Pride in Research - Bre O'Hanley

"Research has the ability to shift our cultural narratives," says Bre O'Handley, a passionate Catharine Parr Traill College student pursuing their Ph.D. in Psychology.

Bre's academic journey took a unique turn as they returned to academia during the COVID-19 pandemic, finding a home in Trent University's Psychology research lab led by their former undergraduate supervisor Dr. Karen Blair, an esteemed researcher and director of the Trent Social Relations, Attitudes, and Diversity Lab, as well as the chair of the Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity Issues (SOGII) Section of the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA).

A paper co-authored by Bre and based on their master’s research investigates the psychological well-being of LGBTQ+ individuals during the pandemic. Their findings highlighted that LGBTQ+ people experienced more psychological distress and less social support than non-LGBTQ+ people, and that transgender and non-binary people experienced more distress than other LGBTQ+ people.

Their findings highlighted heightened psychological distress and reduced social support for this specific group compared to other LGBTQ+ individuals, cisgender individuals, and heterosexual counterparts. Bre explains, "Our participants expressed feeling disconnected from the LGBTQ+ community and individuals who affirm their identity, which may have added to their distress."

While examining the impact of stigma on mental health outcomes, Bre's research shed light on the significance of understanding minority stressors in LGBTQ+ psychology. However, this exploration also sparked their interest in integrating positive psychology into the field. Reflecting on the complex history between LGBTQ+ individuals and the field of psychology, Bre acknowledges, "Being LGBTQ+ was once pathologized as a mental disorder. It's crucial to challenge these outdated beliefs and focus on the societal discrimination and harassment that contribute to mental health disparities."