Valentina Ivezaj, PhD
Associate Professor of PsychiatryCards
About
Research
Publications
2025
A Prospective Assessment of Weight Bias Internalization in Patients Seeking Body Contouring after Bariatric Surgery
Dunford A, Metzler A, Ivezaj V, Pittman B, Alperovich M, Price G. A Prospective Assessment of Weight Bias Internalization in Patients Seeking Body Contouring after Bariatric Surgery. Surgery For Obesity And Related Diseases 2025 PMID: 40940272, DOI: 10.1016/j.soard.2025.06.020.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchEating-disorder psychopathologyWeight bias internalizationDepressive symptomsAssociated with greater eating-disorder psychopathologyAssociated with eating-disorder psychopathologyHigher weight bias internalizationBody contouring surgeryBody mass indexMental health concernsBariatric surgeryPsychopathologyGroup differencesFollow-upSignificant groupBody imageProspective analysisProspective assessmentTime interactionIndependent of body mass indexWeight lossSymptomsUnited States METHODSContouring surgeryParticipantsBariatric teamCognitive‐Behavioral Therapy and Lisdexamfetamine, Alone and Combined, for Binge‐Eating Disorder: Secondary Outcomes of a Randomized Controlled Trial
Grilo C, Ivezaj V, Yurkow S, Tek C, Gueorguieva R. Cognitive‐Behavioral Therapy and Lisdexamfetamine, Alone and Combined, for Binge‐Eating Disorder: Secondary Outcomes of a Randomized Controlled Trial. International Journal Of Eating Disorders 2025 PMID: 40631364, PMCID: PMC12268943, DOI: 10.1002/eat.24502.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCognitive-behavioral therapyOvervaluation of shape/weightDifferential treatment responseRandomized Controlled TrialsBinge-eating disorderCognitive-behavioralDelay discountingBinge eatingPosttreatment assessmentLisdexamfetamineTreatment responseSecondary outcomesControlled TrialsTreatment effectsIndividualized treatmentBinge-eatingShape/weightBingePrimary outcomeEatingSignificant improvementDisordersMetabolic variablesPosttreatmentSignificant effectIs there harm in behavioral weight loss for binge-eating disorder: Controlled comparison to cognitive behavioral therapy
Grilo C, Yurkow S, White M, Lydecker J, Ivezaj V. Is there harm in behavioral weight loss for binge-eating disorder: Controlled comparison to cognitive behavioral therapy. General Hospital Psychiatry 2025, 96: 72-74. PMID: 40543449, DOI: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2025.06.005.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchIs there harm in behavioral lifestyle weight management for binge-eating disorder in patients with obesity: Findings from a randomized controlled trial
Grilo C, Ivezaj V, Yurkow S, Lydecker J. Is there harm in behavioral lifestyle weight management for binge-eating disorder in patients with obesity: Findings from a randomized controlled trial. Journal Of Psychosomatic Research 2025, 195: 112169. PMID: 40516275, PMCID: PMC12255517, DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2025.112169.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchEating-disorder psychopathologyBinge-eating disorderIncreased symptomsSymptoms of binge eatingRandomized Controlled TrialsBinge-eating frequencyBinge eatingPsychopathologyRandomized to placeboBinge-eatingWeight managementPlaceboHeterogeneity of outcomesDisordersParticipantsPosttreatmentSecondary analysisFrequency of casesSymptomsClinical contextIndividual levelObesityControlled TrialsSmall magnitudePatientsPreferences for Lisdexamfetamine vs Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Binge-Eating Disorder: Correlates and Outcomes.
Yurkow S, Ivezaj V, Pittman B, Grilo C. Preferences for Lisdexamfetamine vs Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Binge-Eating Disorder: Correlates and Outcomes. The Journal Of Clinical Psychiatry 2025, 86 PMID: 40338285, DOI: 10.4088/jcp.24m15552.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsBinge-eating disorderTreatment preferencesModerate treatment outcomePatient treatment preferencesCognitive-behavioral therapyEffects of treatment preferenceTest main effectsCognitive-behavioralNo significant interaction effectsInteraction effectsBehavioral therapySignificant interaction effectCBTModerate outcomeEfficacious treatmentMain effectLisdexamfetamineTreatment outcomesParticipants' preferencesEffective interventionsEffects of treatmentDisordersRandomized Controlled TrialsNo preferenceLDXLifestyle behavioral weight‐loss treatment for binge‐eating disorder in patients with obesity: where's the harm?
Yurkow S, Ivezaj V, Grilo C. Lifestyle behavioral weight‐loss treatment for binge‐eating disorder in patients with obesity: where's the harm? Obesity 2025, 33: 1058-1066. PMID: 40342236, PMCID: PMC12119222, DOI: 10.1002/oby.24289.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsBinge-eating disorderED psychopathologyWeight loss treatmentExacerbate eating disordersBinge-eating frequencyPsychopathology scoresBinge eatingSymptoms of binge eatingBehavioral weight loss treatmentIncreased symptomsEating DisordersPsychopathologyFollow-upDisordersPosttreatmentHeterogeneity of outcomesEatingSecondary analysisFrequency of casesCoexisting obesityClinical contextParticipantsIndividual levelBingeObesity
2024
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Lisdexamfetamine, Alone and Combined, for Binge-Eating Disorder With Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Grilo C, Ivezaj V, Tek C, Yurkow S, Wiedemann A, Gueorguieva R. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Lisdexamfetamine, Alone and Combined, for Binge-Eating Disorder With Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial. American Journal Of Psychiatry 2024, 182: 209-218. PMID: 39659158, PMCID: PMC11786997, DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.20230982.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCognitive-behavioral therapyBinge-eating disorderEffectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapyBinge-eating remission ratesEating-disorder psychopathologyCognitive behavioral therapyEvidence-based treatmentsRemission ratePercent weight lossHigher remission ratesBinge-eating frequencyBehavioral therapyPosttreatment assessmentLisdexamfetamineRandomized Controlled TrialsHeightened ratesCostly public health problemIntention-to-treat ratesFunctional impairmentWeight lossControlled TrialsDisordersPosttreatmentIndividualized treatmentMixed modelsThe Impact of Body Contouring Following Bariatric Surgery: A Prospective Examination of Psychosocial and Medical Impairment
Ivezaj V, Alperovich M, Price G, Dunford A, Metzler A, Grilo C. The Impact of Body Contouring Following Bariatric Surgery: A Prospective Examination of Psychosocial and Medical Impairment. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery 2024, 49: 269-276. PMID: 39402193, DOI: 10.1007/s00266-024-04427-x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAssociated with heightened levelsBariatric surgeryFollow-up assessmentMeasures of impairmentLoose skinPsychosocial impairmentFollow-upPsychosocial concernsLevel of Evidence IIThis journalHeightened levelsPsychological concernsEvidence-Based Medicine ratingsSkin concernsClinical attentionDepressionImpairmentLevel of evidenceBCS patientsProspective examinationContouring surgerySurgeryConclusionsOver halfWeight lossBody contouringEvidence-basedLisdexamfetamine maintenance treatment for binge-eating disorder following successful treatments: randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial
Grilo C, Ivezaj V, Yurkow S, Tek C, Wiedemann A, Gueorguieva R. Lisdexamfetamine maintenance treatment for binge-eating disorder following successful treatments: randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Psychological Medicine 2024, 54: 3334-3344. PMID: 39258475, PMCID: PMC11496227, DOI: 10.1017/s003329172400148x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchEating-disorder psychopathologyBinge-eating disorderMaintenance treatmentAcute treatmentBinge-eating remission ratesCognitive-behavioral therapyEfficacy of lisdexamfetamineSignificant weight gainDouble-blind placebo-controlled trialAcute respondersLisdexamfetamine treatmentPsychopathological outcomesPosttreatment assessmentLisdexamfetaminePlacebo-controlled trialRandomized double-blind placebo-controlled trialSingle-site trialAssociated with significant weight lossPsychopathologyBinge-eatingRemission rateWeight lossPlaceboRelapse rateControl researchCohort profile: study design and baseline characteristics of an observational longitudinal weight loss cohort and biorepository of patients undergoing sleeve gastrectomy in the USA
Vanegas S, Curado S, Gujral A, Valverde G, Parraga S, Aleman J, Reid M, Elbel B, Schmidt A, Heffron S, Segal E, Li H, Abrams C, Sevick M, Popp C, Armijos E, Merriwether E, Ivezaj V, Ren-Fielding C, Parikh M, Jay M. Cohort profile: study design and baseline characteristics of an observational longitudinal weight loss cohort and biorepository of patients undergoing sleeve gastrectomy in the USA. BMJ Open 2024, 14: e081201. PMID: 39181563, PMCID: PMC11344502, DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-081201.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsObesity-related comorbiditiesMonths post-surgerySleeve gastrectomyPost-surgeryWeight maintenanceAmelioration of obesity-related comorbiditiesPredictive factors of weight lossRemission of obesity-related comorbiditiesLong-term follow-up dataLong-term weight maintenanceFactors of weight lossWeight loss cohortBariatric surgery clinicYears post-surgeryWeight loss outcomesFollow-up dataWeight loss successSocial determinants of healthDeterminants of healthBaseline characteristicsPredictive factorsSurgery clinicNon-Hispanic blacksClinical dataStudy cohort
Clinical Trials
Current Trials
Treatments to Treat Loss-of-Control Eating and Improve Weight Outcomes after Bariatric Surgery
HIC ID2000029057RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date11/30/2027Recruiting ParticipantsCognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Girls Who Experienced Weight-related Bullying
HIC ID2000028551RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date08/31/2022Recruiting ParticipantsGenderFemaleAge11 years - 17 yearsTeen Binge Eating Study
HIC ID2000024926RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date02/28/2020Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge13 years - 17 years
News
News
- September 23, 2025Source: San Diego Union-Tribune Online
They've dropped the weight. But what about the skin?
- December 11, 2024Source: The American Journal of Psychiatry
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Lisdexamfetamine, Alone and Combined, for Binge-Eating Disorder With Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- October 24, 2024Source: Cambridge University Press
Lisdexamfetamine Maintenance Treatment for Binge-Eating Disorder Following Successful Treatments
- April 12, 2024
Yurkow Honored For Best Original Research Paper By An Early Career Scholar