Meghan Gillen, Ph.D.

(She, Her, Hers)
Meghan Gillen
Professor of Psychology, Psychological and Social Sciences
Alternate Ombudsperson, Ombudsperson
Woodland, 236k
Penn State Abington
1600 Woodland Road
Abington, PA 19001

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
HDFS 433: Developmental Transition to Adulthood