Directed by Sasha Rudenstine, Ph.D. The City College of New York
THE INTERSECT LAB
About
Founded in 2015, the INTERSECT Lab is a clinical and epidemiological research program that investigates the intersection of trajectories of well-being among urban, under-resourced populations. We use a social-ecological, life-course framework to ask how individual, interpersonal, and structural factors shape mental health outcomes.
We wonder: why do some people maintain psychological well-being despite cumulative stress, while others experience lasting distress? Our infrastructure supports a comprehensive portfolio of developmental, clinical, and prevention-oriented studies that advance a unified agenda of understanding and promoting the capacity to adapt, or the ability to sustain functional well-being amid ongoing stress exposure.
Our work examines this question in three intersecting ways:
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How do daily, chronic, and cumulative stressors shape mental health over time? Using longitudinal and epidemiological data, including a three-wave study of CUNY students during COVID-19, we examine some of the capacities that buffer stress: emotional awareness, perceived social support, and coping. Click here to learn more.
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For whom does psychotherapy work and why? Through three studies in a community clinic, we follow children and adults through treatment. Click here to learn more.
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Our Goal
Through this work, the INTERSECT Lab aims to generate actionable, translational knowledge that bridges clinical science and public health to improve population-level mental health outcomes.
Training & Mentorship
INTERSECT is a training site for emerging clinical scientists. Since 2015, our studies have supported 49 Master’s research projects, 29 doctoral dissertations, and over 25 peer-reviewed publications. Our mentorship model combines advanced quantitative training with a grounding in community-based, prevention-focused research.
