Mental and Behavioral Health

Frontline Interventions, Global Adoption

two people in lab coats talk to visitor in labEmerging research in mental and behavioral health often centers around treating unseen and underserved populations, decreasing stigma in marginalized communities and creating more culturally responsive, and therefore efficacious, service delivery. We provide services and derive research through local portals such as the Healthy Development Community Clinic and partnerships with nationwide government and service units. Below is a rotating selection of our standout investigators in mental and behavioral health.

   ○ Recent News and Highlights
   ○ Research Strength: Health Disparities
   ○ Research Strength: Public Policy

Selected Publications

Bergman, J. et al (2025). Hasta la raíz: Leveraging community voices to cultivate culturally-sustaining food and nutrition programs for healthy development among Latine youth and families—A qualitative needs assessment. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 57(8).

Izenstark, D., and Boone, B. (2025). Making a Positive Environmental Impact: Exploring the Role of Volunteering at a Campus Community Garden. Sustainability 17.11.

Lee, S., Hong, M., Casado, B., (2023). Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) knowledge in Korean Americans: Identifying knowledge gaps and misconceptions and examining predictors of AD knowledge. Ethnicity & Health, 28(3).

Maffini, C., Paradis, G., Molthen, F. (2022). Integrating two families: Factors influencing relationship satisfaction among intercultural couples. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 53(2). 

Ozer, E., Lavi, I., Douglas, L., Wolf, J., (2017). Protective factors for youth exposed to violence in their communities: A review of family, school, and community moderators. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology 46(3).

Woodhead, E. and Timko, C. (2025). Age-related motives for substance use and outcomes among veteran patients receiving detoxification services: A longitudinal study. Substance Use & Misuse (60)6.

Worthen, M., et al., (2019). The transformative and emancipatory potential of participatory evaluation: Reflections from a multi-methods participatory action research study with war-affected young mothers. Oxford Development Studies.

Award Highlights

Maffini, “Healthy Development Community Clinic: Wellness for Children, Youth, & Families” —  Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Congressional Earmark, 2021

Maffini, Pham, Mahendra, Capriotti, “Healthy Development Community Clinic: Wellness for Children, Youth, & Families” — NIH, 2022

Wolf, "Changes in Alcohol Use and Harsh Parenting during COVID-19" — The Ohio State University, 2022

Worthen, De Bourbon, "SCC-CIVIC-FA Track B: Participatory Action Research to Enhance Equity and Prevent Moral Injury in Community Paramedicine" — NSF, 2023

Affiliates

CSU Social Science Research and Instructional Center

Healthy Development Community Clinic

Human Rights Institute

Featured Faculty

bergmanJacqueline J. Bergman
Assistant Professor of Nutrition
Health Equity, Chronic Disease Prevention, Integrative Nutrition, Community-Based Participatory Research
ORCID: 0000-0001-7617-4064

andradeAmy D'Andrade
Professor of Social Work
Human-Robot Interaction and Collaboration, Simulation, 
AI, Automation and Industrial Internet of Things, 
Human-Machine Interface, Machine Learning, Optimization
ORCID: 0000-0002-7803-9592

izenstarkDina Izenstark
Associate Professor of Child and Adolescent Development
Family-Based Nature Activities, Mental Well-being, Socioemotional Interactions, Family Functioning
ORCID: 0000-0003-0821-2035

leeSang Lee
Professor of Social Work
Alzheimer's Disease, Dementia, Disease Knowledge, Culture, Caregiving, Help-Seeking, Older Immigrants and Their Families, Korean Americans
ORCID: 0000-0002-2465-328X

maffiniCara Maffini
Associate Professor of Child and Adolescent Development
Race; Culture; Trauma; Mental Health; Community-Centered, Culturally-Sustaining, Evidence-Based Preventive Intervention; Health Equity
ORCID: 0000-0002-4286-5040

mullenElizabeth Mullen
Associate Professor of Management
Justice, Ethics
ORCID: 0000-0002-4524-6931


wolfJennifer Price Wolf
Associate Professor of Social Work
Child Maltreatment, Alcohol Abuse, Alcohol Use
ORCID: 0000-0002-0597-5486


woodheadErin Woodhead
Professor of Psychology
Aging, Mental Health, Substance Use, Clinical Psychology
ORCID: 0000-0001-5438-0027


worthenMiranda Worthen
Professor of Public Health and Recreation
Participatory Action Research, Moral Injury, Alternative Response Programs, Mental Health
ORCID: 0000-0002-6494-7098

Potential collaborators and members of the media may contact us at officeofresearch@sjsu.edu.