Mari Thomeczek, M.A.

Mari Thomeczek
  • Graduate Student
  • Graduate Research Assistant

Contact Info

Biography —

Mari Thomeczek is a fifth-year PhD student in the Clinical Psychology program. She completed her undergraduate degree with honors 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. In her free time, Mari enjoys visiting her family in St. Louis, traveling, going for walks, and practicing yoga.

Education —

M.A. in Clinical Psychology, University of Kansas, 2024
M.S. in Counseling Psychology, The University of Kansas, 2020
B.S. in Psychology, Hendrix College, 2018

Research —

Utilizing both quantitative and qualitative methods, Mari's research focuses broadly on advancing 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. 

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., Doan, A., Johnson-Munguia, S., Negi, S., Like, E., Bilyeu, S. (in press). Unjust treatment, unfamiliar body, and unrealistic body standards: A qualitative investigation of body image, racism, and eating during pregnancy and postpartum among Black, African American, and Afro-Caribbean individuals. Body Image. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2025.101956

Forbush, K. T., Chen, Y., Joo, S., Hagan, K. E., Richson, B. N., Chapa, D. A. N., Johnson-Munguia, S., Christensen Pacella, K. A., Bottera, A. R., Thomeczek, M. L., Bohrer, B. K., Perko, V., Negi, S., Sharma, A. R., Like, E. E., Morgan, R. W., Vanzhula, I. A., Tregarthen, J. Palacios, J., & Gould, S. R. (2025). Preliminary development and validation of the Eating Pathology Clinical Outcomes Tracker (EPCOT). Psychological Assessment. DOI: 10.1037/pas0001388

Johnson-Munguia, S., Doan, A., Sharma, A., Thomeczek, M. L., Bowles, B., Paul, M., & Forbush, K. T. (2024). There aren’t a lot of things that are made for Latinos:” A Qualitative Investigation of Cultural Adaptations to a Body Image Intervention for Latine Women. Body Image. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2024.101802

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. (2024). 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

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

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

Johnson-Munguia, S., Negi, S., Chen, Y., Thomeczek, M. L., & Forbush, K. T. (2023). Eating Disorder Psychopathology, Psychiatric Impairment, and Symptom Frequency of Atypical Anorexia Nervosa versus Anorexia Nervosa: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Eating Disorders. DOI: 10.1002/eat.23989

Forbush, K. T., Christensen Pacella, K. A., Thomeczek, M. L., Gould, S. R., Chapa, D. A. N., Richson, B., Perko, V., Ayres, J., Chen, Y., & Negi, S. (2023). The Building Healthy Eating and Self-Esteem Together for University Students (BEST-U) Mobile App to Treat Eating Disorders in University Students: User-Centered Research Design and Feasibility Study. JMIR Formative Research. DOI: 10.2196/43504

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.

Christensen, K. A., Forbush, K. T., Richson, B., Thomeczek, M. L., Perko, V., Bjorlie, K., Christian, K., Ayres, J., Wildes, J., & Mildrum Chana, S. (2021). Food insecurity associated with elevated eating disorder symptoms, impairment, and eating disorder diagnoses in an American university student sample before and during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 54(7), 1213-1223. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23517

 

 

 

 

Mari Thomeczek completed this task · 10 minutes ago