Amy Hequembourg, PhD

• NIH Postdoctoral Fellow, Alcohol Etiology and Treatment, Research Institute on Addictions, State University of New York at Buffalo
• PhD, Sociology, State University of New York at Buffalo
• MA, Sociology, State University of New York at Buffalo
• BS, Health Service Administration, State University of New York at Fredonia

• Health disparities among sexual and gender minoritized populations
• Lifetime sexual victimization among sexual minorities
• Same-sex intimate partner violence
• Bisexual women's health
• Microaggressions based on sexual orientation and gender identity
• Alcohol problems among vulnerable populations
• LGBTQ+ adolescent health and related risk and protective factors
• LGBT cultural competency among health care providers

NGC 701 State of Nursing Science

Blayney, J. A., Jaffe, A. E., Hequembourg, A. L., & Parrott, D. J. (2023). Sexual victimization among sexual and gender minoritized groups: Recent research and future directions. Current Psychiatry Reports, 25, 183-191. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-023-01420-0

Parrott, D. J., Bresin, K., Hequembourg, A., Velia, B., Swartout, K., Stappenbeck, C., Masyn, K., & Grom, J. (2023). Dyadic effects of minority stress and problematic alcohol use on sexual intimate partner violence in same sex couples. Aggressive Behavior, 49(3), 198-208. https://doi.org/10.1002/ab.22072

Smith, A., Bostwick, W. Burke, L., Hequembourg, A., Santuzzi, A., & Hughes, T. (2022). How deep is the cut? The influence of daily microaggressions on bisexual women’s health. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity. Advance online publication. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/sgd0000556

Doerzbacher, M., Sperlich, M., Hequembourg, A., & Chang, Y.-P. (2022). Scoping review of barriers and facilitators of breastfeeding in women on opioid maintenance therapy. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 51(1), 29-40. doi:10.1016/j.jogn.2021.09.004 

Hequembourg, A., Livingston, J., & Wang, W. (2020). Prospective associations among relationship abuse, sexual harassment and bullying in a community sample of sexual minority and exclusively heterosexual youth. Journal of Adolescence, 83, 52-61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2020.06.010

Hequembourg, A., Blayney, J., Livingston, J. A., Bostwick, W., & Auerbach, S. (2019). A mixed methods investigation of victimization and coping among sexual minority compared to heterosexual women. Psychology & Sexuality, 1-20. doi:10.1080/19419899.2019.1678193.

Hequembourg, A., Blayney, J., Bostwick, W., & Van Ryzin, M. (2019). Concurrent daily alcohol and tobacco use among sexual minority and heterosexual women. Substance Use & Abuse, 1-13. doi:10.1080/10826084.2019.1656252

Bostwick, W., Berger, B., & Hequembourg, A. (2019). A mixed-method inquiry of bisexual identity centrality among racially and ethnically diverse women. Journal of Bisexuality. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/15299716.2019.1617545

Hequembourg, A., & Panagakis, C. (2019). Maximizing respondent-driven sampling field procedures in the recruitment of sexual minorities for health research. SAGE Open Medicine, 7. https://doi.org/10.1177/2050312119829983

Blayney, J. A., Hequembourg, A. L., & Livingston, J. A. (2018). Rape acknowledgement and sexual minority women’s mental health and drinking behaviors. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260518781800

Livingston, J. A., Hequembourg, A., & Testa, M. (2018). Sexual victimization. In R. G. R. Levesque (Ed.) Encyclopedia of adolescence (2nd ed., pp. 2692-2699).

Parks, K. A., Levonyan-Radloff, K., Pryzbyla, S., & Hequembourg, A. (2017). University student perceptions about the motives for and consequences of non-medical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD). Journal of American College Health, 65(7), 457-465.

Hequembourg, A., Parks, K., Collins, R. L., Hughes, T. (2015). Sexual assault risks among gay and bisexual men. Journal of Sex Research, 52(3), 282-295. doi:10.1080/00224499.2013.85683.

Parks, Kathleen A., Levonyan-Radloff, K., Dearing, R., Hequembourg, A., & Testa, M. (2015). Development and validation of a video measure for assessing women’s risk perception for alcohol-related sexual assault. Psychology of Violence, 6(4). 573-585.

Parks, K. A., Levonyan-Radloff, K., Pryzbyla, S., Hequembourg, A. (2015). College student opinions about the use of non-medical prescription drugs. Drug & Alcohol Dependence, 146: e62-e63.

Bostwick, W., & Hequembourg, A. (2014). “Just a little hint”: Bisexual-specific microaggressions and their connection to epistemic injustice. Culture, Health, and Sexuality, 16(5), 488-503. doi:10.1080/13691058.2014.889754.

Dearing, R. L., & Hequembourg, A. L. (2014). Culturally (in)competent? Dismantling health care barriers for sexual minority women. Social Work in Health Care, 53(8), 739-761. doi:10.1080/00981389.2014.944250.

Bostwick, W., & Hequembourg, A. (2013). Minding the noise: Conducting health research among bisexual populations and beyond. Journal of Homosexuality, 60, 1-7.

Hequembourg, A., & Dearing, R. (2013). Exploring shame, guilt, and problematic alcohol use among sexual minority men and women. Journal of Homosexuality, 60, 1-24.

Hequembourg, A., Livingston, J., & Parks, K. (2013). Sexual victimization and associated risks among lesbian and bisexual women. Violence Against Women, 19(5), 634-657.

Livingston, J., Bay-Cheng, L., Hequembourg, A., Testa, M., & Downs, J. (2013). Mixed drinks and mixed messages: Adolescent girls’ perspectives on alcohol and sexuality. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 37(1), 38-50.

Parks, K. A., Levonyan-Radloff, K., Hequembourg, A., Dearing, R. L., & Testa, M. (2013). Validation of video vignettes for assessing alcohol-related sexual assault risk perception. The Addictions Newsletter (Fall/Winter), 17-19.

• Jean Kimber Brown Research Award, University at Buffalo School of Nursing, 2021
  
• First Place, Faculty Posters, University at Buffalo School of Nursing Virtual Poster Session, Fall 2020 (Substance Use among Sexual Minority Students: Higher Risks for Bisexual Youth?)
• Summer Fellowship, International LGBT University of Michigan Psychology Summer Institute, 2010
• Dissertation Fellowship, University at Buffalo College of Arts and Sciences, 2002
• First Place, Society for the Study of Social Problems Family Division Graduate Student Paper Competition, 2001
• Graduate Student Excellence in Teaching Award, University at Buffalo, 1999
• Graduate Student Teaching Award, University at Buffalo, Department of Sociology, 1998

• June 2023: Invited Presenter, 4^th Occasional Meeting of the NIAAA Working Group on Intervention Development for Alcohol-Related Sexual and Intimate Partner Violence (RSA Satellite Meeting)
  
• May-August 2021: Invited Workshop Participant, Scientific Workshop on Violence and Related Health Outcomes in Sexual & Gender Minority (SGM) Communities. National Institutes of Health, Sexual & Gender Minorities Research Office
  
• June 2020–May 2023: Committee Chair, 
  University at Buffalo School of Nursing Committee on Justice, Equity, Diversity and Incclusion; Unit Diversity Officer; Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion 
• September 2019–2021: Budget Officer, Nursing Summit, Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality) 
• Ad Hoc Grant Reviewer: National Institutes of Health
  • October 2022: Social Psychology, Personality, and Interpersonal Processes (SPIP) study section 
    
  • February 2022: Special Emphasis Panel, NIMHD ZMD1 DRI (M1) K Review Panel
  • June 2020: Special Emphasis Panel: Methods and Measurement in Research with Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM) Population, Meeting ZMD1 MLS(A1)R
    
  • March 2019: Special Emphasis Panel: Healthcare Delivery and Methodologies, Meeting ZRG1 HDM W (03) Minority Health and Health Disparities, Meeting ZMD1 DRI(01)
  • June 2018: Special Emphasis Panel: Minority Health and Health Disparities, Meeting ZMD1 DRI(01)
• September 2019: Invited Panel Participant, Bisexual Health Workshop, National Institutes of Health, Sexual & Gender Minorities Research Office 
• 2019 – present: University at Buffalo, School of Nursing, PhD Program Committee Member
• August 2019 – present: Consulting Editor, Journal of Sex Research

Term: 2021-2026

Role: Principle Investigator (with PI Jennifer Livingston; Co-I Craig Colder)

Funding Source: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Award Amount: $2,442,509

Abstract: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer or questioning, and those youth with other sexual minority identities (LGBQ+) report riskier alcohol use patterns than their heterosexual peers. This raises concerns that — like patterns found in the general population — early, risky alcohol use may strongly predict later alcohol problems and related deleterious health consequences (e.g., other substance abuse, victimization, poor physical and mental health) that contribute to health disparities among sexual minority adults. The harmful effects of peer victimization (PV; i.e. bullying and sexual harassment) on adolescent psychosocial functioning may be one pathway through which LGBQ+ youth become involved in high-risk alcohol use. In adolescence, heterosexist social norms are strongly enforced through bullying and homophobic sexual harassment. Alarmingly high numbers of LGBQ+ youth experience homophobic peer aggression. Such experiences can lead to internalized heterosexism and sexual minority stress. Sexual minority stress has been strongly associated with increased alcohol use across the lifespan in sexual minority populations. Cross-sectional studies have shown that PV is positively associated with alcohol and other substance use among LGBQ+ adolescents. However, the mechanisms through which PV contributes to negative outcomes and the protective factors that ameliorate those outcomes among LGBTQ+ youth are not well understood. Advances in understanding the effects of PV on LGBQ+ adolescents have been hampered by a dearth of longitudinal and mixed methods studies that include these youth in their samples. Using a mixed methods design, the proposed study will investigate the acute daily and longitudinal effects of PV on LGBQ+ adolescent risky alcohol use, as well as identify potential buffers and risk factors for these outcomes. Data from 500 adolescents (ages 15-17 years, 50% female gender identity, diverse racial composition) will be collected using four longitudinal surveys (baseline, 6-, 12, and 18-month follow-ups), two bursts of daily reports (4-weeks each), and qualitative interviews. Informed by sexual minority stress and psychological mediation theories, the proposed study aims to: (1) identify the psychosocial mechanisms linking PV with alcohol and other substance use among LGBQ+ youth; (2) understand the daily associations between PV and alcohol and substance use; and (3) examine the contexts in which LGBQ+ youth experience PV and gain insight into the psychosocial factors related to PV and substance use. The proposed study utilizes a novel integrative conceptual model that incorporates extant knowledge from research on PV and substance use conducted with heterosexual youth along with factors identified in the LGBQ+ literature, including sexual minority stress and the psychological mediation framework, to clarify the processes implicated in substance use by LGBQ+ youth. Results from this study are critically needed to understand the pathways, processes and contexts through which LGBQ+ adolescents become involved in high-risk alcohol use to inform the development of primary prevention programs that improve and preserve the health of LGBQ+ youth. 

Term: 2018-2023

Role: Co-Investigator (PI Dominic Parrott, Co-Is Masyn, Swartout)

Funding Source: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Award Amount: $2,507,736

Term: 2020-2022

Role: Co-Investigator (PI Dominic Parrott, Co-Is Masyn, Swartout, Stappenbeck)

Funding Source: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Award Amount: $303,806

Term: 2018-2020

Role: Multi-Principal Investigator (with PIs Rychtarik and McGillicudy)

Funding Source: Howard T. Blane Director’s Award for the Development of Research in Addictions

Award Amount: $24,715

Term: 2018–2019

Role: Co-Investigator (PI: Beedle [Leonard])

Funding Source: Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc. (Prime: SAMHSA)

Award Amount: $274,999

Term: 2015-2019

Role: Principal Investigator (Co-Investigators: Livingston and Collins)

Funding Source: National Institute of Justice

Award Amount: $581,916

Term: 2015-2018

Role: Co-Investigator (PI: Bostwick)

Funding Source: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities

Award Amount: $371, 583

Term: 2006-2011

Role: Principal Investigator (Mentors: R. Lorraine Collins, Kathleen Parks, Michael Frone)

Funding Source: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Award Amount: $522,280