The Multicultural Advances SIG encourages collaboration, communication, education, research, mentoring, and networking focused on multicultural issues within anxiety, depression, and related disorders. This SIG aims to facilitate increased attention on topics and issues concerning diversity and multiculturalism within ADAA and in the field in general, and encourages discussion, collaboration, and research among researchers, clinicians, and stakeholders interested in meeting the mental health needs of diverse underserved communities.

Read the article "An Increase in Anxiety and Other Emotions Is Completely Natural After the 2016 Presidential Election"

ADAA has also launched a Spanish-language online peer-to-peer support community as part of our ongoing efforts to provide enhanced resources for our Hispanic community.  

If you’re interested in joining this SIG, please login to your member account and choose Groups from the green menu bar at the top of your screen or contact Vickie Spielman, ADAA Associate Director, Membership and Marketing.

Please view the ADAA SIG Guidelines for responsibilities and expectations. 

SIG Co-Chairs:

  • Lauren Wadsworth, PhD, Genesee Valley Institute of Psychology
  • Briana Woods-Jaeger, PhD, Emory University

Board Liaison:
Sheila Rauch, PhD, ABPP, Emory University School of Medicine 

2019-2020 Annual Report

Accomplishments

  • SIG Champion award established and awarded
    • 2019  Awardee TBA
    • 2018 awarded to Jen Martinez
    • 2017 awarded to Sarah Hayes and Carmela Alcantara 
    • 2016 awarded to Liz Roemer
    • 2015 awarded to Alies Muskin
  • Presentation on Multicultural Theme Topics at 2019 Conference continued to increase
    • Conference theme has a specific focus on identities: Anxiety and Depression: Focusing Research on Improving Treatment Outcomes.  Cutting Edge Research to Optimize Treatment Success - Transcending Cultural, Racial and Socioeconomic Barriers 
    • Symposium on the interaction of stigma and discrimination on mental health
  • We completed multiple conference calls and email communication to coordinate 2020 Annual Meeting submissions 
  • We created a new outreach and scheduling process to increase the volume of multicultural content on the ADAA Website

Plans for 2020

  • Build community at the 2020 ADAA Conference, including SIG meeting and informal cocktail hour
  • Increase support for students and new professionals 
  • Launch 2 identity related webinars
  • Publish 2 community resources 
  • Post 2 identity related blog posts