Intersectional Approaches to Risk, Resilience, and Mental Health in Marginalized Populations: Introduction to the Special Section

• Published in: Journal of psychopathology and clinical science 2023-07, Vol.132 (5), p.527-530
• Main Authors: Liu, Richard T., Anglin, Deidre M., Dyar, Christina, Alvarez, Kiara
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Health disparities; Health status; Human; Humans; Intersectional Framework; Intersectionality; LGBTQ; Marginality; Marginalization; Mental Disorders - epidemiology; Mental Health; Mental Health Disparities; Minority Groups; Oppression; Resilience; Resilience (Psychological); Sexual Behavior; Social identity; Stigma; Underserved populations
• ISSN: 2769-7541; 2769-755X; 2769-755X
• DOI: 10.1037/abn0000840

Although persistent health disparities affecting marginalized communities have long been recognized, marginalized populations (i.e., oppressed groups with stigmatized social identities) have remained significantly understudied in clinical science and allied disciplines. To reduce mental health disparities, it is critical to examine the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and people of color and sexual and gender minority populations within an intersectional framework (i.e., intersection of multiple marginalized identities) and to identify processes through which these experiences relate to risk and resilience for negative mental health outcomes. The goal of this special section is to highlight recent efforts to address this critical need by examining mental health among marginalized individuals impacted by multiple systems of oppression. These studies demonstrate the generative potential of intersectional approaches in clinical science. Our hope is that these studies will encourage future work in this field, with the ultimate aim of addressing disparities in underserved and understudied populations. General Scientific SummaryThere is a critical need for research examining the experiences of individuals with multiple marginalized identities within an intersectional framework, as well as the processes through which these experiences relate to mental health outcomes. Work in this area is necessary to reduce mental health disparities in marginalized populations.