Rebekka Meyer-Gehlen is a medical student in the clinical phase of her studies at Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg. Since February 2026, she has been a doctoral candidate in the “Translational Social Neuroscience” research group led by Prof. Dr. Hein at the Center for Mental Health at the University Hospital of Würzburg.

In her doctoral thesis, she is investigating the influence of everyday social support on the well-being and stress experiences of pregnant women. The various forms of social support and their effects are recorded in everyday situations using smartphone-based surveys (Ecological Momentary Assessment, EMA). A follow-up survey after childbirth is intended to enable the tracking of changes over time.

The aim of this study is to investigate which forms of social support in everyday life are most helpful in providing targeted support to affected mothers, and to derive preventive and therapeutic implications from the results. The study also aims to provide insights into the influence of social support on chronic pain and to contribute to the further development of individualized treatment approaches.

Email: rebekka.meyer-gehlen@ stud-mail.uni-wuerzburg.de