Each year, an alarming number of college women are victims of interpersonal violence. In investigating the experiences of college women, the process of disclosure has emerged as an important research focus. Much of the current literature on interpersonal violence disclosure has focused on negative and positive social reactions from informal and formal supports. However, there is a lack of literature understanding how those disclosure reactions are connected to psychological, emotional, and behavioral consequences after the disclosure. Through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with eight diverse college women, the present study explores the nuanced ways survivors experience formal and informal disclosures, interpret disclosure reactions, and experience distress and growth. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) following a feminist paradigm, I identified seven themes related to the process of sharing one’s interpersonal violence victimization with others. The themes were organized into two categories that illustrate participants’ disclosure experiences and the psychosocial consequences of disclosure. The findings of this study may be used to inform training for university resource personnel as well as education for individuals within a survivor’s support system.

Athletic and academic identities among college student-athletes have been identified as important determinants of their academic achievement, career preparation, and sport termination. However, less is known about how these two identities, independently or simultaneously may be related to student-athletes’ overall (e.g., levels of optimism and happiness) or sport-wellbeing (e.g., satisfaction with one’s sport performance). To this end, the purpose of the study was to examine how student-athletes’ academic and athletic identities are associated with their overall and sport well-being in a U.S. national sample of 241 Division I student-athletes. I also examined whether the relationship between these two identities and well-being would be moderated by the student-athletes’ year in school, gender, or race. Because this study took place during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic (Summer of 2020), I also explored whether interruptions to school and sport activities due to the pandemic would also affect student-athletes reported overall and sport well-being. Results showed a significant positive relationship between academic identity and overall well-being, and a negative relationship between athletic identity and sport well-being. Additionally, year in school and race were significant correlates of sport well-being, with lowerclassmen student-athletes (first- and second-year students) and White student-athletes reporting higher levels of sport well-being than their counterparts. Race and gender were also significant predictors of overall well-being. Specifically, male student-athletes and White student-athletes reported higher levels of overall well-being than student-athletes identifying as female or as a person of color. Finally, results also indicated that COVID-19 were negatively associated with participants’ overall and sport well-being. However, the relationship between academic nor athletic identity and well-being (i.e., overall, sport well-being) were not moderated by self-reported rage, gender, year in school, or COVID-19 interruptions. After a review of the current literature and its limitations, findings and implications for practice with student-athletes are discussed.

The Latinx population in the United States is projected to increase exponentially in upcoming years. Latina women in particular are put at disproportionate risk of experiencing psychological distress after immigrating to the US. Separation from family upon immigration introduces more difficulty to the immigration experience. Yet protective factors such as family cohesion may buffer potential psychological distress. The present study will examine the two following research questions. First, is there a difference in psychological distress experienced by Latina young women who report separating from their family in comparison to those who did not experience familial separation at immigration. Second, does a potentially deleterious effect of immigration on familial attachment underlie or mediate the hypothesized positive association between separation at immigration and psychological distress. Participants were Latina young women who ranged from 18-23 years-old, were unmarried, and had to have resided in the US for 36 months or less. I used structural path analysis to examine hypothesized associations among separation status, attachment to family, and psychological distress. Findings aim to inform mental health interventions for Latina young adults who immigrate to the US without family.

Latino men who have sex with men (LMSM) may repress gay, bisexual identities due to internalized homophobia and other sociocultural influences. The impact of Latino traditional gender roles, machismo and caballerismo, have not been examined with LMSM who may or may not identify as gay or bisexual. The purpose of the present study is to examine relations between self-labeled sexual identity, sexual identity developmental status, and traditional gender norms among Latino men who have sex with men (LMSM). The sample consisted of 499 LMSM, (Mage = 30.79), who endorsed engaging in same-sex sexual behavior. Results suggest evidence of concurrent validity of The Measure of Sexual Identity Exploration and Commitment (MoSIEC) with LMSM. Also, men who identified as heterosexual reported relatively higher levels of machismo and caballerismo. Implications for sexual identity development theory and research with LMSM is provided.

Despite the population of transgender individuals in the United States doubling

from 2011 to 2016, this population is one of the most understudied in psychological

science. Of the available research, the associations between gender congruence, defined

as an individual’s body matching their gender identity, and well-being have been

examined, particularly demonstrating positive associations between gender congruence

and overall life satisfaction. However, there remains a dearth of research on the possible

associations between gender congruence and relational well-being - particularly sexual

satisfaction - and possible moderating effects of the internal negative feelings regarding

one’s identity (internalized transphobia). To address these gaps in the literature, this study

gathered data from 165 binary transgender men. While there was not an effect of gender

congruence on sexual satisfaction, internalized transphobia was found to moderate this

association such that individuals who reported high internalized transphobia and high

gender congruence reported the highest sexual satisfaction. Results of this study highlight

the existing literature on the negative associations between internalized transphobia and

well-being for transgender individuals. Implications for counselors are discussed,

including advocacy efforts and implementation of techniques to facilitate growth and

resilience to help transgender clients navigate the negative effects of internalized

transphobia.