-19 in Switzerland', Health Promotion International. doi: 10.1093/heapro/daab019.
• Volken, T. et al. (2021) 'Depressive symptoms in Swiss university students during the COVID-19 pandemic and their correlates', International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(4), p. 1458. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18041458.
• Dratva, J. et al. (2020) 'Swiss university students' risk perception and general anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic', International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(20), p. 7433. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17207433.

Book chapters, peer-reviewed

• Amendola, S. et al. (2022) 'A longitudinal study on generalized anxiety among university students during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland', in Commodari, E. et al. (eds) Closure and Reopening of Schools and Universities During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Prevention and Control Measures, Support Strategies for Vulnerable Students and Psychosocial Needs. Lausanne: Frontiers Research Foundation, pp. 15–24. doi: 10.3389/978-2-88974-282-0.
• Dratva, J. et al. (2020) 'Chronische Krankheiten und Behinderungen', in Gesundheit in der Schweiz : Kinder, Jugendliche und junge Erwachsene : Nationaler Gesundheitsbericht 2020. Bern: Hogrefe, pp. 136–175.
• Dratva, J. and Zysset, A. (2020) 'Körperliche Gesundheit und Entwicklung', in Gesundheit in der Schweiz : Kinder, Jugendliche und junge Erwachsene : Nationaler Gesundheitsbericht 2020. Bern: Hogrefe, pp. 76–107.

Written conference contributions, peer-reviewed

• Weber, C. et al. (2025) 'Immediate help for school stress : digital feedback system for adolescents', in 7th Digital Health Lab Day, Winterthur, Switzerland, 3 September 2025. Winterthur: ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-34810.
• Zysset, A. et al. (2020) 'Wie bewerten Eltern Tipps zur Förderung der psychischen Gesundheit von Kindern?', in Swiss Public Health Conference 2020, Luzern (Virtual Conference), 2.-3. September 2020.
• Zysset, A. et al. (2019) 'Towards an automatic assessment of impaired handwriting (and visuo-motor skills) in children with ADHD', in Swiss Public Health Conference 2019, Winterthur, 28.-29. August 2019. ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-18493.
• Zysset, A. et al. (2019) 'Projects on the accessibility of vulnerable families in Switzerland', in Swiss Public Health Conference 2019, Winterthur, 28.-29. August 2019. ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-18465.
• Zysset, A. et al. (2019) 'Towards an automatic assessment of impaired handwriting (and visuo-motor skills) in children with ADHD', in 1. Digital Health Lab Day, Wädenswil, 3. Oktober 2019.
• von Rhein, M. et al. (2019) 'Diagnostics and treatment of ADHD in Switzerland : a physician perspective on practice and challenges', in Jahresversammlung der Schweizerischen Gesellschaft für Pädiatrie, Bellinzona, 6. - 7. Juni 2019.

Other publications

• Feer, S., Zysset, A. and Dratva, J. (2023) Machbarkeitsstudie Datenerhebung Kinder- und Jugendunfälle. Bern: Schweizerische Beratungsstelle für Unfallverhütung bfu. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-2439.
• Amstad, F. et al. (2022) Gesundheitsförderung für und mit Jugendlichen und jungen Erwachsenen : wissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse und Empfehlungen für die Praxis. Bern: Gesundheitsförderung Schweiz. Available at: https://gesundheitsfoerderung.ch/node/8253.
• Truninger, D. et al. (2022) 'Digital pens for measuring fine motor skills in school-aged children with and without ADHD', in 4. Digital Health Lab Day, Winterthur, Schweiz, 12. September 2022. ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-25701.
• Klein Swormink, A. M., Zysset, A. and Dratva, J. (2022) 'Can I see my friends ever again without worries? : uncertainty in Swiss university students during the COVID-19 pandemic', in Swiss Public Health Conference, 7. Stakeholderkonferenz Nationale Strategie zur Prävention nichtübertragbarer Krankheiten (NCD), Bern, Schweiz, 13.-14. September 2022. ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-26295.
• Dratva, J. et al. (2019) Wissenschaftliche Übersichtsarbeit frühe Kindheit (0-4j.) in der Schweiz : Gesundheit und Prävention : Schlussbericht. Winterthur: ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. Available at: https://www.aramis.admin.ch/Dokument.aspx?DocumentID=50035.
• Wieber, F. et al. (2019) 'BAG Projekt : Möglichkeiten zur Förderung der psychischen Gesundheit bei Kindern und Jugendlichen', in 4. Health and Life Sciences Forum, Zürich, 17. Oktober 2019.
• Dratva, J. et al. (2018) Wissenschaftliche Übersichtsarbeit zu früher Kindheit : Gesundheit und Prävention. Winterthur: ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften.

Oral conference contributions and abstracts

• Zysset, A. et al. (2025) 'Mental health and wellbeing in students across Swiss universities : from surveys to interventions', in Swiss Public Health Conference (SPHC), Lugano, Switzerland, 10-11 September 2025.
• Zysset, A., Kerry-Krause, M. J. and Dratva, J. (2025) 'The role of uncertainty in anxiety disorders among young adults : a study in university students', in Swiss Public Health Conference (SPHC), Lugano, Switzerland, 10-11 September 2025.
• Zysset, A. et al. (2024) 'Machine learning powered patient records analysis for injury monitoring in children and adolescents', in European Journal of Public Health. Oxford University Press, p. iii162. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckae144.413.
• Feer, S. et al. (2024) 'Machine learning approach to injury monitoring in children and adolescents', in European Journal of Public Health. Oxford University Press, p. iii24. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckae144.059.
• Feer, S. et al. (2024) 'Machine learning powered patient records analysis for injury monitoring in children and adolescents', in Swiss Public Health Conference, Fribourg, Switzerland, 3-4 September 2024.
• Wieber, F. et al. (2023) 'Segmentation analyses as an effective tool to improve tobacco prevention and cessation', in European Journal of Public Health. Oxford University Press, pp. ii582–ii583. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckad160.1461.
• Feer, S. et al. (2023) 'Wie ist die Datenlage zu Kinder- und Jugendunfällen in der Schweiz? : eine Machbarkeitsstudie zur Prüfung bestehender Datenquellen und neuer methodischen Ansätze', in Swiss Public Health Conference, Lausanne, Schweiz, 12.-13. September 2023.
• Götz, U. et al. (2022) 'Konditorei Kritzel : spielerisch Schreibmotorik trainieren', in Event der Digitalisierungsinitiative (DIZH) 'Gaming for Good', Zürich, Schweiz, 17. November 2022.
• Wieber, F., Zysset, A. and von Wyl, A. (2022) 'Central concepts in mental health promotion programs for children and adolescents : evidence and examples from Switzerland', in European Journal of Public Health. Oxford University Press, p. ckac129.451. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckac129.451.
• Zysset, A., Volken, T. and Dratva, J. (2021) 'Preventive and risky health behavior of Swiss university students during the COVID-19 pandemic', in European Journal of Public Health. Oxford University Press, p. ckab164.015. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckab164.015.
• Zysset, A., Dratva, J. and Volken, T. (2021) 'Mental health in Swiss university students during the COVID-19 pandemic', in European Journal of Public Health. Oxford University Press, p. ckab164.690. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckab164.690.
• Wieber, F., Ulrich, G. and Zysset, A. (2021) 'Serious Games in der Gesundheitsförderung : spielerisch Schreibmotorik fördern', in 3. Digital Health Lab Day: Implementing Digital Health Innovations, Winterthur, Schweiz, 16. September 2021.
• Wieber, F. et al. (2021) 'How pediatricians promoted mental health of children and adolescents during COVID-19 : evaluation of the "Take Care" information brochures', in Swiss Public Health Conference, Bern, 25.-26. August 2021.
• Dratva, J., Volken, T. and Zysset, A. (2021) 'Health of Swiss university students during the COVID-19 pandemic : impact and management', in Swiss Public Health Conference, Bern, 25.-26. August 2021.
• Wieber, F. et al. (2021) 'Objektive Bewegungsdaten als Grundlage für die Entwicklung digitaler Interventionen bei Kindern mit ADHS', in Careum Konferenz "Chronisch krank in der digitalen Welt", Aarau (online), 13. Januar 2021.
• Zysset, A. and Dratva, J. (2020) 'Digital maternal health booklets – do they help reaching migrant populations', in European Journal of Public Health. Oxford University Press, p. v108. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckaa165.290.
• Zysset, A. and Dratva, J. (2020) 'Digital health information seeking of migrant populations : a scoping review', in European Journal of Public Health. Oxford University Press, pp. v35–v36. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckaa165.083.
• Wieber, F. et al. (2020) '"Take care of yourself" : a psychoeducational tool for adolescents for the mental health promotion (MHP) in the pediatric primary care (PPC)', in European Journal of Public Health. Oxford University Press, p. 457. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckaa165.1246.
• Zysset, A. et al. (2020) 'Ten recommendations to foster mental health in children : systematic development of information materials for parents and pediatricians', in European Journal of Public Health. Oxford University Press, p. 104. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckaa165.277.
• Crameri, A., Wieber, F. and Zysset, A. (2020) 'Psychische Gesundheit von Kindern und Jugendlichen stärken', in Vernetzungstreffen zum Thema «Psychische Gesundheit bei Kindern und Jugendlichen 2019-2020» der Fachstelle «Prävention und Gesundheitsförderung» der Gesundheitsdirektion des Kantons Zürich, 29. September 2020.
• Zysset, A. et al. (2019) 'Projekte zur Erreichbarkeit von vulnerablen Familien in der Schweiz', in Swiss Public Health Conference, Winterthur, 28. - 29. August 2019.

Publications before appointment at the ZHAW

• Zysset AE, Kakebeeke TH, Messerli-Bürgy N, Meyer AH, Stülb K, Arhab A, Leeger-Aschmann CS, Schmutz EA, Kriemler S, Puder JJ, Munsch S, Jenni OG. Stability and prediction of motor performance and cognitive functioning in preschoolers: a latent variable approach, Infant and Child Development. 2020. doi: 10.1002/icd.2186
• Schmutz, E. A., Leeger-Aschmann, C. S., Kakebeeke, T. H., Zysset, A. E., Messerli-Bürgy, N., Stülb, K., . . . Kriemler, S. (2020). Motor Competence and Physical Activity in Early Childhood: Stability and Relationship. Frontiers in Public Health, 8(39). doi:10.3389/fpubh.2020.00039
• Zysset AE, Kakebeeke TH, Messerli-Bürgy N, Meyer AH, Stülb K, Arhab A, Leeger-Aschmann CS, Schmutz EA, Kriemler S, Puder JJ, Munsch S, Jenni OG. Predictors of Executive Functions in Preschoolers: Findings from the SPLASHY study. Frontiers in Psychology. 2018 Oct, 9:2060, doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02060
• Zysset, Annina Elisa. Motor skills, cognitive skills and executive functions in preschool children. 2018, University of Zurich, Philosophische Fakultät.
• Leeger-Aschmann, C. S., Schmutz, E. A., Zysset, A. E., Kakebeeke, T. H., Messerli-Bürgy, N., Stülb, K., . . . Kriemler, S. (2019). Accelerometer-derived physical activity estimation in preschoolers – comparison of cut-point sets incorporating the vector magnitude vs the vertical axis. BMC Public Health, 19(1), 513. doi:10.1186/s12889-019-6837-7
• Zysset AE, Kakebeeke TH, Messerli-Bürgy N, Meyer AH, Stülb K, Arhab A, Leeger-Aschmann CS, Schmutz EA, Ferrazzini V, Kriemler S, Puder JJ, Munsch S, Jenni OG. The validity of parental reports on motor skills performance level in preschool children: A comparison with a standardized motor test, Eur J Pediatr. 2018;177(5):715-722, doi: 10.1007/s00431-017-3078-6
• Stülb, K., Messerli-Bürgy, N., Kakebeeke, T. H., Arhab, A., Zysset, A. E., Leeger-Aschmann, C. S., . . . Munsch, S. (2017). Physiological stress response to an age-adapted stress task in preschoolers and its potential determinants. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 83, 57. doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.07.394
• Leeger-Aschmann CS, Schmutz EA, Radtke T, Kakebeeke TH, Zysset AE, Messerli-Burgy N, Stulb K, Arhab A, Meyer AH, Munsch S, Jenni OG, Puder JJ, Kriemler S (2016) Regional sociocultural differences as important correlate of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in Swiss preschool children. Swiss Medical Weekly 146
• Messerli-Burgy N, Kakebeeke TH, Arhab A, Stulb K, Zysset AE, Leeger-Aschmann CS, Schmutz EA, Fares F, Meyer AH, Munsch S, Kriemler S, Jenni OG, Puder JJ (2016) The Swiss Preschoolers' health study (SPLASHY): objectives and design of a prospective multi-site cohort study assessing psychological and physiological health in young children. Bmc Pediatr 16:85

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