Brad MacNeil, Ph.D.

MACNEIL LAB RESEARCH FOCUS:
Eating disorders are serious biological based illnesses. Meaningfully engaging patients in evidence-based care represents a challenge across the field. Another challenge is access to evidence-based interventions for patients and families, as well as competency-based therapy (C.B.T.) training and clinical consultation for professionals working in the field. The current monetization of psychotherapy training and certifications, rather than a focus on dissemination of what we know works well may represent a potential barrier to more professionals entering the field, being trained in the delivery of transdiagnostic competencies, as well as access to treatment for patients in need of care. My research is also focused on understanding how to better engage and treat patients struggling with this illness. I am particularly interested in the reported strong compulsion to continue engagement eating disorder behaviors despite recognizing these habit formed or compulsive behaviors can be harmful and may pose serious medical risk. Further, a better understanding of the links between eating disorders and other conditions (e.g., substance use disorders, OCD, and general medical conditions) may have important implications for improving our understanding of the mechanisms involved and for better engaging patients in care. My program of research is divided into four domains: (1) Program development and evaluation of patient experience with novel treatments for eating disorders; (2) individual and group therapy process and outcomes; (3) overlap between eating disorders and other conditions; and (4) accessible competency-based therapy training of mental health and addictions professionals.

RESEARCH FOCUS: MACNEIL LAB:
The MacNeil Lab offers graduate students in the APA accredited Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology in the College of Health Sciences and students from other programs across Midwestern University an opportunity to engage in research projects as research assistants (RAs). Some of the graduate students are also involved in research as part of their doctoral dissertation project. If you are interested in getting involved in the MacNeil Lab, please email us (bmacne@midwestern.edu ) to inquire about current and/or future opportunities. Our research assistants receive mentorship and gain skills and competency development in applied mental health and addiction research, program evaluation, data analysis, preparation of grant proposals, manuscript preparation, and conference presentations nationally and internationally.

CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS:
Project #1: Examining the relationship between women's experiences of a history of an eating disorder and their later engagement in in vitro fertilization (IVF). PI - Dr. Brad MacNeil; Project Lead - Ritika Rao (DO Student); RA's - Reece Weitzel (Clin Psyc Student), Hannah Wheldon (Clin Psyc Student), Grace Fitzgibbons (Clin Psyc Student), Remony Pearlman (Clin Psyc Student), Talia Gruber (Clin Psyc Student).

Project #2: Examining the relationship between laxative use, substance use and obsessions and compulsions in adults with an eating disorder. PI - Dr. Brad MacNeil; RA's Thomas Gorman (Clin Psyc Student), Jason Maeir (Clin Psyc Student).

Project #3: Exposure with response prevention (ERP) for negative body image delivered in virtual formats. PI - Dr. Brad MacNeil. 

Project #4: Lifetime prevalence of hoarding disorder in adults with an eating disorder: Systemic review and meta-analysis. PI - Dr. Brad MacNeil; RA's Michael Montross (DO Student), Samantha Schultz (Clin Psyc Student), Samantha Re (Clin Psyc Student), Alex Robey (Clin Psyc Student).

Project #5: The eating disorder voice: Characteristics and correlates. PI - Dr. Brad MacNeil. RA's Jordyn Minkus, Talia Gruber, Emily Wilson, Haro Green, Jason Maier, Michael Montross, Brinthy Moorthy, Chloe Parr, Alex Robey, Arthi Vasudevan.

Project #6: Student Commentary: Access to psychological assessment materials and security in the digital space. Dr. Brad MacNeil; Isabella Savage (Clin Psyc Student), Chloe Parr (Clin Psyc Student), Chandler Gotfried (Clin Psyc Student), Olivia Wilkerson (Clin Psyc Student), Melisa Medzona (Clin Psyc Student), Parker Krain (Clin Psyc Student), Lauren Kraft (Clin Psyc Student), Grace Fitsgibbons (Clin Psyc Student). 

Project #7: Healthcare professionals'' perspectives on recommending engagement in family-based treatment (FBT) for eating disorders. PI : Dr. Brad MacNeil. RA's Bailey Coon, Emily Wilson, Talia Gruber, Shainee Price, Magdalena Samela, and Reece Sandercock.