Jun.-Prof. Dr. phil. Samuel Tomczyk

Junior-Professor for Digital Health and Prevention

Fields of Research

  • Implementation and Evaluation of digital Technologies in Prevention
  • Multiple health and risk behaviors and determinants of behavior change
  • Positive Psychology in child- and adulthood

    Recent Projects

    • COVA – On the trail of COVID-19:
      Tracing apps from the population's point of view.
    • WAVE – Warnings in Virtual Environments.
    • Stigma II – How can the uptake of help for mental disorders be improved?
      Sponsored by DFG (269563855). Project Term: 2015 - 2023
    • SOSMAP - Systematic analysis of communication in social media for the preparation of psychosocial situational pictures in crises and catastrophes.
      Sponsored by BBK. Project Term: 08/2022-07/2025
    • StiPEx - Stigmatization in context of the covid-pandemic.
      Sponsored by BMBF (01UP2202). Project Term 08/2022 - 07/2025

    Department Health & Prevention
    Robert-Blum-Str. 13
    DE-17489 Greifswald
    Room 119

    consultation hours by appointment

    Phone.: +49 3834 420 3806
    samuel.tomczykuni-greifswaldde

    ORCID    Google Scholar  

     

    Completed Projects
    • SAWaB – Socio-scientific consideration of various aspects of warning the population. Sponsored by BBK (BBK III.1-413-20-10/414). Project Term: 02/2018 - 04/2020

    • RadigZ – Radicalization in the digital age - risks, processes and strategies of prevention. Sponsored by BMBF
      (FKZ: 13N14282). Project Term: 02/2017-08/2020.

    • E-HEAR: Evaluation study on the digital primary prevention of risky hearing behavior and hearing impairment. Sponsored by Mimi Hearing Technologies and BARMER GEK.

    • Alcohol and drugs as risk factors for successfully completing training. Sponsored by BMG (FKZ:  ZMVI1-2517DSM207). Project Term: 04/2017 - 12/2018.

    • VRprotect – Fire and flame - virtual reality in civil protection. Sponsored by the University of Greifswald as part of start-up funding. (F170 4000). Project Term: 10/2018 - 06/2019.

    • Prevention radar - child and youth health in schools. Sponsored by DAK-Gesundheit. Project Term: since 2016. Project Managment: Prof. Dr. Reiner Hanewinkel

    • Staying clear - celebrating without alcohol intoxication. Sponsored by BZgA on behalf of BMG. Project Term: since 2015. Project Managment: Prof. Dr. Reiner Hanewinkel

       

    Vita
    Professional background
    since 05/20 Junior Professor for Digital Health and Prevention
    Institute of Psychology, University of Greifswald
    08/17 - 04/20 Research Associate (Postdoc), Chair
    Health and Prevention, Institute for Psychology
    University of Greifswald
    02/15 – 07/17 Research Associate (PhD student), Institute
    for Therapy and Health Research (IFT-Nord), Kiel
    and Chair of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy,
    Institute for Psychology, Christian-Albrechts-University in Kiel
    academic education
    02/15–02/17 Promotion to Dr. phil. in Psychology
    Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel

    Topic of the dissertation: Multiple substance use among adolescents and young adults - consumption patterns, progression and influencing factors

    Supervision: Prof. Dr. Anya Pedersen
    10/12–01/15 Master of Science in Psychology (cognitive psychology, learning and working)
    Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg

    Topic of the master's thesis: Interprofessional teamwork in medical rehabilitation and the influence on patient satisfaction

    Supervision: Prof. Dr. Mirjam Körner
    10/09–08/12 Bachelor of Science in Psychology
    Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg

    Topic of the bachelor thesis: Recording of thermal energy in organizations - using the example of project teams

    Supervision: Prof. Dr. Anja Goeritz
    Publications
    Articles in peer-reviewed journals
    In press
    • Melero, S., Morales, A., Tomczyk, S., Orgilés, M., & Espada, J. P. (in press). Who benefits most from an evidence-based program to reduce anxiety and depression in children? Development and Psychopathology.
    • Peter, L.-J., Schindler, S., Sander, C., Schmidt, S., Muehlan, H., McLaren, T., Tomczyk, S., Speerforck, S., & Schomerus, G. (in press). Continuum Beliefs and Mental Illness Stigma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Correlation and Intervention Studies. Psychological Medicine.
    • Rahn, M.*, Tomczyk, S., Schopp, N., & Schmidt, S. (in press). Warning Messages in Crisis Communication: Risk Appraisal and Warning Compliance in Severe Weather, Violent Acts, and the COVID-19 Pandemic. Frontiers in Psychology. [*shared first authorship]
    2023

    Muehlmann, M., Tomczyk, S. Mobile Apps for Sexual and Reproductive Health Education: a Systematic Review and Quality Assessment. Curr Sex Health Rep (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11930-023-00359-w

     

    2022
    • Schroeder, C. P., Bruns, J., Lehmann, L., Goede, L.-R., Bliesener, T., & Tomczyk, S. (2022). Radicalisation in Adolescence – The Identification of Vulnerable Groups. In: European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research. https://doi.org/10.21428/cb6ab371.888b499a
    2021
    • McLaren, Thomas; Peter, Lina-Jolien; Tomczyk, Samuel; Muehlan, Holger; Stolzenburg, Susanne; Schomerus, Georg; Schmidt, Silke (2021): How can the utilisation of help for mental disorders be improved? A quasi-experimental online study on the changeability of stigmatising attitudes and intermediate variables in the process of utilisation. In: BMC Public Health, Nov 19; 21 (1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-12125-5

    • Greffin, Klara; Muehlan, Holger; Tomczyk, Samuel; Suemnig, Ariane; Schmidt, Silke; Greinacher, Andreas (2021): In the Mood for a Blood Donation? Pilot Study about Momentary Mood, Satisfaction, and Return Behavior in Deferred First-Time Donors. In: Transfus Med Hemother 48 (4), S. 220-227. https://doi.org/10.1159/000514016

    • Tomczyk, S*., Rahn, M.*, Markwart, H. & Schmidt, S. (2021). A Walk in the Park? Examining the Impact of App-Based Weather Warnings on Affective Reactions and the Search for Information in a Virtual City. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(16). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18168353 [*shared first authorship]

    • Rahn, M.*, Tomczyk, S.*, Schopp, N., & Schmidt, S. (2021). Warning Messages in Crisis Communication: Risk Appraisal and Warning Compliance in Severe Weather, Violent Acts, and the COVID-19 Pandemic. Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.557178 [*shared first authorship]

    • Morales, A., Tomczyk, S., Orgilés, M., & Espada, J. P. (2021). “Who Are at Higher Sexual Risk?” Latent Class Analysis of Behavioral Intentions among Spanish Adolescents. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(4), 1855. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041855

    • Greffin, K., Muehlan, H., Tomczyk, S., Sümnig, A., Schmidt, S., & Greinacher, A. (2021). In the mood for a blood donation? Pilot study about momentary mood, satisfaction, and return behavior in deferred first-time donors. Transfusion Medicine and Hemotherapy https://doi.org/10.1159/000514016

    • Tomczyk, S., Altweck, L., & Schmidt, S. (2021). How is the way we spend our time related to psychological wellbeing? A cross-sectional analysis of time-use patterns in the general population and its associations with wellbeing and life satisfaction. BMC Public Health, 21:1858. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-11712-w [Link zum Paper:https://rdcu.be/czw6J]

    2020
    • Morales, A., Melero, S., Tomczyk, S., Espada, J. P., & Orgilés, M. (2020). Subtyping of Strengths and Difficulties in a Spanish Children Sample: A Latent Class Analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders, 280, 272-278. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.11.047.

    • Morales, A., Rodríguez-Menchón, M., Tomczyk, S., Fernández-Martínez, I., Orgilés, M., & Espada, J. P. (2020). Internalizing and externalizing symptoms in Spanish children aged 6-8: Results of a latent profile analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders, 279, 617–623. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.10.066

    • Rahn, M., Tomczyk, S., & Schmidt, S. (2020). Storms, Fires, and Bombs: Analyzing the Impact of Warning Message and Receiver Characteristics on Risk Perception in Different Hazards. Risk Analysis. doi: 10.1111/risa.13636

    • Guertler, D., Moehring, A., Krause, K., Tomczyk, S., Freyer-Adam, J., Baumann, S., Bischof, G., Rumpf, H.-J., Batra, A., Wurm, S., John, U. & Meyer, C. (2020). Latent alcohol use patterns and their link to depressive symptomatology in medical care patients. Addiction. doi: 10.1111/add.15261.

    • Hahm, S., Schomerus, G., Muehlan, H., Tomczyk, S., Schmidt, S., & Stolzenburg, S. (2020). How stigma interferes with symptom awareness: Discrepancy between objective and subjective measures of cognitive performance in currently untreated persons with mental health problems. Stigma and Health,5(2), 146–157. doi: 10.1037/sah0000184

    • Tomczyk, S., Schomerus, G., Stolzenburg, S., Muehlan, H., & Schmidt, S. (2020). Ready, Willing and Able? An Investigation of the Theory of Planned Behaviour in Help-Seeking for a Community Sample with Current Untreated Depressive Symptoms. Prevention Science 21(6), 749–760. doi: 10.1007/s11121-020-01099-2

    • Tomczyk, S., Rahn, M., & Schmidt, S. (2020). Social distancing and stigma: Association between compliance with behavioral recommendations, risk perception, and stigmatizing attitudes during the COVID-19 outbreak.Frontiers in Psychology. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01821

    2019
    • Bischoff, M., Howland, V., Klinger-König, J., Tomczyk, S., Schmidt, S., Zygmunt, M., Heckmann, M., van den Berg, N., Bethke, B., Corleis, J., Günther, S., Liutkus, K., Stentzel, U., Neumann, A., Penndorf, P., Ludwig, T., Hammer, E., Winter, T., & Grabe, H. J. (2019). Save the Children by Treating Their Mothers (PriVileG-M-Study) -- Study Protocol: A Sequentially Randomized Controlled Trial of Individualized Psychotherapy and Telemedicine to Reduce Mental Stress in Pregnant Women and Young Mothers and to Improve Child's Health. BMC Psychiatry, 19(1), 371. doi: 10.1186/s12888-019-2279-0

    • Horsfield, P., Stolzenburg, S., Hahm, S., Tomczyk, S., Muehlan, H., Schmidt, S., & Schomerus, G. (2019). Self-labeling as having a mental or physical illness: the effects of stigma and implications for help-seeking. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 1-10. doi: 10.1007/s00127-019-01787-7

    • Schomerus, G., Auer, C., Muehlan, H., Horsfield, P., Tomczyk, S., Evans-Lacko, S., Schmidt, S., Freitag, S., & Stolzenburg, S. (2019). Validity and psychometric properties of the Self-Identification as Having a Mental Illness Scale (SELF-I) among currently untreated persons with mental health problems. Psychiatry Research, 273, 303-308. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2019.01.054

    • Tomczyk, S., Schmidt, S., Muehlan, H., Stolzenburg, S., & Schomerus, G. (2019). A Prospective Study on Structural and Attitudinal Barriers to Professional Help-Seeking. The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research, 47(1), 54-69. doi: 10.1007/s11414-019-09662-8

    2018
    • Becker, S., Konrad, A., Zimmermann, L., Müller, C., Tomczyk, S., Reichler, L., & Körner, M. (2018). Einfluss von Teamarbeit auf Wohlbefinden und emotionale Erschöpfung von Mitarbeitern in der medizinischen Rehabilitation [Influence of Teamwork on Wellbeing And Emotional Exhaustion of Staff in German Rehabilitation Clinics]. Gesundheitswesen, 80(3), 270-277. doi: 10.1055/s-0042-108581

    • Tomczyk, S., Muehlan, H., Freitag, S., Stolzenburg, S., Schomerus, G., & Schmidt, S. (2018). Is knowledge “half the battle”? The role of depression literacy in help-seeking among a nonclinical sample of adults with currently untreated mental health problems. Journal of Affective Disorders, 238, 289-296. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.05.059

    • Tomczyk, S., Schomerus, G., Stolzenburg, S., Muehlan, H., & Schmidt, S. (2018). Who is seeking whom? A person-centred approach to help-seeking in adults with currently untreated mental health problems via latent class analysis. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 53(8), 773–783. doi: 10.1007/s00127-018-1537-7

    2017
    • Hanewinkel, R., Tomczyk, S., Goecke, M., & Isensee, B. (2017). Preventing binge drinking in adolescents – results from school-based, cluster-randomised study. Dtsch Arztebl Int, 114(16), 280-7. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2017.0280

    • Pedersen, A., Göder, R., Tomczyk, S., & Ohrmann, P. (2017). Risky decision-making under risk in schizophrenia: A deliberate choice?. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 56, 57-64. doi: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2016.08.004

    2016
    • Tomczyk, S., Isensee, B., & Hanewinkel, R. (2016). Latent classes of polysubstance use among adolescents – a systematic review. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 160, 12-29. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.11.035
    2015
    • Tomczyk, S., Hanewinkel, R. & Isensee, B. (2015). 'Klar bleiben': a school-based alcohol prevention programme for German adolescents-study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open, 5(11), e010141. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-010141

    • Tomczyk, S., Hanewinkel, R. & Isensee, B. (2015). Multiple substance use patterns in adolescents – A multilevel latent class analysis. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 155, 208-214. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.07.016

    • Tomczyk, S., Isensee, B. & Hanewinkel, R. (2015). Moderation, mediation — or even both? School climate and the association between peer and adolescent alcohol use. Addictive Behaviors, 51, 120-126. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2015.07.026

    • Tomczyk, S., Pedersen, A., Hanewinkel, R., Isensee, B. & Morgenstern, M. (2015). Polysubstance use patterns and trajectories in vocational students – a latent transition analysis. Addictive Behaviors, 58, 136-141. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2016.02.027

    book contributions
    2020
    • Tomczyk, S., Pielmann, D., & Schmidt, S. (2020). Stand up and fight – wann führt ein Bild zur Tat? Sozialwissenschaftliche Untersuchung des Zusammenhangs persönlicher Einstellungen mit der Bewertung jihadistischer und rechtsextremer Memes. [Stand up and fight – when does a picture lead to action? A social scientist inspection of the association between personal attitudes and ratings of jihadist and right-wing memes] In: C. Grafl, M. Stempkowski, K. Beclin, & I. Haider (Hrsg.). „Sag, wie hast du’s mit der Kriminologie?“ Die Kriminologie im Gespräch mit ihren Nachbardisziplinen. (S. 479-502). Mönchengladbach: Forum Verlag Godesberg GmbH. doi:10.25365/phaidra.212
    • Beelmann, A., & Lehmann, L. (2020)*:  Radikalisierung im digitalen Zeitalter. Handlungsempfehlungen an Politik, Praxis und Gesellschaft. Kurzfassung. Hannover: Kriminologisches Forschungsinstitut Niedersachsen e.V.

    * Co-Authors: (alphabetic): Bliesener, T., Bögelein, N., Goede, L.-R., Görgen, T., Harrendorf,S., Hercher, J., Höffler, K., Jahnke, S., Kietzmann, D., Mathiesen, A.,  Meier,  B.-D.,  Meier,  J.,  Meyer,  M.,  Mischler,  A.,  Möller,  V.,  Müller,  P., Neubacher, F., Schmidt, S., Schröder, C. P., Struck, J., Tomczyk, S., Wagner, D.

    2019
    • Tomczyk, S., Savelsberg, S., Markwart, H., & Schmidt, S. (2019). Immersion is key: Fostering Injury Prevention Through Virtual Reality Applications – a Randomized Controlled Trial of Warning Compliance in a Virtual Thunderstorm. 10th European Society for Prevention Research (EUSPR) Conference and Members’ Meeting, 16.-18.2019, Gent.
    • Tomczyk, S., Rahn, M., & Schmidt, S. (2019). Virtual Environments in Emergency and Disaster Training: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Poster auf der 10th European Society for Prevention Research (EUSPR) Conference and Members’ Meeting, 16.-18.2019, Gent.
    • Tomczyks, S., Pielmann, D., & Schmidt, S. (2019). White Girls in White Dresses Picking White Flowers. Investigation of the Impact of Right-Wing Extremist Internet Memes on Vulnerable Individuals. 19th Annual Conference of the European Society of Criminology (EUROCRIM), 18.-21.09.2019, Gent.
    • Tomczyk, S., Lehker, H., Lemanski, S., Vitera, J., Pielmann, D., Brasch, M., Markwart, H., Hahm, S., & Schmidt, S. (2019). With Every Heartbeat: Examining the Association Between Heart Rate and Sense of Presence in a Virtual Thunderstorm. 14. Kongress der Fachgruppe Gesundheitspsychologie, 25.-27.09.2019, Greifswald
    • Tomczyk, S., Pielmann, D. & Schmidt, S. (2019). Stand up and fight – wann führt ein Bild zur Tat? Sozialwissenschaftliche Untersuchung des Zusammenhangs persönlicher Einstellungen mit der Bewertung jihadistischer und rechtsextremer Memes. 16. Tagung der Kriminologischen Gesellschaft, 05.-07.09., Wien.

     

    2018
    • Körner, M., Becker, S., & Tomczyk, S. (2018). Interprofessional Teamwork and Well-Being of Staff Members and Their Impact on Patient Satisfaction and Treatment Success in Medical Rehabilitation. In: M. Körner, L. Ansmann, B. Schwarz, & C. Kowalski (Eds.). Organizational Behaviour in Healthcare: Theoretical Approaches, Methods and Empirical Results (pp.185-208). Zürich: Lit.
    conference papers
    2020
    • Tomczyk, S. (2020). Predicting tracing app use as a public health measure during COVID-19. 11th EUSPR Conference and Members‘ Meeting, October 7th – 9th 2020, online event
    • Tomczyk, S. (2020). App-solutely positive: Utilization of Corona tracing apps, and associations with health concerns, perceived stress, and self-rated health status during the COVID-19 pandemic. 18th Annual Conference of the International Society for Quality-of- Life Studies(ISQOLS), 25.-28.08.2020, Rotterdam.
    • Tomczyk, S., Pielmann, D., & Schmidt, S. (2020). From empowerment to violence: examination of the impact of extremist internet memes on vulnerable individuals. 39th meeting of the International Society for Political Psychology, 14.-16.07.2020, Berlin.
    2018
    • Tomczyk, S., Schomerus, G., Stolzenburg, S., Muehlan, H., & Schmidt, S. (2018). Jenseits von Psychotherapie – Analyse der Inanspruchnahme von Hilfe bei psychischen Problemen mittels latenter Klassenanalyse. Gemeinsamer Kongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Medizinische Psychologe e. V. & der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Medizinische Soziologie e. V., 26.09.-28.09.2018, Leipzig.
    • Bischoff, M., Muehlan, H., Schmidt, S., & Tomczyk, S. (2018). A validation study of a German short-form of the Child Humor Orientation Scale. 32nd Conference of the European Health Psychology Society (EHPS), 21.-25.08.2018, Galway.
    • Tomczyk, S., Schomerus, G., Stolzenburg, S., Muehlan, H., & Schmidt, S. (2018). Die Theorie des geplanten Verhaltens und Inanspruchnahme von Hilfe bei psychischen Problemen – eine longitudinale Studie. 51. Kongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Psychologie (DGPs), 15.-20.09.2018, Frankfurt/Main.
    • Tomczyk, S., Muehlan, H., Freitag, S., Stolzenburg, S., Schomerus, G., & Schmidt, S. (2018). Ist Wissen schon „die halbe Miete“? Zur Bedeutung von Mental Health Literacy für die Inanspruchnahme von Hilfe. 17. Deutscher Kongress für Versorgungsforschung, 10.-12.10.2018, Berlin.
    2016
    • Tomczyk, S., Morgenstern, M., & Hanewinkel, R. (2016). Problematischer Substanzkonsum in der Ausbildung – eine Längsschnittuntersuchung von 4.109 Auszubildenden über 18 Monate. Posterpräsentation auf dem 17. Interdisziplinären Kongress für Suchtmedizin, 30.06.-01.07.2016, München.
    • Tomczyk, S., Wiehl, M., Isensee, B., Pedersen, A., & Hanewinkel, R. (2016). Untersuchung des Zusammenhangs von Trinkmotiven und Rauschtrinken bei Jugendlichen der 10. Klassenstufe. Deutscher Suchtkongress 2016, 05.-07.09.2016, Berlin
    2015
    • Tomczyk, S., Isensee, B., & Hanewinkel, R. (2015). Risikofaktoren des Substanzkonsums im frühen Jugendalter. Deutscher Suchtkongress 2015, 16.09.-18.09.2015, Hamburg. doi: 10.1055/s-0035-1557668.
    • Tomczyk, S., Hanewinkel, R., & Isensee, B. (2015). Vermittelt das Klassenklima den Peer-Einfluss auf jugendlichen Substanzkonsum? Deutscher Suchtkongress 2015, 16.09.-18.09.2015, Hamburg. doi: 10.1055/s-0035-1557531.
    Expert Activities

    Addiction, Addictive Behaviors, BMC Psychiatry, BMC Women’s Health, Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, Drug and Alcohol Dependence, European Journal of Health Psychology, European Journal of Psychotraumatology, International Journal of Health Policy and Management, Journal of Adolescence, Journal of Adolescent Health, Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, Journal of Medical Internet Research, Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, Preventive Medicine, Psychological Medicine, Psychiatry Research

     

    Memberships
    • European Society for Prevention Research (Elected Board Member)
    • International Society for Political Psychology
    • European Health Psychology Society
    Grant
    • 10/2019            EUSPR Early Career Bursary for the EUSPR Conference 2019, Ghent, Belgium
    • 10/2018            Early Career Award for Outstanding Promise based on an oral presentation, EUSPR Conference 2018,
                                 Lisbon, Portugal
    • 10/2018            DAAD-Congress stipend for the EUSPR Conference 2018 and the EMCDDA Summer School,
                                 Lisbon, Portugal
    • 10/2018            EUSPR Early Career Bursary for the EUSPR Conference 2018, Lisbon, Portugal
    • 10/2017            EUSPR Early Career Bursary for the EUSPR Conference 2017, Vienna, Austria
    • 06/2016            Congress stipend for the EU-SPAN-Conference 2016, Brussels, Belgium