My research interests center around health disparities and the family system, particularly among marginalized communities including sexual diverse adults (LGBQ+), and adults racialized as Black and American Indian/Alaska Native/Indigenous. I also work to identify risk and protective factors to mental health and health disparities within the microsystem (family and household members), mesosystem (family of origin and families of choice as systems), and structural levels (structural heterosexism, sexism, and racism measured by inequalities [homeownership, income, education, etc.] and protective/non-protective policies).
Alexandra (Alex) VanBergen joined ISRDI in Summer 2022. Alex is currently a Research Scientist on the National Couples’ Health and Time Study (NCHAT) and the Work and Family Life Study (WAFLS) projects led by Claire Kamp Dush. Alex has a Ph.D. in Human Development & Family Science from The Ohio State University. Her research interests are at the intersection of sexual identity, gender, and race, with a particular interest in mental health disparities. Alex uses actor partner interdependence modeling (and other SEM approaches) to investigate risk and protective factors to mental health, including suicide risk.