Scientific Articles
Scientific Articles
* student co-author ** equally contributing second author *** shared last authorship
Embedded Files
2026
Heinen-Stach, D., Zuch, N., Herbold, E., Birtel, M. D.***, & Tschorn, M. (in press). The effectiveness of nature-based interventions on mental health: A systematic review. Applied Psychology: Health and Wellbeing.
Schnepf, J., & Birtel, M. D.** (in press). Integrating qualitative methods in health intervention research: A literature-based guide for effective intervention planning, implementation and evaluation. The European Health Psychologist. Special Issue: Intervention Development for Health Psychology Scholars. °
Vikamsey, D., Amer, A., Birtel, M. D., & Robinson, O. C. (2026). Ostracism and wellbeing in the narratives of the transition from university to work among UK graduates. Journal of Adult Development.
Gültzow, T., Yilmaz, N. G., Benvenuti, M., Birtel, M. D., Dolinšek, Š., Green, J., Gugushvili, N., Mo, J., Oldeman, M. G., Qin, K., Ramsey, K. A., Scholz, C., & Smit, E. S. (in press). Health psychology in the age of social media: Pointers for future research. The European Health Psychologist.
2025
Birtel, M. D., & Tausch, N. (2025). Brexit and wellbeing: Strained intergroup relations and positive intergroup contact predict wellbeing of Remainers and Leavers post Brexit. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 56(2), 131-144. °
Wallace, D., Newton, P., McCrone, P., & Birtel, M. D. (2025). A narrative review into gendered ethnic mental health inequalities before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Educational and Child Psychology, 42(2), 38-101.
Zhang, J., Ma, F., Birtel, M. D., Pan, X., & Farmer, H. (2025). Squeeze the pain away: Using a wireless ball to measure efforts to reduce other’s pain expressions in VR. CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 493, 1-10. °
Yin, J., Liu, S., Lee, S. W., Kitsios, A., Gillies, M., Birtel, M. D., Farmer, H., & Pan, X. (2025). Immersive intergroup contact: Using virtual reality to enhance empathy and reduce stigma towards schizophrenia. IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, 31(11), 9656-9666.
2024
Birtel, M.D., Di Bernardo, Hobson H., G. A., Collins-Quirk, A.*, & Vezzali, L. (2024). Avoiding affect in intergroup relations: The roles of trait and intergroup empathy in the relationship between alexithymia and prejudice. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 54(2), 83-98.
Birtel, M. D., Di Bernardo, G. A., Vezzali, L., Turner, R. N., Crisp, R. J., & Martin, R. (2024). Dispositional empathy and personality as predictors of contact quality: The mediating roles of contact self-efficacy and effort towards contact. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 102, 101986.
Tausch, N., Birtel, M. D., Górska, P., Bode, S., Rocha, C. (2024). A post-Brexit intergroup contact intervention reduces affective polarization between Leavers and Remainers short-term. Communications Psychology, 2, 95.
2023
Azevedo, F., Pavlović, T., Rêgo, G. G., d., Ay, F. C., Gjoneska, B., Etienne, T. W., Ross, R. M., Schönegger, P., Riaño, J., Cichocka, A., Capraro, V., Cian, L., Longoni, C., Chan, H. F., Van Bavel, J. J., Sjåstad, H., Nezlek, H., Alfano, M., Gelfand, M. J., Birtel, M. D. et al. (2023). Social and moral psychology of COVID-19 across 69 countries. Scientific Data, 10(1), 272.
Birtel, M. D. & Mitchell, B. L.* (2023). Cross-cultural differences in depression between White British and South Asians: Causal attributions, stigma by association, discriminatory potential. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 96(1), 101-116.
Zingora, T., Birtel, M. D., Graf, S., Hrebickova, M., Lacko, D., Rupar, M., Tocik, J., & Voca, S. (2023). Change in anti-COVID-19 behavior and prejudice against minorities during the COVID-19 pandemic: Longitudinal evidence from five European countries. European Journal of Social Psychology, 53(4), 645-663.
Drury, L., Birtel, M. D., Randsley de Moura, G., & Crisp, R. J. (2023). Remembrance of contact past: When intergroup contact meta-cognitions decrease outgroup tolerance. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 26(3), 652-668.
2022
Van Bavel, J. J., Cichocka, A., Capraro, V., Sjåstad, H., Nezlek, J. B., Pavlović, T., Alfano, M. Gelfand, M. J., Azevedo, F., Birtel, M. D. et al. (2022). National identity predicts public health support intentions during a global pandemic. Nature Communications, 13(1), 517.
Pavlović, T., Azevedo, F., De, K., Riaño-Moreno, J. C., Maglić, M., Gkinopoulos, T., Donnelly-Kehoe P. A., Payán-Gómez, C., Huang, G., Kantorowicz, J., Birtel, M. D. et al. (2022). Predicting attitudinal and behavioral responses to COVID-19 pandemic using machine learning. PNAS Nexus, 1(3), pgac093.
Birtel, M. D. & Oldfield, G.* (2022). Affective, cognitive, and behavioral mental illness stigma in healthcare: A comparison between general ward nurses and the general population. Stigma and Health, 7(4), 380-388.
Russell, P. S., Smith, D. M., Birtel, M. D., Hart, K. H., & Golding, S. E. (2022). The role of emotions and injunctive norms in breastfeeding: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Health Psychology Review, 16(2), 257-279.
Di Bernardo, G. A., Vezzali, L., Birtel, M. D., Stathi, S., Ferrari, B., Giovannini, D., & Pettigrew, T. (2022). The role of optimal conditions and contact in promoting positive intergroup relations both in and out the workplace: A study with ethnic majority and minority workers. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 25(6), 1516–1533.
2021
Birtel, M. D., Di Bernardo, G. A., & Vezzali, L. (2021). Fading affect bias in intergroup relations: The role of intergroup contact in fading outgroup affect. Social Psychology, 52(4), 203-214.
Cadamuro, A., Birtel, M. D., Di Bernardo, G. A., Crapolicchio, E., Vezzali, L., & Drury, J. (2021). Resilience in children in the aftermath of disasters: A systematic review and a new perspective on individual, interpersonal, group, and intergroup level factors. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 31(3), 259-275.
Russell, P. S., Birtel, M. D., Hart, K., Smith, D., & Newman, R. (2021). Infant feeding and internalized stigma: The role of experienced emotions. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 51(9), 906-919.
2020
Ahmed, S.*, Birtel, M. D.**, Pyle, M., & Morrison, A. P. (2020). Stigma towards psychosis: Cross-cultural differences in prejudice, stereotypes and discrimination in White British and South Asians. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 30(2), 199-213.
Birtel, M. D., Reimer, N. K., Wölfer R., & Hewstone, M. (2020). Change in ethnic diversity and intergroup relations: The transition from segregated to mixed school for majority and minority students. European Journal of Social Psychology, 50(1), 160-176.
Vezzali, L., Birtel, M. D., Di Bernardo, G. A., Stathi, S., Crisp, R. J., Cadamuro, A., & Visintin, E. P. (2020). Don’t hurt my outgroup friend: A multifaceted form of imagined contact promotes intentions to counteract bullying. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 23(5), 643-663.
Vezzali, L., Di Bernardo, G. A., Birtel, M. D., Stathi, S., & Brambilla, M. (2020). Outgroup morality perceptions mediate secondary transfer effects from direct and extended contact: Evidence from majority and minority members. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 23(7), 1066–1084.
2019
Mirza, A.*, Birtel, M. D.**, Pyle, M., & Morrison, A. P. (2019). Cultural differences in psychosis: The role of causal beliefs and stigma in White British and South Asians. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 50(3), 441-459.
Birtel, M. D., Di Bernardo, G. A., Stathi, S., Crisp, R. J., Cadamuro, A., & Vezzali, L. (2019). Imagined contact reduces prejudice in pre-school children. Social Development, 28(4), 1054-1073.
2018
Birtel, M. D., Vezzali, L., & Stathi, S. (2018). Extended contact and affective factors: A review and suggestions for future research. Testing, Psychometrics, Methodology in Applied Psychology, 25(2), 213-238.
Huggett, C., Birtel, M. D., Awenat, Y. F., Fleming, P., Wilkes, S., Williams, S., & Haddock, G. (2018). A qualitative study: experiences of stigma by people with mental health problems. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 91(3), 380-397.
Ali, S.*, Ogden, J., & Birtel, M. D. (2018). Building a dual identity as an immigrant in the UK: Eritreans’ search for freedom and a sense of balance. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 41(14), 2504-2521.
2017
Birtel, M. D., Wood, L., & Kempa, N. J.* (2017). Stigma and social support in substance abuse: Implications for mental health and well-being. Psychiatry Research, 252, 1-8.
Visintin, E. P., Birtel, M. D., & Crisp, R. J. (2017). The role of multicultural and colorblind ideologies and typicality in imagined contact interventions. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 59, 1-8.
2015
Birtel, M. D., & Crisp, R. J. (2015). Psychotherapy and social change: Utilizing principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy to help develop new prejudice-reduction interventions. Frontiers in Psychology, 6:1771.
2014
Crisp, R. J., & Birtel, M. D. (2014). Reducing prejudice through mental imagery: Notes on replication, interpretation and generalization. Psychological Science, 25(3), 840-841.
Wood, L., Birtel, M., Alsawy, S., Pyle, M., & Morrison, A. (2014). Public perceptions of stigma towards people with schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety. Psychiatry Research, 220(1-2), 604-608.
Parks, S.*, Birtel, M. D., & Crisp, R. J. (2014). Evidence that a brief meditation exercise can reduce prejudice toward homeless people. Social Psychology, 45(6), 458-465.
2012
Birtel, M. D., & Crisp, R. J. (2012). "Treating" prejudice: An exposure therapy approach to reducing negative reactions to stigmatized groups. Psychological Science, 23(11), 1379-1386.
Birtel, M. D., & Crisp, R. J. (2012). Imagining intergroup contact is more cognitively difficult for people higher in intergroup anxiety but this does not detract from its effectiveness. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 15(6), 744-761.
2011
Crisp, R. J., Birtel, M. D., & Meleady, R. (2011). Mental simulations of social thought and action: Trivial tasks or tools for transforming social policy? Current Directions in Psychological Science, 20(4), 261-264.
In Peer Review
Birtel, M. D., Volpi, L., Mirza, A., & König, L. (revise & resubmit). Cross-cultural differences in menstrual health, literacy, and stigma between White British and South Asian women.
Birtel, M. D., Wolgast, A., Metzen, D., Jansen, P., Bechtoldt, M. N., Blanke, E. S., Eckstein, K., Genschow, O., Heinzel, S., Leonhart, R., Reese, G., & Warner, L. M. (revise & resubmit). The CLIMACT model: A multilevel psychological model for bridging climate knowledge and action.
Heinzel, S., Asbrand, J., Metzen, D., Vogel, S., Bechtold, M., Tschorn, M., Kip, A., Birtel, M. D., et al. (under review). All hands on deck – Towards an interdisciplinary research agenda for mental and planetary health.
Birtel, M.D., & Luminet, O. (under review). No words for intergroup feelings: Intergroup empathy mediates the relationship between alexithymia and intergroup relations.
Zezelj, I., Petrović, M., Lazić, A., Purić, D., Knezevic, G., Lazarevic, L. B., … Birtel, M.D., et al. (under review). Common drivers of questionable health behaviours identified across 33 countries and five continents.
Graf, S., Lacko, D., Zingora, T., Birtel, M. D., Hrebickova, M., Prati, F., Rupar, M., & Voca, S. (under review). Intergroup contact shapes majority’s attitudes toward immigrants but not preferences about immigrants’ acculturation: Evidence from longitudinal and experimental studies.
In Preparation
Birtel, M. D., Wollast, R., & Luminet, O. (in preparation). Trajectories of loneliness in minority and majority groups during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wollast, R., Birtel, M. D., Klein, O. & Luminet, O. (in preparation). The role of emotion regulation processes in buffering loneliness among minority and majority groups.
Zhang, J., Farmer, H., & Birtel, M. D., & Pan, X. (in preparation). Perception of virtual characters’ pain.
Kip, A., Tschorn, M., Vogel, S., Voigt, A., Birtel, M. D., Rooß, S., Hendricks, C., & Asbrand, J. (in preparation). What is there to gain? A systematic review on psychosocial co-benefits of climate policy.
Theses
Theses
Birtel, M. D. (2011). Reducing prejudice through cognitive intervention: Mechanisms of imagined and recalled intergroup contact. (Unpublished doctoral thesis). University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom.
Birtel, M. D. (2007). Genderunterschiede bei kognitiver Dissonanz [Gender differences in cognitive dissonance]. (Unpublished diploma thesis). Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
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