Psychology of Eating DisordersSemester Course

Psychology of Eating Disorders
Major Discipline(s)
Neuroscience, Pre-Medicine / Health Science, Psychology
Type
Elective Course
Available
Spring semester
Credit(s)
3

Disordered eating behavior is influenced by a multitude of neurobiological, sociocultural, and psychological factors. We will draw upon scientific research to explore this complex, multifaceted etiology: for instance, how do body dissatisfaction and weight stigma contribute to disordered eating, and what can families, schools, and communities do to mitigate harm? We will also discuss ethical and pragmatic considerations for psychological interventions, including special considerations for the use of emerging technologies in eating disorder treatment.

Related Discipline(s)

This course would also be of interest to the following discipline(s):
Public Health

Faculty

Suman Ambwani

DIS Copenhagen Semester Faculty

PhD (Psychology, Texas A&M University, 2008, Clinical Psychology Internship, Medical University of South Carolina, 2007-2008). MS (Psychology, Texas A&M University, 2005). BA (Psychology, Sociology, Macalester College, 2003). Previously an associate professor of psychology at Dickinson College, visiting researcher at King’s College London, and visiting scientist at Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Her research broadly examines factors associated with the development and maintenance of eating disorders, particularly cultural features (such as fat-shaming environments and pseudoscientific diet fads) and difficulties with interpersonal relationships. She is also a co-investigator on two UK multisite randomized clinical trials investigating guided self-help for anorexia nervosa. With DIS since 2022.

Theresa Dahm

DIS Copenhagen Semester Faculty

PG Dip. (Compassion Focused Therapy, University of Birmingham, 2020). ClinPsyD. (Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, University of Norwich, UK, 2015). PhD. (Psychology, University of Cambridge, UK, 2012). MSc. (Rehabilitation Psychology, University of Nottingham, UK, 2007). Psychologist in private practice, MacFarlane Psychology Group, 2022-present. Clinical Psychologist, across numerous NHS Foundation Trusts in the UK, 2015-2020. Trainee Clinical Psychologist, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, 2012-2015. PhD Student, University of Cambridge, 2008-2012. Research Assistant, University of Cambridge, 2007-2008. With DIS since 2023.