Emma Stephan is a medical student in the clinical phase of her studies at the Julius-Maximilians-University in Würzburg. Since November 2025, she has been a doctoral researcher in the Translational Social Neuroscience research group at the Center for Mental Health.

Her research focuses on the impact of social support delivered via text messages on pain in patients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).

Data are collected using smartphone-based assessments, where participants receive text messages as part of an everyday intervention (Ecological Momentary Intervention, EMI). In addition, physiological parameters such as heart rate are recorded to examine how patients respond to these interventions in real time.

The aim of this research is to better understand the role of social support in pain modulation and to contribute to the development of personalized treatment approaches for patients with CRPS.

E-Mail: Emma Stephan