Twelve academic researchers delving into 10 different aspects of mental health in Texas have been awarded grants totaling nearly $150,000 by the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health.
The one-year grants are capped at $15,000 each. The 10 research projects were selected from a pool of 47 proposals submitted by tenure-track assistant professors at 19 Texas schools.
“Academic research is an important tool in our quest to understand the complexities of mental health. The Hogg Foundation selected these projects because they address issues that profoundly affect people’s lives,” said Dr. Octavio N. Martinez, Jr., executive director of the foundation.
The recipients and their projects are listed below.
- Southern Methodist University: Dr. Nia Parson will examine the mental health care needs of Mexican immigrant women who have experienced intimate partner violence. Dr. Amy Pinkham and Dr. Lorelei Simpson will study the effects of serious mental health conditions on intimate relationships.
- Texas AandM University: Dr. Shoshana Eitan will analyze links between adolescent opioid drug use and long-term mental health. Dr. Jeffrey Liew will examine the influences of stereotypical beliefs and culture on academic achievement and mental health of Chinese American youth in Houston.
- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center: Dr. Sid O’Bryant will research rates of depression and use of antidepressants among adults living in rural West Texas.
- University of North Texas: Dr. Adriel Boals and Dr. Amy Murrell will test the effectiveness of a promising treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder caused by relationship violence or sexual assault.
- University of Texas at Arlington: Dr. Alexa Smith-Osborne will expand and evaluate a pilot program that provides educational support for veterans with mental health and reintegration issues that may affect their learning and adjustment to life as college students.
- University of Texas at El Paso: Dr. Jennifer Eno Louden will examine the influence of friends, family and community on the willingness of Hispanics to seek mental health treatment required as a condition of probation.
- University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio: Dr. Rebecca Bonugli will evaluate the effectiveness of a consumer-driven and consumer-led training program that supports recovery and wellness for people with mental health conditions.
- University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston: Dr. Jeff Temple will study the effects of teen dating violence on mental health and dropout rates among low-income and ethnically diverse youth.
The Hogg Foundation was founded in 1940 by the children of former Texas Governor James Hogg to promote improved mental health for the people of Texas. The foundation’s grants and programs support mental health consumer services, research, policy analysis and public education projects in Texas. The foundation is part of the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement at The University of Texas at Austin.
