Supporting the Development and Health of LGBTQ Young People
The Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Health (SOGI Health) Research Group is affiliated with the Department of Family Science and the University of Maryland Prevention Research Center. The research group convenes faculty, students, and community partners in an effort to better understand and support the positive development and health of LGBTQ young people.
Department: Family Science
People: Jessica Fish (PI), Mia Smith-Bynum (co-I), Pond Ezra, Leah Young
Funding: Lesbian Health Fund (GLMA); The Maryland Catalyst Fund (UMD)
This project explores the potential protective effects of positive parental messaging regarding LGBTQ+ identities and whether these practices buffer the negative effects of LGBTQ-related discrimination on mental health and substance use.
People: Jessica Fish (PI), Devlon Jackson, Sandra Saperstein, Ariel Balaban, Leah Young, Sydney McFarlane, Joi Kenner, Carter Carter, Victoria Ledford, and Cynthia Baur (co-I),
The Implementing Tobacco Control Strategies to Achieve Health Equity: Engaging LGBTQ Communities in Maryland project aims to reduce tobacco-related health disparities in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) communities in Prince George’s and Montgomery County by developing comprehensive strategies in collaboration with groups that are inclusive of and reach LGBTQ communities. The UMD team will work in partnership with local community organizations, health departments, and state tobacco and control officials to develop, disseminate, and evaluate LGBTQ-inclusive tobacco prevention and control efforts in PG and Montgomery County.
Click here to view our Community Health Needs Assessment.
Publications:
- Ledford, V. A., Cosavalente, H. P. G., Jackson, D. N., Carter, C., Saperstein, S. L., Baur, C., … Fish, J. N. (2024). An Almost Empty Scoping Review: State of the Research on Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Messaging Strategies for Black and/or Latine LGBTQ+ Youth and Young Adults. Health Communication, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2024.2370725
People: Jessica Fish (PI), Lauryn Dunkwu, Sydney McFarlane
Funding: MPRC Seed Grant, FSRA Grant
This project seeks to identify how LGBTQ-focused state policies are associated with youth health (e.g., substance use, mental health) and related experiences (e.g., victimization). As part of this work, we also explore different approaches to measuring policy and climate in association with LGBTQ youth health.
People: M. D. Bishop (PI), Jessica Fish, Samantha A. Moran, Stephen T. Russell, Rodman E. Turpin, and Elizabeth M. Aparicio
Funding: National Institutes of Health (F32AA030194)
This multi-method project examines developmental differences in the prevalence and mechanisms of alcohol use among adolescents with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. Through strategic dissemination efforts, the results of this project will address pressing public health concerns regarding sexual and gender minority youth alcohol use.
People: Long Doan (PI); Liana Sayer (co-I); Jessica Fish (co-I)
Funding: National Science Foundation (SES-2029963); University of Maryland Vice President for Research
The Assessing the Social Consequences of COVID-19 (ASCC) study examines the impacts of COVID-19 and social distancing efforts on behavior, time spent with others, use of technology, and mental and physical wellbeing, with a particular interest in how these effects vary by gender, sexuality, family structure, race/ethnicity, and immigrant status.
Publications:
- Fish, J. N., +Salerno, J., +Williams, N. D., Rinderknecht, G., +Drotning, K. J., Sayer, L., & Long, D. (2021). Sexual minority disparities in health and wellbeing as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic differ by sexual identity. LGBT Health,8(4), 263-272. https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/lgbt.2020.0489. PMCID: PMC8213002.
- +Salerno, J. P., Doan, L., Sayer, L., +Drotning, K., +Rinderknecht, G., & #Fish, J. N. (in press). Changes in mental health and well-being are associated with living arrangements with parents during COVID-19 among sexual minority young persons in the US. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity. https://doi.org/10.1037/sgd0000520.
- +Drotning, K., Doan, L., Sayer, L. C., Fish, J. N., & ·Rinderknecht, G. (in press). Not all homes are safe: Family violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Family Violence. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-022-00372-y
People: Jessica Fish (M-PI), Ryan Watson (University of Connecticut)
Funding: NIH National Institute on Drug Abuse (1R03DA046827)
This study examines how sexual and gender minority youth experiences of distal and proximal minority stressors are associated with substance use (i.e., alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and polysubstance use) and the potential protective influence of family and teacher support.
Publications:
- Mereish, E. H., ·Parra, L. A., Watson, R. J., & Fish, J. N. (2022). Subtle minority stress and depressive symptoms among sexual and gender minority adolescents of color: Mediating role of self-esteem and sense of mastery. Prevention Science, 23, 142-153. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-021-01294-9
- Poteat, V. P., Fish, J. N., & Watson, R. J. (2021). Gender-sexuality alliances as a moderator for the association between victimization, depressive symptoms, and drinking behavior among LGBTQ+ youth. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 229(B), 109-140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.109140. PMCID: PMC8665138
- Poteat, V. P., Watson, R. J., & Fish, J. N. (2021). Teacher support moderates associations among sexual identity outness, victimization, and academic performance among LGBQ+ youth. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 50, 1634-1648. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-021-01455-7. PMCID: PMC8350887
- Watson, R. J., Fish, J. N., Poteat, V. P., Wheldon, C. W., +Cunningham, C. A., Puhl, R., & Eaton, L. A. (2021). Teacher support, victimization, and alcohol use among sexual and gender minority youth: considering ethnoracial identity. Prevention Science. 22, 590-601. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-021-01216-9. PMCID: PMC8195836
- Watson, R. J., Fish, J. N., Denary, W., +Caba, A., +Cunningham, C., & Eaton, L. A. (2021). LGBTQ state policies: A lever for reducing SGM youth substance use and bullying. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 221,108659. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-021-01216-9. PMCID: PMC8026721
- Watson, R. J., Fish, J. N., +McKay, T., +Allen, S., Eaton, L., & Puhl, R. M. (2020). Substance use among a national sample of LGBTQ adolescents: Intersections of sex assigned at birth and gender identity. LGBT Health, 7(1), 37-46. https://doi.org/10.1089/lgbt.2019.0066. PMCID: PMC6983732.
- Watson, R. J., Fish, J. N., Poteat, V. P., & +Rathus, T. (2019). Sexual and gender minority youth alcohol use: Within-group differences in associations with internalized stigma and victimization. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 48(12), 2403–2417. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-019-01130-y. PMCID: PMC6872943.
- Wheldon, C. W., Watson, R. J., Fish, J. N., & Garamel, K. (2019). Cigarette smoking among youth at the intersection of sexuality orientation and gender identity. LGBT Health, 6(5), 235-241. https://doi.org/10.1089/lgbt.2019.0005. PMCID: PMC6909748.
People: Bradley Boekeloo (PI), Jessica Fish (co-I), Elizabeth Aparicio (co-I), Richard Shin (co-I), Mia Smith-Bynum (co-I), Rodman Turpin (co-I)
The core research project is a randomized control trial focused on refining, evaluating, and disseminating selected resources for assessing and improving the experiences of LGBT people engaged in mental health care services. Want to know more, check out the University of Maryland Prevention Research Center.
Publications:
- Fish, J. N., King-Marshall, E. C., Williams, N. D., Aparicio, E. M., Tralka, H. M., & Boekeloo, B. O. (In press). What motivates community mental and behavioral health organizations to participate in LGBTQ+ cultural competency trainings? American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/ort0000641.
- Fish, J. N. & Mittal, M. (2021). Mental health care providers are essential to the public health workforce and need support in the wake of COVID-19. Public Health Reports, 136(1), 14-17. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033354920965266. PMC7856369
- Turpin, R., Williams, N., Akré, E. R., Boekeloo, B., Fish, J. N. (2022). Trends in health care access and experiences: Differential gains across intersections of sexual identity and sex post-marriage equality. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15, 5075. Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095075. PMC9101359
- Fish, J. N., Turpin, R., Williams, N. D., & Boekeloo, B. O. (2021). Sexual identity differences in health care access and satisfaction: Findings from nationally representative data. American Journal of Epidemiology.190(7), 1281-1293. https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwab012. PMC8522766
- Turpin, R., Williams, N. D., Akré, E. R., Boekeloo, B. O., & Fish, J. N. (2021). Differences in health care access and satisfaction across intersections of race/ethnicity and sexual identity. Academic Medicine, 96(11), 1592-1597. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000004243. PMC8867382
- Williams, N. D., Akre, E. R., Turpin, R., Boekeloo, B. O., & Fish, J. N. (2022). Sexual identity differences in mental healthcare need and access: Findings from nationally representative data. Psychiatric Services, 73, 456-459. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.202100045. PMC9213076
People: Natasha D. Williams (PI), Jessica Fish (Committee Chair)
Funding: RWJF Health Policy Research Scholars
This multi-method dissertation project examines mental health disparities (Study 1) and treatment utilization patterns (Study 2) at the intersection of sex, sexual identity, and race/ethnicity using population-based health data. Study 3 employs grounded theory methods to develop a conceptual model of how and why Black LGB young adults manage their mental health within, or outside of , traditional systems of care.
Bishop, M., Fish, J. N., & Russell, S. T. (in press). The developmental collision hypothesis: An empirical test with three generations of sexual minority youth. Journal of Youth and Adolescence. https://doi: 10.1007/s10964-024-02075-7
Caba, A., Wheldon, C., Watson, R. J., & Fish, J. N. (in press). The association of stigma, school, and family factors with patterns of substance use among LGBTQ Youth. Prevention Science. Advanced online publication. https://doi:10.1007/s11121-
Ledford, V., Garcia Cosavalente, H. P., Jackson, D. N., Carter, C. T., Saperstein, S. L., Baur, C., Balaban, A., & Fish, J. N. (in press). An almost empty scoping review: State of the research on tobacco prevention and cessation messaging strategies for Black and Latino/a/x LGBTQ+ youth and young adults. Health Communication. Advanced online publication. https://doi: 10.1080/10410236.2024.2370725
Bishop, M., Fish, J. N., & Russell, S. T. (in press). The timing of sexual identity development milestones: Disentangling age from cohort influences. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity. Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/
Fish, J. N., Reczek, R., & +Ezra. P. (in press). Defining and measuring family: Lessoned learned from LGBTQ+ people and families. Journal of Marriage and Family [mid-decade special issue]. Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.
Paceley, M. S., Watson, R., Fish, J. N., Clayton, J., Ramseyer Winter, V., Kattari, S., Walter, S. (in press). The relationship between the family environment and community context on LGBTQ+ youth’s disordered eating behaviors. Families in Society. https://doi.org//10.1177/
Bishop, M., Moran, S. A., Turpin, R. E., Aparicio, A. M., Mereish, E. H., Russell, S. T., & Fish, J. N. (2024). Binge drinking disparities by grade, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Pediatrics. e2023063978. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.
Kiekens, W. J., van der Ploeg, R., Fish, J. N., Salway, T., Kaufman, T. M. L., & Baams, L. (2024). Trends in bullying victimization and social unsafety for sexually and gender diverse students. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 53, 1579-1592. https://doi.org/10.
Bishop, M. D., Caba, A., Watson, R. J., Fish, J. N. (2024). Chest binding: Sociodemographic characteristics among a national sample of transgender and gender diverse adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Health, 74, 1256-1259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
Fish, J. N., King-Marshall, E. C., Turpin, R. E., Aparicio, E. M., & Boekeloo, B. O. (2024). Assessing the implementation of an LGBTQ+ mental health services raining program to determine feasibility and acceptability during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prevention Science, 25, 109-123. https://doi.org/10.1007/
Williams. N. D., Winer, B., Aparicio, E. M., Smith-Bynum, M. A., Boekeloo, B. O., Fish, J. N. (2024). Professional expectations of provider LGBTQ competence: where we are and where we need to go. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health, 28. https://doi.org/10.1080/
Boekeloo, B. O., Fish, J. N., Turpin, R. E., Aparicio, E. A., Shin, R., Vigorito, M. A., Lare, S. M., McGraw, J. S., & King-Marshall, E. (2023). LGBTQ+ cultural-competence training effectiveness: Mental health organization and therapist survey outcome results from a pilot randomized controlled trial. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 31, e2893. https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.
Fish, J. N., Kapostasy, S., & Russell, S. T. (2023). Be You! Collaborative community research efforts to empower LGBTQ+ youth in school settings. Journal of Gay and Lesbian Social Services, 35, 434-455. https://doi.org/10.1080/
Fish, J. N. & Ezra, P. (2023). Parental support is not enough: How parental socialization theories can advance LGBTQ+ youth family research, practice, and health. Journal of Family Theory and Review, 15, 677-684. https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.
Fish, J. N., Bishop, M. D., & Russell, S. T. (2023). Age trends in bias-based bullying and mental health by sexual orientation and gender identity. Prevention Science, 24, 1142-1151. https://doi.org/10.1007/
Salerno, J. P., Pease, M., Gattamorta, K. A., Fryer, C. S., & Fish, J. N. (2023). Impact of racist microaggressions and LGBTQ-related minority stressors: Effects on psychological distress among LGBTQ+ young people of color. Preventing Chronic Disease, 20, E63. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd20.
Russell, S. T., Bishop, M. D., & Fish, J. N. (2023 [invited]) Expanding Notions of LGBTQ+. Annual Review of Sociology, 49, 281-296. https://doi.org/10.1146/
Pollitt, A. M., Fish, J. N., & Watson, R. J. (2023). Measurement equivalence of family acceptance/rejection among sexual and gender minority youth by disclosure status. Journal of Family Psychology, 37(2),195-202. https://doi.org/10.1037/
Fish, J. N. & Russell, S. T. (2022). The paradox of progress for sexual and gender diverse youth. Current Opinions in Psychology, 48, 101498. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
Mereish, E. H., Fish, J. N., & Watson, R. J. (2023). Intersectional minority stress and alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use among youth of color: Moderating role of family support. LGBT Health, 10, 18-25. https://doi.org/10.1089/lgbt.
Fish, J. N., King-Marshall, E. C., +Williams, N. D., Aparicio, E. M., Tralka, H. M., & Boekeloo, B. O. (2022). What motivates community mental and behavioral health organizations to participate in LGBTQ+ cultural competency trainings? American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 92, 647-656. https://doi.org/10.1037/
M. Bishop, PhD uncovers disparities in binge drinking between LGBTQ+ and cisgender, heterosexual youth in new study.
Jessica Fish, PhD named Co-Director of University of Maryland Prevention Research Center. In her new role, Dr. Fish is focused on developing and overseeing the center’s external communications, partnerships, student engagement and strategies for translation research growth and sustainability.
New Project Aims to Reduce Tobacco Use Among Maryland’s LGBTQ Community
The UMD Prevention Research Center will partner with local community organizations, health departments, and state tobacco and control officials on an intervention to prevent tobacco use among LGBTQ people in Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties.
Gender Affirming Policies Support Transgender and Gender Diverse Youth’s Health
The science is clear: transgender and gender diverse youth who have access to gender affirming care, particularly in schools, have better mental health and academic outcomes. Gender affirming care includes access to medical and school resources, a new statement of evidence from the Society for Research in Child Development says.
University of Maryland New Directions Seed Grants Support New Research
The University of Maryland has announced seven New Directions awards to support research across the College Park campus. The projectsspan a broad range of disciplines and topics, ranging from the documentation of community heritage to the discovery of atomic catalysts.
UMD study says gender-affirming policies benefit student mental health
Gender-affirming policies can improve students’ mental health, according to a report co-led by Jessica Fish, a University of Maryland assistant professor in the family science department. “The science is quite clear: youth who are able to access gender-affirming treatments, and youth who are able to participate in sports that align with their gender identity … tend to fare better in their mental health and overall well-being,” said Fish, co-lead and deputy director for research and evaluation at the University of Maryland Prevention Research Center.
UMD Prevention Research Center hosts lecture on LGBTQ+ safety in schools
The University of Maryland Prevention Research Center hosted a webinar to share the work of the Stories and Numbers Project, a collaboration that promotes the safety and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ youth in schools.
Dr. Jessica Fish, an assistant professor in the Department of Family Science, has been busy. In recent months, she has published a slew of articles on LGBTQ+ mental health and substance abuse and has received multiple research grants from institutions like the National Institutes of Health.
Editorial: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Change Efforts are Unethical and Harmful
Two experts in LGBTQ and young adult mental health, Dr. Jessica Fish (UMD SPH) and Dr. Stephen T. Russel (UT, Austin) describe the serious harms that LGBTQ youth experience from so-called “conversion therapy” efforts in a new editorial published in the American Journal of Public Health.
Don Milton and Jessica Fish Receive Seed Grants for COVID-19 Research
Don Milton, professor of environmental health, and Jessica Fish, assistant professor of family science, each received seed grants from the UMD Division of Research for COVID-19-related research.
UMD Prevention Research Center Appoints New Executive Leaders
To advance its mission to support LGBTQ+ mental health, the University of Maryland Prevention Research Center (UMD-PRC) has appointed Dr. Elizabeth Aparicio, assistant professor of behavioral and community health as the Deputy Director of Clinical Training and Intervention and Dr. Jessica Fish, assistant professor of family science as Deputy Director for Research and Evaluation.
In the past few months, Dr. Jessica Fish, an assistant professor in the Department of Family Science has published a slew of articles on LGBTQ+ mental health and substance abuse and has received multiple research grants from institutions like the National Institutes of Health.
The University of Maryland Prevention Research Center (UMD-PRC) is working to improve mental health and health care for LGBTQ+ people with new funding from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Recent SOGI Health News Articles
M. Bishop, PhD uncovers disparities in binge drinking between LGBTQ+ and cisgender, heterosexual youth in new study.
LGBTQ+ middle and high school students report binge drinking at younger ages and higher rates than their cisgender, heterosexual peers, according to a study in Pediatrics. The study analyzed data from over 925,000 California students and found significant disparities, particularly among transgender and ethnic minority students. These differences are attributed to "minority stress" from stigma and discrimination. Dr. Bishop suggests that pediatricians can help by creating more inclusive environments to address this issue.
New Project Aims to Reduce Tobacco Use Among Maryland’s LGBTQ Community
The UMD Prevention Research Center will partner with local community organizations, health departments, and state tobacco and control officials on an intervention to prevent tobacco use among LGBTQ people in Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties.
Gender Affirming Policies Support Transgender and Gender Diverse Youth’s Health
The science is clear: transgender and gender diverse youth who have access to gender affirming care, particularly in schools, have better mental health and academic outcomes. Gender affirming care includes access to medical and school resources, a new statement of evidence from the Society for Research in Child Development says.
University of Maryland New Directions Seed Grants Support New Research
The University of Maryland has announced seven New Directions awards to support research across the College Park campus. The projects span a broad range of disciplines and topics, and includes a project led by Jessica Fish on Identifying Parental Sexual Orientation Socialization Strategies.