Clinical Psychology, PhD

Rebecca R. Mendoza

Clinical Psychology: Clinical Psychology: Eating disorders, adverse childhood experiences, childhood trauma, adolescence, and comorbidity

Rebecca Mendoza is a third-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program working with Dr. Sarah Fischer in the Impulse Lab. Prior to beginning her training at George Mason University, Rebecca obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Science, Technology, and Society Studies (STSS) from San Diego State University in 2023.

Her research interests include examining changes in development psychopathology and personality, biomarkers of stress and inflammation, and sociocultural factors and traumatic stress, all in relation to eating disorder development and maintenance in child and adolescent populations. Rebecca's current research projects aim to explore specific biomarkers and changes in developmental psychopathology as potential mechanisms underlying the comorbidity of trauma, prolonged stress, and eating disorders in adolescents and young adults.

Selected Publications

Mendoza, R. R., Convertino, A.D., & Blashill A.J. (2025). Examining Associations of Borderline Personality Disorder Symptoms and Eating Disorder Diagnosis. International Journal of Eating Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.24370

Hart, F. G. & Mendoza, R. R. (2024). The 2024 Student Research Symposium: Reflections and Recommendations. the Behavior Therapist, 47(5).

Siegel, J. A., Mendoza, R. R., Tesselaar, J. M., DeJesus, J., Elbe, C. I., Caravelli, N. S., Troy, L., Fenton, M., Victoria, B., Herrera, J., & Blashill, A. J. (2024). “I felt so powerful to have this love in me”: A grounded theory analysis of the experiences of people living with and recovering from eating disorders while in diverse romantic relationships. Body Image, 49, p.101709. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2024.101709

Mendoza, R. R., Convertino, A. D., & Blashill, A. J. (2024). A longitudinal study of potentially traumatic events and binge-purge eating disorder onset in children. Appetite, 193, 107132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2023.107132

Nolen, E.*, Siegel, J. A.*, Mendoza, R. R., Cubbin, C., Vohra-Gupta, S., Dosanjh, L., & Lewis-Smith, H. (2024) The impact of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization on young women's experiences of objectification and sexual well-being. Psychology of Women Quarterly. *Represents shared first authorship. https://doi.org/10.1177/03616843241238174

Tesselaar, J.*, Mendoza, R. R.*, Siegel, J. A., Elbe, C. I., Caravelli, N., Dejesus, J., Fenton, M., Victoria, B. S., & Blashill, A. J. (2023). A qualitative analysis of relationship advice from the perspective of people living with and recovering from eating disorders while in diverse romantic relationships. Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment and Prevention. * Represents shared first authorship https://doi-org.libproxy.sdsu.edu/10.1080/10640266.2023.2206753

Convertino, A. D. & Mendoza, R. R. (2023). Posttraumatic stress disorder, traumatic events, and longitudinal eating disorder treatment outcomes: A systematic review. International Journal of Eating Disorders. https://doi-org.libproxy.sdsu.edu/10.1002/eat.23933

Grants and Fellowships

2023 – 2028 National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship Program

Funding Source: National Science Foundation

Project Title: Cortisol Reactivity to Weight Stigmatizing Events in Latina Women: The role of acculturative stress

Total Funds: $147,000

Education

M.A. in Clinical Psychology, George Mason University (2025)

B.A. in Psychology, San Diego State University (SDSU) (2023)

Minor in Science, Technology, and Society Studies (STSS)

Honors and Awards

International Conference on Eating Disorders (ICED) Top Ten Poster Award June 2023

ICED Top Early Career Abstract Award June 2023

Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude graduate May 2023

Outstanding Graduating Senior in Psychology at SDSU May 2023

SDSU MARC Program Betty Joe Crawford Memorial Award April 2023

SACNAS 2022 Conference Travel Award ($2,000) Oct. 2022

Diversifying Clinical Psychology Presentation Award ($500) Dec. 2022

ABRCMS Conference Presentation Award ($300) Nov. 2021

SDSU Dean’s List (2019 – 2022)

SDSU Weber’s Honors College (2020 – 2022)

NIH/NIGMS MARC Research Scholarship, SDSU (tuition and stipend) (2021 – 2023)

San Diego State University PSI CHI Honors Society (2023)

Psicólogos Latinos Avanzando Nuestros Servicios (PLANS) Program (2022 – 2023)

Recent Presentations

Mendoza, R. R., Harlan, M. L., Chaplin, T., & Fischer, S. (2024, November 14-17). Longitudinal Associations Between Childhood Trauma and Binge-Purge Disordered Eating: The mediating role of negative urgency [Poster presentation]. Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT), Philadelphia, PA. *Eating Disorder and Eating Behaviors Significant Interest Group (EDEB SIG) Invited Poster

Mendoza, R.R., Convertino, A.D., & Blashill A.J. (2023, November 16-19). Borderline Personality Disorder Symptoms and Eating Disorder Diagnoses: Findings from a Nationally Representative Survey of US Adults (NESARC-III) [Poster presentation]. Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT), Seattle, WA.

Mendoza, R.R., Convertino, A.D., Calzo, J. P., Brown, T. A., Siegel, J. A., & Blashill A.J. (2023, June 1-3). Differences Between Bisexual and Gay Men in Associations Between Sociocultural Constructs and Eating Pathology [Poster presentation]. International Conference on Eating Disorders (ICED), Washington, DC. *ICED Top Ten Poster Award

Tesselaar, J., Mendoza, R. R., Elbe, C., Caravelli, N., Dejesus, J., Fenton, M., Victoria, B., Siegel, J. A., & Blashill, A. J. (2023, June 1-3). Advice for romantic partners of people with eating disorders [Poster presentation]. International Conference on Eating Disorders, Washington, DC. *Top Early Career Abstract Award

Siegel, J. A., Mendoza, R. R., Tesselaar, J., Elbe, C., Caravelli, N., Dejesus, J., Fenton, M., Troy, L., Victoria, B., Herrera, J., Choi, A., & Blashill, A.J. (2023, June 1-3). “She makes me feel loved and safe”: Eating disorder recovery in diverse romantic relationships [Paper presentation]. International Conference on Eating Disorders, Washington, DC.

Mendoza, R.R. (2023, May 1). Examining Associations of Borderline Personality Disorder Symptoms and Eating Disorder Diagnosis [Oral presentation]. San Diego State University Psychology Department Undergraduate Honors Thesis Forum, San Diego, CA.

Mendoza, R. R., Convertino, A. D., Blashill A.J. (2022, October 21). Muscular ideal internalization and muscularity-oriented eating behaviors: The role of negative affect [Oral presentation]. San Diego State University Undergraduate Research Symposium, San Diego, CA.

Mendoza, R. R., Convertino, A. D., Blashill A.J. (2022, March 4-5). A Longitudinal Study of Trauma and the Development of Eating Disorders in Children [Oral presentation]. San Diego State University Student Research Symposium, San Diego, CA.

Mendoza, R. R., Convertino, A. D., Blashill A.J. (2021, October 15) Muscular-Oriented Eating Pathology in College Men: Associations with body ideal internalization and appearance pressures [Oral presentation]. San Diego State University Undergraduate Research Symposium, San Diego, CA.