Dr Hannah White

Hannah is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology. She completed her undergraduate degree, BSc (Hons) Psychology, at Loughborough University in 2006. From there, she worked in a variety of roles with individuals and families affected by mental health problems, both within a mental health charity and a range of inpatient units within the NHS. She graduated from Loughborough University in 2015, with a PhD in Psychology which focused on aspects of family mealtimes and adolescent and maternal psychopathology. Before starting her Lectureship at Loughborough University in October 2016, Hannah was a Lecturer in Psychology at De Montfort University in Leicester.

Hannah lectures on the Psychology undergraduate degree programmes, where she teaches on modules relating to developmental psychology. Hannah also supervises undergraduate and postgraduate (PhD) students’ research projects. Hannah is the Academic Integrity Lead for Psychology and a member of the School Athena Swan core team.

Hannah’s research focuses on disordered eating and mental health among adolescents and young adults. She has experience conducting eating-focused research with adolescents, young adults and parents within both community and clinical samples. Hannah has particular expertise relating to family mealtimes, focusing on how mealtimes are experienced and the interactions which occur during that time. She also conducts research exploring technology use during mealtimes.

Hannah’s research also includes broader family interactions relating to body weight and shape and physical activity in relation to disordered eating and mental health.

Hannah research interests include:

• Disordered eating among young people
• Mealtimes across different contexts
• Parenting and parent-child interactions
• Mental health and wellbeing among young people
• Technology use in relation to eating, exercise and wellbeing.

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (March 2018).

Reviewer for a wide range of academic journals including: Appetite, European Eating Disorders Review, Eating Behaviours, Journal of Adolescent Health, British Journal of Health Psychology, Journal of Health Psychology, Public Health Nutrition, Food Quality and Preference. 

• White, H. J., Haycraft, E., Williamson, I., & Meyer, C. (2020). Disturbance at the dinner table: Exploring mothers’ experiences of mealtimes when caring for their son or daughter with anorexia nervosa. Journal of Health Psychology. DOI: 10.1177/1359105320904756
• White, H. J., Haycraft, E. & Meyer, C. (2019). Family mealtime negativity and adolescent binge-eating: A replication and extension study in a community sample. Eating Behaviors, 34, 101306. DOI: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2019.10130
• Hadlington, L., White, H., & Curtis, S. (2019). “I cannot live without my [tablet]”: Children's experiences of using tablet technology within the home. Computers in Human Behavior, 94, 19-24. DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2018.12.043
• Papathomas, A., White, H.J., & Plateau, C. R. (2018). Young people, social media and disordered eating. In V. Goodyear & K. Armour (Eds.), Young People, Social Media and Health. London: Routledge. DOI: 10.4324/9781351026987
• White, H. J., Haycraft, E., Madden, S., Rhodes, P., Miskovic-Wheatley, J., Wallis, A., Kohn, M., & Meyer, C. (2017). Parental strategies used in the family meal session of Family-Based Treatment for adolescent anorexia nervosa: Links with treatment outcomes. International Journal of Eating Disorders. DOI:10.1002/eat.22647
• White, H. J., Haycraft, E., Wallis, D. J., Arcelus, J., Leung, N., & Meyer, C. (2015).  Development of the Mealtime Emotions Measure for adolescents (MEM-A): Gender differences in emotional responses to family mealtimes and eating psychopathology.  Appetite, 85,76-83. DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2014.11.011
• White, H. J., Haycraft, E., Madden, S., Rhodes, P., Miskovic-Wheatley, J., Wallis, A., Kohn, M., & Meyer, C. (2015). How do parents of adolescent patients with anorexia nervosa interact with their child at mealtimes? A study of parental strategies used in the family meal session of family-based treatment. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 48, 72-80. DOI:10.1002/eat.22328
• White, H. J., Haycraft, E., Goodwin, H., & Meyer, C. (2014). Eating disorder examination questionnaire: Factor structure for adolescent girls and boys. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 47, 99-104. DOI: 10.1002/eat.22199
• White, H. J., Haycraft, E. & Meyer, C. (2014).  Family mealtimes and eating psychopathology: The role of anxiety and depression among adolescent girls and boys.  Appetite, 75, 173-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2014.01.007