Lerner Center Research Publications

Filtered by: Mental and Behavioral Health

Differences in COVID-19 Experiences Between US Working Age Adults With and Without ADHD

Nastassia Vaitsiakhovich, Shannon M. Monnat, Andrew S. London, Scott D. Landes

Co-authored by sociologists Shannon Monnat, Andrew London and Scott Landes, the study was published in SSM - Mental Health.

April 7, 2026

See related: COVID-19, Mental Health, Substance Use and Addiction, United States

How Does Striving Against Adversity Impact Emotional Well-being and Cardiovascular Risk in Children?

Brooks B. Gump, Stefanie Pilkay, Xiafei Wang, Sara Vasilenko, Nader H. Attallah-Yunes, Sarah Woolf-King, Stephen Maisto, Edith Chen, and Craig K. Ewart
Working hard and persisting through challenges (i.e., striving) are often encouraged for children who face adversity, but these coping strategies come with hidden costs. This brief describes how striving in the face of adversity influences mental wellbeing and cardiovascular health.
March 24, 2026

Is AI Replacing Human Mental Health Professionals?

Michiko Ueda
An increasing number of Americans are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots for mental health support. A new survey of U.S. adults found that nearly 35% use AI tools more than once a week to manage mental health concerns. The findings raise important questions about whether AI is supplementing or replacing traditional mental health care.
December 16, 2025

See related: United States

More Girls in the Classroom Improves Adolescent Mental Health

Monica Deza and Maria Zhu
What role does the school environment play in shaping adolescent mental health? This brief examines how the mix of boys and girls in a classroom affects student mental health and wellbeing. The authors find that classrooms with more girls have better mental health outcomes for both boys and girls. 
December 2, 2025

See related: United States

Adult ADHD is Linked to Higher Illicit Drug Use and Prescription Drug Misuse

Andrew S. London, Kevin M. Antshel, Joshua Grove, Iliya Gutin, and Shannon M. Monnat
This brief summarizes findings from a study that describes differences in lifetime and past-year use of 7 illicit drugs (marijuana, cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and hallucinogens) and misuse of 4 categories of prescription medications (opioids, tranquilizers, sedatives, and stimulants) between U.S. adults ages 18-64 with and without ADHD in 2023. The authors find that adults with ADHD are 1.6 to 3.3 times more likely to report past-year illicit drug use or prescription drug misuse than those without ADHD.
October 14, 2025

See related: United States

Self-Reported ADHD Diagnosis and Illicit Drug Use and Prescription Medication Misuse Among US Adults

Andrew S. London, Kevin M. Antshel, Joshua Grove, Iliya Gutin, Shannon M. Monnat

The study, co-authored by Maxwell sociologists Andrew London and Shannon Monnat along with Ph.D. student Joshua Grove and Research Assistant Professor Iliya Gutin, was published in the Journal of Attention Disorders.

September 2, 2025

See related: Mental Health, Substance Use and Addiction, United States

Older Women in the U.S. Were Lonelier Than Men During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Qiyu Deng
This data slice uses data from the 2020 Health and Retirement Study to examine gender and age differences in loneliness among older adults (50+) in the U.S. during the first year of the pandemic. 
March 18, 2025

See related: United States

Self-Reported ADHD Diagnosis Status Among Working-Age Adults in the United States

Andrew S. London, Shannon M. Monnat, Iliya Gutin

“Self-Reported ADHD Diagnosis Status Among Working-Age Adults in the United States: Evidence From the 2023 National Wellbeing Survey,” co-authored by Maxwell professors Andrew London, Shannon Monnat and Iliya Gutin, was published in the Journal of Attention Disorders.

February 20, 2025

See related: Education, Gender and Sex, Mental Health, Race & Ethnicity, Rural Issues, United States, Urban Issues

Increased Suicidality Risk among Adolescents with an Active-Duty Sibling or Parent in the U.S.

Andrew S. London and Kevin M. Antshel
This brief summarizes findings from a study that examined whether having a sibling and/or a parent on active duty in the U.S. military is associated with suicidality (i.e., thinking about death a lot, believing oneself is better off dead, thinking about suicide, planning suicide, and attempting suicide) among 12- to 17-year-old adolescent girls and boys in the United States. 
February 11, 2025

Behavioral Science-Based “Nudges” Could Increase Physical Activity among Adolescents with ADHD

Hannah Patnaik, Andrew S. London, and Kevin M. Antshel
This brief summarizes findings from a recently completed pilot study testing the efficacy of behavioral interventions aimed at encouraging daily physical activity (i.e., steps measured with an activity tracker) among adolescents with ADHD. 
February 4, 2025

To Lower Mental Illness Stigma for EMS Clinicians, Agencies Must Value Workers’ Psychological Safety

Bryce Hruska, Maria L. Pacella-LaBarbara, and Marley S. Barduhn
This data slice shows that EMS personnel at agencies with high-risk PSC levels report 38% more mental illness stigma in the workplace compared to workers at agencies with low-risk PSC levels.
November 12, 2024

Differences in Happiness, Perceived Meaning in Life for Adults with and without Self-Care Disability

Nastassia Vaitsiakhovich, Scott D. Landes, and Shannon M. Monnat
This brief summarizes findings from a study that examined differences in happiness and perceived meaning in life between U.S. working-age adults (ages 18-64) with versus without a self-care disability (such as difficulty eating, using the toilet, or dressing without assistance) and the role social support plays in improving happiness and meaning in life.
September 10, 2024

Suicide Rates are Lower in Places with More Social Infrastructure

Xue Zhang, Danielle Rhubart, and Shannon M. Monnat
This data slice shows that suicide rates among working-age adults in 2016-2019 were significantly lower in counties with more SI, even after accounting for county-level differences in demographic composition (e.g., age, race/ethnicity, education), health care availability, and metropolitan status.
May 7, 2024

Social Infrastructure Availability and Suicide Rates among Working-Age Adults in the United States

Xue Zhang, Danielle C. Rhubart, Shannon M. Monnat

“Social Infrastructure Availability and Suicide Rates among Working-Age Adults in the United States,” co-authored by Professor of Sociology Shannon Monnat, was published in Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World.

April 10, 2024

See related: Mental Health, United States

Gender Differences in Adults with ADHD

Ashely Schiros, Andrew S. London, Kevin M. Antshel

"Gender Differences in Adults with ADHD," co-authored by Professor of Sociology Andrew London, was published in the Clinical Handbook of ADHD Assessment and Treatment Across the Lifespan.

November 28, 2023

See related: Gender and Sex, Mental Health

Renegotiating Support and Benefits for Veterans with Less Than Honorable Discharges

Mariah Brennan and Emily Graham
This brief summarizes the different military discharge types, explains how less than “Honorable” discharges can affect veteran health, identifies groups of veterans who are at risk of receiving a less than “Honorable” discharge, and makes policy recommendations for the Department of Defense (DoD), civilian employers, and community healthcare providers.
November 22, 2023

Sexual Minorities are More Depressed and Anxious than Heterosexuals in the U.S.

Joshua Grove
This data slice uses data from the 2022 National Wellbeing Survey to explore the prevalence of depression and anxiety among U.S. adults ages 18-64.

November 14, 2023

Emotion and Political Psychology

Shana Kushner Gadarian, Ted Brader

Shana Gadarian, professor and chair of political science, co-authored a chapter in the Oxford Handbook of Political Psychology 3rd Edition titled "Emotion and Political Psychology."

September 21, 2023

See related: Media & Journalism, Mental Health, Political Parties, Research Methods

Older Adults with a History of Psychiatric Conditions Experience More Cognitive Decline

Maria T. Brown and Miriam Mutambudzi
This data slice explores the associations between psychiatric history and cognitive function among U.S. White, Black, and Hispanic adults aged 65 and older from 1995 to 2014. 
July 12, 2023

Collegiate Recovery Programs are An Effective But Underused Resource on College Campuses

Emily Graham
This brief explores the barriers to accessing Collegiate Recovery Programs on college campuses and provides recommendations to enhance student engagement and wellbeing.
May 26, 2023

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