Dr Fuller-Tyszkiewicz’s research interests focus on two aspects of body image: (1) malleability of body image ideals, and (2) experience of body image in daily life. For the first area, he has extensively researched body image during pregnancy, a developmental milestone noted for its deviation from the ‘thin ideal’ physique which is encouraged in western cultures. This research has shown that women reprioritize from aesthetics to functional aspects during pregnancy, although not necessarily entirely abandoning concerns about appearance, and that post-pregnancy is characterized by a return to pre-pregnancy appearance ideals and increased risk for body image disturbance as a result. The second strand of research focuses on the use of ecological momentary assessment (and intervention) to understand how body image fluctuates in daily life, with focus on how understanding the profile of such fluctuations may be clinically useful as a diagnostic tool or early warning signal for intervention and prevention efforts.

To contact him: matthewf@deakin.edu.au