Ryan Watson

Ryan Watson, PhD, is Associate Professor (PI) in the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences at the University of Connecticut. His scholarship is devoted to eliminating health disparities affecting sexual- and gender-minority (SGM) youth and emerging adults, with an emphasis on substance use, disordered eating, and HIV prevention.

Education

• B.A. Psychology & Political Science, University of California, Los Angeles (2009)
• M.S. Family Studies and Human Development, University of Arizona (2012)
• Ph.D. Family Studies and Human Development, University of Arizona (2014)

Research Focus

Dr. Watson’s program of research integrates quantitative methods and large-scale datasets—spanning the US, Norway, and Canada—to unpack mechanisms underlying SGM health inequities. Early NSF-funded work examined family- and school-level factors influencing disparities. At UConn, NIH grants (R03DA046827, K01DA047918) support investigations into substance use and disordered eating among SGM adolescents and emerging adults. His LGBTQ+ National Teen Survey, conducted in partnership with the Human Rights Campaign, enrolled over 17,000 SGM youth aged 13-17 across the United States; the survey is being repeated in 2022.

Recent Scholarly Output

Watson’s 2024-2025 publications reveal a cohesive corpus centered on minority stress, intersectionality, and prevention. Studies repeatedly triangulate multi-level influences—structural stigma, family acceptance, school safety, and cyberbullying—on outcomes such as cannabis and alcohol use, PrEP uptake, disordered eating, and mental health. Network analyses, latent profile analyses, and decision-tree modeling are leveraged to identify both risk and resilience pathways across Asian American, Latinx, Black, and other minoritized SGM youth.

Professional Service & Editorial Roles

• Consulting Editor, Journal of Research on Adolescence
• Consulting Editor, Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology
• Consulting Editor, LGBT Health
• Consulting Editor, AIDS & Behavior
• Leadership roles, Society for Research on Adolescence

Media & Impact

Research findings have been featured by CNN, NPR, the Washington Post, Live Science, USA Today, and additional national outlets, underscoring the translational reach of his work.

Contact

• Email: ryanwatson@uconn.edu
• Office: 348 Mansfield Rd, Unit 1058, Storrs, CT 06269-1058
• Phone: 860-486-1659