Viola Lechner

Dr. Viola Lechner is a Scientific Associate at the Department of Developmental Science and Applied Developmental Psychology at Freie Universität Berlin, working under Prof. Dr. Herbert Scheithauer since April 2018. She holds a doctorate in psychology (Dr. phil., summa cum laude, 2023) from Freie Universität Berlin with a dissertation on social-emotional competencies and prevention of emotional and behavioral disorders in elementary school.

Her research focuses on social-emotional competencies in educational settings, bullying prevention, positive psychology interventions, and implementation barriers for evidence-based programs in schools. She has developed expertise in developmental psychology, particularly in child and adolescent development within school contexts.

Dr. Lechner's publications demonstrate a strong focus on school-based interventions, particularly the Papilio-6bis9 and Fairplayer.Manual programs, showing consistent research themes around social-emotional learning, bullying prevention, and program implementation challenges from 2018 through 2025.

• Gender Research Prize 2024
• Award for best teaching 2025

She serves as a reviewer for several prominent journals including Zeitschrift für Pädagogische Psychologie and Teaching and Teacher Education. Her professional engagement includes membership in the German Society for Positive Psychology Research (DGPPF), German University Association (DHV), and the European Early Researchers Network on School Bullying. She is also actively involved in university governance as a member of the Appointment Committee and Examination Board for the Master's program in Democracy Education.