The Race, Disparities, and Intervention Laboratory, located at the University of Southern California Department of Psychology

Featured Lab

We asked each of the ABHC Lab’s ABCT student members:

1. What is your area of research interest?
2. How has ABCT been helpful to you?
3. If a student were thinking about joining ABCT, what activities would you recommend they get involved in?

Katharine Galbraith, M.A.

1. I am interested in the development and evaluation of substance use interventions for at-risk and justice-involved youth, particularly with respect to the relationship between trauma exposure and substance use outcomes. I am also interested in studying gender-specific risk factors for involvement in the juvenile justice system.
2. ABCT has been very helpful in keeping me informed about the most up-to-date findings on the treatment of psychopathology.
3. I would highly recommend attending ABCT’s annual conventions, and presenting a poster if you can! It’s a great way to network and connect with other folks conducting cutting-edge work in your field.

Nina Jhaveri, M.A.

1. I study patient engagement with technology-enabled interventions as a potential means to reduce disparities in health and mental health.
2. ABCT has offered me a means to learn from researchers within and outside my area of study, and develop my knowledge of psychological science in an interdisciplinary way.
3. I recommend joining a Special Interest Group (SIG) within your area of interest and also perhaps outside your area of interest!

Sylvanna Vargas, M.A.

1. I am interested in studying mental health disparities.
2. ABCT offers very high-quality annual conventions where I have been able to learn a lot about my field and network with people who have similar and overlapping interests. It is most inspiring to attend talks by keynote speakers and come together to think and learn about the future of our field. This past year, I was applying for internship and I attended several informational and networking events for internship sites and applicants hosted by the ABCT annual convention. It was exciting to meet representatives from sites I had applied to before interviews started!
3. Present your work at the annual meetings, join the list serve to hear about opportunities and important discussions, and participate in networking events at the ABCT convention! If you are applying for internship in the next 2 years, make sure you attend the informational events the year before you apply. The year you apply, join the meet-and-greet events hosted by ABCT and by specific sites.

Crystal Wang, M.A.

1. My research primarily focuses on cultural mechanisms behind mental health disparities. I also am interested in culturally adapted interventions, specifically for East Asian populations.
2. The ABCT annual convention has been critical to my education in clinical psychology, both in the realms of research and practice. Attending the annual convention has also allowed me the opportunity to meet and collaborate with other researchers in my field.
3. I would encourage students to present their work at the ABCT annual convention, or to even just attend and get exposure to the incredible work of prolific researchers across the globe. In addition, I recommend signing up for the ABCT list serve, which highlights helpful research and career opportunities.

Other Lab Member

Miriam Rubenson, M.A.

Stan Huey, Ph.D.

Dr. Huey is an Associate Professor of Psychology and American Studies and Ethnicity at USC. He received his B.A. in Anthropology and Psychology from UC Berkeley in 1990 and his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from UCLA in 1998. He did his clinical internship and postdoctoral work at the Medical University of South Carolina, then joined the USC faculty in 2000. Dr. Huey teaches courses addressing mental health and diversity, and recent classes include culture and mental health, the psychology of African Americans, and the psychology of racial bias. He is also Director of Graduate Studies in the Psychology Department.

Research in the Race, Disparities, and Intervention Laboratory focuses on reducing disparities in behavioral health by optimizing treatments for high-risk populations, particularly under-resourced ethnic minority youth. The lab uses randomized trials, longitudinal methods, and meta-analysis to address important questions about treatment effects and mechanisms with (1) externalizing youth, (2) youth/adults in criminal justice settings, and (3) ethnic minorities with mental health problems. In recent years, the lab’s work has focused on developing and testing brief interventions for ethnic minorities with diverse psychosocial problems; some studies assess the relative benefits of culturally tailored vs. “generic” intervention strategies, and others utilize brief strategies to improve treatment engagement.

How long have you been a member of ABCT?

I’ve been a member off and on for more than 20 years.

How often and why do you attend the ABCT convention?

I attended a few times as a grad student in the 1990s and once or twice in my early faculty years, but then drifted away. After attending the diversity-themed convention in 2017 and last year’s convention in Atlanta, I finally realized that ABCT was my intellectual home. If COVID-19 cooperates and the 2020 convention is held in Philly, I’ll be there.

How do you stay current with developments in the field, both research and practice?

Interesting question. Because meta-analysis is part of my research profile, my students and I are constantly involved in literature searches. So that’s one method. Being an ad hoc journal reviewer is another way. Also, lots of articles come my way through list serves, contacts with colleagues, and things I just stumble across while reading a book or article.

But a lot of my knowledge of new research comes through regular contacts with students in my lab. When I’m reading drafts of student theses or manuscripts, having weekly meetings with students, or discussing research progress in lab meetings, I’m constantly being introduced to new material and ideas. It’s one of the many ways that being a mentor enriches my professional life.

How has ABCT helped you/your lab professionally?

Beyond the excellent talks I’ve attended at conventions over the past few years, what I appreciate most about the annual meeting is connecting with friends and colleagues.

Does your lab have any traditions? What does your lab do together for fun?

My students certainly deserve a more fun-loving, socially skilled advisor, but they’re stuck with me! However, we do have a cool end-of-year dinner to celebrate lab achievements, welcome incoming students, and bid farewell to students who are heading for internship or graduating.

What advice would you give prospective trainees?

Try to make sure you’re a good fit with the potential mentor and lab. Websites are important sources of info (see mine here), but look beyond the quick summaries of research interests you see online. Read a few of their recent articles. Consider emailing them to learn more about current projects and whether they’re planning to admit new students. If they’re giving a talk at the ABCT convention, think about approaching them afterwards with a good question about the talk, your business card, and maybe praise for their work (some of which you’ve hopefully read).