Dr. Nicole Racine, clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor in the School of Psychology at the Faculty of social sciences, and her collaborators, have made a significant contribution to understanding the mental health challenges faced by sexual and gender diverse (SGD) youth during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study is in collaboration with Dr. Ian Colman in the School of Epidemiology and Public Health and their students and trainees.
Professor Racine's research program at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute focuses on examining the impact of early childhood adversity on mental health and well-being, risk and resilience processes, and strategies to break the cycles of risk across generations.
In her latest study, Dr. Racine and her team conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis to determine the prevalence of mental health difficulties and substance use among SGD youth during the COVID-19 pandemic.