Research

My research focus has always been multidisciplinary, and I frequently collaborate with other researchers in areas such as sociology, criminal justice, biology, and religion. I am currently involved in several areas of research. The first area focuses on mental health among minority populations in the United States, with a focus on mental health disparities. Thus far my research has centered around perceptions of mental illness, attitudes towards traditional and  non-traditional treatments of mental health issues, and help-seeking behaviors. Minority communities tend to underutilize mental health services and I believe that the first step to remedying this is understanding how different populations conceptualize mental health and mental health treatment. 

I have been in conducting basic behavioral health research in college student populations, especialy HBCU college students. This includes research on attitudes towards help-seeking, stress and coping, knowledge of HIV, alcohol and drug use, and beliefs about sexual assault. The main goal of this research is to develop culturally-competent, evidence-based intervention to improve behavioral health on HBCU campuses. 

My third main area of research focuses on religious commitment and acculturation among Muslim Americans. I am interested in how Muslim Americans develop and maintain religious commitment and identity, and navigate changing ideas of what makes a person "American".