Carl I. Hovland Professor Emeritus of Psychology; Prof Psychology; Professor
Stigma Prevention and Health
An MPH student explored how stigma and gender identity are correlated with mental health problems in India.
Stigma affects all people at some point in life. The Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences brings together faculty, researchers, and students who are interested in understanding the social and psychological processes that keep marginalized individuals away from power, resources, status, and ultimately good health. We conduct research to understand how stigma affects the health of older adults (Levy), racial and ethnic minorities (Dovidio, Keene, Lowe), LGBTQ people (Pachankis), those people who reside in stigmatized locales (Keene), substance users (Wang), individuals with disabilities (Wang), mental health conditions (Lowe), and women globally (Miller). Our studies examine the impact of stigma on both physical health, including biological processes, and mental health. Our research seeks to reduce stigma through interpersonal (e.g., improving patient-provider interactions), psychological (e.g., developing stigma inoculation approaches), and structural (e.g., changing international laws and policies) interventions. Across our research, we seek to uncover and ultimately improve the societal contexts that create stigmas.
Faculty of Interest
Associate Professor of Public Health (Social and Behavioral Sciences)
Research Interests- Housing
- Social Justice
- Qualitative Research
- Racism
- Health Equity
Professor of Public Health (Social and Behavioral Sciences) and Psychology; Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
Research Interests- Aging
- Environment and Public Health
- Mental Health
- Psychological Phenomena
- Social Change
- Social Justice
- Social Sciences
- Psychiatry and Psychology
- Health Equity
Associate Professor of Public Health (Social and Behavioral Sciences), Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Associate Clinical Professor of Nursing; Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
Research Interests- Anxiety Disorders
- Mental Disorders
- Disasters
- Genetics, Behavioral
- Mental Health Services
- Psychological Phenomena
- Psychology, Clinical
- Rwanda
- Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
- Mood Disorders
- Substance-Related Disorders
- Stress Disorders, Traumatic, Acute
- Resilience, Psychological
- Disaster Victims
- Psychiatry and Psychology
- Psychological Trauma
- Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders
- Exposure to Violence
- Gender-Based Violence
Professor in the Practice (Social and Behavioral Sciences); Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
Research Interests- HIV
- Human Rights
David R. Kessler, M.D. '55 Professor of Public Health (Social and Behavioral Sciences), Professor of Psychology and Professor of Psychiatry; Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
Research Interests- Anxiety
- Behavioral Sciences
- Depression
- Mental Health
- Social Behavior
- Social Change
- Social Conditions
- Social Sciences
- Behavioral Research
- Social Stigma
- Sexual and Gender Minorities
Centers and other resources
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS (CIRA)CIRA provides HIV-related resources, skills, services, training, and professional networking opportunities to HIV researchers and practitioners who can contribute to advances in HIV prevention and treatment.
- Community Alliance for Research and Engagement (CARE)CARE promotes the prevention of chronic diseases by focusing on social, environmental, and behavioral risk factors.
- Yale LGBTQ Mental Health InitiativeThis initiative provides a home for scholars and scholarship devoted to understanding and improving the mental health of LGBTQ populations in the US and around the world.
- Global Health Justice Partnership (GHJP)GHJP promotes interdisciplinary, innovative, and effective responses to key problems in health justice.
- Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center (PRC)The PRC works with community partners to develop and implement community-based approaches to prevent and control chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.