Projects

Current Projects led by Dr. Scheer 

DAWN

  • Grant Title: Testing a biopsychosocial model of violence exposure, minority stressors, and hazardous drinking among sexual minority women (PI: Scheer)
  • Funder: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
  • Description: LGBTQ+ women and gender-diverse individuals are at increased risk of engaging in hazardous drinking compared to heterosexual women because of their disproportionate risk of psychosocial stressors, including violence exposure (eg, sexual assault) and sexual orientation-specific minority stressors (eg, homophobic discrimination). Despite the public health necessity of developing effective alcohol treatments for LGBTQ+ women and gender-diverse individuals, current alcohol treatment models do not consider unique mental health needs or psychosocial stressors facing this racially diverse, at-risk population. This proposed research aims to use epidemiologic, lab-based, and multi- method longitudinal approaches to develop and test a biopsychosocial model that can both identify LGBTQ+ women and gender-diverse individuals subgroups such as sexual minority transgender women of color for targeted prevention efforts and inform effective alcohol interventions for diverse victimized LGBTQ+ women and gender-diverse individuals at greatest risk for alcohol use disorders (eg, those engaging in hazardous drinking). 
  • Status: Collecting data

QT-REFLECT

  • Grant Title: Testing a biopsychosocial model of violence exposure, minority stressors, and hazardous drinking among sexual minority women – Administrative Supplement (PI: Scheer)
  • Funder: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
  • Description: This study aims to advance addiction science by clarifying PTSD’s long-term effects on alcohol use disorders (AUD), identifying PTSD-AUD drivers, and informing a single session intervention adaptation targeting cognitive reappraisal to reduce stress reactivity, PTSD symptoms, and alcohol craving in sexual and gender minority populations with lived experience of trauma. Aims include: (1) examining PTSD symptom severity and cluster associations with alcohol use disorders in 515 sexual minority women over 10 years; (2) assessing stress reactivity, state PTSD symptoms, and alcohol craving in response to intersectional stigma cues among 75 trauma-exposed sexual and gender minority people; and (3) conducting formative interviews with 30 sexual and gender minority people and 5 Community Advisory Board members on a single session intervention tailored to personalized stress cues.
  • Status: Collecting data

Project QueST 2023

  • Grant Title: Expressive writing therapy to reduce PTSD symptoms and hazardous drinking among trauma-exposed sexual minority women: A randomized controlled trial (PI: Scheer)
  • Funders: American Psychological Foundation Walter Katkovsky Research Grants; 2022 Oak Ridge Associated Universities Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award – Health Disparities/Equity 32859 
  • Description: Accessible, feasible, and effective treatment approaches, such as web-based expressive writing (EW) treatments, are needed to address PTSD and negative alcohol-related outcomes in trauma-exposed sexual minority women (SMW) and transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) people. This study is a mixed-method pilot randomized controlled trial which we compare an EW treatment adapted for SMW and TGD people (stigma-adapted EW) and trauma (i.e., non-adapted) EW with an active (neutral-event) control to determine acceptability and feasibility of a future fully powered randomized controlled trial. The sample includes 131 trauma-exposed SMW and TGD individuals from across the United States who were randomly assigned to stigma-adapted EW (n = 50), trauma EW (n = 50), or control (n = 50). 
  • Status: Analyzing data

PRISM-V

  • Grant Title: Understanding health disparities and barriers to healthcare utilization among LGBTQ+ women veterans with hazardous drinking and mental health comorbidity (PI: Scheer)
  • Funder: NY/NJ VA Health Care Network Center for Integrated Healthcare (CIH) Research Pilot Grant Program
  • Description: Concerning rates of alcohol use, alcohol-attributable death, and years of potential life lost caused by preventable alcohol-attributable medical conditions (e.g., liver disease) among LGBTQ+ women Veterans suggest significant unmet need that could be addressed through primary care screening, intervention, and triage. Broadening the scope of disparities research, in this formative mixed methods study, PRISM-V (Promoting Routine Implementation of SBIRT in Medical care for LGBTQ+ Women Veterans), we will use implementation science methods to comprehensively (1) assess whether there are disparities in frequency of Veterans Health Administration’s (VHA) primary care utilization among women Veterans based on sexual identity, (2) characterize LGBTQ+ women Veterans who use VHA primary care, (3) identify the continuum of care among LGBTQ+ women Veterans during and following primary care visits, and (4) describe patient-level barriers and facilitators to implementing universal screening, early and brief intervention, and timely referrals to specialized behavioral treatment (SBIRT) programs for LGBTQ+ women Veterans who drink at unhealthy levels and report mental health comorbidities in VHA primary care settings. This pilot study will be the first to integrate the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and the Health Equity Implementation Framework and to use medical informatics and rapid qualitative analysis to guide the implementation of accessible, acceptable, and effective SBIRT programs for LGBTQ+ women Veterans in VHA primary care.
  • Status: Collecting data

Project QueST 

  • Grant Title: The price of minority stress on violence-exposed sexual minority women’s mental health and coping strategies (PI: Scheer)
  • Funder: Yale University’s Women Faculty Forum Seed Grant and the Yale Fund for Lesbian and Gay Studies Research Award
  • Description: This mixed-methods study, Project QueST: Queer Survivors of Trauma, combines qualitative interviews and experience sampling methodologies to gain a deeper understanding of the daily experiences of trauma-exposed sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals. The study specifically examines how minority stressors—such as discrimination, stigma, and identity-related stress—interact with past traumatic experiences to influence coping mechanisms, mental health outcomes, and substance use patterns in real-time. By integrating in-depth qualitative narratives with intensive longitudinal approaches (daily diary data), Project QueST aims to capture both the overarching themes of trauma recovery and the dynamic, moment-to-moment fluctuations in stress and coping responses. Findings from this study will contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the ways in which SGM individuals navigate trauma-related distress and inform the development of tailored, affirming interventions to support mental health and substance use recovery within this population. Participants were recruited from across the U.S. using a geographically representative approach. 
  • Status: Analyzing data

Project QCS

  • Title: A socioecological approach to understanding formal help-seeking barriers and facilitators among victimized sexual and gender minority people (MPI: Scheer)
  • Funder: Syracuse University Collaboration for Unprecedented Success and Excellence (CUSE) Grant Program
  • Description: This study aimed to employ a community-based participatory approach to investigate experiences accessing informal and formal supports and engaging with formal services among trauma-exposed sexual and gender minority (SGM) people in low resource settings. Specifically, we sought to explore the following questions: 
  1. From whom do SGM people seek support following trauma exposure, what types of support do they need, and what barriers hinder them from seeking support?
  2. What are trauma-exposed SGM people’s experiences accessing and utilizing healthcare?
  3. How do trauma, marginalization, and living in low resource environments intersect to influence help-seeking intentions, behaviors, and experiences among SGM people?
  • Status: Analyzing data

Current Projects with Dr. Scheer as Co-Investigator or Consultant

EQuIP

  • Grant Title: A unified protocol to address sexual minority women’s minority stress, mental health, and hazardous drinking (MPI: Pachankis and Hughes; Co-I: Scheer)
  • Funder: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
  • Description: The Empowering Queer Identities in Psychotherapy (EQuIP) study is currently recruiting lesbian, bisexual, queer, pansexual, or other non-heterosexual women to receive free LGBTQ-affirmative therapy. We’re welcoming cisgender and transgender women, as well as people who identify as women in addition to other identities (e.g., nonbinary, genderqueer, agender). Eligible participants will receive 10 weeks of free virtual therapy with LGBTQ-affirmative therapists as well as up to $260 for completing surveys and interviews. Click here for more information about EQuIP.

Teen Connection Project (TCP)

  • Grant Title: Development and pilot evaluation of an online mentorship program to prevent adversities among trans and gender minority youth (R21MD018509; PI: Edwards, Co-I: Scheer).
  • Funder: National Institute of Minority Health Disparities
  • Description: Research shows that transgender and gender minority youth (TGMY) experience concerning rates of mental, social, and behavioral health issues as well as academic problems. Mentoring programs may be particularly helpful for reducing the impacts of these harms as well as promoting self-acceptance, pride, and hope among TGMY. The goal of this research project is to evaluate an online, seven session mentoring and skill-building program for TGMY (ages 14-18) called Teen Connection Project (TCP). Each TGMY will be paired with a TGM adult mentor. Mentors and mentees will participate together in each session, which will be facilitated by two of the mentors, who will direct activities and discussion. Group sessions will then be followed by one-on-one mentor-mentee sessions during which TGMY will receive support, advice, and coaching from TGM mentors. Click here for more information about TCP.

FAP-O

  • Grant Title: An online family-based program to prevent minority stressors and health inequities among sexual and gender minority youth of color (PI: Edwards, Co-I: Scheer).
  • Funder: William T. Grant Foundation
  • Description: Family Acceptance Project (FAP) for LGBTQ+ youth of color and their caregivers. FAP is a research, education, and intervention initiative that was founded more than 20 years ago to help diverse families learn to support and affirm their LGBTQ+ youth. FAP’s family support model is grounded in the lived experiences of diverse LGBTQ+ youth and their families and uses a culture-based, family support framework that enables parents and caregivers to change rejecting behaviors and increase supportive and accepting behaviors that promote well-being for LGBTQ+ youth in the context of their culture and faith traditions. Click here for more information about FAP-O.

HFBF

  • Grant Title: An online family-based program to prevent alcohol use and dating and sexual violence among sexual and gender minority youth (R34AA030662; PI: Littleton, Consultant: Scheer)
  • Funder: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
  • Description: The Healthy Families Bright Futures (HFBF) program is an online group-based program for LGBTQ+ teens, ages 15 to 18, and their caregivers. The focus of the program is on helping teens feel pride and acceptance in their LGBTQ+ identities, as well as empowering them to make healthy decisions consistent with their values and their goals and dreams for the future.  For parents/caregivers, the HFBF program seeks to help caregivers in supporting and accepting their LGBTQ+ teens, as well as in providing the necessary support and structure for their teens to become healthy adults. Click here for more information about HFBF. 

Completed Projects Led by Dr. Scheer

Title: Understanding and addressing sexual and gender minority individuals’ mental health and substance use (PI: Scheer)
Funder: Syracuse University SOURCE Undergraduate Research Assistant Grant Program

Title: Testing a biopsychosocial model of violence exposure, minority stressors, and hazardous drinking among sexual minority women (PI: Scheer)
Funder: Syracuse University SOURCE Undergraduate Research Assistant Grant Program

Title: Student training supplement to “A unified intervention for young gay and bisexual men’s minority stress, mental health, and HIV risk” (MPI: Pachankis and Scheer)
Funder: Yale Fund for Lesbian and Gay Studies Research Award, Yale University

Title: Trauma-informed care for LGBTQ survivors of intimate partner violence (PI: Scheer)
Funder: American Psychological Association (APA) LGBT Dissertation Grant

Completed Projects with Dr. Scheer as Co-Investigator, Consultant, Faculty Mentor, or Co-Clinical Director

Title: Towards computationally enhanced technology-delivered interventions for LGBQ+ people: Establishing the computational construct validity of psychosocial stress with big data (MPI: Cascalheira and Hamd, Co-I: Scheer)
Funder: American Psychological Foundation Wayne F. Placek Grant

Title: Examining sexual minority engagement in recovery community centers (R24DA051988, PI: Batchelder, Co-I: Scheer)
Funder: National Institute on Drug Abuse

Title: The Syracuse University Summer Training in Alcohol Research (SU-STAR) Program (R25AA029830, PI: Park; Faculty Mentor: Scheer)
Funder: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
*Scheer’s role on this project ended 08/16/2024

Title: Identity denied: Border identity stress, identity invalidation, and psychosocial well-being among multiracial, bisexual, and transgender populations (PI: Jackson, Co-I: Scheer)
Funder: Yale Fund for Lesbian and Gay Studies Research Award, Yale University

Title: Building mobile HIV prevention and mental health support in low-resource settings (R01MH116829; MPI: Pachankis and Lelutiu-Weinberger, Co-Clinical Director: Scheer)
Funder: National Institute of Mental Health

Completed Projects Led by MST Lab Graduate Students

Title: Effects of self-compassion practice on stress reactivity among sexual minority women
Agency: Gay and Lesbian Medical Association, Lesbian Health Fund
PI: Helminen, Faculty Research Mentor: Scheer

Title: Experiences of self-compassion and receiving compassion from others among sexual minority women survivors of sexual assault
Agency: American Psychological Foundation Dr. Christine Blasey-Ford
PI: Helminen, Co-I: Scheer

Title: Multi-level aspects of help-seeking among LGBTQIA+ survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault
Agency: Adams-Cahill Graduate Research Award
PI: Cascalheira, Faculty Mentor: Scheer