Biography
Seungju Kim (he/him) is an NSF Graduate Research Fellow and PhD student in Clinical/Community Psychology area, working with Dr. Nathan Todd. His research seeks to advance the science of LGBTQ+ health disparities by examining the socioecological effects of religion and spirituality.
Research Interests
- Adverse and beneficial religious experiences
- LGBTQ+ health
- Religious leaders, families, and communities
- Longitudinal modeling
Research Description
- Modeling how religion and spirituality across varying socioecological levels are associated with health for LGBTQ+ individuals.
- Advancing meta-science efforts aimed at advancing methodological rigor (e.g., testing theory, Bayesian inference, and developing software).
- Collaborating with religious communities to develop empirically-supported, culturally-responsive resources to support LGBTQ+ individuals.
Education
Ph.D. in Clinical/Community Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2024–2031 [Anticipated])
Advisor: Nathan Todd, Ph.D.
B.A. in Psychology, Wheaton College (2020-2023)
External Links
Highlighted Publications
4. Kim, S., & Xu, W. (2025). The State of LGBQ+ Support: Correlates, Predictors, and Congregational Moderators of a National Sample of U.S. Religious Leaders. Sexuality Research and Social Policy. doi.org/10.1007/s13178-025-01192-7 [Open-Access] [Preregistration]
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 [Accepted-Manuscript]
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 Diversity. doi.org/10.1037/sgd0000749 [Accepted-Manuscript]