Academics

Faculty & Staff

photo of Sharon Horne

Sharon Horne

  • Associate Professor of Counseling and School Psychology, Graduate Program Director of the Counseling Psychology PhD program
  • Telephone: 617.287.7495
  • Office Location: Wheatley Building, floor 2, room 163

Additional Information

Sharon G. Horne, PhD, conducts research on LGBT issues and international psychology concerns. Her research team, co-led with Heidi M. Levitt, PhD, a faculty member in clinical psychology at UMass Boston, focuses on improving and strengthening the lives of LGBT individuals through study of issues relevant to LGBT experience. Within a social justice framework, we explore LGBT health and wellness from both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. We are interested in factors of sexual minority stress (e.g., internalized heterosexism and stigma consciousness) and how LGBT individuals are resilient in their management of minority stress. LGBT individuals may find they are resilient when they have access to social or community support systems, and are supported in their self-disclosure of sexual orientation or gender identity. Research projects have focused on LGBT spirituality; LGBT youth and resiliency; same-sex couples and relationship factors; internalized heterosexism and mental health factors of Russian LGBT individuals; heterosexual attitudes toward LGBT individuals and coming out in therapy; and most recently, the psychological impact of anti-LGBT policies and amendments on the lives of LGBT individuals and their family members. We are now embarking on research on the role of sexual and racial minority stress on health behaviors of LGBT individuals (e.g., HIV/AIDS), and how social support networks in the form of alternative family structures may reduce harmful health behaviors. In the past 6 years, more than 25 undergraduate and graduate students have participated in the team, resulting in more than 30 publications co-authored by students and numerous national presentations. In addition, students on the LGBT research team have been recipients of 5 national awards. She will also be conducting research on gender issues and transnational psychology in the upcoming year. Horne is a fellow of the American Psychological Association in Division 17 (Counseling Psychology) and Division 52 (International Psychology), and a member of 35 (Psychology of Women) and 44 (LGBT). Horne is an Open Society Foundations Academic Fellow with American University of Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan.