The Body Image, Weight, and Eating Laboratory (B-WEL)

Lab Members

Dr. Jean Forney: Lab Director/ Faculty Member

Naomi Hill, graduate student

Jenny Jo, graduate student

Gabriella Pucci: graduate student

Taylor Rezeppa, graduate student

Research Goals

  • Collectively, members of the Body Image, Weight, and Eating Laboratory use quantitative methods to study eating-related attitudes and experiences beyond the Skinny, White, Affluent Girl (SWAG) stereotype to inform eating disorder prevention & treatment.

Current Research Projects

“Taste, Psychological and Physiological Responses to Food Intake Associated with Disordered Eating”

  • Researchers at Ohio University are recruiting women with body image concerns who take measures to control their weight for a three part, in-person research study. Compensation is provided. To see if you are eligible, complete the screen at tinyurl.com/BWELscreensurvey. Ohio University IRB #21-F-14.

“Weight History and Thinking Styles”

  • This study is investigating how differences in weight history and problematic eating behaviors are associated with differences in attitudes, experiences, behaviors, and cognitive styles. We are recruiting from www.researchmatch.org. Consider joining the Research Match database!

“Physical sensations and emotional states associated with body image”

  • This study is examining how physical sensations and emotional states are associated with body image. Participants will complete questionnaires, have height, weight, and body fat percentage assessed, and drink water. Results of the study will provide information about physical sensations and emotions that may be targeted in evidence-based treatments. This study is open to female-identifying Ohio University students either through the Psychology Experiment Sign-Up or by emailing bwel@ohio.edu. Ohio University IRB #23-X-32.

Join the Lab

Undergraduate Students

We have many opportunities for undergraduate students to serve as research assistants and even lead their own projects. Research assistant tasks range from running study visits to preparing materials and data entry. If you are interested in becoming a B-WEL research assistant, please contact Dr. Jean Forney at forney@ohio.edu.

Graduate Applicants

Dr. Forney plans to admit a Clinical Psychology Ph.D. student for Fall 2024. See more information about the application process on the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. website. 

Strong applicants have a research interest in eating disorders and/or body image, have experience engaging in their own research (e.g., honors thesis, first author poster, independent project), have strong quantitative skills or an interest in learning quantitative skills, and are a good fit for the scientist-practitioner model of training. Graduate students are encouraged to develop their own line of research. To learn more about current projects and archival datasets, please feel free to contact Dr. Forney at forney@ohio.edu.

Please note that Dr. Forney does not meet with potential applicants prior to the application process in order to equitably review applications. Dr. Forney does not consider whether or not you contacted her in advance of applying when reviewing applications.

Recent Lab News:

OHIO researcher looks into little known ‘purging disorder’

1 year 10 months ago

From Ohio University News Though purging is often a condition associated with bulimia nervosa, new research at Ohio University suggests that a different kind of eating disorder could also be responsible. The study, published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders, sought to differentiate the little understood “purging disorder” from […]

The post OHIO researcher looks into little known ‘purging disorder’ appeared first on Ohio University | College of Arts & Sciences.

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Forney Leads Long-Term Study of Purging Disorder

3 years 6 months ago

Dr. K. Jean Forney, assistant professor of Psychology at Ohio University, led a long-term follow-up of purging disorder, which is a little-known eating disorder characterized by recurrent purging behaviors, like self-induced vomiting, in the absence of binge eating. Because purging disorder was named only 15 years ago, less is known […]

The post Forney Leads Long-Term Study of Purging Disorder appeared first on Ohio University | College of Arts & Sciences.

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Florida State Quotes Forney on Clinical Psychology Program Award

4 years 5 months ago

Florida State University quotes Dr. K. Jean Forney, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Ohio University, in a story headlined “FSU clinical psychology doctoral program wins prestigious award.” Cougle said the program’s success is directly related to the thoughtful input and design provided by FSU psychology faculty, as well as the […]

The post Florida State Quotes Forney on Clinical Psychology Program Award appeared first on Ohio University | College of Arts & Sciences.

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