MacKenzie D. A. Robertson

Background

I started my PhD at the University in Edinburgh in September 2019 after completing my MSc in Social Psychology at the University of Victoria (BC, Canada). Prior to this I worked at BC Children's Hospital as a research associate for the Eating Disorders Program for Children and Adolescents and received my BA in Psychology from Simon Fraser University (BC, Canada).

Qualifications

  • MSc, Social Psychology, University of Victoria
  • BA, Psychology, Simon Fraser University

Responsibilities & affiliations

  • Member of the Academy for Eating Disorders
  • Member of the Association for Size Diversity and Health

Research summary

I am a Health at Every Size informed researcher who is committed to decreasing maladaptive eating in all severities and redefining our cultural understanding of what a healthy relationship to food and our bodies look like. Broadly I am interested in dieting, eating disorders, intuitive eating, body image, and weight stigma. My master’s thesis explored the association between dieting severity, body image, and romantic relationship quality. My PhD dissertation will focus on dieting as a risk factor for the development of eating disorders. In particular, I am interested in examining the predictive role of eating disorder thoughts and beliefs.

 

 

 

Current research interests

dieting; body image; eating behaviours; intuitive eating; HAES; eating disorders; disordered eating; maladaptive eating; weight stigma.

Conference details

  • Robertson, M., Stinson, D., Logel, C., Holmes, J. G., & Wood, J. V. Dieting also starves close relationships: The psychological consequences of dieting for romantic couples. Poster accepted for presentation at the 2019 International Conference on Eating Disorders, New York, NY.
  • Robertson, M., Stinson, D., Logel, C., Holmes, J. G., & Wood, J. V. Dieting also starves close relationships: The psychological consequences of dieting for romantic couples. Poster accepted for presentation at the 2019 Annual Convention of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Portland, OR.
  • Coelho, J., Robertson, M., Lam, P., Marshall, S., & Geller, J. (2016, September). Characteristics and Treatment Outcome in Male Youth with Eating Disorders. Poster presented at the Biennial Eating Disorders Association of Canada Conference.
  • Robertson, M., Coelho, J., Cairns, J., & Lam, P. (2016, May). Treatment Outcomes for Adolescents with Eating Disorders in an Intensive Day Treatment Program. Poster presented at the 2016 International Conference on Eating Disorders, San Francisco, CA.
  • Coelho, J., Pullmer, R., Rosenrot, S., Robertson, M., & Lam, P. (2015, September). Effectiveness of Family-Based Therapy: Outcomes for Youth with Lower Initial Body Weights. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Eating Disorders Research Society, Taormina, Sicily.
  • Turner, B. J., Robertson, M., Parmiter, R., & Chapman, A. L. (2013, June). Non-Suicidal Self- injury in LGBTQ Adults: Severity and Importance of Social Context. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the International Society for the Study of Self-Injury, Vancouver, BC.