Larissa A. McGarrity

Larissa A. McGarrity, PhD

Languages spoken: English

Clinical Locations

Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital

Rehabilitation Psychology Clinic
801-646-8000

  • Larissa A. McGarrity, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation where she provides behavioral health services to inpatients at the Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital as well as patients seen by the Comprehensive Weight Management Clinic. Dr. McGarrity's research has focused broadly on clinical health psychology/behavioral medicine at the intersection of mental and physical health. Research areas include health disparities – better understanding how psychosocial risk and resilience, stigma and discrimination, and socioeconomic factors impact mental and physical health for marginalized groups - and psychosocial risk and resilience in weight management and among patients before and after bariatric surgery.

    Dr. McGarrity is the Section Chief of PM&R Psychology, the Ambulatory Operation Lead of PM&R Bariatric Psychology, and the Director of the Health (Bariatric) Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. As the Director of the Health (Bariatric) Postdoctoral Fellowship, she supervises trainees in performing presurgical psychological bariatric evaluations and also provides services for individuals struggling to adjust to the significant behavioral, emotional, and interpersonal changes that can occur post-surgically.

    Dr. McGarrity's services are available by referral only. She is not taking new patients at this time.

    Specialties

  • Larissa A. McGarrity, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation where she provides behavioral health services to inpatients at the Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital as well as patients seen by the Comprehensive Weight Management Clinic. Dr. McGarrity's research has focused broadly on clinical health psychology/behavioral medicine at the intersection of mental and physical health. Research areas include health disparities – better understanding how psychosocial risk and resilience, stigma and discrimination, and socioeconomic factors impact mental and physical health for marginalized groups - and psychosocial risk and resilience in weight management and among patients before and after bariatric surgery.

    Dr. McGarrity is the Section Chief of PM&R Psychology, the Ambulatory Operation Lead of PM&R Bariatric Psychology, and the Director of the Health (Bariatric) Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. As the Director of the Health (Bariatric) Postdoctoral Fellowship, she supervises trainees in performing presurgical psychological bariatric evaluations and also provides services for individuals struggling to adjust to the significant behavioral, emotional, and interpersonal changes that can occur post-surgically.

    Dr. McGarrity's services are available by referral only. She is not taking new patients at this time.

    Education history

    Postdoctoral Fellowship Clinical Psychology, Rehabilitation Psychology - University of Utah School of Medicine Postdoctoral Fellow
    Clinical Psychology, APA Accredited, Behavioral Medicine Track - Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University Intern
    Doctoral Training Clinical Psychology, Specialization: Health - University of Utah M.S., Ph.D.
    Major: Psychology; Minor: Sociology - University of Texas at Austin B.A. (Hons)

    Selected Publications

    Journal Article

    1. McGarrity, L A, Shepardson, R L, Carey, K B, Carey, M P (2022). Sexual assault predicts unhealthy weight management among college women: A longitudinal, prospective study. . J Am Coll Health, 26, 1-8.
    2. Gordon, E L, Terrill, A L, Smith, T W, Ibele, A R, Martinez, P L, McGarrity, L A (2022). Overvaluation of shape and weight (not BMI) associated with depressive symptoms and binge eating symptoms pre- and post-bariatric surgery. Obes Surg, 32, 2272-2279.
    3. McGarrity, LA, Terrill A, Martinez PL, Ibele A R, Morrow, EH, Volckmann, ET, Smith, T (2022). Role of resilience in psychological health among bariatric surgery patients. . Obes Surg, (32), 792-800.
    4. Martinez PL, McGarrity LA, Turner NA, Volckmann ET, Kohler RM, Morrow EH, Ibele AR (2021). Self-Pay Payer Status Predicts Long-Term Loss to Follow-Up After Bariatric Surgery. Obes Surg, 31(4), 1590-1596.
    5. McGarrity, LA, Huebner, DM, Perry, NS, Spivey, LA, Smith, TW (2021). Cariovascular and cortisol responses to experimentally induced minority stress. . Health Psychol, (40), 316-326.
    6. Morrow E, Chang JW, Biber J, Miller M, McGarrity LA, Glasgow R, Volckmann E, Ibele A, Brooke B (2020). Prospective collection of PROMIS physical function measure demonstrates significant improvement after bariatric surgery. Obes Surg, 30, 1898-1903.
    7. McGarrity LA, Huebner DM, Smith TW, Suchy Y (2019). Minority Stress, Emotion Regulation, and Executive Function: An Experimental Investigation of Gay and Lesbian Adults. Pers Soc Psychol Bull, 46(3), 365-376.
    8. McGarrity LA, Perry NS, Derbidge CM, Trapp SK, Terrill AL, Smith TW, Ibele AR, MacKenzie JJ (2019). Associations Between Approach and Avoidance Coping, Psychological Distress, and Disordered Eating Among Candidates for Bariatric Surgery. Obes Surg, 29(11), 3596-3604.
    9. McGarrity LA, Huebner DM, Nemeroff CJ, Proeschold-Bell RJ (2017). Longitudinal Predictors of Behavioral Intentions and HIV Service Use Among Men Who Have Sex with Men. Prev Sci, 19(4), 507-515.
    10. Huebner DM, McGarrity LA, Smith TW, Perry NS, Suchy Y (2018). Changes in Executive Function Following a Stressful Interpersonal Task Are Associated With Condomless Anal Intercourse Among Men Who Have Sex With Men. Ann Behav Med, 52(5), 406-411.
    11. Rosen RK, McGarrity LA, Salmoirago-Blotcher E, Rich C, Rana A, Carey MP (2017). Telephone-Delivered Mindfulness Training for People Living with HIV: A Qualitative 360° Inquiry. AIDS Behav, 21(11), 3194-3201.
    12. Sewell KK, McGarrity LA, Strassberg DS (2016). Sexual Behavior, Definitions of Sex, and the Role of Self-Partner Context Among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Adults. J Sex Res, 54(7), 825-831.
    13. McGarrity LA, Senn TE, Walsh JL, Scott-Sheldon LAJ, Carey KB, Carey MP (2017). Psychological Distress Moderates the Intention-Behavior Association for Sexual Partner Concurrency Among Adults. AIDS Behav, 21(6), 1567-1571.
    14. McGarrity LA, Huebner DM (2014). Behavioral intentions to HIV test and subsequent testing: the moderating role of sociodemographic characteristics. Health Psychol, 33(4), 396-400.
    15. McGarrity LA, Huebner DM (2014). Is being out about sexual orientation uniformly healthy? The moderating role of socioeconomic status in a prospective study of gay and bisexual men. Ann Behav Med, 47(1), 28-38.
    16. McGarrity LA (2014). Socioeconomic status as context for minority stress and health disparities among lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals. Psychol Sex Orientat Gend Divers, 1, 383-07.
    17. Huebner DM, Rullo JE, Thoma BC, McGarrity LA, Mackenzie J (2013). Piloting Lead with Love: a film-based intervention to improve parents' responses to their lesbian, gay, and bisexual children. J Prim Prev, 34(5), 359-69.
    18. McGarrity LA, Huebner DM, McKinnon RK (2013). Putting stigma in context: Do perceptions of group stigma interact with personally experienced discrimination to predict mental health? 16, 688-702.