Niklas Ortelbach

Dr. Niklas Ortelbach is a Research Associate at the Department of Developmental Science and Applied Developmental Psychology within the Department of Education and Psychology at Free University of Berlin. He has been working at FU Berlin since January 2020, focusing on social-emotional development in early childhood education and care settings.

Dr. Ortelbach completed his PhD (Dr. phil., summa cum laude) at Free University of Berlin in March 2023. His dissertation focused on "Toddlers' social-emotional development and attachment in early childhood education and care." He was supervised by Prof. Dr. Herbert Scheithauer (primary) and Prof. Dr. Lieselotte Ahnert (secondary). Prior to his doctorate, he earned a Diploma in Psychology (very good) from Humboldt University Berlin in August 2016.

His research primarily centers on social-emotional development in the first years of life, with a focus on how to promote these competencies in kindergarten and school settings. He is particularly interested in developing and evaluating prevention programs for early childhood, such as the Papilio-U3 program which targets children under three years old. His work bridges developmental psychology with practical applications in educational settings.

Dr. Ortelbach's publication record demonstrates a strong focus on early childhood social-emotional development, prevention programs, and mental health. His recent work includes evaluations of the Papilio-U3 program, studies on social-emotional competencies in elementary school, and research on family risk factors and childcare settings. He frequently collaborates with Prof. Herbert Scheithauer and other researchers in the field.

Dr. Ortelbach is a member of the German Psychological Society (DGPs) and has presented his research at various conferences including the German Psychological Society congresses.

He teaches courses on developmental psychology, with a focus on social-emotional development in the first years of life and attachment theory. His teaching includes both lectures and seminars for undergraduate and graduate students at Free University Berlin.

Dr. Ortelbach is actively involved in research projects related to early childhood education and prevention programs, particularly the Papilio-U3 program which aims to promote social-emotional development and attachment security of toddlers in early childhood education and care settings.