Graduate Research Assistant

Biography

Seungju Kim (he/him)is a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow and second-year PhD student in the Clinical/Community Psychology Program at the University of Illinois under Dr. Nathan Todd. His research is focused on modeling the relationship between religiosity/spirituality (RS) and psychological/behavioral health disparities.

Research Interests

  • Adverse and beneficial religious experiences
  • Mental and behavioral health
  • LGBTQ+ communities
  • Religious leaders, families, and communities

Education

2024- Anticipated 2031
Ph.D. in Clinical/Community Psychology,
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
APA/PCSAS Accredited
Advisor: Nathan Todd, Ph.D.

2020-2023
B.A. in Psychology, magna cum laude
Wheaton College

Highlighted Publications

3. Todd, N.R., Nguyễn, D.M., Blackburn, A.M., La R., & Kim, S. (2025). Linking the Religious and Social Environment to Sexual Minority Mental Health. American Journal of Community Psychology. doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.70002 [Open-Access]

2. Kim, S., Lefevor, G.T., & Skidmore, S.J. (2025). Mitigating the Impact of Religiously Based Family Expectations on Depression among Sexual and Gender Minorities: The Role of Authenticity. Journal of Homosexuality, 72(8), 1401-1425. doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2024.2378745 [View Online Free]

1. Lefevor, G.T., Kim, S., & Perez-Figueroa, A.M. (2024). How does religiousness influence health among sexual and gender minorities? Evaluating the propositions of the religious/spiritual stress and resilience model. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversitydoi.org/10.1037/sgd0000749 [Preprint]