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Evaluation ViewAttendees 3

Vulnerable Populations
Symposia

Symposium 102 - Expanding CBT Interventions to Promote Social Justice among Individuals from Historically Marginalized Backgrounds

Saturday, November 16, 2024
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM EST
Location: Congress C, Fourth Floor, Loews Hotel
CE: 1

Keywords: Oppression, ,
Level of Familiarity: Basic to moderate
Recommended Readings: Balandan, K. (2023). Mental Health Inequity and Disparity in LGBTQI Youth. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 19(6), 104640.,   Anderson, M. L., Glickman, N. S., Wolf Craig, K. S., Sortwell Crane, A. K., Wilkins, A. M., & Najavits, L. M. (2021). Developing Signs of Safety: A Deaf‐accessible counselling toolkit for trauma and addiction. Clinical psychology & psychotherapy, 28(6), 1562-1573.,   Israel, B. A., Schulz, A. J., Parker, E. A., & Becker, A. B. (1998). Review of community-based research: assessing partnership approaches to improve public health. Annual review of public health, 19(1), 173-202.,   ,  

The prevalence of mental health disparities and social exclusion among individuals from historically marginalized backgrounds (e.g., sexual and gender minorities, sociolinguistic minority groups) is a critical concern (Balandan, 2023; Anderson et al, 2021). Yet, these same individuals are often underrepresented in research, and thus interventions have not been developed with their unique needs and experiences in mind. A related issue is that there is a dearth of interventions that target the environment (versus the individual) in order to address systemic issues contributing to poor outcomes. Interventions must be grounded in a social justice perspective to effectively prepare individuals and communities to respond to entrenched systems of oppression and cultivate a society where all have equitable access to opportunities, resources, and rights (Jost & Kay, 2010). Community-engaged research approaches play a pivotal role in advancing social justice by fostering collaborative partnerships between researchers and the communities they study. Such approaches are crucial for understanding the unique needs and contexts of historically marginalized populations. Further, these approaches often lead to the co-creation of interventions, ensuring that solutions are culturally competent, relevant, and have a higher likelihood of success. Ultimately, community-engaged research contributes to dismantling systemic injustices by actively involving affected communities in shaping the research agenda and promoting sustainable positive change (Israel et al., 1998).
This symposium will highlight innovations in cognitive and behavioral interventions that promote mental health and wellness, social justice, and/or community inclusion among individuals from historically marginalized backgrounds. Specific populations will include LGBTQIA+ transition age youth with serious mental health conditions, Deaf individuals with co-occurring conditions, and adults with serious mental illnesses. Presentations will showcase cutting-edge research and interventions grounded in community engagement that target both individuals and environments. Attendees can expect to learn about the challenges and successes of community-engaged research, gain insights into the practical co-development and/or implementation of these interventions, and acquire tools to enhance their own work in advancing social justice through cognitive and behavioral approaches.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:
  1. Recognize unique challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ youth, Deaf individuals with co-occurring conditions, and adults with serious mental illnesses.
  2. Explain how community-engaged research methods contribute to advancing social justice.
  3. Identify challenges and strengths associated with a community-engaged research approach.
  4. Apply concepts and strategies discussed to one's own work focused on advancing social justice.
  5. Collaborate effectively with people with lived experience to enhance the relevance and effectiveness of CBT interventions.

Presentations:

  • 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM EST
    (SYM 102) Using a Community-based Participatory Action Research Methods to Co-develop an Intervention to Improve the Social Connectedness of LGBTQIA+ Transition Age Youth with Serious Mental Health Conditions

    Speaker: Megan M. Kelly, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) – UMass Chan Medical School

    Co-author: Emma Narkewicz, MPA (she/her/hers) – UMass Chan Medical School

    Co-author: Mei Pearlstein, BS (she/her/hers) – UMass Chan Medical School

    Co-author: Tracy Neville, BA (she/her/hers) – UMass Chan Medical School

  • 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM EST
    (SYM 102) Engagement of Deaf Community Members in Seeking Safety Adaptation Work

    Speaker: Melissa L. Anderson, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) – UMass Chan Medical School

  • 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM EST
    (SYM 102) Increasing Inclusionary Practices in Faith Communities for Believers with Serious Mental Illnesses

    Speaker: Mark Salzer, Ph.D. – Temple University

    Co-author: Crystal Slanzi, PhD, BCBA-D – Temple University