Ann-Kathrin Arend

Dr. Ann-Kathrin Arend is a Senior Scientist and Postdoctoral Researcher in the Department of Psychology at the University of Salzburg, affiliated with the Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences. She is a core member of the Eating Behavior Laboratory Salzburg and contributes to both the FWF-funded project 'Cognitive Affective Mechanisms of Food Biases Trainings' and previously the ERC-funded project 'Transdiagnostic view on eating disorders and obesity and new approaches for treatment'.

• PhD in Psychology, University of Salzburg (2018–2022)
• Master in Psychology, University of Salzburg (2016–2018)
• Bachelor in Psychology, University of Salzburg (2013–2016)

Her research centers on emotional eating across the spectrum of eating disorders and obesity. She investigates how emotional states interact with food-related cues and behaviors using advanced methodologies such as ecological momentary assessment (EMA), smartphone-based interventions (EMI, JITAI), experimental emotion induction, psychophysiological recordings (EMG, EOG, ECG), and clinical diagnostic interviews (SCID, EDE). Her work bridges clinical psychology, health psychology, and cognitive neuroscience to develop more personalized and effective interventions.

The most recent publications highlight a trajectory of research focused on real-time monitoring of eating behaviors, the emotional triggers of binge eating, and behavioral changes during public health crises. Her work increasingly integrates digital tools and real-world data to understand and predict eating pathology.

• Toward Individualized Prediction of Binge-Eating Episodes Based on Ecological Momentary Assessment Data (JMIR Medical Informatics, 2023)
• Emotion‐potentiated food‐cue reactivity in binge‐eating disorder (International Journal of Eating Disorders, 2022)
• Increased screen use during COVID-19 confinements (Frontiers in Public Health, 2021)

Dr. Arend has been involved in significant research grants, including an ERC project during her PhD and an ongoing FWF project as a Postdoc. While no formal students are listed, her role as a Senior Scientist suggests mentorship within the research team. She is an active researcher with a growing publication record in high-impact journals.

She conducts her research within the Eating Behavior Laboratory Salzburg, a collaborative environment focused on understanding the psychological and physiological mechanisms underlying disordered eating. The lab employs a transdiagnostic approach and leverages digital phenotyping and intervention technologies.