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Aurélie MichaudDoctoral student & Lab coordinatorAurélie Michaud (she/her) is a third-year doctorate student in clinical psychology (D.Psy) at the University of Montreal under the supervision of Dr. Beáta Bőthe. Before completing a major in psychology at the Université de Montréal, she obtained a bachelor's degree in business administration and a master's degree in business intelligence at HEC Montréal, and worked as a data scientist and as a lecturer in statistics. Her research interests include behavioral addictions, couple dynamics and cultural aspects of sexuality. She has been the lab coordinator since May 2025.
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Anaïka FrançoisDoctoral studentAnaïka (she/her) has a bachelor's in Psychology from the Université de Montréal and is doing her PhD in clinical psychology research-intervention under the supervision of Dr. Beáta Bőthe. Her main research interests lie in the articulation of issues related to pornography use and compulsive sexual behaviors within an intersectional paradigm. Anaïka is the recipient of a doctorate scholarship from the Fonds de recherche du Québec - Société et culture (FRQSC) for 2025-2029.
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Émilie GaudetDoctoral student
Émilie is a research assistant for Dr. Beáta Bőthe’s STAR Laboratory since May 2022. She holds a major in psychology from Université de Montréal (2023) and a bachelor’s degree in film from Université du Québec à Montréal (2005). As of 2023, she is pursuing her Ph.D. in psychology at Université de Montréal to become a clinical psychologist and researcher.
For her Ph.D., Émilie is working on the development, psychological impact and treatment of behavioral addictions, a natural extension of her projects with Dr. Bőthe. In 2023, she presented some of her research findings as first author at the International Conference on Behavioral Addictions (ICBA) and at the Annual Conference of the Society for Sex Therapy and Research (SSTAR). |
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Léna Nagy
Doctoral student
Léna (she/her) started her PhD in 2020 under the supervision of Dr. Beáta Bőthe and Dr. Demetrovics Zsolt at ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary. She has an MA in psychology with a clinical and health psychology major and graduated as a licensed sex therapist in 2023. Acting as a co-investigator for the International Sex Survey from 2020 onward, Léna is also actively engaged in various international collaborations. She researches a spectrum of topics, encompassing sexual traumas and associated factors like sexual assertiveness, as well as compulsive or otherwise problematic sexual behaviors. During the years, she presented her research at numerous international conferences (e.g., ICBA, IASR) and won grants such as the Corley Research Grant and the scholarship of the Hungarian National Excellence Programme.
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Corinne BouthillierResearch assistantCorinne is a bachelor's student in psychology. She is entering her second year and joined the laboratory out of an interest in sexuality and a desire to discover more about research. Her interests include couple relationships (and the place of sexuality in them), attachment, and personality. She hopes to pursue graduate studies in psychology or sexology to work in intervention.
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Cassy BradburyResearch assistantCassandra (she/her) holds a Master of Arts in Sociology (specialized in Social Psychology) and a Bachelor of Social Science (Honours) in Criminal Justice. She is a recipient of the Governor General’s Academic Medal. Currently pursuing PhD studies, Cassandra also has an extensive working background including roles in research, mental health, and law enforcement. She currently works as a Research Associate, and serves on National Youth Advisory Council at the Mental Health Commission of Canada. Her research interests include perceptions of the influences of pornography, intimacy, sexual ethics, sexual violence and trafficking, young adult deviance, and young adult mental health and relational wellness.
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Marianne DancauseResearch assistant
Marianne (she/her) is a bachelor’s student in psychology. She is entering her third year and joined the laboratory in May 2025 as part of her Honor project, under the co-supervision of Dr. Beáta Bőthe and Aurélie Michaud, a doctoral student in clinical psychology. Her interests include addictions, problematic pornography use, sexual health, as well as crisis intervention and suicidality. Her goal is to pursue graduate studies in psychology.
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Sarah El FaizeResearch assistant
Sarah (she/her) is a second-year bachelor’s student in psychology at the University of Montreal. After attending Dr. Bothe’s laboratory class, she became particularly interested in compulsive sexual behaviour and addictions. Her research interests also include the legal issues regarding child sexual abuse material created by artificial intelligence, as well as psychometric measurements. She would like to pursue doctoral studies in clinical psychology with a specialization in forensic psychology and to contribute to advancing scientific research.
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Caroline EvansResearch assistant
Caroline (she/her) holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Montreal. Her main research interests include psychopathology (e.g., compulsive sexual behavior disorder, complex trauma, and borderline personality disorder), problematic pornography use, sexual trauma, and self-harming behaviors. She aims to contribute to the development and validation of assessment tools to better evaluate compulsive sexual behaviors and to conduct research that informs intervention strategies while deepening our understanding of the mechanisms underlying maladaptive patterns and related psychopathologies. Passionate about combining research and clinical work to promote psychological well-being, she plans to pursue her PhD in Research and Intervention (Clinical Option) at the University of Montreal in the fall of 2026.
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Campbell InceResearch assistantCampbell (he/him) is a PhD candidate and sessional lecturer/teaching associate in psychology at Monash University, Australia. He holds an honours degree in psychology (Monash University, 2019) following a diploma in science from the University of Western Australia (2018). His PhD, titled "Examining the clinical features and aetiological mechanisms of problematic pornography use: a mixed-methods design" is currently funded by an Australian government research training program (RTP) scholarship. Campbell has presented numerous research papers at national and domestic conferences, including the International Conference on Behavioral Addictions.
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Florence LaroucheResearch assistantFlorence (she/her) is beginning the third year of her bachelor’s degree in psychology at the University of Montreal. She joined the lab in December 2024 and is helping on a few tasks as a research assistant. Her research interests include dyadic relationships, sexuality and sexual health.
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Julie Lecours LeclairResearch assistantJulie (she/her) is a bachelor’s degree student in psychology, joining the lab as part of her Honors thesis under the supervision of PhD student Anaïka François and Dr. Beáta Bőthe. She also holds a certificate in criminology, completed in 2022. Her research interests focus on the pathological aspects of sexuality, addiction disorders, psychopathologies, personality disorders, and the effects of social stigma. She enjoys approaching research questions from an intersectional perspective and is particularly interested in marginalized populations. After completing her bachelor’s degree, she intends to pursue doctoral studies in psychology.
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Sofia MallisResearch assistantSofia (she/her) is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Psychology at the Université de Montréal. She has a strong interest in mental health, addiction, and child development—fields she sees as deeply interconnected and essential to truly understanding the human experience.
Her path is driven by a genuine desire to help others, to explore what lies beneath the surface, and to contribute to meaningful projects, both in research and intervention. She currently works as a support worker, an experience that has further strengthened her motivation to specialize and keep evolving. Her long-term goal is to become a psychologist and to share her knowledge through both research and public education. For Sofia, psychology is much more than an area of study, it’s a personal commitment, a calling that pushes her to grow, challenge herself, and build something meaningful for others. |
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Laurie MasseyResearch assistantLaurie (she/her) is a second-year undergraduate student in psychology at the Université de Montréal. She joined STARLAB as part of her Laboratory 2 project, which focuses on the association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and compulsive sexual behaviors. This project is conducted under the supervision of Dr. Beáta Bőthe, with whom she previously completed her Laboratory 1 project. Her research interests primarily revolve around sexuality, sexual trauma, interpersonal relationships, stress, psychopathology, and neuropsychology. In parallel with her studies, she works within an organization providing various services to adults with intellectual disabilities. She is also a member of Sexe et Soi, a student organization at the Université de Montréal that aims to promote awareness and education around positive sexual health within the student community. She plans to pursue graduate studies in psychology or sexology.
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Fabiola Ngamaleu TeumeniResearch assistant
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Constance RommensResearch assistant
Constance (she/her) is a second-year undergraduate student in Psychology. Her research interests primarily focus on men–women relationships in relation to pornography consumption, as well as the evolution of norms surrounding masculinity and femininity in society. More broadly, she is also interested in the development of psychometric tools and intervention programs for autistic women. She intends to pursue graduate studies in Psychology and Sexology within a research-intervention oriented program, with the aim of integrating her interest in psychological intervention with her desire to contribute to the advancement of scientific knowledge.
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Maëlle TremblayResearch assistant
Maëlle (she/her) is a second-year undergraduate student in psychology at the Université de Montréal. She is currently completing her Laboratory 2 project under the supervision of Dr. Beáta Bőthe and has previously completed her Laboratory 1 under her supervision. She also works as a psychosocial intervention worker with children and adolescents.
Her research interests include sexual trauma, paraphilias, interpersonal relationships, and child development. She aims to pursue graduate studies in clinical psychology and to advance research. |
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Joline TrudelResearch assistant
Joline (she/her) is in the third year of her bachelor's degree in psychology at the University of Montreal. She joined the team to learn more about the world of research and to contribute to studies about sexuality and addictions. She is passionate about compulsive sexual behaviors and mental health disorder as well as their influence on the dynamics of intimate relationships. Her goal is to continue her graduate studies in psychology.
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Amanda XocairaResearch assistantAmanda Xocaira (she/her) is a dedicated clinical psychologist from Brazil specializing in evidence-based psychology and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), with expertise in behavioral addictions and impulse control disorders. As a collaborator with the Brazilian Association of Evidence-Based Psychology and currently advancing her studies at the University of São Paulo (USP), she focuses on treating and educating about conditions such as problematic pornography use, technological dependence, compulsive buying, and gambling addiction.
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ALUMNI
RESEARCH TEAM |
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Myriam Arsenault, Sofia Bourgoignie, Vanessa Beaulieu, Anne-Laurie Bélec, Susanne
Coulombe, Félix Dupuis-Fortier, Zachary Fontaine-Dussault, Juliana Pierre, Nevena Popova,
Rosalie Roy, Florence Tremblay, Florence Veillette, Lucas Walters.
Thank you so much for all your hard work! 🌟
Collaborators
Sophie Bergeron, Ph.D.
Full professor in the Departement of Psychology at the Université de Montréal, Canada
Full professor in the Departement of Psychology at the Université de Montréal, Canada
Zsolt Demetrovics, Ph.D., D.Sc.
Director of the Institute of Psychology at the Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary;
Professor of psychology and chair of the Centre of Excellence in Responsible Gaming at the University of Gibraltar, Gibraltar
Director of the Institute of Psychology at the Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary;
Professor of psychology and chair of the Centre of Excellence in Responsible Gaming at the University of Gibraltar, Gibraltar
Shane W. Kraus, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Psychology at University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA
Assistant Professor of Psychology at University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA
Marc N. Potenza, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Psychiatry, Child Study and Neuroscience at the Yale School of Medicine, USA;
Senior Scientist at the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, USA;
Director of the Problem Gambling Clinic, Center of Excellence in Gambling Research, and Women and Addictive Disorders Core of Women's Health Research at Yale, USA
Professor of Psychiatry, Child Study and Neuroscience at the Yale School of Medicine, USA;
Senior Scientist at the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, USA;
Director of the Problem Gambling Clinic, Center of Excellence in Gambling Research, and Women and Addictive Disorders Core of Women's Health Research at Yale, USA
Marie-Pier Vaillancourt-Morel, Ph.D.
Assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Canada
Assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Canada
