Dr. Craig Rodriguez-Seijas, Assistant Professor of Psychology

Psychiatric Disorders among LGBTQ+ People: What It Means to Be a Minoritized Human

Current approaches to the study of mental health challenges (psychopathology) overwhelmingly fail to account for social contexts such as race, gender, or sexual orientation. Some historical models of psychopathology formally embraced the interactions between the individual and their environment. However, the field has evolved in a manner that situates dysfunction within the individual person rather than in the complex relationships between the person and their cultural context(s). Such an assumption conflicts with established ways of understanding mental health challenges of LGBTQ+ individuals. Using research on LGBTQ+ populations, I will illustrate how the sociocultural context is inextricably linked to mental health and wellbeing. Bringing in examples of my own research and that of my colleagues, I will discuss how the dominant philosophy can inadvertently stigmatize already marginalized groups.

Stream talk here

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