Deborah Williams

Recent Research:

2017-2019       Breast Health and Weight Issues, (Co-I), an international, cross-cultural, collaborative project examining women’s health and self-image, including attitudes about breast health and size how this impacts body image and life satisfaction. Dr. Viren Swami & Dr. David Barron (Perdana University, Malaysia-Co-PIs).

2017-2019       Older and Wiser BITs: Citizen Scientists in the Valley of the Sun, (Co-I) a collaborative social science project using citizen scientists to understand body and aging concerns, forms of body talk seniors engage in and how this may empower or undermine health efforts. Dr. Cindi SturtzSreetharan (PI)

2017-2018       Fat Talk in Cross-Cultural Settings, A cross-cultural study in 7 countries,leveraging linguistic methods to explore how negative ‘body talk’ operates in self-image, sociality, and wellbeing. Dr. Brewis & Dr. SturtzSreetharan (Co-PIs)

2016-2019       Fat in Four Cultures, A comparative, ethnographically-focused study examining how and why obesity and its stigma is experienced differently in everyday lives in four different countries. Dr. Alexandra Brewis Slade (PI)

2014-2016       The Post-Bariatric Lives Project, (Co-I) Longitudinal ethnographic and survey study of the role of stigma, social support,  and identity across the years following bariatric  surgery to understand the interpersonal bases of weight regain (based at Mayo Clinic) Dr. Alexandra Brewis (PI).

2014-2017       FitPHX Energy Zones, (Co-PI), a study and program in partnership with the City of Phoenix Mayor’s office and Maricopa County Department of Public Health to redesign public libraries as physical spaces that help children learn health and modify behaviors using ASU interns peer-mentors. Dr. James Levine (Co-PI)

2013-2014       Active @ASU –HealthVault Project, (Co-I), A study and program to provide and evaluate an integrated system for students to track their everyday health behaviors through a portal and database that provides feedback on their personal student pages. Dr. Alexandra Brewis Slade (PI)

2013-2014       Fat by any other name (Co-I), A study to identify the desirability of weight-related terms for students in clinical and social settings. (Dr. Alexandra Brewis Slade (PI)