Erica Ahlich, Ph.D.
Dr. Ahlich will NOT be reviewing graduate student applications for the 2025鈥�2026 application cycle.
Education
- APA Accredited Clinical Psychology Internship, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
- APA and PCSAS Accredited Ph.D. Clinical Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
- M.A. Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
- B.A. Psychology, Albion College, Albion, Michigan
Research Interests
My clinical and research interests focus broadly on the promotion of physical health and sense of wellbeing among adults, with a particular interest in eating behaviors. Recent focus areas have included:
- I examine how affective processes (e.g., emotions, mood, stress) influence eating behaviors and their impact on health outcomes. Using ecological momentary assessment and advanced statistical methods, I investigate the dynamic links between dysregulated eating, psychological vulnerabilities (e.g., emotion regulation, interoception), and health indicators. My work also focuses on developing and evaluating interventions for dysregulated eating, with particular interest in DBT-informed approaches.
Mentorship Statement
I have been fortunate to receive outstanding mentorship throughout my training, beginning as a first-generation undergraduate psychology student and continuing to this day. I am passionate about paying it forward by supporting students in developing meaningful research ideas and cultivating the skills needed to carry them out successfully. I am especially committed to creating a welcoming and supportive environment for students from a wide range of backgrounds and lived experiences.
Recent Publications
Dixit, U., Barnhart, W. R., Ahlich, E. M., Henderson, R. R., Love, A. A., He, J.,
& Zickgraf, H. F. (2025). Characterizing emotional eating by valence, over- vs. under-eating,
and contextual factors: A latent profile analysis. Appetite, 191, 108235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2024.108235
Hooper, M. A., Dixit, U., Ahlich, E., & Zickgraf, H. F. (2025). Development and preliminary
validation of the Comprehensive Emotional Eating Scale (CEES). Appetite, 209, 107969.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2024.107969
Dixit, U., Love, A. A., Henderson, R. R., Ahlich, E., He, J., Rigby, A., & Zickgraf,
H. F. (2025). A latent class analysis of negative emotional eating in bariatric surgery
candidates. Appetite, 208, 107907. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2024.107907
Ahlich, E., Poovey, K., & Rancourt, D. (2023). Examination of the two鈥恠tep water load
test as a measure of gastric interoception and associations with eating and weight/shape
concerns in a nonclinical sample. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 56(7),
1432鈥�1443. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23997
Ahlich, E., Goldstein, S. P., & Thomas, J. G. (2023). Characterizing emotional eating:
Ecological momentary assessment with person-specific modeling. Appetite, 183, 106476.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2023.106476