A photo of Claire M. Peterson.

Claire M. Aarnio-Peterson, PhD


  • Pediatric Psychologist, Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology
  • Pediatric Psychologist, Eating Disorder Program
  • Associate Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics

About

Biography

Claire M. Aarnio-Peterson, PhD, is an assistant professor in Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center within the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics. She is currently a clinical psychologist within the multi-disciplinary eating disorders team. She specializes in the assessment and evidence-based treatment of eating disorders including family-based therapy (FBT) for anorexia nervosa. She is also trained in DBT and has recently piloted a DBT skills group. Her research interests include personality traits, self-harm, and eating disorders, the treatment of eating disorders within the context of chronic illness (e.g., type 1 diabetes), eating disorders within the transgender population, and evaluating treatment interventions to improve outcomes in adolescents with eating disorders.

BA: University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 2005.

MA: University of Dayton, Dayton, OH, 2007.

PhD: University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 2014.

Internship: University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 2014.

Fellowship: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 2015.

Interests

Pediatric eating disorders; dialectical behavioral therapy; LGBTQ population

Services and Specialties

Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Behavioral Medicine

Research Areas

Behavioral Medicine

Insurance Information

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Publications

Emotion coaching skills as an augmentation to family-based therapy for adolescents with anorexia nervosa: A pilot effectiveness study with families with high expressed emotion. Aarnio-Peterson, CM; Le Grange, D; Mara, CA; Modi, AC; Offenbacker North, E; Zegarac, M; Stevens, K; Matthews, A; Mitan, L; Shaffer, A. International Journal of Eating Disorders. 2024; 57:682-694.

Eating disorder symptoms among transgender and gender diverse youth. Kramer, R; Aarnio-Peterson, CM; Conard, LA; Lenz, KR; Matthews, A. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry. 2024; 29:30-44.

Caregiver and adolescent intuitive eating behavior: associations with weight change during family-based treatment for anorexia nervosa. Nelson, JD; Trojanowski, PJ; Aarnio-Peterson, CM; Fischer, S; Adams, L; Matthews, A. Eating and Weight Disorders: studies on anorexia, bulimia and obesity. 2023; 28:32.

Predictors of caregiver burden before starting family-based treatment for adolescent anorexia nervosa and associations with weight gain during treatment. Matthews, A; Bruening, AB; Aarnio-Peterson, CM; Kramer, R. Eating and Weight Disorders: studies on anorexia, bulimia and obesity. 2023; 28:21.

Advancing the Assessment and Treatment of Comorbid Pediatric Chronic Functional Abdominal Pain (CFAP) and Restrictive Eating Disorders. Beckmann, EA; Aarnio-Peterson, CM; Jastrowski Mano, KE. Children. 2023; 10.

Augmenting family based treatment with emotion coaching for adolescents with anorexia nervosa and atypical anorexia nervosa: Trial design and methodological report. Aarnio-Peterson, CM; Mara, CA; Modi, AC; Matthews, A; Le Grange, D; Shaffer, A. Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications. 2023; 33:101118.

Higher admission and rapid readmission rates among medically hospitalized youth with anorexia nervosa/atypical anorexia nervosa during COVID-19. Matthews, A; Kramer, RA; Peterson, CM; Mitan, L. Eating Behaviors. 2021; 43:101573.

Modifiable factors associated with mental health symptoms in siblings of adolescents with anorexia nervosa. Matthews, A; Peterson, CM; Lenz, K; Kramer, RA; Mara, C; Copps, E; Mitan, L. Eating and Weight Disorders: studies on anorexia, bulimia and obesity. 2021; 26:1757-1765.

The relationship of the UPPS model of impulsivity on bulimic symptoms and non-suicidal self-injury in transgender youth. Peterson, CM; Mara, CA; Conard, LA E; Grossoehme, D. Eating Behaviors. 2020; 39:101416.

Exploring the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire in treatment seeking transgender youth. Peterson, CM; Toland, MD; Matthews, A; Mathews, S; Thompson, F; Conard, LA E. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity. 2020; 7:304-315.

From the Blog

High Rates of Suicide and Self-Harm Among Transgender Youth
Mind Brain Behavior

High Rates of Suicide and Self-Harm Among Transgender Youth

Claire M. Aarnio-Peterson, PhD6/29/2019

Transgender Youth and Suicide: A Call for Education and Understanding
Blog Child Development and Behavior

Transgender Youth and Suicide: A Call for Education and Understanding

By Claire Peterson, PhD9/16/2016

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