Mitchell Kirwan

Dr. Mitchell Kirwan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) within the College of Liberal Arts. His research focuses on understanding the psychological mechanisms behind sexual violence perpetration and victimization, particularly examining emotion regulation, alcohol consumption, hostile masculine attitudes, LGBTQ+ identification, and impulsivity as critical factors. Kirwan’s work aims to bridge theoretical models with practical interventions to prevent sexual violence and mitigate its consequences for survivors.

Research Focus:

• Primary areas include Behavioral Neuroscience and Health Psychology, aligning with UTEP’s broader research themes in the Psychology department.
• He explores how alcohol intoxication and emotional dysregulation interact to influence aggressive behaviors, often applying frameworks like the Confluence Model and I³ Model.
• His studies also address condom use resistance, cyber dating abuse, and nonconsensual condom removal ("stealthing"), emphasizing public health implications.

Article Trends: Kirwan’s publications from 2015 to 2025 consistently highlight the interplay between alcohol use, emotion regulation, and aggressive behaviors, with a growing emphasis on sexual and gender minority populations. Recent work integrates machine learning techniques (e.g., IoT monitoring systems) to analyze behavioral patterns, reflecting interdisciplinary methodological advancements.

Labs & Courses: He leads the SEVER Lab and teaches PSYC 3350: Health Psychology.