Aijah K B. Goodwin

Aijah K B. Goodwin, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, holding a dual appointment as Core Faculty in the Department of Psychiatry. Her work focuses on culturally responsive mental health practices, particularly in K-12 educational settings. Dr. Goodwin’s research examines barriers to mental health help-seeking among Black adolescents, the impact of discrimination in high-achieving schools, and culturally competent teacher practices.

Education:

• BA in Psychology (Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 2014)
• MA in Psychology (Louisiana State University, 2019)
• PhD in School Psychology (Louisiana State University, 2021)
• APA-accredited Predoctoral Internship (Florida State University Multidisciplinary Center, 2020-2021)

Research emphasizes sociocultural factors affecting youth mental health, with recent focus areas including:

• Equity in school mental health systems
• Racial disparities in mental health service utilization
• Parent and caregiver perspectives on culturally responsive education
• Impact of systemic racism on academic and emotional well-being

Her 2023-2025 work explores innovative recruitment methods for marginalized populations, validation of mental health assessment tools for Black youth, and systemic strategies to promote culturally responsive school practices. Current studies investigate African immigrant mental health resilience strategies and the role of social media in adolescent mental health outreach.

Grant activity and advising: No specific grants or advisee names are publicly listed in current materials.