Sophia Schaller

Since June 2021: Research associate and doctoral student at the Department of Empirical Media Research and Political Communication (EMPK), TU Ilmenau

2018-2021: Research assistant at the Department of Communication and Media Science, Section Health Communication, University of Erfurt

2018-2021: Master's degree program in Health Communication (M.A.), University of Erfurt

2015-2018: Bachelor's degree in Communication and Social Sciences (B.A.), University of Erfurt

My research focuses on the field of health communication. In particular, I concentrate on media reception and effects concerning mental health issues. In this context, I am particularly interested in the role of media communication in the (de)stigmatization of mental health problems and the significance of communication for mental health during public health crises. 

Schaller, S., Schumann, C., & Wolling, J. (2025). Public engagement by strategic science communication: an evaluation study on the impact of an interactive science exhibition on the German energy transition. Frontiers in Communication. Sec. Science and Environmental Communication. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2025.1657572

Schaller, S. (2025). Mental Health Risks of Pandemic-Related Media Communication: The Mediating Roles of Distinct Types of Perceived Threat. Risk Analysis.  http://doi.org/10.1111/risa.70079

Schaller, S., Schumann, C., & Arlt, D. (2025). Dynamic Relations Between Negative News Media Experiences and Mental Distress? Examining Transactional Effects during Times of Health Crises. Health Communication.1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2025.2457557

Schaller, S., Arlt, D., & Wolling, J. (2024). Agenda-Setting Effects During Times of Social Disruption: The Influence of Mass Media and Personal Experiences on Societal Concerns. International Journal of Communication, 18, 1537–1560. https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/20884/4523

Schaller, S., Wiedicke, A., Reifegerste, D., & Temmann, L. J. (2023). (De)Stigmatizing Depression on Social Media: The Role of Responsibility Frames. Journal of Health Communication. https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2023.2266702

Linke, F., Schaller, S., Kayser, J., Arlt, D., Schlegel, S., Wolling, J., & Westermann, D. (2023). Studie „GLAS-LINK“: Untersuchungen zur Möglichkeit der Versorgung der Glasproduktionsstandorte in der Region Rennsteig/Oberfranken mittels Gleichstromtechnik. ilmedia. https://doi.org/10.22032/dbt.57782

Arlt, D., Wolling, J., Schaller, S., & Schumann, C. (2023). Die politische Krise der Corona-Pandemie und die Rolle der Medien. Media Perspektiven, (7). https://www.ard-media.de/media-perspektiven/publikationsarchiv/2023/detailseite-2023/die-politische-krise-der-corona-pandemie-und-die-rolle-der-medien

Schaller, S., Wiedicke, A., Reifegerste, D., & Temmann, L. J. (2023). #social support: Der Einfluss von Responsibility Frames in sozialen Medien auf Verantwortungszuschreibungen zum Thema Depression. In J. Vogelgesang, N. Ströbele-Benschop, M. Schäfer, & D. Reifegerste (Hrsg.), Gesundheitskommunikation in Zeiten der COVID-19-Pandemie. Beiträge zur Jahrestagung der Fachgruppe Gesundheitskommunikation 2021, S.1-11. https://doi.org/10.21241/ssoar.85052

Arlt, D., Schaller, S., & Sultanova, N. (2023). Mit der Energiewende gegen den Klimawandel? Eine Typologie auf Grundlage von Wissen und Einstellungen zur Energiewende. In J. Wolling, M. Becker, & C. Schumann (Hrsg.), Klima(wandel)kommunikation: Im Spannungsfeld von Wissenschaft, Medien und öffentlicher Meinung (S. 59-79). https://doi.org/10.22032/dbt.55228

Temmann, L. J., Wiedicke, A., Schaller, S., Scherr, S., & Reifegerste, D. (2022).  A Systematic Review of Responsibility Frames and Their Effects in the Health Context, Journal of Health Communication, 1-11. doi: 10.1080/10810730.2021.2020381

Schaller, S. & Schumann, C. (2025). Does temporary information avoidance reduce mental distress during public health crises? Insights from a three-wave panel survey. Joint annual conference  of DGPuK-Interest Groups Health Communication and Science Communication, September 10-12, Munich, Germany

Schaller, S., Schumann, C., & Wolling, J. (2025). Can gamification foster public engagement with the energy transition? A pretest-posttest evaluation-study on the impact of an interactive science exhibition.Joint annual conference  of DGPuK-Interest Groups Health Communication and Science Communication, September 10-12, Munich, Germany

Schaller, S., Schumann, C., & Wolling, J. (2025). Science commmunication about complex enviornmental issues: Examening the effectiveness of an interactive science exhibition on the German energy transition. Annual Conference of the International Communication Association, June 12-16, Denver, Colorado, United States

Schumann, C., Arlt, D., & Schaller, S. (2025). How news media relates to political dissatisfaction over time. Results from a 4-wave-panel study analyzing reinforcing-processes between different forms of political dissatisfaction and their relation to news media exposure and media trust. Annual Conference of the International Communication Association, June 12-16, Denver, Colorado, United States

Schaller, S., Schumann, C., & Arlt, D. (2024). Mental distress during times of public health crises: The role of media experiences. Annual conference of DGPuK-Interest Group Health Communication, November 20-22, Lucerne, Switzerland

Schaller, S., Schumann, C., & Wolling, J. (2024). Gamification as a tool of science communication about complex energy issues? Results of an intervention study testing the effects of a museum exhibition about the energy transition and an integrated game. European Communicaton Conference (ECREA), September 24-27, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Schaller, S., Arlt, D., & Schumann, C. (2024). Dynamic relations between negative news media experiences and mental health. Hybrid Annual Conference of the International Communication Association,  June 20-24 , Gold Coast, Australia

Wiedicke, A., Schaller, S., & Reifegerste, D. (2024). Entstigmatisierung von Depressionen durch soziale Medien? Verantwortungsattribution, soziale Akzeptanz & die Rolle der Instagram-Nutzung. Annual conference of DGPuK, March 13-15, University of Erfurt, Germany

Schaller, S. (2023). Who experiences mental harm during crisis? Advices for media communication with vulnerable groups. European Conference on Health Communication, November 15-17, University of Klagenfurt, Austria

Schaller, S. (2023). Entstigmatisierung durch Medien?! - Chancen und Herausforderungen medialer Kommunikation über Suchterkrankungen. 44th Fdr Suchtkongress, May 22-23, Weimar, Germany

Schaller, S. (2022). Die Rolle des medialen Erlebens der Corona-Krise für die psychische Gesundheit: Ergebnisse einer Panelbefragung aus dem zweiten Pandemie-Jahr. Annual conference of DGPuK-Interest Group Health Communication, November 16-18,University of Bielefeld, Germany

Wiedicke, A., Reifegerste, D., Schaller, S., Sandrock, J. & Temmann, L. J. (2022). Verbale und visuelle Darstellung von Depressionen durch Gesundheitsinfluencer*innen auf Instagram. Ein mehrmethodischer Ansatz. Jahrestagung der DGPuK-Fachgruppe Methoden, October 5-7, LMU Munich, Germany