Psychology and Child Development

College of Liberal Arts

Jay Bettergarcia

Jay Bettergarcia

Pronouns: they, them, theirs

Assistant Professor

Contact Information

Education

  • Ph.D., Counseling, Clinical, & School Psychology, University of California at Santa Barbara
  • M.A., Social Psychology, San Francisco State University
  • B.S., Psychology, minor in Women’s & Gender Studies, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Courses Taught

  • PSY 372 Multicultural Psychology
  • PSY 405 Abnormal Psychology

Research Interests

I lead the Queer Community Action, Research, Education, and Support (Q C.A.R.E.S.) research team. With this team, I utilize community-based action research and mixed method designs to study LGBTQ mental health and wellness, including affirming approaches to mental health care for transgender and non-binary people. I also investigate evidence-based approaches to teaching and training about diversity, including the reactions (resistance and receptiveness) often encountered in diversity trainings and how to "roll with resistance." My goal is to better understand the experiences of LGBTQ community members, especially those who are underserved, and to utilize data to create evidence-based strategies for teaching and training about sexual orientation and gender diversity.  See the website at https://www.queercares.com
 

Selected Publications

  • Israel, T., Bettergarcia, J. N., Delucio, K., Avellar, T. R., Harkness, A., & Goodman, J.A. (2017) LGBTQ diversity training with law enforcement personnel: Receptiveness and resistance. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 28(2), 197-226. doi: 10.1002/hrdq.21281
  • Israel, T., & Bettergarcia, J. N. (2016). Evidence-Based Teaching of LGBTQ Issues in Psychology. In T. Burnes & J. L. Stanley (Eds.) Teaching LGBTQ Psychology: Queering Innovative Pedagogy and Practice. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. 
  • Tate, C. C., Bettergarcia, J. N., & Brent, L. M. (2015). Re-assessing the role of gender-related cognitions for self-esteem: The importance of gender typicality for cisgender adults. Sex Roles, 72, 221-236.
  • Israel, T., Harkness, A., Delucio, K., Ledbetter, J. N.*, & Avellar, T. R. (2014). Evaluation of police training on LGBTQ issues: Knowledge, interpersonal apprehension, and self-efficacy. Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 29(2), 57-67. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11896-013-9132-z
  • Tate, C., Ledbetter, J. N.*, & Youssef, C. (2013). A Two‐Question Method for Assessing Gender in Medical and Social Sciences. Journal of Sex Research doi:10.1080/00224499.2012.690110

 

*denotes shared first-authorship

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