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

Lab Members

Dr. Jean Forney: Lab Director/ Faculty Member

Emma Harris: graduate student

Naomi Hill, graduate student

Jenny Jo, graduate student

Gabriella Pucci: graduate student

Taylor Rezeppa, graduate student

Research Goals

  • Examine psychological, social, behavioral, and physiological factors and their interactions to better inform the development and refinement of eating pathology interventions
  • Better understand how peers influence each other in developing and recovering from eating disorder symptoms
  • Utilize test meals and multi-modal assessments to better understand the maintenance of eating disorder behaviors
  • Understand how weight loss and maintenance contributes to the maintenance of eating disorder behaviors

Current Research Projects

“A study of fluctuations in health and health behaviors”

  • This study is examining how health and health behaviors fluctuate over the course of the day. Participants will complete questionnaire assessments and have height, weight, and body fat percentage assessed three times over the course of the day. This study is open to students in the Psychology Department through the Psychology Experiment Sign-Up System.

“Health and Eating Across Time (HEAT)”

  • This study is investigating how differences in weight history and disordered eating behaviors are associated with differences in attitudes, experiences, and behaviors. We are also examining how weight and disordered eating behaviors may change across time in a three-part, online survey.

“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.

Get Involved

We have opportunities for undergraduates to assist with a number of tasks in the lab. These 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.

Recent Lab News:

OHIO researcher looks into little known ‘purging disorder’

9 months 2 weeks ago

K. Jean Forney , portraitFrom 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

2 years 5 months ago

K. Jean Forney , portraitDr. 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

3 years 4 months ago

K. Jean Forney , portraitFlorida 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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