Marianna Thomeczek


Mari Thomeczek
  • Graduate Student
She/her/hers

Biography

Mari Thomeczek is a clinical psychology PhD student at the University of Kansas. She completed her undergraduate degree in psychology from Hendrix College. She earned her master’s degree in counseling psychology from the University of Kansas, where she received specialized training on trauma-informed mental healthcare. Currently, Mari a member of the Center for the Advancement of Research on Eating Behaviors, which is directed by Dr. Kelsie Forbush.

Education

B.A. in Psychology, Hendrix College, 2018
M.A. in Counseling Psychology, University of Kansas, 2020

Research

Advisor: Kelsie Forbush, PhD

Research Lab: CARE Lab

Mari’s research, broadly, focuses on the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of eating disorders. Her research is centered on individuals whose voices have been previously underrepresented in the eating disorder field. For example, she is developing a screening tool to better identify eating disorders among racially minoritized individuals who are pregnant or postpartum. She is also passionate about leveraging technology to improve treatment reach. Recently, Mari was the recipient of the C. R. Snyder Research Award in 2023 and received funding for her thesis from the University of Kansas Racial Equity Award. She also recently received the Susan Hickman Research Award from Postpartum Support International.

Selected Publications

Thomeczek, M. L., Forbush, K. T., Chen, Y., Negi, S., Johnson-Munguia, S. N., L’Insalata, A., Rasheed, S. I., Like, E. E., & McDonald, J. (in press). Associations between weight discrimination, eating-disorder-related psychiatric impairment, and eating-disorder treatment interest across the weight spectrum. International Journal of Eating Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.24277

Negi, S., Thomeczek, M. L., Chen, Y., Forbush, K. T. (2023). Compensatory eating disorder and bulimia nervosa: A comparison of eating-disorder-related psychiatric impairment and symptomatology. Eating Behaviors. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eatbeh.2023.101823

Thomeczek, M. L., Negi, S., Chen, Y., & Forbush, K. T. (2023). The impact of trauma-related symptoms and neuroticism on compensatory behaviors in a sample of adults with eating disorders. Eating Behaviors. DOI: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2023.101819

Forbush, K. T., Chen, Y., Chen, P., Bohrer, B. K., Hagan, K. E., Chapa, D. A. N., Christensen, K. A., Perko, V., Richson, B. N., Johnson-Munguia, S. N., Thomeczek, M. L., Nelson, S. V., Christian, K., Swanson, T. J., & Wildes, J. E. (2023). Integrating “lumpers” versus “splitters” perspectives: Toward a hierarchical dimensional taxonomy of eating disorders from clinician ratings. Clinical Psychological Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/21677026231186803

Bohrer, B. B., Chen, Y., Christensen, K. A., Forbush, K. T., Thomeczek, M. L., Perko, Victoria L., Richson, B. R., Chapa, D. A. N., Jarmolowicz, D. P., & Gould, S. R. (2023). A multiple-baseline study of a mobile cognitive behavioral therapy for the treatment of eating disorders in university students. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 56(8), 1623-1636. DOI: 10.1002/eat.23987

Forbush, K. T., Swanson, T. J., Richson, B. N., Thomeczek, M. L., Negi, S., Johnson, S. N., Chapa, D. A. N., Morgan, R. M., O’Brien, C. J., Gould, S. R., Christensen, K. A., Chen, Y. (2022). Screening for eating disorders in college students: Validation of the Brief Assessment of Stress and Eating (BASE). International Journal of Eating Disorders, 55(11), 1553–1564. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23815.

Awards & Honors

Susan A. Hickman Award, Postpartum Support International, 2024

RSH Scholarship, Academy of Eating Disorders, 2023

C.R. Snyder Research Award, University of Kansas Department of Psychology, 2023

Memberships

Mari is a member of Postpartum Support International, which aims to improve support and resources for mental health issues related to childbearing across the world.



Mari is also passionate about conducting community-based research. She has worked with several local and international organizations to collaboratively develop research materials.