Department of Sociology and Social Psychology (DSS)

Dr. Heike Krüger

Research focuses

• Social network analysis
• Mental health in adolescence and young adulthood
• Social support, social isolation and loneliness
• Experience Sampling Methods (EMA) and intensive longitudinal data
• Smartphone and sensor-based data collection (wearables)
• Quantitative methods of empirical social research

Curriculum vitae

• Since 2018: Research assistant at the Chair of Sociology I with Prof. Dr. Clemens Kroneberg, University of Cologne
• Since 2022: Research assistant at the teaching and research area Methods of Empirical Social Research with Prof. Dr. Thomas Grund, RWTH Aachen University
• 2024: PhD in the social sciences on the topic "Social Ties and Mental Health in Adolescence and Young Adulthood. Insights from Ecological Momentary Assessment and Social Network Analysis", University of Cologne
• 2024-2025: Project leader (PI), Peer-Smart Network Study
• Since 2024: Board member, Section Sociological Network Research, German Sociological Association (DGS)
• Since 2024: Co-responsible for the working group "Social Networks and Health", German Society for Network Research (DGNet)
• Since 2025: Editorial Board Member, European Journal of Mental Health

Selected publications

• For a current list of all publications see Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.de/citations?user=fC4VVWoAAAAJ&hl
• Working Paper: Krüger, H., Severijns, R., Grund, T., Tiernan, A. & Hellpap, R. L. Harmony on the Plate: Peer Networks and the Evolution of Adolescent Vegetarian Identities.https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/ndtrm_v1
• Working Paper: Krüger, H., Grund, T., Letina, S., Long, E., Riddell, J., Zucca, C., & McCann, M. Discrepancies in the perception of social support relationships. https://osf.io/afdp6/
• Grund, T., Krüger, H., & Pascu, I. (2025). Social Media Use and Adolescent Depressive Symptoms: The Moderating Roles of Gender and Parental Monitoring. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-025-01566-3
• Demirer, I., Krüger, H., & Pförtner, T. K. (2025). Household-income trajectories and mental health inequalities in Germany before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic: a quasi-experimental panel study. International Journal for Equity in Health, 24(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-025-02507-1
• Krüger, H., Kroneberg, C., & Kruse, H. (2024). Mode of contact and mood changes during the COVID-19 pandemic: A daily diary study during school closures and re-opened schools. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 02654075241268496. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075241268496
• Krüger, H. (2024). Everyday discrimination, co-ethnic social support and mood changes in young adult immigrants in Germany - Evidence from an ecological momentary assessment study. Journal of Migration and Health. 9, 100212.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmh.2024.100212
• Wittek, M., Lenkewitz, S., Wingen, A., Lämmermann, K., Krüger, H., Tarnowski, A. (2022). Which contextual factors influence interethnic relationships at school? An explorative network analysis. In: Kruse, H., Teltemann, J. (eds) Difference in space. Springer VS, Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-35009-3_9