Em Matsuno

Ongoing research studies.

Modeling Resilience as a Multidimensional Protective Factor for Transgender Health Disparities: Measure Development and Longitudinal Evaluation of Resilience 

Role - Principal Investigator

Funding: This project is funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) for a total of 2.2 million dollars from 9/25/22 – 6/30/26.

Description: The specific aims of the project are: Aim 1: Develop a novel measure of Trans and Gender Diverse (TGD)-resilience that reflects intrapersonal, as well as sociocultural (i.e., interpersonal, community, and societal) manifestations of resilience with attention to intersectional experiences of resilience. Aim 2: Demonstrate reliability and validity of the TGD-resilience measure and evaluate reliability over time. Aim 3: Elucidate the longitudinal effects of TGD-specific resilience on health outcomes.

The Race, Culture and Gender Study (RCG Study)

Principal Investigator: Em Matsuno, PhD

Description and aims: The current study aims to gather data related to transgender and nonbinary (TNB) people’s experiences of minority stress, resilience factors, and mental health with a focus on the role of race and culture.

We collected a large diverse sample of 598 TNB adults (POC = 401, trans women = 118, trans men = 190, nonbinary = 290).

The Enby Project: Understanding Minority Stress and Resilience among Nonbinary People (Longitudinal Study)

Principal Investigator: Em Matsuno, PhD

Description and aims: We aim to test the effects of minority stressors and resilience factors on mental health among nonbinary individuals over time.

We collected three waves of data from a large racially diverse sample of nonbinary adults (N = 610, POC = 354).

Effectiveness and Implementation of the Parent Support Program within a Hospital Setting: A Pilot Hybrid Type-2 Study

Funding: The study is funded by the Institute of Mental Health Research (IMHR) for a total of $46,844 dollars from 1/09/2023 – 3/1/2024.

Principal Investigators: Em Matsuno, PhD, Jenna Rudo-Stern, PhD

Co-Investigators: Cady Berkel, PhD, Matt Miller, PhD

Description and aims:

Aim 1: Refine intervention content and format (completed)

Aim 2: Pilot and evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of conducting an effectiveness-implementation hybrid type-2 study of Parent Support Program (ongoing)

Aim 3: Identify barriers and facilitators to implementation of the intervention to improve the implementation strategy for the future hybrid type-2 clinical trial (ongoing)

Implementation sustainable evidence-based mental healthcare in low-resource community settings nationwide to advance mental health equity for sexual and gender minority individuals

Funding: This project is funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) for a total of 4 million dollars from 7/24/2023 – 5/31/2018.

Principal Investigator: John Packinkas, PhD

Co-Investigators: Em Matsuno, PhD, Audrey Harkness, PhD, Skyler Jackson, PhD, Zachary Soulliard, PhD, Ashley Hagaman, PhD, Xin Zhou, PhD, Brain Mustanski, PhD, Dennis Li, PhD

Description and aims: The primary objective of this study is to compare the effectiveness of three LGBTQ-affirmative CBT implementation strategies across 90 LGBTQ community centers. The secondary objectives are 1) to identify center-level determinants of successful implementation of LGBTQ-affirmative CBT, and 2) to examine the impact of three implementation strategies on client mental health through theory-informed target mechanisms at both organizational and provider levels.