Ellen Fitzsimmons-Craft

Associate Professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences
Associate Professor of Psychiatry
Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
M.A., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
B.A., University of Notre Dame
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        Ellen Fitzsimmons-Craft's research focuses on increasing access to evidence-based care for eating disorders and other mental health problems.

        Fitzsimmons-Craft's research is focused on harnessing technology for the prevention and treatment of mental health problems, mental health screening, and training in evidence-based treatments, with a specific focus on eating disorders. Ultimately, her work aims to disseminate evidence-based interventions from research to practice as well as to extend treatments in ways that will reach the 80% of people in need of care for eating disorders but who never receive services. In other words, Fitzsimmons-Craft aims to address both the large research-practice and treatment gaps that currently exist for eating disorders and other mental health problems, with the ultimate goal being to reduce mental health disparities and promote equity in access to and quality of care. Additional foci of her research include the sociocultural etiological and maintenance factors for eating disorders and eating disorders recovery, with the goal of this work being to improve patient outcomes.

         

        Selected publications

        • Laboe, A. A., McGinnis, C. G., Fennig, M., Zucker, K., Wu, E., Shah, J., Levitan, J., Firebaugh, M. L., Bardone-Cone, A. M., Pike, K. M., Taylor, C. B., Wilfley, D. E., & Fitzsimmons-Craft, E. E. (2024). Development and usability testing of a cognitive-behavioral therapy-guided self-help mobile app and social media group for the post-acute treatment of anorexia nervosa. Eating Behaviors, 53, 101865. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eatbeh.2024.101865
        • Haynos, A. F., Egbert, A. H., Fitzsimmons-Craft, E. E., Levinson, C. A., & Schleider, J. L. (2024). Not niche: eating disorders as an example in the dangers of overspecialisation. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 224(3), 82-85. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2023.160  
        • Shah, J., DePietro, B., D'Adamo, L., Firebaugh, M. L., Laing, O., Fowler, L. A., Smolar, L., Sadeh-Sharvit, S., Taylor, C. B., Wilfley, D. E., & Fitzsimmons-Craft, E. E. (2022). Development and usability testing of a chatbot to promote mental health services use among individuals with eating disorders following screening. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 55(9), 1229-1244. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23798
        • Fitzsimmons-Craft, E. E., Chan, W. W., Smith, A. C., Firebaugh, M. L., Fowler, L. A., Topooco, N., Wilfley, D. E., Taylor, C. B., & Jacobson, N. C. (2022). Effectiveness of a chatbot for eating disorders prevention: a randomized clinical trial. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 55(3), 343-353. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23662
        • Fitzsimmons-Craft, E. E., Taylor, C. B., Newman, M. G., Zainal, N. H., Rojas-Ashe, E. E., Lipson, S. K., Firebaugh, M. L., Ceglarek, P., Topooco, N., Jacobson, N. C., Graham, A. K., Kim, H. M., Eisenberg, D., & Wilfley, D. E. (2021). Harnessing mobile technology to reduce mental health disorders in college populations: A randomized controlled trial study protocol. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 103, 106320. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cct.2021.106320
        • Taylor, C. B., Fitzsimmons-Craft, E. E., & Graham, A. K. (2020). Digital technology can revolutionize mental health services delivery: The COVID19 crisis as a catalyst for change. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 53(7), 1155-1157. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23300
        • Fitzsimmons-Craft, E. E., Taylor, C. B., Graham, A. K., Sadeh-Sharvit, S., Balantekin, K. N., Eichen, D. M., Monterubio, G. E., Goel, N. J., Flatt, R. E., Karam, A. M., Firebaugh, M. L., Jacobi, C., Jo, B., Trockel, M. T., & Wilfley, D. E. (2020). Effectiveness of a digital cognitive behavior therapy¨Cguided self-help intervention for eating disorders in college women: A cluster randomized clinical trial. JAMA Network Open, 3(8), e2015633-e2015633.https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.15633
        • Fitzsimmons-Craft, E. E., Karam, A. M., Monterubio, G. E., Taylor, C. B., & Wilfley, D. E. (2019). Screening for eating disorders on college campuses: A review of the recent literature. Current Psychiatry Reports, 21, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-019-1093-1
        • Fitzsimmons-Craft, E. E., Balantekin, K. N., Graham, A. K., Smolar, L., Park, D., Mysko, C., Funk, B., Taylor, C. B., & Wilfley, D. E. (2019). Results of disseminating an online screen for eating disorders across the US: Reach, respondent characteristics, and unmet treatment need. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 52(6), 721-729. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23043
        • Fitzsimmons-Craft, E. E., Firebaugh, M. L., Graham, A. K., Eichen, D. M., Monterubio, G. E., Balantekin, K. N., Karam, A. M., Seal, A., Funk, B., Taylor, C. B., & Wilfley, D. E. (2019). State-wide university implementation of an online platform for eating disorders screening and intervention. Psychological Services, 16(2), 239. https://doi.org/10.1037/ser0000264
        • Kazdin, A. E., Fitzsimmons-Craft, E. E., & Wilfley, D. E. (2017). Addressing critical gaps in the treatment of eating disorders. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 50(3), 170-189. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.22670