Taryn A. Myers, Ph.D.

Professor of Psychology with publications in risk and protective factors for body image concerns and disordered eating

Research Interests

Body Image
Eating Disorders
Feminist Beliefs
Clinical Psychology
Psychiatry and Mental health
Biological Psychiatry
Applied Psychology
Social Psychology
Developmental and Educational Psychology
Gender Studies
Nutrition and Dietetics
Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Education
Economics and Econometrics
Sociology and Political Science

About

Dr. Taryn A. Myers earned her M.A. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Kent State University, where she served as a Teaching Fellow and Assistant Director of the Psychological Clinic. She received her B.A. in Psychology with an interdisciplinary minor in Women's and Gender Studies from Kenyon College. A native Midwesterner, Dr. Myers completed her clinical residency at the Medical College of Georgia and the Charlie Norwood Veteran's Affairs Medical Center prior to moving to Hampton Roads in 2010. She chose to come to Virginia Wesleyan because of her passion for teaching and the liberal arts. Dr. Myers' research interests include risk and protective factors for body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. She enjoys integrating stories from her clinical work and findings from her research into her teaching to make the material come alive for students. She also engages in editorial activities for such journals as Body Image and Sex Roles. In addition, Dr. Myers enjoys sharing her research with students through independent projects and encourages them to present their work at state and national conferences. Dr. Myers is currently serving as Chair of Psychology as well as Chair of Special Interest Groups of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT). She is the 2017 recipient of an Early Career Achievement Award from the American Psychological Association, the 2018 recipient of the Samuel Nelson Gray Distinguished Teaching award from VWU, and the 2019 recipient of the ABCT Women's Issues Special Interest Group Early Career Award.

Publications

Social comparison as a predictor of body dissatisfaction: A meta-analytic review.

Journal of Abnormal Psychology / Nov 01, 2009

Myers, T. A., & Crowther, J. H. (2009). Social comparison as a predictor of body dissatisfaction: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 118(4), 683–698. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0016763

Sociocultural pressures, thin-ideal internalization, self-objectification, and body dissatisfaction: Could feminist beliefs be a moderating factor?

Body Image / Sep 01, 2007

Myers, T. A., & Crowther, J. H. (2007). Sociocultural pressures, thin-ideal internalization, self-objectification, and body dissatisfaction: Could feminist beliefs be a moderating factor? Body Image, 4(3), 296–308. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2007.04.001

Do Appearance Focused Cognitive Distortions Moderate the Relationship between Social Comparisons to Peers and Media Images and Body Image Disturbance?

Sex Roles / Mar 25, 2011

Ridolfi, D. R., Myers, T. A., Crowther, J. H., & Ciesla, J. A. (2011). Do Appearance Focused Cognitive Distortions Moderate the Relationship between Social Comparisons to Peers and Media Images and Body Image Disturbance? Sex Roles, 65(7–8), 491–505. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-011-9961-0

The impact of appearance-focused social comparisons on body image disturbance in the naturalistic environment: The roles of thin-ideal internalization and feminist beliefs

Body Image / Jun 01, 2012

Myers, T. A., Ridolfi, D. R., Crowther, J. H., & Ciesla, J. A. (2012). The impact of appearance-focused social comparisons on body image disturbance in the naturalistic environment: The roles of thin-ideal internalization and feminist beliefs. Body Image, 9(3), 342–351. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2012.03.005

Sexualizing the Self

Psychology of Women Quarterly / Feb 28, 2014

Smolak, L., Murnen, S. K., & Myers, T. A. (2014). Sexualizing the Self. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 38(3), 379–397. https://doi.org/10.1177/0361684314524168

Is Self-Objectification Related to Interoceptive Awareness? An Examination of Potential Mediating Pathways to Disordered Eating Attitudes

Psychology of Women Quarterly / Jun 01, 2008

Myers, T. A., & Crowther, J. H. (2008). Is Self-Objectification Related to Interoceptive Awareness? An Examination of Potential Mediating Pathways to Disordered Eating Attitudes. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 32(2), 172–180. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-6402.2008.00421.x

Is use of social networking sites associated with young women’s body dissatisfaction and disordered eating? A look at Black–White racial differences

Body Image / Dec 01, 2017

Howard, L. M., Heron, K. E., MacIntyre, R. I., Myers, T. A., & Everhart, R. S. (2017). Is use of social networking sites associated with young women’s body dissatisfaction and disordered eating? A look at Black–White racial differences. Body Image, 23, 109–113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2017.08.008

The impact of doll style of dress and familiarity on body dissatisfaction in 6- to 8-year-old girls

Body Image / Sep 01, 2016

Jellinek, R. D., Myers, T. A., & Keller, K. L. (2016). The impact of doll style of dress and familiarity on body dissatisfaction in 6- to 8-year-old girls. Body Image, 18, 78–85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2016.05.003

Aβ40 is associated with cognitive function, body fat and physical fitness in healthy older adults

Nutritional Neuroscience / Oct 01, 2007

Leahey, T. M., Myers, T. A., Gunstad, J., Glickman, E., Spitznagel, M. B., Alexander, T., & Juvancic-Heltzel, J. (2007). Aβ40 is associated with cognitive function, body fat and physical fitness in healthy older adults. Nutritional Neuroscience, 10(5–6), 205–209. https://doi.org/10.1080/10284150701676156

Reaction Times to Appearance-Related or Non-appearance-Related Word Choice Among Women With and Without Eating Psychopathology

Cognitive Therapy and Research / Nov 04, 2014

Myers, T. A., Ridolfi, D. R., & Crowther, J. H. (2014). Reaction Times to Appearance-Related or Non-appearance-Related Word Choice Among Women With and Without Eating Psychopathology. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 39(2), 204–214. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-014-9653-5

Evaluating the real-world predictive validity of the Body Image Quality of Life Inventory using Ecological Momentary Assessment

Body Image / Sep 01, 2015

Heron, K. E., Mason, T. B., Sutton, T. G., & Myers, T. A. (2015). Evaluating the real-world predictive validity of the Body Image Quality of Life Inventory using Ecological Momentary Assessment. Body Image, 15, 105–108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2015.07.004

Feminist Theories of Eating Disorders

The Wiley Handbook of Eating Disorders / Apr 30, 2015

Myers, T. A. (2015). Feminist Theories of Eating Disorders. The Wiley Handbook of Eating Disorders, 238–252. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118574089.ch19

What about being a feminist is protective? An examination of constructs related to feminist beliefs as moderators of the relationship between media awareness and thin-ideal internalization

Body Image / Jun 01, 2022

Myers, T. A. (2022). What about being a feminist is protective? An examination of constructs related to feminist beliefs as moderators of the relationship between media awareness and thin-ideal internalization. Body Image, 41, 248–261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2022.03.001

Further evaluation of the psychometric properties of the German version of the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2): Cross-validation, measurement invariance, and population-based norms

Body Image / Jun 01, 2023

Warschburger, P., & Behrend, N. (2023). Further evaluation of the psychometric properties of the German version of the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2): Cross-validation, measurement invariance, and population-based norms. Body Image, 45, 105–116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2023.02.004

Book Review: Body Image: A Handbook of Science, Practice, and Prevention (2nd ed.)

Psychology of Women Quarterly / Aug 23, 2012

Myers, T. A. (2012). Book Review: Body Image: A Handbook of Science, Practice, and Prevention (2nd ed.). Psychology of Women Quarterly, 36(3), 380–381. https://doi.org/10.1177/0361684312439992

BECOMING WOMEN. The Embodied Self in Image Culture

Becoming Women / Dec 31, 2014

BECOMING WOMEN. The Embodied Self in Image Culture. (2014). Becoming Women, 1–2. https://doi.org/10.3138/9781442685406-003

“Your Body Is Not Representative of Who You Are”: Exploring the Relations Between Feminist Attitudes, Feminist Identity, and Responses to Negative Body Talk Among Women

Psychology of Women Quarterly / Nov 17, 2022

Nolen, E., Myers, T. A., Kvaka, A., & Murnen, S. K. (2022). “Your Body Is Not Representative of Who You Are”: Exploring the Relations Between Feminist Attitudes, Feminist Identity, and Responses to Negative Body Talk Among Women. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 47(1), 113–126. https://doi.org/10.1177/03616843221136867

Integrating Critical Thinking Into Instruction, Assignments, and Discussions Improves Students’ Critical Analysis and Evaluation Skills in an Online Course

Teaching of Psychology / Dec 12, 2021

Hamaoui, K. G. (2021). Integrating Critical Thinking Into Instruction, Assignments, and Discussions Improves Students’ Critical Analysis and Evaluation Skills in an Online Course. Teaching of Psychology, 50(4), 363–369. https://doi.org/10.1177/00986283211047171

Giving advice under uncertainty: What you do, what you should do, and what others think you do

Journal of Economic Psychology / Nov 01, 2008

Hadar, L., & Fischer, I. (2008). Giving advice under uncertainty: What you do, what you should do, and what others think you do. Journal of Economic Psychology, 29(5), 667–683. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joep.2007.12.007

Journeys of Embodiment at the Intersection of Body and Culture: The Developmental Theory of Embodiment

Women & Therapy / Jan 25, 2020

Myers, T. A. (2020). Journeys of Embodiment at the Intersection of Body and Culture: The Developmental Theory of Embodiment. Women & Therapy, 43(3–4), 405–407. https://doi.org/10.1080/02703149.2020.1717102

Book Review: Women and Gender: Making a Difference (4th ed.)

Psychology of Women Quarterly / Nov 26, 2012

Myers, T. A. (2012). Book Review: Women and Gender: Making a Difference (4th ed.). Psychology of Women Quarterly, 36(4), 510–511. https://doi.org/10.1177/0361684312456301

Education

Kent State University

Ph.D., Clinical Psychology

Kent, Ohio, United States of America

Kent State University

M.A., Clinical Psychology

Kent, Ohio, United States of America

Kenyon College

B.A., Psychology

Gambier, Ohio, United States of America

Experience

Virginia Wesleyan University

Associate Professor / August, 2016August, 2022

Professor and Chair of Psychology / August, 2022Present

Assistant Professor / August, 2010August, 2016

Links & Social Media

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