Klimes-Dougan Uses Grant-in-Aid to Investigate Stress in Sexual and Gender Minorities

Young adults who identify as a sexual and gender minority (SGM) face an increased risk of self-harm and suicide attempts which stems from the ongoing discrimination and marginalization they experience in an intolerant society. These collective experiences of “minority stress” may weaken the instinctive drive for self-protection, leading to a higher risk of self-harm. Even though stress is known to impact the brain and the body, there is little research on the biological aspects of stress in SGM individuals. 

To address this gap, Bonnie Klimes-Dougan received a Grant-in-Aid of $47,265 for the neuroimaging study titled “The neural correlates of sexual and gender minority stress” which aims to enhance our understanding of biological processes behind minority stress in SGM young adults and contribute to developing protective measures for this population.

Bonnie Klimes-Dougan, PhD, LP, Teaching Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Minnesota and director of the Research in Adolescent Depression (RAD) lab. 

Composed by Madison Stromberg, communications assistant.