Caroline Christian

Scientific research is a high-impact experience for undergraduate students. While there are many benefits of involving students in research programs, mentored research models cannot accommodate all interested students due to limited time and bandwidth of faculty mentors. Additionally, these experiences often cannot be accessed by students from marginalized backgrounds, amplifying issues of inequity in the sciences. In response to these limitations, other models of student research engagement such as course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) have been widely implemented. Although CUREs allow for greater scalability than one-on-one mentored research approaches, they fail to engage students in research activities in a sustained way that leads to higher persistence in STEM. Below, we first outline the benefits and problems associated with both mentored research and CURE models. We then propose Structured Team-based Inquiry in Labs (STIL)—an alternative strategy for researchers interested in providing undergrads with research opportunities. This hybrid approach bridges traditional mentored research and CURE-based opportunities to maximize the benefits of both approaches. To illustrate this model, we present two case studies in a microbial ecology and a clinical psychology research laboratory, showcasing the interdisciplinary implementation potential of the STIL model.

Background: The perinatal period is a critical risk period for changes in eating disorder (ED) symptoms. However, extant research is mixed regarding the direction of these changes, with some studies identifying relief from ED symptoms and others finding evidence of worsening symptoms during this time. To account for heterogeneity in ED symptom change among pregnant and postpartum individuals, the current study aimed to explore ED symptom trajectories and their psychosocial correlates during pregnancy and the first postpartum year using person‐centered statistical approaches. Method: A community sample of pregnant people recruited online ( N = 315) completed assessments of ED symptoms and psychosocial factors during pregnancy, 8‐weeks postpartum, and 1‐year postpartum between October 2020 and January 2023. ED symptom trajectories were identified using group‐based multivariate trajectory modeling. Multinomial logistic regression tested if psychosocial factors (anxiety, depression, stress, emotion regulation difficulties, self‐compassion, social support, and body mass index) during pregnancy and across postpartum were associated with trajectory groups. Results: Four distinct groups were identified: decreasing ED cognitions group (34% of the sample), increasing ED symptoms group (29%), early postpartum ED risk group (22%), and early postpartum alleviation group (15%). Postpartum weight retention and increasing depression from pregnancy to 1‐year postpartum were associated with higher odds of membership in the increasing ED symptoms group, relative to other groups. Discussion: Although perinatal ED symptoms were commonly endorsed, symptom changes were heterogeneous. It is important to continue to investigate prospective correlates of perinatal ED symptoms and utilize idiographic modeling to inform prevention and early intervention approaches.

Pregnancy to postpartum is a critical transition period for changes in mental health, including disordered eating habits and body image concerns. In order to understand why some people experience new or worsening eating disorder symptoms during this period, it is important to gather insights from individuals with recent lived experience of pregnancy. Lived experience is also valuable for informing how to best address eating disorder concerns in obstetric healthcare settings. Women around eight weeks postpartum (N = 175) completed surveys that included open-ended questions about eating habits, body-related self-perception, and healthcare experiences during the peripartum period. These responses were coded using structured tabular thematic analysis to identify common themes. About 45% and 25% of participants in our sample endorsed self-critical responses to changes in body shape/weight and eating habits, respectively. Smaller proportions of the sample endorsed acceptance of or empowerment from physical changes. Factors that impacted how individuals responded to physical changes included expectations, social factors, physiological factors, and stage of pregnancy. Commonly endorsed suggestions for healthcare providers included reduced weight-focused judgement and increased nutritional guidance. Identified themes provide insight into what factors may contribute to risk for unhelpful changes in eating habits and body image concerns during pregnancy and postpartum. Future research should quantitatively explore these themes and their relation to postpartum mental and physical health outcomes. This research highlights the importance of incorporating lived experience into discussions of peripartum mental health and obstetric healthcare.

Objective: Dysregulated eating is common among youth and is associated with trait‐level negative affect and emotion regulation difficulties. Despite the transient nature of affect, momentary associations among affect and eating behavior are unclear, which limits development of more impactful treatment tools, such as “just‐in‐time” intervention approaches (JITAI). The current study (N = 62) drew from two ecological momentary assessment (EMA) studies involving children and adolescents who endorsed loss of control (LOC) eating symptoms during a two‐week assessment period.Method: Intensive time series network analysis tested concurrent and prospective relationships across six specific affective states (i.e., upset, guilty, scared, tired, excited, attentive) and four eating‐related experiences (e.g., LOC, overeating, hunger, craving) in real time. Additionally, we repeated these models within demographic subgroups of the sample based on age, race, and sex.Results: In the full‐sample models, contemporaneously assessed guilt was associated with craving and LOC eating, and tiredness was associated with LOC eating. In the prospective analysis, tiredness was negatively predicted by LOC eating and positively predicted by overeating at the previous timepoint, and attentiveness positively predicted craving. Differences in affect‐eating relationships were identified across teens and preteens as well as male and female participants.Discussion: These results suggest that specific affective states are associated with dysregulated eating‐related experiences in real time among youth, and associations may differ depending on demographic characteristics. Findings may be used to inform the development and tailoring of momentary interventions.