Center Projects
Development and validation of a scale to measure neurodiversity affrming and disaffirming attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of licensed mental health counselors regarding autistic adults
Faculty Associate: Rachel Henesy (Department of Psychology)
Funding year: 2025
The purpose of this project is to develop a survey for measuring Licensed Mental Health Counselors' neurodiversity affirming and disaffirming attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors related to autistic adults. Research that includes first-person perspectives of autistic adults highlights the difficult experiences they often face in accessing mental health counseling services (Andoni, 2024). We aim for this survey to be a tool to assist in improving research, training, and services to address disparities. Our team is following a multi-step process of scale development and psychometric testing.
Two main theoretical frameworks that guide this study are (a) intersectionality and (b) a neurodiversity paradigm. Intersectionality provides a framework for critical inquiry and praxis and emphasizes structural analysis (Collins & Bilge, 2016). Furthermore, social justice and social change are essential components of intersectionality (Collins & Bilge, 2016). The neurodiversity paradigm rejects a deficit-based model of autism. A neurodiversity perspective recognizes the social and structural elements related to disability, such as stigma and a lack of accommodations, instead of viewing autism as inherently disabling. It rejects counseling and therapy approaches that attempt to reduce, change, or hide traits of autism.
Exploring the Correlates of Conflict in Allegiance Among Queer & Trans People of Color
Faculty Associate: Kevin Delucio (Department of Psychology)
Funding year: 2025
Conflict in Allegiance (CIA) suggests we may often feel a sense of internal conflict based on the various identities we embody and how we make sense of these identities. Specifically, this concept emerged when trying to understand how people of color (POC) navigate their racial/ethnic identity development with their queer identity development. While research has utilized CIA as a variable in examining the wellbeing of different queer communities, minimal research has explored what fully contributes to CIA and what are potential outcomes related to experiencing CIA among Queer and Trans (QT) POC. This study will examine a set of variables in relation to CIA in efforts to more fully understand how this concept can function among QTPOC and how it can be better utilized in research and/or practice.
Can Allies Make a Difference? Alleviating Female Gamer Identity Threat with Social Support
Student Affiliate: Cassidy Ochadleus (Experimental Psychology Graduate Student, Psychology)
Funding year: 2026
Although more women participate in online gaming than ever, it remains extremely hostile. Masculine norms and stereotypes restrict inclusion and belonging of women in the “gamer” identity. Consistent in-game harassment triggers female (social) identity threat, distress and worry about identity-based exclusion, future negative treatment, and low status. This encourages disengagement, limiting access to gaming’s benefits—like social competence and pursuit of STEM careers. The aim of this study is to determine if in-game social support through allyship can buffer negative experiences for female players fostering a sense of belonging and promoting other positive outcomes. We focus on two specific allyship strategies. Highlighting strengths allyship focuses on the target female player in a positive, supportive way emphasizing their strengths and contributions. Calling out (confrontation) directs negative attention toward the transgressor, calling out their behavior. Our findings will help extend existing research on allyship to online-gaming and provide insight into the allyship strategies most valued by female players.
I Belong in Science: A Social-Belonging Intervention May Improve Marginalized Psychology Students’ Grades in Statistics and Research Methods
Student Affiliate: Grace Olsen (Experimental Psychology masters program)
Funding year: 2025
Belonging is a fundamental human need; therefore, when individuals fail to meet this need, the consequences are often devastating. While a sense of belonging is influenced by several factors, one important predictor may be academic identity. For example, students with a low sense of belonging may struggle with seeing themselves as legitimate and competent members of their discipline. A prominent illustration of this is when psychology majors take their first required statistics or research classes. Many of these students feel anxious about taking these classes because they presumptively label themselves as “not science or math people.” This mindset, or lack of a science identity, may negatively affect psychology students’ self-efficacy in performing well in statistics or research classes required for their major. This cycle has the potential to be especially harmful to marginalized students due to the preexisting negative stereotypes, belonging uncertainty, and achievement gaps, particularly in math and science fields. However, studies in the STEM fields have shown that this achievement gap can be narrowed through a social-belonging intervention. Therefore, my study aims to investigate whether a social-belonging intervention can, first, increase all psychology students’ sense of belonging in science and psychology, and second, narrow the achievement gap between marginalized and advantaged students.
The Personal Is Political: How College Students Connect Mental Health Issues to Understandings of Systemic Inequality
Student Affiliate: Audrienne Casidsid (Experimental Psychology masters program)
Funding year: 2025
This study aims to look at the role of negative mental health experiences in critical reflection, or a person’s awareness of the oppressive systems that operate in their own lives. Specifically, I will conduct qualitative interviews to explore if and how students at Western Washington University connect their personal experiences with mental health issues to their understanding of various forms of systemic inequality in the U.S., such as racism and homophobia. Additionally, this study will also explore how mental health socializing agents (e.g. mental health professionals, family, friends/peers, etc.) aid or prevent individuals from making this kind of connection. I hope that the results of this study will help move mental health conversations from overly focusing on individual “psychopathology” towards addressing the systemic roots of negative mental health.
Predicting Power-based White Identity Forms in Emerging Adults Through Identity and Privlege Awareness
Student Affiliate: Alex Park (Experimental Psychology masters program)
Funding year: 2025
Historically in the US, racial identity measures have not readily focused on White racial identity. This project aims to add to research dismantling systems of oppression by exploring what may lead to more effective allyship and social action from White individuals. We seek to understand power-based White identity forms that include the four proposed concepts: Power-Cognizant, Power-Denying, Power-Oblivious, and Power-Distancing (Yantis, 2024). Yantis suggests that to achieve effective systemic change and motivate White people toward action, a power-based White identity form must fall into the "Power-Cognizant" profile. However, existing research has not empirically identified what might be key factors to classify White individuals across the four forms. Through this study, we hope to answer the question: What identity-based factors are associated with different power-based White identity forms? This understanding of a way to identify power-based what identity forms is integral in further research within White identity in the US and understanding what factors may motivate White people to engage in anti-racist allyship.
The Epistemology of Ignorance and Invisibility of Indigenous History
Faculty Associate: Antonya Gonzalez (Department of Psychology)
Student Affiliate: Kimy Peterson (graduate of Experimental Psychology masters program)
Funding year: 2024
The Marley Hypothesis proposes that knowledge of history is essential to an understanding of the past and present injustices experienced by people of color (Nelson et al., 2013). Research has shown that racial group differences in historical knowledge predict denial of systemic racism, with people of color being more likely to acknowledge incidents of systemic racism (Bonam et al., 2019; Zell et al., 2021). The current study is a follow-up to Master’s thesis research conducted by Kimy Peterson, and experimentally extends the Marley Hypothesis framework in a sample of White-identifying individuals in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) to understand how a place-based Indigenous history intervention influences individuals’ knowledge of PNW Indigenous history and in turn, reduction in systemic racism denial. This project will contribute to our understanding of how critical knowledge of history affects acknowledgment of systemic racism and interest in systemic change.
BIPOC Perspectives and the Psychedelic Renaissance
Faculty associate: Nicole Torres (Department of Health and Community Studies)
Funding year: 2024
Psychedelic usage is currently emerging as a new and novel approach to healing within the healthcare industry. Many people, including those who identify as either Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color (BIPOC) seek out psychedelics to assist with "decolonization," the repair of intergenerational trauma, and other forms of complex suffering. Why has this trend emerged among historically marginalized communities? How is the ongoing attempt to professionalize and regulate psychedelics affecting communal uses of psychedelic within BIPOC communities? This grant will support ongoing research and professional training that seeks to anthropologically understand and how BIPOC professionals and community members navigate the ongoing tension between the mainstreaming and professionalization of psychedelic usage and its informal use where family, friends are an integral part of the healing process.
Very Happy Asian Americans
Faculty Associate: Christie Scollon (Department of Psychology)
Student Affiliate: Isabel Nguyen (graduate of Psychology Major)
Funding year: 2024
This project examines a large sample of Asian North Americans with the aim of identifying individuals in the top 10% of happiness. What characteristics set very happy Asian Americans apart from Asian Americans with lower happiness? The research will extend the seminal work of Diener and Seligman, who conducted the first study of very happy people in 2002. Diener and Seligman’s study of very happy people relied on a homogenous sample of European Americans. At the same time, past studies have found that Asian Americans overall consistently report lower levels of happiness than European Americans (Tran et al., 2023). A closer look at the happiest Asian Americans could reveal important insights including cultural differences and similarities in pathways to a very happy life. Unlike past research which has tended to focus on risk factors, we aim to study Asian American well-being from a strengths-based approach.