Meghan Gillen, Ph.D.

(She, Her, Hers)
Meghan Gillen
Professor of Psychology, Psychological and Social Sciences
Alternate Ombudsperson, Ombudsperson
Woodland, 236k

Quoted in recent media articles on appearance-related topics:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2023/03/13/ozempic-sweeping-hollywood-celebrities-weight-loss/11428801002/

https://getmegiddy.com/bigorexia-muscle-dysmorphia

https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2022/09/02/celebrity-relationship-age-gaps-leonardo-dicaprio-taylor-swift-demi-lovato/7959015001/?gnt-cfr=1

https://getmegiddy.com/dieting-hidden-dangers

https://getmegiddy.com/why-diets-wont-work

https://getmegiddy.com/body-image-ED-therapy

https://www.wbay.com/2022/03/07/your-health-matters-celebrating-international-womens-day-march-8-by-relaxing-pressure-women-be-perfect/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2022/03/01/arthur-elmo-blues-clues-adults-get-emotional-about-kids-tv/6974561001/

Selected awards, grants, patents, other honors

  •  Psychological and Social Sciences (PSS) Rubin Grants, 2008, 2013, 2020
  •  Chancellor's Grant, 2020
  •  Summer Faculty Fellowship, Penn State Abington, 2012, 2022
  •  Scholar Award, Penn State Abington, 2018
  •  Outstanding Research Fellowship, Penn State Abington, 2011
  •  Outstanding Teacher, Tenure Line, Penn State Abington, 2010
  •  Abington College Nominee, Eisenhower/Atherton/Alumni Award for Outstanding Teaching, 2011

Research Interests and Innovations

Body and appearance-related issues, including body image, body modification, and eating behavior.

The developmental periods of adolescence and emerging adulthood.

Understanding eating disorder symptoms in same-gender couples: Social environmental factors, Journal of Eating Disorders - 2023
Collaborators: Diane Rosenbaum, Co-Author; Kristin August, Author; Charlotte Markey, Co-Author

Hormonal contraceptive use and women’s well-being: Links with body image, eating behavior, and sleep, Psychology, Health & Medicine - May, 2023
Collaborators: Diane Rosenbaum; Virginia Winter, Co-Author; Steven Bloomer, Co-Author

The effects of sleep on body image: Examining the roles of depression, perceived stress, and anxiety, The Journal of American College Health - March, 2023
Collaborators: Diane Rosenbaum; Steven Bloomer

Body image and mental health - 2022
Collaborator: Charlotte Markey, Co-Author

Dieting - 2022
Collaborator: Charlotte Markey, Co-Author

Weight bias - 2022
Collaborator: Diane Rosenbaum, Co-Author

Admiration for celebrities and belief in conspiracy theories, North American Journal of Psychology - 2022
Collaborators: Jeremy Grabbe, Author; Lynn McCutcheon, Co-Author; Marla Johnson, Co-Author; William Jenkins, Co-Author

Exploring the impact of age, relationship status, and gender on heterosexual men’s discussion of sexuality, Sexuality and Culture - 2022
Collaborators: Steven Henao, Co-Author; Elizabeth Montemurro, Co-Author

The importance of sleep and parity in understanding changes in weight and breastfeeding behavior among postpartum women, Appetite - 2022
Collaborators: Diane Rosenbaum; Charlotte Markey

Weight (mis)perceptions and sexual behavior among U.S. emerging adults, Emerging Adulthood - 2022
Collaborators: Virginia Winter; Antoinette Landor; Andrea Kennedy

Breastfeeding, body image, and weight control behavior among postpartum women, Body Image - April, 2021
Collaborators: Charlotte Markey, Co-Author; Diane Rosenbaum, Co-Author; Jamie Dunaev, Co-Author

Body image, weight management behavior, and women’s interest in cosmetic surgery, Psychology, Health, & Medicine - 2020
Collaborator: Charlotte Markey, Co-Author

Feeling let down: An investigation of breastfeeding expectations, appreciation of body functionality, self-compassion, and depression, Appetite - 2020
Collaborators: Diane Rosenbaum, Co-Author; Charlotte Markey, Co-Author

Predictors of disordered weight loss behaviors among same-sex and opposite-sex romantic partners, Eating Behaviors - 2020
Collaborators: Charlotte Markey; Kristin August; Jamie Dunaev

Emerging adulthood - June, 2020
Collaborator: Charlotte Markey, Co-Author

A review of research linking body image and sexual well-being, Body Image - 2019
Collaborator: Charlotte Markey

Body appreciation, anxiety, and depression among a racially diverse sample of women, Journal of Health Psychology - 2019
Collaborators: Virginia Winter; Laura Cahill; Aubrey Jones; Michaella Ward

Disconnection from nature and interest in mass media, Applied Environmental Education & Communication - 2019
Collaborators: Lynn McCutcheon; Mara Aruguete; Michael Bernstein

Reclaiming the joy of eating and striving for positive body image - March, 2019
Collaborators: Charlotte Markey; Elizabeth Daniels

Body positive: What we wish we knew back then - 2018
Collaborators: Charlotte Markey; Elizabeth Daniels

How your body image influences your sex life - 2018
Collaborator: Charlotte Markey

Becoming positive: Our growing understanding of positive body image - 2018
Collaborators: Charlotte Markey, Co-Author; Elizabeth Daniels, Co-Author

Body image - 2018
Collaborator: Charlotte Markey, Co-Author

Schadenfreude and sport celebrity worship, Journal of Studies in Social Sciences - 2018
Collaborators: Michael Bernstein, Co-Author; Jeanne Edman; Terence Leary; Lynn McCutcheon; William Jenkins

Associations between body appreciation and comfort communicating about sex: A brief report, Health Communication - 2017
Collaborators: Virginia Winter; Andrea Kennedy

Beauty and the burn: Tanning and other appearance-altering behaviors and attitudes, Psychology, Health, & Medicine - 2017
Collaborator: Charlotte Markey, Co-Author

Body appreciation, anxiety, and depression among a racially diverse sample of women, Journal of Health Psychology - 2017
Collaborators: Virginia Winter; Laura Cahill; Aubrey Jones; Michaella Ward

Body appreciation, interest in cosmetic enhancements, and need for uniqueness among U.S. college students, Body Image - 2017
Collaborator: Jamie Dunaev, Co-Author

Does "body talk" improve body satisfaction among same-sex couples?, Body Image - 2017
Collaborators: Charlotte Markey; Patrick Markey; Kristin August; Christopher Nave

Body image and mental health - 2016
Collaborator: Charlotte Markey, Co-Author

Dieting - 2016
Collaborator: Charlotte Markey, Co-Author

Additional psychometric data for the Mate Value Scale, Journal of Relationships Research - 2016
Collaborators: Brian Collisson; Michael Murtagh; Blaine Browne; Lynn McCutcheon, Author

Intimate relationships and attitudes toward celebrities, Interpersona: An International Journal on Personal Relationships. - 2016
Collaborators: Lynn McCutcheon, Co-Author; Blaine Browne; Brian Collisson; Michael Murtagh

Body image and identity: A call for new research - 2015
Collaborator: Elizabeth Daniels, Co-Author

Associations between positive body image and indicators of men’s and women’s mental and physical health, Body Image - 2015

Development and validation of the Muscle Pictorial Measure, Archives of Assessment Psychology - 2015
Collaborator: Charlotte Markey, Co-Author

Does tanness mean goodness? Perceptions of tan skin in hiring decisions, North American Journal of Psychology - 2015
Collaborator: Michael Bernstein, Co-Author

Sex rules: Emerging adults’ perceptions of gender’s impact on sexuality, Sexuality & Culture - 2015
Collaborators: Megan Maas, Co-Author; Cindy Shearer, Co-Author; Eva Lefkowitz, Co-Author

The role of religiousness and spirituality in the sexual lives of heterosexual emerging adults - 2014
Collaborators: Tara Stoppa, Author; Graciela Espinosa-Hernandez, Co-Author

Body image and HIV risk among college students, American Journal of Health Behavior - 2014
Collaborator: Charlotte Markey, Co-Author

How gendered attitudes relate to women’s and men’s sexual behaviors and beliefs, Sexuality & Culture - 2014
Collaborators: Eva Lefkowitz, Co-Author; Cindy Shearer, Co-Author; Graciela Espinosa-Hernandez, Co-Author

The tan bias: Perceptions of tan and non-tan faces, Health Behavior and Policy Review - 2014
Collaborators: Rochelle Grant, Co-Author; Michael Bernstein, Co-Author

Does this profile picture make me look fat? Facebook and body image in college students, Psychology of Popular Media Culture - September, 2013
Collaborators: Christina Rutledge, Co-Author; Katherine Gillmor, Co-Author

How clothes make the woman immoral: Impressions given off by sexualized dress, Clothing and Textiles Research Journal - July, 2013
Collaborator: Elizabeth Montemurro, Co-Author

An examination of multiple aspects of body image in racially/ethnically diverse emerging adults, North American Journal of Psychology - March, 2013

Wrinkles and sagging flesh: Exploring transformations in women’s sexual body image, Journal of Women and Aging - January, 2013
Collaborator: Elizabeth Montemurro, Co-Author

The role of body image and depression in tanning behaviors and attitudes, Behavioral Medicine - July, 2012
Collaborator: Charlotte Markey, Co-Author

Understanding men’s body image in the context of their romantic relationships, American Journal of Men’s Health - May, 2012
Collaborators: Laura Goins, Co-Author; Charlotte Markey, Co-Author

An examination of dieting behaviors among adults: Links with depression, Eating Behaviors - April, 2012
Collaborators: Charlotte Markey, Co-Author; Patrick Markey, Co-Author

Gender and racial/ethnic differences in body image development among college students, Body Image - January, 2012
Collaborator: Eva Lefkowitz, Co-Author

Body size perceptions in racially/ethnically diverse men and women: Implications for body image and self-esteem, North American Journal of Psychology - December, 2011
Collaborator: Eva Lefkowitz, Co-Author

The “freshman 15”: Trends and predictors in a sample of multiethnic men and women , Eating Behaviors - December, 2011
Collaborator: Eva Lefkowitz, Co-Author

Putting the romance back into sex: Sexuality in romantic relationships - 2011
Collaborators: Eva Lefkowitz, Co-Author; Sara Vasilenko, Co-Author

Emerging adults’ perceptions of messages about physical appearance, Body Image - 2009
Collaborator: Eva Lefkowitz, Co-Author

Does body image play a role in risky sexual behavior and attitudes?, Journal of Youth and Adolescence - 2006
Collaborators: Eva Lefkowitz, Co-Author; Cindy Shearer, Co-Author

Gender role development and body image among male and female first year college students, Sex Roles - 2006
Collaborator: Eva Lefkowitz, Co-Author

'Sex is just a normal part of life:' Sexuality in emerging adulthood - 2005
Collaborator: Eva Lefkowitz, Co-Author

Are traditional gender role attitudes associated with risky sexual behavior and attitudes about condom use? , Sex Roles - 2005
Collaborators: Cindy Shearer; Shelley Hosterman; Eva Lefkowitz, Co-Author

Religiosity, sexual behaviors, and sexual attitudes during emerging adulthood, Journal of Sex Research - 2004
Collaborators: Eva Lefkowitz, Co-Author; Cindy Shearer; Tanya Boone

Ph D, Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University

MS, Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University

BS, Human Development, Cornell University

PSYCH 100: Introduction to Psychology
PSYCH 200: Elementary Statistics in Psychology
PSYCH 296/496: ACURA/Independent Studies
PSYCH 494: Senior Thesis
PSYCH 495: Internship
PSYCH 497: Psychology of Eating to Course Schedule
HDFS 433: Developmental Transition to Adulthood