Research Topics and Interests
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Development of depressive symptoms across the life course
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Comparison processes in psychopathology
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Impact of flight and aversive events on mental health
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Curriculum Vitae
Since 10/2023
Postdoctoral researcher
Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Münster
since 03/2024 Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, and Health Psychology, University of Münster10/2020 – 09/2023
PhD student
University of Cambridge, Department of Psychiatry06/2023 – 09/2023
Research visit
Temple University, Philadelphia (Professor Thomas Olino)10/2017 – 08/2020
Master of Science
Clinical Psychology, University of Münster10/2018 – 01/2020
MPhil in Medical Science (Psychiatry)
University of Cambridge, Department of Psychiatry09/2016 – 12/2016
Semester abroad
University of California (Clinical Psychology), San Diego10/2014 – 09/2017
Bachelor of Science Psychology, University of MünsterResearch Articles (Journals)
- Churbaji, D., Ritter, L., Schlechter, P., Kip, A., and Morina, N. . “When an earthquake hits a war-affected population: longitudinal growth trajectories of psychopathology in individuals in northwest Syria.” British Journal of Psychiatry 228 (3): 220–228. doi: 10.1192/bjp.2025.1.
- Schlechter, P., Hoppen, T.H., and Morina, N. . “Major life events, well-being comparisons, and mental health outcomes: A four-wave longitudinal study.” Journal of Affective Disorders 394 (120526). doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.120526.
- Schlechter, P., Meyer, T., Hoppen, T.H., and Morina, N. . “Development and initial validation of the Social Impression Comparison Scale (SICS).” Journal of Personality Assessment 108 (3): 385–402. doi: 10.1080/00223891.2025.2581668.
- Schlechter, P., Meyer, T., Kerneck, L., Schulze Mengering, P., Hoppen, T.H., König, M., and Morina, N. in Kürze. “Comparative Thinking and Clinical Social Anxiety: Within- and Between-Person Effects in a Daily Ecological Momentary Assessment Study and a Four-Wave Longitudinal Study.” Clinical Psychological Science x. doi: 10.1177/21677026261424180.
- Schlechter, P., Ford, T.J., Wilkinson, P.O., and Neufeld, S.A. S. in Kürze. “Predictors of state and trait components of depression from early adolescence into emerging adulthood.” Clinical Psychological Science XX.
- Olino, T.M., Schlechter, P., Grillo, A.R., Vrshek-Schallhorn, S., Rohde, P., Hayden, E.P., Seeley, J.R., and Klein, D.N.. . “Perceived life events and presentation of depression symptoms: An examination of the pathoplasticity model.” Journal of Affective Disorders XX.
- Morina, N., Lemmel, F., Schlechter, P., and Hoppen, T.H. . “Unraveling social comparison in mental health: A process-based model and a systematic review and meta-analysis of current evidence.” Clinical Psychological Science x. doi: 10.1177/21677026261442164.
- Hellmann, J., Schlechter, P., Walter, L.P., Rees, J.H., Landmann, H., Winter, K., Klocke, U., Übergünne-Otte, L., Morina, N., and Zick, A. . “Social aides’ perceptions of discrepancies in attitudes and behaviour towards different refugee groups in Germany: implications for vicarious comparative victimhood.” Patterns of Prejudice 59: 202–225. doi: 10.1080/0031322X.2026.2625562.
- Hoppen, T.H., Wessarges, L., Jehn, M., Mutz, J., Kip, A., Schlechter, P., Meiser-Stedman, R., and Morina, N. . “Efficacy of psychological interventions for multiple-event-related PTSD in children and adolescents: a network meta-analysis.” World Psychiatry 24 (1): 144–145. doi: 10.1002/wps.21291.
- Hoppen, T.H., Wessarges, L., Jehn, M., Mutz, J., Kip, A., Schlechter, P., Meiser-Stedman, R., and Morina, N. . “Psychological Interventions for Pediatric Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.” JAMA Psychiatry 82 (2): 130–141. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2024.3908.
- Keppler, E.N., Morina, N., and Schlechter, P. . “Effects of congruent and incongruent appetitive and aversive well-being comparisons on depression, post-traumatic stress, and self-esteem.” European Journal of Psychotraumatology 16 (1) 2454193. doi: 10.1080/20008066.2025.2454193.
- Schlechter, P., Meyer, T., Hagen, M., Baranova, K., and Morina, N. . “Comparative Thinking among University Students: An Ecological Momentary Assessment of Upward Comparisons, Stress and Learning Behavior during Exam Preparation.” Social Psychology of Education 28 54. doi: 10.1007/s11218-025-10026-8.
- Hoppen, T.H., Cuno, R.M., Nelson, J., Lemmel, F., Schlechter, P., and Morina, N. . “Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials examining social comparison as a behaviour change technique across the behavioural sciences.” Nature Human Behaviour 9: 1595–1612. doi: 10.1038/s41562-025-02209-2.
- Schlechter, P., Churbaji, D., Hoppen, T.H., and Morina, N. . “Comparing comparisons: A transdiagnostic investigation of social and temporal comparisons and their differential effects on mental health outcomes and well-being.” International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology. 25 (3) 100611. doi: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2025.100611.
- Schlechter, P., Meyer, T., and Morina, N. . “Comparison is the thief of joy? Introducing the Attitudes Towards Social Comparison Inventory.” Assessment 31: 1052–1069. doi: 10.1177/10731911231203968.
- Schlechter, P., and Morina, N. . “The role of aversive appearance-related comparisons and self-discrepancy in depression and well-being from a longitudinal general comparative-processing perspective.” Behavior Therapy 55: 636–648. doi: 10.1016/j.beth.2023.09.003.
- Schlechter, P., and Morina, N. . “The associations among well-being comparisons and affective styles in depression, anxiety, and mental health quality of life.” Journal of Clinical Psychology 80: 355–369. doi: 10.1002/jclp.23607.
- Morina, N., Meyer, T., McCarthy, P., Hoppen, T.H., and Schlechter, P. . “Evaluation of the Scales for Social Comparison of Appearance and Social Comparison of Well-being.” Journal of Personality Assessment 106: 625–637. doi: 10.1080/00223891.2023.2298887.
- Schlechter, P., Hoppen, T.H., and Morina, N. . “Associations among posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, life-satisfaction, and well-being comparisons: A longitudinal investigation.” Journal of Traumatic Stress 37: 448–459. doi: 10.1002/jts.23018.
- Schlechter, P., and Neufeld, S. . “Longitudinal and gender measurement invariance of the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) from adolescence to emerging adulthood.” Assessment 31 (8): 1687–1701. doi: 10.1177/10731911241229573.
- Schlechter, P., Hellmann, J.H., and Morina, N. . “The longitudinal relationship between well-being comparisons and anxiety symptoms in the context of uncontrollability of worries and external locus of control: A two-wave study.” Anxiety, Stress and Coping 37: 602–614. doi: 10.1080/10615806.2024.2306530.
- Schlechter, P.; Rohde, P.; Seeley, J.; Klein, D.; Olino, T.. . “Examining the Influence of Episode Number and Age of Onset on Individual Depressive Symptoms across Episodes of Major Depression.” Journal of Psychiatric Research 175 (7): 405–410. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.05.039.
- Schlechter, P., Bryant, R.A., and Morina, N. . “Do aversive well-being comparisons mediate the effects of childhood adversity on anxiety and depression?” Child Abuse & Neglect 154 106938. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106938.
- Schlechter, P., Hillmann, M., and Neufeld, S. . “Gender, age, and longitudinal measurement invariance of child and adolescent depression scales: A systematic review.” Clinical Psychology Review 113 102481. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2024.102481.
- Churbaji, D., Schlechter, P., Nickerson, A., and Morina, N. . “Emotion regulation profiles in Syrian refugees and migrants in Germany: Self-efficacy, resilience, and well-being comparisons.” BMJ Mental Health 7 e301099. doi: 10.1136/bmjment-2024-301099.
- Schlechter, P., Meyer, T., and Morina, N. . “Social comparison selection in individuals with depression and the role of self-assessment and self-enhancement motives: An experimental investigation.” Journal of Experimental Psychopathology 15 (4): 1–11. doi: 10.1177/20438087241288532.
- Schlechter, P., Lutz, N.M., Morina, N., Grant, J.E., Lochner, C., Chamberlain, S., Wilkinson, P.O., and Fritz, J. . “The Comprehensive Adversity Measure (CAM): A Measure of Early Adversity and its Severity.” Child Abuse & Neglect 158 107117. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.107117.
- Olino, T.M., Schlechter, P., Klein, D.N., Kotov, R., and Seeley, J.R. . “Personality and presentation of depression symptoms: A preliminary examination of the pathoplasticity model.” Clinical Psychological Science x. doi: 10.1177/21677026241283401.
- Schlechter, P., Hellmann, J.H., and N., Morina. . “Assessing somatic symptoms with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-15) in Syrian refugees.” Assessment 30: 1211–1225. doi: 10.1177/10731911221086986.
- Schlechter, P., Wagner, U., Morina, N., and Hellmann, J.H. . “Psychotherapy motivation in refugees: The role of alexithymia, stigmatization, self-esteem, and psychotherapy expectations.” Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy 15 (2): 227–236. doi: 10.1037/tra0001167.
- Morina, N., McCarthy, P., Meyer, T., and Schlechter, P. . “Measuring appearance-related comparisons: Validation of the Comparison Standards Scale for Appearance.” Cognitive Therapy and Research 47: 123–139. doi: 10.1007/s10608-022-10337-6.
- Morina, N., and Schlechter, P. . “Habitual aversive and appetitive well-being comparisons in dysphoria: Introducing the Comparison Standards Scale for well-being.” Journal of Affective Disorders 322: 132–140. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.11.012.
- Schlechter, P., Hoppen, T.H., and Morina, N. . “Counterfactual comparisons and affective styles in the aftermath of traumatic events.” Current Psychology 42: 32147–32156. doi: 10.1007/s12144-022-04193-6.
- P., Schlechter, Hellmann, J.H., and Morina, N. . “Self-efficacy and locus of control as transdiagnostic factors in Middle Eastern refugees.” European Journal of Psychotraumatology 14 2180707. doi: 10.1080/20008066.2023.2180707.
- Schlechter, P., and Morina, N. . “Aversive well-being comparisons in dysphoria and the mediating role of brooding rumination.” British Journal of Clinical Psychology 62: 444–458. doi: 10.1111/bjc.12418.
- Schlechter, P., Katenhusen, S., and Morina, N. . “The relationship of aversive and appetitive appearance-related comparisons with depression, well-Being, and self-esteem: A response surface analysis.” Cognitive Therapy and Research 47 (4): 621–636. doi: 10.1007/s10608-023-10369-6.
- Schlechter, P., König, M., McNally, R.J., and Morina, N. . “Crying over spilled milk? A network analysis of aversive well-being comparison, brooding rumination and depressive symptoms.” Journal of Affective Disorders 339: 520–530. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.07.088.
- Meyer, T., Schlechter, P., Schlichting, L., and Morina, N. . “The struggle is relative: A comparative processing perspective on academic self-concept and student mental health.” Collabra: Psychology 9 (1). doi: 10.1525/collabra.88330.
- Schlechter, P., Ford, T., McManus, S., and Neufeld, S. . “Predictors of time varying and time-invariant components of psychological distress during COVID-19 in the UK Household Longitudinal Study (Understanding Society).” Psychological Assessment 35 (11). doi: 10.1037/pas0001237.
- Odenthal, M., Schlechter, P., Benke, C., and Pané-Farré, C.A. . “Temporal dynamics in mental health symptoms and loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic in a longitudinal probability sample: A network analysis.” Translational Psychiatry 13 (1) 162. doi: 10.1038/s41398-023-02444-z.
- Schlechter, P., Wilkinson, P.O., Ford, T., and Neufeld, S. . “The Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire from adolescence to emerging adulthood: Measurement invariance across time and sex.” Psychological Assessment 35 (5): 405–418. doi: 10.1037/pas0001222.
- Schlechter, P., Ford, T., and Neufeld, S. . “Depressive symptom networks in the UK general adolescent population and in those looked after by local authorities.” Evidence-Based Mental Health 26 e300707. doi: 10.1136/bmjment-2023-300707.
- Schlechter, P., Hellmann, J.H., Kamp, S., Echterhoff, G., Wanninger, K., Wagner, U., and Knausenberger, J. . “Improving attitudes toward psychotherapy in residents and Syrian refugees in Germany: An interview vignette intervention study.” Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology 54 (4): 490–509. doi: 10.1177/00220221231171060.
- Schlechter, P., Ford, T., and Neufeld, S. . “The development of depressive symptoms in older adults from a network perspective in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.” Translational Psychiatry XX: XX–XX. doi: 10.1038/s41398-023-02659-0.
- Schlechter, P., Hellmann, J.H., Kamp, S., Echterhoff, G., Wanninger, K., Wagner, U., and Knausenberger, J. . “Improving Attitudes Toward Psychotherapy in Residents and Syrian Refugees in Germany: An Interview Vignette Intervention Study.” Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology 54 (4): 490–509. doi: 10.1177/00220221231171060.
- Schlechter, P., Hellmann, J.H., McNally, R.J., and Morina, N. . “The longitudinal course of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in war survivors: Insights from cross-lagged panel network analyses.” Journal of Traumatic Stress 2022 (35): 879–890. doi: 10.1002/jts.22795.
- Schlechter, P., Hellmann, J.H., and Morina, N. . “Self-discrepancy, depression, anxiety, and psychological well-being: The role of affective style and self-efficacy.” Cognitive Therapy and Research 46: 1075–1086. doi: 10.1007/s10608-022-10314-z.
- Hoppen, T.H., Schlechter, P., Arntz, A., Rameckers, S.A., Ehring, T., and Morina, N. . “A brief measure of guilt and shame: Validation of the Guilt and Shame Questionnaire (GSQ-8).” European Journal of Psychotraumatology 13 (2). doi: 10.1080/20008066.2022.2146720.
- Wagner, U., Schlechter, P., and Echterhoff, G. . “Socially induced false memories in the absence of misinformation.” Scientific Reports 12. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-11749-w.
- Schlechter, P., Ford, T., and Neufeld, S. . “The eight-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing: Longitudinal and gender invariance, sum score models, and external associations.” Assessment 30 (7): 2146–2161. doi: 10.1177/10731911221138930.
- Schlechter, P., Hellmann, J.H., and Morina, N. . “Unraveling Specifics of Mental Health Symptoms in War Survivors who Fled versus Stayed in the Area of Conflict using Network Analysis.” Journal of Affective Disorders 290: 93–101. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.04.072.
- Hellmann, J.H., Übergünne-Otte, L., Heimlich, S., Kalyegira, J., Echterhoff, G., Memon, A., Knausenberger, J., and Schlechter, P.(2021). . “Ugandan and British individuals' views of refugees in their countries: An exploratory mixed-methods comparison.” Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology 32 (1): 42–46. doi: 10.1002/casp.2556.
- Hellmann, J.H., Schlechter, P., Knausenberger, J., Bollwerk, M., Geukes, K., and Back, M.D. . “Measuring perceived realistic physical threat by migrants: Scale development and validation.” European Journal of Psychological Assessment 38 (4): 332–342. doi: 10.1027/1015-5759/a000668.
- Schlechter, P., Fritz, J., Cassels, M., Neufeld, S.A. S, and Wilkinson, P.O. . “The Youth and Childhood Adversity Scale: A Step towards Developing a New Measure of Adversity and its Severity. European Journal of Psychotraumatology.” European Journal of Psychotraumatology 12 (1). doi: 10.1080/20008198.2021.1981573.
- Schlechter, P., Hellmann, J.H., and Morina, N. . “Unraveling specifics of mental health symptoms in war survivors who fled versus stayed in the area of conflict using network analysis.” Journal of Affective Disorders 290: 93–101. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.04.072.
- Schlechter, P., Hellmann, J.H., Wingbermühle, P., and Morina, N. . “Which psychological characteristics influence therapists’ readiness to work with refugees?” Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy 28 (2): 334–344. doi: 10.1002/cpp.2508.
- Schlechter, P., Rodriguez, I., M., Morina, N., Knausenberger, J., Wilkinson, P., Hellmann, and J., H. . “Psychological distress in refugees: The role of traumatic events, resilience, social support, and support by religious faith.” Psychiatry Research 304: 114–121. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2021.114121.
- Schlechter, P., Kamp, S, Wanninger, K., Knausenberger, J., Wagner, U., P., Wilkinson, Nohr, L., and Hellmann, J.H. . “Help-seeking attitudes and distress disclosure among Syrian refugees in Germany and German residents.” Counseling Psychologist 49 (3): 330–352. doi: 10.1177/2F0011000020974934.
- Schlechter, P., Wilkinson, P.O., Knausenberger, J., Kamp, S., N., Morina, and Hellmann, J.H. . “Depressive and anxiety symptoms in refugees: Insights from classical test theory, item response theory, and network analysis.” Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy 28 (1): 169–181. doi: 10.1002/cpp.2499.