our work
The Mathis Lab aims to examine biopsychosocial risk and protective factors in the development and maintenance of health risk behaviors in youth and young adults, particularly Black and Brown populations, using intersectional frameworks. Such knowledge will inform how we prevent, assess, diagnose, and treat mental health disorders to be more culturally relevant and appropriate.
Overall, the mission is to be a leader in mental health promotion and prevention among Black and Brown populations through the symbiotic relationship between research and clinical practice.
Pillars of our work
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Our primary responsibility as a research lab within the Brown University Health system is to contribute to the body of science as to advance health outcomes and health equity for all, more specifically for Black and Brown individuals. We do so through NIH-funded empirical research studies that examine health behavior among people of color to identify specific strategies to better support their health.
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In conjunction with our research projects, we work alongside community partners to advance health and wellness for Black and Brown folks in our direct orbit.
This includes but is not limited to, conducting wellness programming at local schools and libraries in Providence, RI, attending local events, and dispersing vital resources.
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We aim to spread knowledge of how people can better support their own health and better advocate for their health in traditional healthcare settings using all avenues at our disposal through our research, community work, and social media presence.
This is done by demystifying empirical research on health and intersectional health impacts, while spreading awareness of what resources are available for varying needs.
Publications (newest to oldest)
Jennings Mathis K, Carroll D, Rodgers RF, Franko DL. Role of culture in eating among Black women: A qualitative study. in prep.. Forthcoming.
Jennings Mathis, K., Stroud, L. R., Rosenthal, S. R., & Ziobrowski, H. N.. (2025). Race and Ethnicity Moderates the Relationship Between Family Income Level and Allostatic Load Among Adolescents in the United States. Journal of Adolescent Health, 77(1), 128–133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2025.03.015
Kudinova AY, Kulak MJ, Daniels TE, Angeles WLL, de la Monte S, Mathis KJ, Beck QM, Laumann LE, Tyrka AR. Increased plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and its associations with metabolic risk in healthy young adults with early life stress. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2024 Aug;166:107071. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107071. Epub 2024 May 8. PubMed PMID: 38754340; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC11188775.
Jennings Mathis K, Herbell K, Ali Muhammad Ali Charania N, Williams K, Mechling B, Ngosa Mumba M, Paun O, Willis DG. Lessons From the Field: Strategies for Success in Obtaining Grant Funding. J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc. 2024 May-Jun;30(3):677-682. doi: 10.1177/10783903221124158. Epub 2022 Sep 28. PubMed PMID: 36171688.
Kulak MJ, Los Angeles WL, Daniels TE, Mathis KJ, Gobin AP, Laumann LE, Beck Q, Tyrka AR. Increased Cardiometabolic Risk in Healthy Young Adults With Early Life Stress. Psychosom Med. 2024 Feb-Mar 01;86(2):72-82. doi: 10.1097/PSY.0000000000001273. Epub 2023 Dec 29. PubMed PMID: 38153259; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10922275.
Jennings Mathis K, Carden H, Tavares A, Al Sanea A. How Do Risky Behaviors and Mental Health Differ Among Students Based on Undergraduate Class Status?. J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc. 2023 Nov-Dec;29(6):477-482. doi: 10.1177/10783903211066126. Epub 2022 Mar 11. PubMed PMID: 35277094.
Ramirez A, Mathis KJ, Moore AM, Tovar A. Developing Motivational Interviewing Skills Among Undergraduate Nursing Students. J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv. 2023 May;61(5):17-24. doi: 10.3928/02793695-20221027-01. Epub 2022 Nov 7. PubMed PMID: 36322871.
Daniels TE, Mathis KJ, Gobin AP, Lewis-de Los Angeles WW, Smith EM, Chanthrakumar P, de la Monte S, Tyrka AR. Associations of early life stress with leptin and ghrelin in healthy young adults. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2023 Mar;149:106007. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.106007. Epub 2022 Dec 15. PubMed PMID: 36577337; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9931677.
Kells M, Jennings Mathis K. Influence of COVID-19 on the next generation of nurses in the United States. J Clin Nurs. 2023 Feb;32(3-4):359-367. doi: 10.1111/jocn.16202. Epub 2022 Jan 18. PubMed PMID: 35043488; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC11459585.
Egbert AH, Hunt RA, Williams KL, Burke NL, Mathis KJ. Reporting racial and ethnic diversity in eating disorder research over the past 20 years. Int J Eat Disord. 2022 Apr;55(4):455-462. doi: 10.1002/eat.23666. Epub 2022 Jan 7. PubMed PMID: 34997609; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC11389655.
Goel NJ, Jennings Mathis K, Egbert AH, Petterway F, Breithaupt L, Eddy KT, Franko DL, Graham AK. Accountability in promoting representation of historically marginalized racial and ethnic populations in the eating disorders field: A call to action. Int J Eat Disord. 2022 Apr;55(4):463-469. doi: 10.1002/eat.23682. Epub 2022 Jan 29. PubMed PMID: 35092322; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9305786.
Haynos AF, Wang SB, LeMay-Russell S, Lavender JM, Pearson CM, Mathis KJ, Peterson CB, Crow SJ. An empirical taxonomy of reward response patterns in a transdiagnostic eating disorder sample. Eat Behav. 2021 Aug;42:101531. doi: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2021.101531. Epub 2021 May 24. PubMed PMID: 34126343; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8380651.
Marquez FD, Risica PM, Mathis KJ, Sullivan A, Gobin AP, Tyrka AR. Do measures of healthy eating differ in survivors of early adversity?. Appetite. 2021 Jul 1;162:105180. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2021.105180. Epub 2021 Mar 6. PubMed PMID: 33684530; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8058294.
Jennings KM, Bodell LP, Crosby RD, Haynos AF, Wildes JE. Mixture Modeling to Characterize Anorexia Nervosa: Integrating Personality and Eating Disorder Psychopathology. J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc. 2021 May-Jun;27(3):231-239. doi: 10.1177/1078390319862029. Epub 2019 Jul 10. PubMed PMID: 31291805; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7081379.
Jennings Mathis K, Anaya C, Rambur B, Bodell LP, Graham AK, Forney KJ, Anam S, Wildes JE. Workforce Diversity in Eating Disorders: A Multi-Methods Study. West J Nurs Res. 2020 Dec;42(12):1068-1077. doi: 10.1177/0193945920912396. Epub 2020 Apr 8. PubMed PMID: 32266857; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7541546.
Mathis KJ, Charania NAMA. Black Lives Matter: Strategies Through REVOLUTION. J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv. 2020 Nov 1;58(11):2-3. doi: 10.3928/02793695-20201013-01. PubMed PMID: 33119113.
Costa CB, Xandre PE, Mathis KJ. Treating Individuals With Eating Disorders: Part 2. J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv. 2020 Apr 1;58(4):9-15. doi: 10.3928/02793695-20200310-01. PubMed PMID: 32219460.
Mathis KJ, Costa CB, Xandre PE. Treating Individuals With Eating Disorders: Part 1. J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv. 2020 Mar 1;58(3):7-13. doi: 10.3928/02793695-20200217-02. PubMed PMID: 32129875.
Jennings KM, Loth KA, Tate AD, Miner MH, Berge JM. Application of latent profile analysis to define subgroups of parenting styles and food parenting practices. Appetite. 2019 Aug 1;139:8-18. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2019.04.001. Epub 2019 Apr 6. PubMed PMID: 30965046; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6556132.
Boyd HK, Bodell LP, Jennings KM, Graham AK, Crosby RD, Wildes JE. Relationship between desired weight constructs and eating disorder severity following treatment for anorexia nervosa. Int J Eat Disord. 2018 Aug;51(8):870-878. doi: 10.1002/eat.22879. Epub 2018 May 7. PubMed PMID: 29734468; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6222021.
Jennings KM, Gregas M, Wolfe B. Trajectories of Change in Body Weight During Inpatient Treatment for Anorexia Nervosa. J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc. 2018 Jul/Aug;24(4):306-313. doi: 10.1177/1078390317726142. Epub 2017 Aug 17. PubMed PMID: 28817991; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5794613.
Phillips KE, Jennings KM, Gregas M. Factor Structure of the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire in a Clinical Sample of Adult Women With Anorexia Nervosa. J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv. 2018 May 1;56(5):33-39. doi: 10.3928/02793695-20180108-03. Epub 2018 Jan 12. PubMed PMID: 29328356.
Kelly-Weeder S, Kells M, Jennings K, Dunne J, Wolfe B. Procedures and Protocols for Weight Assessment During Acute Illness in Individuals With Anorexia Nervosa: A National Survey. J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc. 2018 May/Jun;24(3):241-246. doi: 10.1177/1078390317717790. Epub 2017 Jul 28. PubMed PMID: 28754062; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5748368.
Jennings KM, Phillips KE. Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q): Norms for Clinical Sample of Female Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa. Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2017 Dec;31(6):578-581. doi: 10.1016/j.apnu.2017.08.002. Epub 2017 Aug 3. PubMed PMID: 29179824; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5728684.
Jennings KM. The Roy Adaptation Model: A Theoretical Framework for Nurses Providing Care to Individuals With Anorexia Nervosa. ANS Adv Nurs Sci. 2017 Oct/Dec;40(4):370-383. doi: 10.1097/ANS.0000000000000175. PubMed PMID: 28825933; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5664223.
Jennings KM, Wildes JE, Coccaro EF. Intermittent explosive disorder and eating disorders: Analysis of national comorbidity and research samples. Compr Psychiatry. 2017 May;75:62-67. doi: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2017.02.011. Epub 2017 Mar 2. PubMed PMID: 28324677; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5410643.
Jennings KM, Phillips KE. Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q): Norms for a Clinical Sample of Males. Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2017 Feb;31(1):73-76. doi: 10.1016/j.apnu.2016.08.004. Epub 2016 Aug 18. PubMed PMID: 28104062; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5702498.
Jennings KM, Kelly-Weeder S, Wolfe BE. Binge eating among racial minority groups in the United States: an integrative review. J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc. 2015 Mar-Apr;21(2):117-25. doi: 10.1177/1078390315581923. Review. PubMed PMID: 25979879.
Kelly-Weeder S, Jennings KM, Wolfe BE. Gender differences in binge eating and behavioral correlates among college students. Eat Weight Disord. 2012 Sep;17(3):e200-2. doi: 10.1007/BF03325348. PubMed PMID: 23086256.