The SHINE Research Lab

The SHINE Research Lab

The SHINE Research Lab

Sexual Orientation, Mental Health, Intensive Longitudinal Methods, Eating Disorders

 

About The SHINE Lab

The SHINE Lab Image

Welcome to the SHINE Lab! 

We are a psychology research lab at Stockton University directed by Dr. Colleen Kase. SHINE is an acronym we use for: Sexual Orientation, Mental Health, INtensive Longitudinal Methods, and Eating Disorders.Our overarching research focus is mental health.

We study two main topic areas within this field. First, we identify factors that contribute to the mental health of LGBQ+ adults. Second, we investigate questions related to disordered eating and body image. Most of our projects are online survey-based, and we often use daily diary, experience sampling, and other intensive longitudinal methods in our research.

 

Contact Information

Colleen Kase, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Psychology

609-626-3103 | H219

 

 

SHINE Research Lab Highlights


  • Lab members have presented posters and papers at national psychology associations and submitted manuscripts to peer-reviewed journals. In this photo, Ronald Cox, former lab member, submitted a poster of his project for distinction at the 2024 Eastern Psychological Association conference
  • The Lab is a recipient of Stockton University Research and Professional Development Grant to fund its study on disordered eating among bisexual women.
Infographic
1,061
Research Participants Across All 50 States
 

Current Projects

Minority Stress Reactivity

We are investigating whether lesbian and bisexual women’s level of negative emotional reactivity to discriminatory events contributes to their risk for disordered eating. Discriminatory events are simulated via short video clips.

Bisexuality and Disordered Eating

We are developing a model of general, sexual minority- specific, and bisexuality-specific contributors to disordered eating among young bisexual women. We hope that this model will eventually guide clinical interventions for bisexual women, a population that is at elevated risk for disordered eating.

Dr. Colleen Kase, Ph.D.

Hello! I am an assistant professor of psychology at Stockton University and the director of the SHINE Lab. I graduated with my PhD in counseling psychology from the University of Maryland and completed my clinical internship at Temple Unversity’s Tuttleman Counseling Services.

One of my favorite things about being a counseling psychologist is the way that my experiences treating clients in therapy spark new research questions, and in turn, my research informs my clinical interventions. I am passionate about applying rigorous research methodologies and advanced statistical techniques to answer questions related to sexual minority mental health and disordered eating. 

Research Assistants

Atiyana Moyenda

Atiyana Moyenda

Psychology Student, Forensic Psychology concentration
Carly Girgenti

Carly Girgenti

Psychology Student
Bella Bruno

Bella Bruno

Psychology Student, Mental Heath concentration, Studio Art Minor

 Student Projects for Distinction

Autumn Bott

Autumn Bott

Psychology Student,  Mental Health concentration
Chelsea Ray

Chelsea Ray

Psychology Student, Empirical Research concentration

 

For Students

Dr. Kase is actively accepting students to serve as research assistants in the SHINE Lab. She typically works with psychology majors, but she is open to working with students from other programs.
Serving as an RA is a great opportunity to develop valuable research skills, build your resume for graduate school applications, and receive research mentorship and support.Dr. Kase also enthusiastically accepts advanced psychology students who wish to complete their Project for Distinction under her supervision.
If you are interested in joining the lab, please see the information below. Note that positions in the lab tend to open up at the start of the fall semester. To have the best chance of gaining a position in the lab, it is best to contact me by the end of the preceding spring semester.

  • GPA of 3.3 or higher
  • Completion of PSYC2241 (Statistical Methods)
  • Preferred, but not required: Completion of PSYC3242 (Experimental Psychology)
  • Preferred, but not required: Ability to commit to working in the lab for at least two semesters (academic credit is available)
  • Preferred, but not required: Interest in pursuing a research-intensive graduate program (e.g., Counseling or Clinical Psychology PhD program)

Students working in my lab are expected to:

  • Dedicate a certain number of hours per week (usually between 5 and 10) to research tasks, as established during our initial meeting
  • Promptly respond to email communications
  • Regularly attend weekly or bi-weekly meetings (depending on the project) to discuss study progress
  • Complete assigned tasks by the agreed-upon deadlines
  • Behave ethically and professionally in all stages of the research process

Email me at colleen.kase@stockton.edu. Please include the following information:

  • Your complete name, Z number, program of study, GPA, and anticipated graduation date
  • Why you are interested in joining the SHINE research lab in particular
  • Whether you have completed PSYC2241 and PSYC3242, and if so, provide the names of the professors with whom you took the two courses
  • A copy of your resume

For Community Members

If you are interested in participating in future studies, please send Dr. Kase an email at colleen.kase@stockton.edu.

We are especially interested in recruiting members of the LGBQ+ community for our research. Since most of our research is online, you do not need to be located in New Jersey in order to participate.

Mental Health Resources


LGBQ+ Resources
  • Trevor Project Hotline: Text START to 678678 or call 1-866-488-7386
  • Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender National Hotline: Call 1-888-843-4564
  • Trans Lifeline: Call 877-565-8860
  • It Gets Better Project
  • Human Rights Campaign

Eating Disorder Resources