Carolina M. Bejarano, PhD

I'm a pediatric psychology researcher interested in eating behavior and how it relates to physical and psychosocial health for youth and families. I am particularly interested in the impact of food insecurity on dysregulated eating, with a focus on Hispanic/Latino adolescents and Spanish-speaking families. My research is also connected to the Cincinnati community in partnering with local non-profits focusing on food access as part of health equity.

My clinical training across the areas of pediatric obesity and eating disorders informed my research questions regarding how we might improve both food access and eating behavior to prevent challenges that many youths and families face. My research aims to understand the drivers of dysregulated eating behavior and identify interventions that may help prevent the development of conditions such as eating disorders and cardiometabolic health concerns. Some of my research has pointed to the importance of studying dietary behavior daily to understand how it changes for an individual and how that fluctuation relates to health-related outcomes.

As part of my long-term career goals, I aspire to contribute to improved psychosocial and cardiometabolic health for youth and families, mainly through promoting and sustaining healthful eating behavior. I am active in leadership as part of the American Psychology Association (APA) Society of Pediatric Psychology (Division 54) and a member of the APA Minority Fellowship Leadership & Education Advancement Program (LEAP) for Diverse Scholars.