Sascha Hein

Sascha Hein is a Professor at Freie Universität Berlin, where he leads the research area on Emotional and Social Development in Childhood and Adolescence within the Department of Education and Psychology, specializing in Special Education. He previously served as Assistant Professor at the University of Houston and held postdoctoral positions at Yale University School of Medicine’s Child Study Center. His academic work spans developmental psychology, criminology, and education, with strong international collaborations.

• Ph.D. in Educational Sciences, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main (2012)
• M.A. in Educational Science, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main (2008)
• 1st State Examination in Special Education, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main (2009)

His research focuses on juvenile delinquency, emotional development, violence prevention, and the psychosocial development of refugee children. He investigates mental health disparities in justice-involved youth, parenting in marginalized communities, and social-emotional interventions. His work often employs longitudinal and experimental designs, particularly randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and spans diverse cultural contexts including the U.S., Lebanon, Colombia, Zambia, and Saudi Arabia.

The 15 most recent publications reflect a strong trend in applied developmental science, particularly in justice-involved youth, early childhood in emergencies, and cross-cultural studies on parenting and cognitive development. Keywords include social-emotional learning, mental health, risk assessment, and intervention effectiveness. Subfields span forensic psychology, educational equity, autism, and psychobiology, highlighting his interdisciplinary approach.

Scientific awards include:

• 2020 Norbert and Charlotte Rieger Award for Scientific Achievement (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) for research on parenting programs in Lebanon.

He advises doctoral and early-career researchers and has secured funding for international projects, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. He has led systematic reviews and evaluations for organizations like ChildFund International. He is actively involved in editorial work, having co-edited a special issue on alternatives to RCTs in developmental research. He collaborates with global research teams, including at Yale, focusing on early childhood development, refugee wellbeing, and mental health interventions.

He is affiliated with research teams working on:

• Early Childhood Development in Emergencies (ECDEiE)
• Social-Emotional Interventions for At-Risk Youth
• Cross-Cultural Parenting and Child Development
• Justice-Involved Youth and Mental Health