Face-to-face more important than digital communication
... for mental health during the pandemic
Recent publication
The different influence of face-to-face contacts, text messages and video calls on mental health was investigated by the Division of Psychological Methodology under the direction of Prof Dr Stefan Stieger. The researchers chose 4 weeks of the Covid 19 pandemic as the observation period, during which the governments of German-speaking countries in Europe (Austria, Germany, and Switzerland) had called for contact minimisation and adherence to distance rules. The survey took place via a mobile phone app. As a control, the effects of exercise and outdoor activity on mental health were also tracked.
Thanks to KL's open access funding, the partly surprising results of the researchers from the Division of Psychological Methodology were freely published in the journal "Scientific Reports".
Stieger S, Lewetz D, Willinger D. Face-to-face more important than digital communication for mental health during the pandemic. Scientific Reports. 2023 May 17;13(1):8022. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-34957-4
Univ.-Prof. PD Mag. Dr. Stefan Stieger
Head of
Division of Psychological Methodology
Dr. David Willinger
Scientific Staff (PostDoc)
Division of Psychological Methodology
