EXPLORE PUBLICATIONS
Reviews Shaping Our Research Agenda
Our foundational reviews synthesize existing evidence, identify central research gaps, and provide the
conceptual basis for several of our research programs.
Our foundational reviews synthesize existing evidence, identify central research gaps, and provide the conceptual basis for several of our research programs.
Research Foundation 01
Emotion Processing and Attachment
2023
Systematic Review
Attachment-Related Differences in Emotion Regulation in Adults: A Systematic Review on Attachment Representations
Eilert, D. W., & Buchheim, A.
Brain Sciences, 13(6), 884.
This systematic review synthesizes evidence on how secure, insecure, and unresolved attachment representations relate to emotion regulation and expression across four objective measurement domains: autonomic, neural, biochemical, and nonverbal responses.
2026
Systematic Review
The Dual Facets of Emotion Perception in Adult Attachment Representations: A Systematic Review on Impathy and Empathy
Eilert, D. W., Mensah, P., & Buchheim, A.
Brain Sciences, 16(6), 651.
This systematic review integrates research on how adult attachment representations relate to the perception and understanding of one’s own emotions (impathy) and the emotions of others (empathy).
Research Foundation 02
Emotion Processing in Aesthetic Medicine
2025
Review & Guide
A Psychological Guide to Upper Face Botulinum Toxin Injections: Baseline Emotional Functions of Facial Expressions
Hopf, A. G. M., Buchheim, A., Hopf, M., Cajkovský, M., & Eilert, D. W.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 24(10), e70508.
This narrative review synthesizes the emotional functions of upper-face movements and examines how botulinum toxin treatments may affect facial expression, emotion perception, facial feedback, and expressive flexibility.
2026
Review & Guide
A Psychological Guide to Lower Face Botulinum Toxin Injections: Baseline Emotional Functions of Facial Expressions
Hopf, A. G. M., Buchheim, A., Hopf, M., & Eilert, D. W.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 25(4).
This narrative review maps the emotional and interpersonal functions of lower-face movements and examines how their modification through botulinum toxin may influence emotional signaling and social perception.
EMPIRICAL STUDIES
Testing Core Questions
Across Research Programs
Our empirical studies examine differential patterns of emotion processing, their interpersonal effects,
and the potential for targeted change.
Our empirical studies examine differential patterns of emotion processing, their interpersonal effects, and the potential for targeted change.
2026
Empirical Study
Botulinum Toxin and Social Perception: Effects of Upper-Face Treatment on Facial Emotion Attribution
Eilert, D. W., Hopf, A. G. M., Alfertshofer, M., Prinz, V., Friedrich, M., & Cajkovský, M.
Aesthetic Surgery Journal.
This study investigates how upper-face botulinum toxin treatment affects observers’ attribution and perceived intensity of facial emotions, revealing temporary, emotion-specific changes rather than a general reduction in emotional expressivity.
2025
Empirical Study
Impathy and Emotion Recognition: How Attachment Shapes Self- and Other-Focused Emotion Processing
Eilert, D. W., de Punder, K., Maerz, J., Dose, J., Gander, M., Mensah, P., Neubrand, S., Hinterhölzl, J., & Buchheim, A.
Brain Sciences, 15(5), 516.
This study examines how organized and unresolved attachment representations shape self-focused emotion processing (impathy) and behavioral emotion recognition while accounting for the influence of personality pathology.
2025
Randomized Controlled Study
Emotion-Focused Ego-State Coaching Reduces Communication Apprehension: Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Study
Eilert, D. W., Mensah, P., & Schmäh, M.
Frontiers in Organizational Psychology, 3.
This randomized controlled study evaluated emTrace, an integrative emotion-focused coaching approach, and found reduced communication apprehension across interpersonal contexts, with improvements remaining stable at the two-week follow-up.