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 (opens in a new window). 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 (opens in a new window). Consider joining the Research Match database!
“Relationships Between Exercise and Appetite in Women with Loss of Control Eating”
- Researchers at Ohio University are recruiting women who exercise and have trouble controlling their eating for a four part research study. Compensation is provided. To see if you are eligible, complete the screen at tinyurl.com/exerstudy. Ohio University IRB-FY24-403.
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 2025. 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.
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.
In the News
Research Division announces awardees for 2024-25 OURC/Baker Fund fall cycle
Dr. Jean Forney, Psychology, was awarded $8,284 for her work on "Relationships between Exercise and Appetite in Women with Loss of Control Eating."
More about the Baker Fund Awards
OHIO researchers join statewide effort to combat mental health, substance use epidemic
A team of researchers from Ohio University is joining a statewide initiative to identify the leading causes of mental health challenges, suicide, and substance use disorder in Ohio communities.
The research effort is associated with the Institute to Advance Health Equity (ADVANCE), a multidisciplinary group on campus that promotes social science and health services research to address health disparities in Southeast Ohio.
More about the Statewide Effort
OHIO researcher looks into little known ‘purging disorder’
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 more well-documented bulimia nervosa, with which it is often confused. The research was led by K. Jean Forney, an assistant professor of psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences at Ohio University who specializes in eating disorders.