University of Wisconsin–Madison

Category: UW-Madison Research

Stress Around Interracial Interactions May Be a Missing Link in Health Disparities Among Black Americans

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Black Americans face disproportionately high rates of chronic illness and mental health challenges compared to White Americans. A new study by Institute for Diversity Science (IDS) affiliate Morgan Jerald and colleague Milena Berestko suggests that stress surrounding interracial interactions may play a previously overlooked role in health disparities. Jerald and Berestko, with support from an …

Creating a Conversation Facilitation Curriculum for Journalism Schools

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Journalism Practice (2025) Authors: Sue Robinson, Margarita Orozco, and Lori Shontz Abstract: This article analyzes the impact of a conversation facilitation training program for journalism students from six universities across the United States as a so-called “intervention” in applied research to build a new curriculum for journalism schools. We found three areas that demand careful …

Small Syllabus Change Boosts Grades and Inclusion for Students from Marginalized Groups

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A new study by Mitchell Campbell, Kevin Kennedy, Andrea Miller, and IDS Executive Director Markus Brauer suggests that a small, low-cost change in university classrooms can make a meaningful difference for students’ academic success and well-being, especially for those from marginalized backgrounds. The study, published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, tested a simple “Inclusivity …

Mental Health Outcomes Associated with Applied Behavior Analysis in a US National Sample of Privately Insured Autistic Youth

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Autism (2025) Authors: Nahime Aguirre Mtanous, Jamie Koenig, Melica Nikahd, Sarah Effertz, Sal Silinonte, J. Madison Hyer, Brittany Hand, Lauren Bishop Abstract: Autistic youth often receive applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy, but some autistic adults who had ABA as youth say it harmed their mental health as adults. We looked at the relationship between ABA …

Research Reveals Hidden Role of Skin Tone in Hazardous Job Assignments 

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  Research led by IDS Graduate Fellow and Wisconsin School of Business PhD candidate Alexis Avery uncovers how historical biases around skin tone continue to shape workplace experiences, particularly in the assignment of hazardous tasks. Avery finds that managers draw on these biases when deciding who is best suited for dangerous work, leaving darker-skinned employees disproportionately …

Yu and Elwert Develop Approach to Better Understand Causes Behind Group Disparities

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Understanding roots of social inequalities Social scientists have long worked to better understand the roots of societal inequalities between groups. For example, why do members of one group on average do better in school, or why does another group have a lower average income? There is a large literature that has tried to find the …

IDS-Funded Research Project Aims to Reduce Barriers to Care for Sexual Assault Survivors with Marginalized Identities

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  Research funded by an IDS Seed Grant is seeking to better understand and reduce gaps in access to post-assault care for people with marginalized identities. The project was led by IDS Affiliates Kate Walsh and LB Klein and IDS Graduate Fellows Padideh Hassanpour and Taylan Stulting, along with Jeneile Luebke. It focuses on improving …

Using Media to Navigate Identity? U.S. Black Parents’ Encouragement and Selection of Content for their Children

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Human Communication Research (2025) Authors: AnneMarie  McClain, Marie-Louise Mares Abstract: In an online experiment, 498 U.S. Black parents (child aged 3–5, 9–11, 15–17) were randomized to imagine their child had “an okay day” or experienced peer racism. They watched four age-appropriate video trailers that varied in affective tone (positive vs. mixed) and theme (race-related vs. not), rated …

Passmore and Green-Harris Develop Innovative Curriculum to Promote Inclusive Clinical Research

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  In an effort to advance health equity, a team of researchers led by IDS affiliate Susan Racine Passmore and Gina Green-Harris has developed and tested a new curriculum that aims to help clinical research teams implement more inclusive practices. Despite persistent health inequities, clinical research participants are disproportionately drawn from populations with the best …

Gender-Stereotype Messaging Impacts Perceptions of the Field of Speech-Language Pathology

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SIG 14 Cultural and Linguistic Diversity (2025) Authors: Courtney K. Broadfoot, Jenni Wu, Samantha L. Morello, Janet L. Branchaw, Markus Brauer, Jordan M. Schwakopf, Nicole Rogus-Pulia Abstract:  Purpose: The field of speech-language pathology has been and remains predominantly female, despite efforts aimed at increasing gender diversity. This study sought to determine if gender-based stereotype messaging …