Lex L’Insalata, M.A.
- Graduate Practicum Student
Contact Info
Biography —
Lex is a sixth-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program. She is a student of Dr. Tera Fazzino in the Health Behavior and Technology Lab and a member of the Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment. She graduated with highest honors in psychology and a minor in Hispanic Studies from Oberlin College. In her free time, Lex enjoys attending KC Current games, playing tennis, and spending time with friends and family.
Education —
Research —
Lex’s research interests include the intersection of addiction and eating disorders. Specifically, she is interested in examining how mechanisms of addiction (e.g., behavioral economics) can be applied to better classify, assess, and treat eating disorders and related reward-seeking eating behaviors. Her dissertation is focused on understanding decision-making among individuals with anorexia nervosa, using qualitative methods to adapt existing behavioral economics tasks.
Selected Publications —
Bellitti, J. S., L'Insalata, A.M., & Fazzino, T. L. (2025). Discounting of hyper-palatable foods is associated with eating motives and binge eating behavior. Nutrients, 17(8), 1356. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17081356
L’Insalata, A.M., Girard, J. M., & Fazzino, T. L. (2024). Sources of environmental reinforcement and engagement in health risk behaviors among a general population sample of US adults. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(11), 1390. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21111390
Sutton, C. A., Stratton, M., L'Insalata, A. M., & Fazzino, T. L. (2024). Ultraprocessed, hyper‐palatable, and high energy density foods: Prevalence and distinction across 30 years in the United States. Obesity, 32(1), 166-175. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.23897
Sutton, C., L'Insalata, A. M., Fazzino, T. (2022). Reward sensitivity, eating behavior, and obesity-related outcomes: A systematic review. Physiology & Behavior, 252, 113843. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.113843
Morean M.E.*, L'Insalata A.M.* (2017). Electronic cigarette use among individuals with a self-reported eating disorder diagnosis. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 51(1), 77–81. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.22793
Thomeczek, M. L., Forbush, K. T., Chen, Y., Negi, S., Johnson‐Munguia, S., L'Insalata, A.M., Rasheed, S., Like, E., & McDonald, J. (2024). Associations between weight discrimination, eating‐disorder‐related psychiatric impairment, and eating‐disorder treatment interest across the weight spectrum. International Journal of Eating Disorders. 57(11), 2292-2298. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.24277
Johnson‐Munguia, S., Bottera, A. R., Vanzhula, I., Forbush, K. T., Gould, S. R., Negi, S., Thomeczek, M.L., L'Insalata, A.M., Like, E.E., Sharma, A.R., Morgan, R.W, & Rasheed, S. (2024). Understanding community provider practices in diagnosing and treating atypical anorexia nervosa: A mixed methods study. International Journal of Eating Disorders. 57(4), 892-902. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.24125
Hagan, K., Matheson, B., Datta, N., L'Insalata, A. M., Onipede, Z. A., Gorell, S., Mondal S., Bohon, C., Le Grange D., & Lock, J. (2021). Understanding outcomes in family-based treatment for adolescent anorexia nervosa: a network approach. Psychological Medicine, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291721001604
L’Insalata, A.M., Trainor, C., Bohon, C., Mondal, S., Le Grange, D., & Lock, J. (2020). Confirming the efficacy of an adaptive component to Family-based Treatment for adolescent Anorexia Nervosa: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11, 41. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00041
Lock, J., Sadeh-Sharvit, S., & L’Insalata, A.M. (2019). Feasibility of conducting a randomized clinical trial for family-based treatment for avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 52(6), 746–751. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23077
Morean, M.E. & L’Insalata, A.M. (2016). The Short Form Vaping Consequences Questionnaire: Psychometric properties of a measure of vaping expectancies for use with adult e-cigarette users. Nicotine and Tobacco Research, 19(2), 215–211. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntw205