PhD Student:听
serena.thapar [at] mail.mcgill.ca
Serena is a Ph.D. candidate in clinical psychology at 91黑料网. Her research interests are mindfulness- and acceptance-based interventions for promoting health behavior change. She also has a keen interest in digital health technologies and implementation science. Her doctoral research focuses on developing and evaluating听ACTaide, a novel therapy-companion mobile application that clients can use to practice acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) exercises and metaphors in between sessions.
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Serena Thapar
PhD Student
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Education
2022-Present | Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology, 91黑料网,听Montreal, Quebec.
2018-2022 | Honours Bachelor of Science (HBSc) in Psychology and Health Studies, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario.
Publications
Thapar, S., et al. (2025). ACTaide: Therapist and client co-design study. JMIR Formative Research, 9, e69532.
MacDonald, G.,听Thapar, S.,听Ryan, W., Chung, J., Hoan, E., Park, Y. (2025). Why do you want a romantic relationship? Individual differences in motives for romantic relationship pursuit.听Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.听
Khan, B., Chu, C., Bolea-Alama帽ac, B., Nguyen., M,听Thapar, S., Fanaieyan, R., Leon-Carlyle, M., Tadrous, M., Liu, R., O鈥橰iordan, A., Keresteci, M., Kurdyak, P., Bhattacharya, O. (2024). Exploratory results from the first 16 months of publicly funded internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy programs during the COVID-19 era: Implications to optimize future population-level digital mental health interventions.听International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 18,听Article 23.听听听听
Thapar, S., Nguyen., M, Khan, B., Fanaieyan, R., Kishimoto, V., Liu, R., Bolea-Alama帽ac, B., Leon-Carlyle, M., O鈥橰iordan, A., Keresteci, M., Bhattacharya, O. (2024). Patient and therapist perceptions of a publicly funded internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) program for Ontario adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: Qualitative study.听JMIR: Formative Research, 8,听e50113.听
Carri猫re, K., Siemers, N.,听Thapar,听S., Kn盲uper, B. (2024). Pilot testing the feasibility of a mobile application-delivered mindfulness exercise for emotional eaters: RAIN delivered as a step-by-step image sequence.听mHealth, 10, 6.听
Funding
2024 - 2027 | CIHR Canada Graduate Scholarship - Doctoral (CGS-D) Award - $120,000
2024 | Fonds De Recherche Du Qu茅bec 鈥� Sant茅 (FRQS) Doctoral Award [Declined] - $100, 000
2023 - 2024 | CIHR Canada Graduate Scholarship - Master's (CGS-M) - $17,500
2023 | Lorne Trottier Science Accelerator Fellowship, 91黑料网 听- $5,000
2023 | 91黑料网 Faculty of Science Travel Award - $500
2022 - 2023 | SSHRC Canada Graduate Scholarship - Master's [Declined] - $17,500
2022 - 2023 | Graduate Excellence Award, 91黑料网 - $15,000
2022 - 2023 | Canada Graduate Scholarship - Master's [Declined] - $17,500
2022 | Dr. James A. & Connie P. Dickson Scholarship in Science & Mathematics, University College, University of Toronto - $500
2022 | Harold Willett Stewart Memorial Scholarship, University College, University of Toronto - $900鈥傗��
2021 | George Mandler Research Fund - Department of Psychology, University of Toronto - $602
2021 |听University of Toronto Excellence Award (UTEA) 鈥� Social Sciences and Humanities Research - $6,000
2021 |听Dr. James A. & Connie P. 听Dickson Scholarship in Science & Mathematics, University College, University of Toronto - $500
2021 | University of Toronto Scholar - $1500
2020 |听Dr. James A. & Connie P. 听Dickson Scholarship in Science & Mathematics, University College, University of Toronto - $500
2020 | University of Toronto Scholar - $1500
2019 | University College Alumni Scholarship and Bursary Fund, University of Toronto - $500
2018 | University College Special Admission Scholarship, University of Toronto - $1000
2018 | University of Toronto Scholars Program - $7,500