Active and Past Projects

The Effect of Appearance and Strength Messages on Women’s Exercise Attitudes and Health

What are the best ways to motivate women to exercise? More importantly, can we find strategies that are motivating but also psychologically healthy? We are investigating the effects of different types of exercise messages (appearance, strength, and health) on women’s attitudes towards exercise and their body image.

Building Strength: Strength training in all-women’s and coed gyms

Research suggests varied reasons why women may avoid engaging in a regular strength training routine at the gym in favor of performing cardiovascular exercise (e.g., Harne & Bixby, 2005). However, little research has focused on the potential role of the gym environment itself, specifically in terms of the presence of men. In the current study, we compared women members of all-women’s and coed fitness facilities on their attitudes toward different exercise activities as well as their exercise choices within the gym. A community sample of women from the Northeast US, who attended either an all-women’s or coed gym (N = 635), were recruited to take part in the study. Preliminary analyses indicated that all-women members rated strength training more positively and more similarly in magnitude to cardio compared with coed members. However, little differences were found between groups on strength training behaviors. We suspect that existing socio-cultural beauty and exercise norms may deter women from engaging in strength training irrespective of male presence within the gym environment. More research is needed to explore the potential positive and negative consequences of same-sex and mixed-sex fitness settings for women’s physical and mental health.

Mercurio, A.E., Rima, B.N. & Obleada*, K. (2016). Building Strength: Strength training attitudes and behaviors of all women’s and coed gym exercisers. Journal of Research on Women and Gender.

Primary Investigator: Andrea E. Mercurio, Ph.D.
Co-Investigators: Brandi N. Rima, Ph.D.; and Katrina Obleada, MA

Self-weighing and its Effect on Mood and Body Image in Average Weight College Women

Regular weight monitoring is touted as one of the most beneficial self-regulation strategies for weight loss and weight loss maintenance. However, the psychological implications of this practice for younger, average weight women who are prone to high rates of body dissatisfaction and body-related health problems is unclear. Using an experimental design, we are examining the effect of self-weighing on implicit activation of appearance and weight-related schemas, body image, and mood in a sample of average weight, college women.

Primary Investigator: Andrea E. Mercurio, Ph.D.
Co-Investigator: Maria Karamourtopolos

Sexual Identity, Discrimination, and Mental Health

We are exploreing how religion and religious experiences may relate to the stigma and discrimination experienced by individuals who identify as LGBTQ. We are particularly interested in the views of those who identify as bisexual, as those individuals often are left out of studies or become grouped in with those who identify as gay/lesbian. We are also exploring how experiences of discrimination relate to well-being and health among different LGBTQ groups. The project is in the data analysis phase and we hope to publish findings during the coming year.

Co-Investigators: Andrea Mercurio, Ph.D. & Paul Martinez

Listening to Your Art: Examining the therapeutic value of art appreciation in older individuals

Art therapy has shown promise as a therapeutic technique for improving quality of life and reducing depressive symptoms. We believe that similar therapeutic benefits may be fostered through art appreciation since both art production and appreciation utilize human cognition in areas of learning and meaning-making. Drawing from reminiscence therapy, we developed an art appreciation program that used works of art to prompt connection to and discussion about past experiences, feelings, and events. Our primary goal was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of the program for older individuals living in an assisted living facility. In addition, we examined whether participants experienced psychological benefits from weekly sessions compared to control participants.

Our results showed that older adults were receptive to the program and specifically enjoyed the cognitive stimulation that the art appreciation program offered. However, we found that participation was limited to those who scored lower in depression and higher in quality of life at baseline. More attention is needed to determine how to recruit and retain individuals who report lower well-being, and who might benefit most from participation in this type of intervention. We are designing a new art appreciation program that will be implemented in the fall of 2016 at a different elderly care facility.

Senior keystone project, Kilachand Honors College
Primary Investigator: Elliot Weinstein

Academic Pressure, Stigma, and Mental Health in Boston University College Students: Barriers to mental health treatment

Data has shown increasing rates of depression and anxiety among college students. However, not all college students seek help in times of need. We examined the potential barriers to treatment seeking in a sample of college students at Boston University. In addition, we explored whether factors such as major, perceived academic pressure, and perceived stigma towards mental health problems were related to the likelihood of seeking treatment and the number of perceived barriers to treatment.

Data analysis is underway and we hope to disseminate findings over the coming year.

Senior keystone project, Kilachand Honors College
Primary Investigators: Maya Zegel & Andrea E. Mercurio, Ph.D.

Is It As Easy As ABC?

Resources and accommodations for special education vary greatly across the United State. Navigating the special education system in any school district can be challenging and time intensive pursuit for many families. Some families are better equipped than others to negotiate this process, which can directly impact their child’s long term education success. Is it Easy as ABC is interested in understanding this process and how it is related to education inequalities. French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu identified three forms of capital, economic, cultural and social, that perpetuate social inequalities. Is it Easy as ABC investigates how parents of children with learning disabilities utilize these different forms of capital when advocating for services, resources and accommodations for their child. Through a set of semi-structured questions, parents and teachers from across the country were interviewed on their navigation of the special education system and the types of capital they invoked during the process. The output from these interviews will be coded using Nvivo software.

Senior keystone project, Kilachand Honors College
Primary Investigator: Celeste Hamre