Anna Ciao, PhD

she/her/hers, Director, Center for Cross-Cultural Research, Associate Professor

About

Dr. Ciao leads the Eating and Body Image research team, a group of undergraduate and graduate students who conduct research, run interventions, and engage in advocacy related to body liberation, food and body justice, and prevention of disordered eating. Dr. Ciao typically recruits new undergraduate students to the Eating and Body Image team each spring. Students are expected to begin working on research projects in the fall and continue through the academic year. Please email Dr. Ciao if you are interested in joining the team.

Dr. Ciao is accepting graduate students for the experimental psychology masters program for Fall 2025.

Current Courses

PSY 250, PSY 351, PSY 451, PSY 307, PSY 570

Selected Publications

Recent publications from the Eating and Body Image research team

* indicates student co-author; + indicates community partner co-author

Ciao, A.C., Brown, T., & Levine, M. (2024). Future directions for equity-centered body image and eating disorders prevention work. Eating Disorders: the Journal of Treatment and Prevention, 6, 817-824. https://doi.org/10.1080/10640266.2024.2368916

Pascual, S.*, Martini, A.*, Gambito, J.+, Gemar, C.+, Bell, E.*, Delucio, K., & Ciao, A. C. (2024). Developing a Justice-Focused Body Image Program for U.S. Middle Schoolers: A School-Based Community-Engaged Research Process. Eating Disorders: the Journal of Treatment and Prevention, 6, 623-643. https://doi.org/10.1080/10640266.2024.2328402

Ciao, A. C., Duvall, A.*, Pascual, S.* & Lawley, K. A.* (2023). Expert peer facilitation of the EVERYbody Project: A randomized-controlled evaluation of a diversity-focused, dissonance-based, universal body image program for college students. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 56, 372-383. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23852

Ciao, A. C., Munson, B. R.*, Pringle, K. D.*, Roberts, S. R.*, Lalgee, I. A.*, Lawley, K. A.*, & Brewster, J. (2021). Inclusive dissonance-based body image interventions for college students: Two randomized-controlled trials of the EVERYbody Project. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 89, 301-315. https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000636