Featured Scholar: Richard Brandon-Friedman, Ph.D., LCSW, LCAC
Assistant Professor
IU School of Social Work, IU Indianapolis
Research Video: https://youtu.be/enCaARdCvCA
Families in Transition: Development of a Therapeutic Group for Gender-Diverse Youth and Their Caregivers
Professor Richard Brandon-Friedman's academic research focuses on sexual and gender identity development among youth, youth sexual wellbeing, LGBTQIA+ identity development, youth sexual behaviors, sexuality discourse within social work, and addressing sexuality within the child welfare system. Professor Brandon-Friedman has spent 15 years working with LGBTQIA+ youth and their families in mentoring and clinical capacities. In 2015, he helped develop the Riley Hospital Gender Health Program and he continues to conduct research in partnership with the Program.
He continually meets with community members, maintaining a list of needs they have identified. He also works with the community clinically, providing ongoing hands-on experience. When examining research opportunities, Professor Brandon-Friedman starts with the population that would be impacted, turning to the members of the population to see how their needs may fit within funding mechanisms. This grounds his research within community members’ experiences.
Families in Transition is a therapeutic support group designed to meet the needs of gender-diverse youth and their caregivers. Developed collaboratively with GenderNexus, GEKCO, PFLAG Fishers, and members of the gender-diverse community, the group will enhance the social and emotional well-being of participants through psychoeducation, skill development, familial relationship and communication building, and community connectedness.
Professor Brandon-Friedman's translation of community-engaged research into practices that promote health and well-being within the LGBTQIA+ community is another excellent example of how IU Indianapolis faculty members are TRANSLATING their RESEARCH INTO PRACTICE.
Selected Publications in IU Indianapolis ScholarWorks
With several research works contributed to IU Indianapolis's free, open access repository, Professor Brandon-Friedman has made translational research knowledge available to professionals, researchers, students, and communities around the world.
Kinney, M. K., Cosgrove, D., Swafford, T. R., & Brandon-Friedman, R. A. (2023). “An Institution Can Have Good Intentions and Still Be Atrocious": Transgender and Gender Expansive Experiences in Social Work Education. The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare, 50(1). https://hdl.handle.net/1805/36355
Brandon-Friedman, R. A., & Swafford, T. R. (2023). Gender Differences in Sexual Well-Being and Sexual Identity Development among Youth Formerly in the Foster Care System in the United States. Youth, 3(1), 184-198. https://hdl.handle.net/1805/34341
Richard A. Brandon-Friedman & Marissa “MJ” Heinz. (2022). Enhancing the psychosocial and sexual well-being of gender-diverse young adults within a multidisciplinary clinic. In Judith L.M. McCoyd, Jessica Euna Lee, & Toba Schwaber Kerson (Eds.), Social Work in Health Settings (5th ed.). Routledge. https://hdl.handle.net/1805/36356
Brandon-Friedman, R. A. (2022). Social work practice with LGBTQ+ populations. In L. Rapp-McCall, K. Corcoran, & A. R. Roberts (Eds.), Social workers' desk reference (pp. 950-958). Oxford University Press. https://hdl.handle.net/1805/36357
Brandon-Friedman, R. A. (2021). Gender dysphoria. In H. Armstrong (Ed.), ABC-CLIO (pp. 269-271). ABC-CLIO. https://hdl.handle.net/1805/28952
Brandon-Friedman, R. A. (2021). Outing. In H. Armstrong (Ed.), Encyclopedia of sex and sexuality: Understanding biology, psychology, and culture, Volume 2 (pp. 467-469). ABC-CLIO. https://hdl.handle.net/1805/28955
Brandon-Friedman, R. A. (2021). Sexual identity. In H. Armstrong (Ed.), Encyclopedia of sex and sexuality: Understanding biology, psychology, and culture, Volume 2 (pp. 657-659). ABC-CLIO. https://hdl.handle.net/1805/28956
Brandon-Friedman, R. A. (2021). LGBTQ+. In H. Armstrong (Ed.), Encyclopedia of sex and sexuality: Understanding biology, psychology, and culture, Volume 1 (pp. 385-386). ABC-CLIO. https://hdl.handle.net/1805/28954
Kinney, M. K., & Brandon-Friedman, R. A. (2021). Exploring gender identity with a photo diary. In J. Whitman & C. Boyd (Eds.), Homework assignments and handouts for LGBTQ+ Clients: A mental health and counseling handbook (pp. 340-347). Routledge. https://hdl.handle.net/1805/28987
Brandon-Friedman, R. A., Snedecor, R., & Ramseyer Winter, V. (2021). Intersections between body image, sexual identity, and sexual health among transgender youth. In Dodd, S. J. (Ed.) Routledge international handbook of social work and sexualities (pp. 151-164). Routledge. https://hdl.handle.net/1805/28986
Brandon-Friedman, R. A., Karnoski, R., & Hall, S. F. (2020). Working with transgender and nonbinary youth in the child welfare system. In S. K. Kattari, N. E. Walls, L. Kattari, & M. K. Kinney (Eds.) Social work and health care with transgender and nonbinary individuals and communities (pp. 148-162). Routledge. https://hdl.handle.net/1805/28953
Brandon-Friedman, R. A., & Kinney, M. K. (2020). Assisting Youth with Disclosing their Sexual Orientation and/or Gender Identity using an Ecomap. In Homework Assignments and Handouts for LGBTQ+ Clients (pp. 30-39). Routledge.https://hdl.handle.net/1805/28989
Brandon-Friedman, R. A., Warden, R., Waletich, R., & Donahue, K. L. (2020). Supporting caregivers and family members of transgender and nonbinary youth. In S. K. Kattari, N. E. Walls, L. Kattari, & M. K. Kinney (Eds.) Social work and health care with transgender and nonbinary individuals and communities (pp. 194-207). Routledge. https://hdl.handle.net/1805/28988
Brandon-Friedman, R. A., Pierce, B., Wahler, E. A., Thigpen, J. W., & Fortenberry, J. D. (2020). Sexual identity development and its impact on sexual well-being: Differences between sexual minority and non-sexual minority former foster youth. Children and Youth Services Review, 117, 105294. https://hdl.handle.net/1805/28430
Brandon-Friedman, R. A. (2019). 88. The impact of sexual identity development on the sexual health of former foster youth. Journal of Adolescent Health, 64(2). https://hdl.handle.net/1805/28429
Find more free articles in IU Indianapolis ScholarWorks.