Community. Equity. Research. Action.
We are a research lab in the Psychology and Education Department at Mount Holyoke College focused on identity and health equity as they relate to sexual and mental wellness. Our research centers on the health and wellness of marginalized communities, with a particular focus the experiences of gender and sexual minority people. We implement community-based research principles in our work, and value partnering with community organizations, health centers, and community members to promote health equity.
Corey Flanders
Corey Flanders (she/they) is an Assistant Professor in the Psychology and Education Department at Mount Holyoke College, and the director of the WISH research team. Corey conducts research with LGBTQ+ community on mental and sexual health equity and access, and in particular focuses on the health and wellness of bi+ community. Corey also enjoys made-for-tv sci-fi monster movies, and hanging out with their kiddos (2- and 4-legged, alike).
Meghan Arnold
Meghan Arnold is a senior at Mount Holyoke College, where she is majoring in Psychology, minoring in Computer Science, and pursuing a 5 College Certificate in Queer, Trans, and Sexuality Studies. She is particularly passionate about understanding the way people experience trauma and the impact of trauma on mood regulation. She plans to pursue a Masters in Social Work and a career in clinical therapy. In her free time, Meghan loves to knit, play puzzle games, and go for walks in the woods.
Phoenix Edmond
Phoenix is a senior at Mount Holyoke College and is double majoring in Psychology and Theater Arts. Her dream is to open up a center that provides mental health resources for marginalized communities that normally do not have access to them, as well as a space for students and community members to explore their creative side through theater. This influences her interest in the research of the accessibility to mental healthcare and resources within marginalized communities. In her free time, Phoenix enjoys reading or journaling in her hammock, crafting or DIY-ing, and going on long walks.
Shayn Keiter-Massefski
Shayn Keiter-Massefski (he/they) is a senior at Mount Holyoke College. He is majoring in Psychology & Education and pursuing a 5-College Certificate in Cognitive Neuroscience. They have a wide range of interests: from social justice work & activism to neuroscience & immunology, to education & disability services. Outside of work and school, Shayn enjoys playing video games, spending time with his spouse, and bothering their animals (which include a dog, a cat, and a hamster).
Kelly Lam
Kelly Lam is a junior at Mount Holyoke College and is double majoring in Psychology and Statistics. Her research interests include the mental health and wellbeing of marginalized communities, particularly pertaining to sexuality, gender, and race. She is also involved at school as the cultural center assistant for the Asian Center for Empowerment, otherwise known as the ACE House. During her free time, she enjoys reading and writing poetry, playing Pokemon, making boba tea, and learning different languages.
Alaina Lee
My name is Alaina Lee and I am senior at Mount Holyoke College. I am majoring in Psychology and minoring in Chemistry with the aspiration to become a Midwife. As a Peer Health Educator on campus, I have a passion for research regarding intimate partner violence and sexual violence. During my free time I like to meditate, do yoga, and binge watch Netflix series.
Tai Masuda
Tai is a senior at Mount Holyoke College and is majoring in Psychology with a minor in Environmental Studies. She is passionate about the intersection of mental health disparities and social justice issues. She's interested in research about youth substance use, youth trauma, and resiliency. She hopes to pursue a doctorate in clinical psychology and work with youth in her hometown of Honolulu. She loves to surf, cook, and spend time with friends.
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Hannah Middleton
Hannah is a junior at Mount Holyoke majoring in Psychology. She is interested in the mental health of adoptees, the mental and physical aftermath of children in custody battles, and the social belongingness of LGBTQ+ people of minorities. Hannah is a member of the varsity tennis team at Mount Holyoke. In her free time, she loves reading fiction, listening to music, and watching videos of corgis, bunnies, and manatees.
Amanda Windsor
Amanda is a junior at Mount Holyoke College who is a Psychology major and Pre-Medical student. She is passionate about the intersection between mental health and physical health conditions across all specialties. In the MHC community, she is heavily involved in advocacy for her fellow First-Generation and Low-Income students as the Chair of FLIP. This identity has encouraged her interest in research on the ways in which individuals from marginalized identities are able to access healthcare. She loves spending time with friends, watching Netflix, relaxing outdoors, and expanding her collection of cacti.
Amirah Winston
Amirah is a senior at Mount Holyoke College majoring in Psychology, minoring in Anthropology, and doing a 5 college certificate in Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice. She is passionate and enjoys learning about mental health, spirituality, reproductive health, animals, love, sex, and intimacy, the power of psychedelics, and holistic health and healing in regards to marginalized communities, especially black womxn and LGBTQ+ people. In her free time, she likes spending time with family and friends, creating playlists, meditating, singing, and being in nature.
Mya Wright
Mya Wright is a senior at Mount Holyoke College and is majoring in Psychology with a minor in Statistics. She has a deep fondness for narrative research especially those concerning narratives of members of marginalized communities. In her free time she loves to read novels, write short stories, and fantasize about her future endeavors.
Alma Bartnik
Issy Bohling
Melissa Carney
Ellen Chilemba
Sophie Desnoyers
Kate Farmer
Deborah Fashole Luke
Ofelia Garcia
Kirinia Gar-Macmichael
Jamie Humphrey
Seanna Issacs
Asiya Jawed
Brie Joseph
Minah Kwon
Susie Lu
Riley Maddox
Sara Mahoney
Selime Salim
Sarah Shuler
ren dinh
THE RESEARCH
In our research, we use both quantitative and qualitative methods to explore sexual and gender minority people's experiences of identity, health, and well-being. In the following pages, we have information regarding ongoing and completed past research. Please reach out if you have any questions regarding our research work, want to participate in an ongoing study, or would like a copy of any research paper listed.
Participate in a Study
Young Adult Bi+ People's Sexual and Mental Health
Research Team
ReaAnn Anderson
My research focuses on understanding basic psychological processes in sexual violence, including both sexual victimization and sexual perpetration, in order to improve risk reduction and prevention interventions. I also conduct research on the measurement of sexual violence.
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Corey Flanders
Corey Flanders (she/they) is an Assistant Professor in the Psychology and Education Department at Mount Holyoke College, and the director of the WISH research team. Corey conducts research with LGBTQ+ community on mental and sexual health equity and access, and in particular focuses on the health and wellness of bi+ community. Corey also enjoys made-for-tv sci-fi monster movies, and hanging out with their kiddos (2- and 4-legged, alike).
Sara Kuhn
Sara Kuhn (B.F.A., University of Utah, 1998; M.L.I.S., University of British Columbia, 2008; College Teaching Certificate, University of North Dakota, 2018) is a clinical psychology doctoral student at the University of North Dakota. She is a graduate research assistant for the Anderson UND Sexual Violence Prevention Lab. Her research interests center around sexual violence prevention that examines perpetration of sexual violence as well as victimization. She is particularly interested in understanding bi+ (bisexual, pansexual, etc.) women's preferences for sexual violence prevention intervention programs.
Hannah Middleton
Hannah is a junior at Mount Holyoke majoring in Psychology. She is interested in the mental health of adoptees, the mental and physical aftermath of children in custody battles, and the social belongingness of LGBTQ+ people of minorities. Hannah is a member of the varsity tennis team at Mount Holyoke. In her free time, she loves reading fiction, listening to music, and watching videos of corgis, bunnies, and manatees.
Margaret Robinson
Margaret Robinson is a bisexual and two-spirit scholar from Eski'kewaq, Nova Scotia, and a member of the Lennox Island First Nation. She holds a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Reconciliation, Gender, & Identity. Her work examines the impact of intersecting oppressions and draws on critical, postcolonial, and queer theories, intersectionality, and third wave feminism. She also engaged the contemporary Indigenous artistic renaissance, Mi’kmaw oral traditions, and the representation of Indigenous and of sexual and gender minority people in creative works. She has been a community-based researcher since 2009, incorporating participatory, action-based, feminist, and Indigenous research methods. She has led studies on decolonizing research funding in Canada, two-spirit people’s understanding of mental health, and cannabis use among bisexual women. In 2016 she led a team that developed and validated a measure of microaggressions and microaffirmations experienced by bisexual women. She conducted her postdoctoral training at the Centre for Addiction & Mental Health and was previously a Researcher in Residence in Indigenous Health at the Ontario HIV Treatment Network in Toronto.
Nicole VanKim
Nicole VanKim received her PhD from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities in Epidemiology, with a focus on social and behavioral epidemiology. Her work aims to build an understanding of the behavioral and biological mechanisms that link discrimination and health disparities. The majority of her research focuses on the health of sexual minority women, with particular emphasis on health outcomes including chronic diseases (such as type 2 diabetes) and chronic pain.
Mya Wright
Mya Wright is a senior at Mount Holyoke College and is majoring in Psychology with a minor in Statistics. She has a deep fondness for narrative research especially those concerning narratives of members of marginalized communities. In her free time she loves to read novels, write short stories, and fantasize about her future endeavors.
PUBLICATIONS
If you would like a copy of any of the below publications, please contact Corey at cflander@mtholyoke.edu.
*Indicates student collaborator, **Indicates community collaborator
Flanders, C. E., *dinh, r. n., *Pragg, L., **Dobinson, C., & Logie, C. H. (2020). Young sexual
minority women’s evaluation processes of online and digital sexual health information. Health Communication. doi: 10.1080/10410236.2020.1751381. Advance online copy.
*Bedree, H., *Moller-Mullen, M., *Rose, E., & Flanders, C. E. (2020). Sexual well-being
among college students: A qualitative study. Sexuality & Culture, 24, 140-156. doi: 10.1007/s12119-019-09631-5.
Anderson, R. E., Tarasoff, L. A., VanKim, N., & Flanders, C. E. (2019). Differences in rape
acknowledgement and mental health outcomes across transgender, non-binary, and cisgender bisexual youth. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. doi: 10.1177/0886260519829763. Advance online publication.
*Salim, S., Robinson, M., & Flanders, C. E. (2019). Bisexual women’s experiences of microaggressions and microaffirmations and their relationship to mental health. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, 6(3), 336-346. doi: 10.1037/sgd0000329.
Flanders, C. E., Anderson, R. E., Tarasoff, L. A., & Robinson, M. (2019). Bisexual stigma,
sexual violence, and sexual health among bisexual and other plurisexual women: a cross- sectional survey study. Journal of Sex Research, 56(9), 1115-1127. doi: 10.1080/00224499.2018.1563042.
*Januwalla, A., Goldberg, A. E., Flanders, C. E., Yudin, M. H., & Ross, L. E. (2019). Reproductive and pregnancy experiences of diverse sexual minority women: A descriptive exploratory study. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 23, 1071-1078. doi: 10.1007/s10995-019-02741-4.
Flanders, C. E., *Shuler, S. A., *Desnoyers, S. A., VanKim, N. A. (2019). Relationships
between social support, identity, anxiety, and depression among young bisexual People of Color. Journal of Bisexuality, 19(2), 253-275. doi: 10/1080/15299716.2019.1617543.
Flanders, C. E., *Legge. M. M., *Plante, I., Goldberg, A. E., & Ross, L. E. (2019). Gender
socialization practices among bisexual and other nonmonosexual mothers: a longitudinal qualitative examination. Journal of GBLT Family Studies, 15(2), 105-126. doi: 10.1080/1550428X.2018.1461583.
Flanders, C. E., **LeBreton, M., & Robinson, M. (2019). Bisexual women’s experience of microaggressions and microaffirmations: A community-based, mixed-methods scale development project. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 48(1), 143-158. doi: 10.1007/s10508- 017-1135-x.
*Manley, M., *Legge, M. M., Flanders, C. E., Goldberg, A. E., & Ross, L. E. (2018).
Consensual non-monogamy in pregnancy and parenthood: Experiences of bisexual and plurisexual women with different-gender partners. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 44(8), 721-736. doi: 10.1080/0092623X.2018.1462277.
*Legge, M. M., *Tarasoff, L. A., Flanders, C. E., *Taha, R., & Robinson, M. (2018). A critical examination of online news media representations of bisexual women who use cannabis. Journal of Bisexuality, 18(2), 206-229. doi: 10.1080/15299716.2018.1460648.
Ross, L. E., Goldberg, J. M., Flanders, C. E., Goldberg, A. E., & Yudin, M. (2018). Bisexuality:
the invisible sexual orientation in sexual and reproductive health care. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Canada, 40(8), 1057-1060. doi: 10.1016/j.jogc.2018.02.022.
*Legge, M. M., Flanders, C. E., & Robinson, M. (2018). Young bisexual people’s experiences
of microaggression: Implications for social work. Social Work in Mental Health, 16(2), 124-144. doi: 10.1080/15332985.2017.1357669.
Ross, L. E., *Tarasoff, L. A., Goldberg, A. E., & Flanders, C. E. (2017). Pregnant plurisexual
women’s sexual and relationship histories across the lifespan: A qualitative study. Journal of Bisexuality, 17(3), 257-276. doi: 10.1080/15299716.2017.1344177.
Ross, L.E., *Manley, M.H., Goldberg, A. E., *Januwalla, A., *Williams, K., & Flanders, C. E.
(2017). Characterizing nonmonosexual women at risk for poor mental health outcomes: a mixed methods study. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 108(3), e296-e305. doi: 10.17269/CJPH.108.5884.
Flanders, C. E., Ross, L. E., **Dobinson, C., & Logie, C. H. (2017). Sexual health among
young bisexual women: A qualitative, community-based study. Psychology & Sexuality, 8(1-2), 104-117. doi: 10.1080/19419899.2017.1296486.
Flanders, C. E., *Tarasoff, L. A., *Legge, M., Robinson, M., & Gos, G. (2017). Positive
identity experiences of young bisexual and other non-monosexual people: a qualitative inquiry. Journal of Homosexuality, 64(8), 1014-1032. doi:10.1080/00918369.2016.1236592.
Flanders, C. E., *Pragg, L., **Dobinson, C., Logie, C. E. (2017). Young sexual minority
women’s use of the Internet and other digital technology for sexual health information seeking. Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 26(1), 17-25.
Flanders, C. E. (2017). Introduction to the special issue: Under the bisexual umbrella: Diversity
of Identity and Experience. Journal of Bisexuality, 17(1), 1-6. doi: 10.1080/15299716.2017.1297142.
• Reprinted in: Flanders, C. E. (2018). Under the bisexual umbrella: diversity of identity and experience. London, UK: Routledge.
Flanders, C. E., LeBreton, M. E., Robinson, M., Bian, J., & Caravaca-Morera, J. A. (2016). Defining bisexuality: young bisexual and pansexual people’s voices. Journal of Bisexuality. Advanced online copy. doi: 10.1080/15299716.2016.1227016.
• Reprinted in: Flanders, C. E. (2018). Under the bisexual umbrella: diversity of identity and experience. London, UK: Routledge.
Flanders, C. E., Tarasoff, L. A., Legge, M., Robinson, M., & Gos, G. (2016). Positive identity experiences of young bisexual and non-monosexual people: a qualitative inquiry. Journal of Homosexuality. Advanced online copy. doi: 10.1080/00918369.2016.1236592.
Flanders, C. E., Dobinson, & C., Logie, C. (2017). Young bisexual women’s perspectives on the relationship between bisexual stigma, mental health, and sexual health: a qualitative study. Critical Public Health. 27(1), 75-85. doi: 10.1080/09581596.2016.1158786.
Flanders, C. E. (2016). Bisexuality, social identity, and well-being: an exploratory study. Sexualities, 19(5-6), 497-516. doi: 10.1177/1363460715609093.
Bauer, G. R., Flanders, C. E., MacLeod, M. A., & Ross, L. E. (2016). Occurrence of multiple mental health or substance use outcomes among bisexuals: a respondent-driven sampling study. BMC Public Health, 16, 497. Doi: 10.1186/s12889-016-3173-z.
Flanders, C. E., Robinson, M., Legge, M. M., & Tarasoff, L. A. (2016). Negative identity experiences of bisexual and other non-monosexual people: a qualitative report. Journal of Gay and Lesbian Mental Health, 20(2), 152-172. doi: 10.1080/19359705.2015.1108257.
Flanders, C. E., Gibson, M., Goldberg, A., & Ross, L. E. (2016). Postpartum depression among visible and invisible sexual minority women: a pilot study. Archives of Women’s Mental Health, 19(2), 299-305. doi: 10.1007/s00737-015-0566-4.
Flanders, C. E., Gos, G., Dobinson, C., & Logie, C. (2015). Understanding young bisexual women’s sexual, reproductive, and mental health through syndemic theory. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 106(8), e1-e6. doi: 10.17269/CJPH.106.5100.
Flanders, C. E., Dobinson, C., & Logie, C. (2015). “I’m never really my full self”: Young bisexual women’s perceptions of their mental health. Journal of Bisexuality, 15(4), 454-480. doi: 10.1080/15299716.2015.1079288.
Flanders, C. E. (2015). Bisexual health: a daily diary analysis of stress and anxiety. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 37(6), 319-335. doi: 10.1080/01973533.2015.1079202.
Flanders, C. E. & Hatfield, E. (2014). Social perception of bisexuality. Psychology and Sexuality, 5(3), 232-246. doi: 10.1080/19419899.2012.749505.
Flanders, C. E., & Hatfield, E. (2013). Perceptions of gender and bisexuality: an exploration of the relationship between perceived masculinity, femininity, and sexual ambiguity. Journal of Bisexuality, 13(3), 374-389. doi: 10.1080/15299716.2013.813418.
Arakawa, D. R., Flanders, C. E., Hatfield, E., & Heck, R. (2013). Positive psychology: what impact has it had on sex research publication trends? Sexuality and Culture, 17(2), 305-320. doi: 10.1007/s12119-012-9152-3.
Flanders, C. E., Arakawa, D. R., & Canua Cardozo, A. (2013). Positive implications for sexual sensation seeking: an exploratory study. Electronic Journal of Human Sexuality, 16. Retrieved from
Arakawa, D. R., Flanders, C. E., & Hatfield, E. (2012). Are variations in gender equality evident in pornography? A cross-cultural study. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 36(2), 279-285. doi: 10.1016/j.ijintrel.2011.08.006.
PAST PROJECTS
Young Queer Women's Use of the Internet and Digital Technology for Sexual Health Information Seeking
This was a qualitative, community-based research project in collaboration with Planned Parenthood Toronto and the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto. With the help of an advisory committee of young queer women, we conducted a series of focus groups to speak with sexual minority women aged 18-29 about their experiences with seeking sexual health information online. The research findings indicate that in our sample, many of the women used the Internet for sexual health information seeking, and most appreciated sources that included the voices of a diverse range of people, included an interactive element, was affirming of their own experiences, and of course was relevant to their own sexual health experiences. In addition to seeking information about safer sex practices and sexually transmitted infections, participants also sought out and valued information about social aspects of sexual health, such as negotiating sexual encounters, health relationships, and community connections.
Publications based on this project are forthcoming.
Creating Trans and Nonbinary Inclusive Sexual Health Education Guidelines
This was a qualitative, community-based research project in collaboration with Planned Parenthood Toronto and the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto. Based on a survey conducted by Planned Parenthood Toronto, this project was created to address the high level of unmet need reported by trans and nonbinary youth related to sexual health education and service provision. An advisory committee of trans and nonbinary youth aged 18-29 assisted in the development, analysis, and dissemination of this project. A series of focus groups with trans and nonbinary youth were conducted to understand what inclusive sexual health education and service provision should look like, and individual interviews were held with sexual health service providers and educators to understand more about barriers to providing inclusive care. A first draft of the guidelines document was developed based on these data, which was reviewed by the advisory committee. The advisory committee then facilitated a town hall meeting, where trans and nonbinary youth, service providers, educators, and other community members engaged in critical discussion of the draft. The guidelines were revised, and a second round of focus groups was held to further evaluate the document. The feedback from these focus groups was incorporated into the guidelines, which was reviewed one more time at a community launch event. Feedback from community in attendance at the event was incorporated into the document.
The final copy of the guidelines document can be found here.
Creating Measures of Bisexual Women's Microaggression and Microaffirmation Experiences
This was a qualitative, community-based project in partnership with Margaret Robinson at the Ontario HIV Treatment Network. The goal of this project was to develop validated measures of microaggressions and microaffirmations, or the subtle stressors and social supports, bisexual women experience. An advisory committee of bisexual women helped with the direction of the study and development of the measures. We held two focus group sessions to collect qualitative descriptions of the microaggressions and microaffirmations bisexual women experience. Based on those data, we developed an initial survey of potential items that was then vetted by our advisory committee. We next launched an online survey to conduct the first statistical validation of the measures. Based on the responses, we revised the measures to a final version, and launched a second online survey to confirm the measures and understand how they related to reports of mental and sexual health.
The published version of these measures is forthcoming.
Understanding Young Bisexual Women's Sexual and Reproductive Health
This was a qualitative, community-based project in partnership with Planned Parenthood Toronto and the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto. This project was developed to understand how young bisexual women, aged 16-29, perceived their own sexual and reproductive health, including the barriers and facilitators of maintaining positive sexual health. Findings from this study indicate that young bisexual women perceive stigma as a major barrier to maintaining positive sexual health, both in limited access to informed service providers and relevant sexual health information, as well as in the form of violence. These experiences affected both their sexual and mental health.
Publications from this project include the following:
Flanders, C. E., Dobinson, C., & Logie, C. (2015). “I’m never really my full self”: Young bisexual women’s perceptions of their mental health. Journal of Bisexuality, 15(4), 454-480. doi: 10.1080/15299716.2015.1079288.
Flanders, C. E., Gos, G., Dobinson, C., & Logie, C. (2015). Understanding young bisexual women’s sexual, reproductive, and mental health through syndemic theory. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 106(8), e1-e6. doi: 10.17269/CJPH.106.5100.
Flanders, C. E., Dobinson, & C., Logie, C. (2017). Young bisexual women’s perspectives on the relationship between bisexual stigma, mental health, and sexual health: a qualitative study. Critical Public Health. 27(1), 75-85. doi: 10.1080/09581596.2016.1158786.
Experiencing Bisexual Identity: Identity Threat and Affirmation
This was a mixed-methods daily diary study investigating how positive and negative experiences related to bisexual identity related to daily stress and anxiety among young bisexual people. The study was a 28-daily diary study in which participants described any positive or negative experiences they had related to their sexual identity, and also reported how stressed and anxious they were that day. The findings from this study indicate that negative experiences were associated with elevated stress, and positive experiences were associated with decreased stress and anxiety. Participants' descriptions of their negative and positive identity experiences were analyzed in a social ecological framework, as we identified that these events occured at an intrapersonal, interpersonal, community, and societal level.
Publications from this project include the following:
Flanders, C. E. (2015). Bisexual health: a daily diary analysis of stress and anxiety. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 37(6), 319-335. doi: 10.1080/01973533.2015.1079202.
Flanders, C. E., Robinson, M., Legge, M. M., & Tarasoff, L. A. (2016). Negative identity experiences of bisexual and other non-monosexual people: a qualitative report. Journal of Gay and Lesbian Mental Health, 20(2), 152-172. doi: 10.1080/19359705.2015.1108257.
Flanders, C. E., Tarasoff, L. A., Legge, M., Robinson, M., & Gos, G. (2016). Positive identity experiences of young bisexual and non-monosexual people: a qualitative inquiry. Journal of Homosexuality. Advanced online copy. doi: 10.1080/00918369.2016.1236592.
CONTACT US
Tel: 413-538-2052
50 College St.
Reese Psychology Building
Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, MA 01075