معرفی
Deborah Mitchison Crawford is an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Technology Sydney's Graduate School of Health. Ranked as the #14 eating disorder scholar globally by ScholarGPS and recognized as an inaugural Highly Ranked Scholar (placing her in the top 0.05% of researchers worldwide), she has specialized in eating disorders research since 2009. Her academic journey includes an NHMRC Research Fellowship at Western Sydney University (2019-2023) and a Macquarie University Research Fellowship (2016-2019), alongside clinical work as a psychologist at Basten & Associates.
- PhD, Western Sydney University (2015)
- Master of Clinical Psychology, Western Sydney University (2012)
- Master of Science (Health Psychology), University of Sydney (2009)
- Bachelor of Psychology (Honours), University of Newcastle (2008)
Professor Mitchison's research focuses on understanding the prevalence, distribution, determinants, and health service use associated with eating disorders. She employs population-based cohort studies, registry-based research, and program evaluations as primary methodological approaches. Her work addresses critical gaps in eating disorder knowledge across diverse populations including children, adolescents, males, athletes, and autistic individuals. She has made significant contributions to understanding muscle dysmorphia, disordered eating in athletes, and early warning signs for eating disorders in children.
Her research reveals important trends in eating disorder epidemiology, particularly the rising prevalence among younger populations and specific demographic groups. She has documented the complex relationship between trauma and eating disorders, developed screening tools for specialized populations, and evaluated treatment outcomes across different care settings. Her work on the TrEAT Registry and EveryBODY Study represents major contributions to longitudinal data collection in the field.
- #14 ranked eating disorder scholar globally (ScholarGPS)
- Inaugural Highly Ranked Scholar (top 0.05% of researchers worldwide)
- Leader of the TrEAT Registry (first registry for community-based eating disorder treatment in Australia)
- Principal investigator of the EveryBODY Study (5000-adolescent cohort study)
Professor Mitchison actively collaborates with clinical leaders across eating disorder specialty clinics in Australia and New Zealand. Her research informs early detection strategies, treatment protocols, and policy development in the eating disorder field. She has contributed to understanding how factors like social media use, social fears, and body image concerns contribute to eating disorder development. Her recent work on AI readiness in the eating disorder field demonstrates her forward-looking approach to integrating new technologies into clinical practice.
