Melissa L. Bessaha, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

Melissa L. Bessaha, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Email: Melissa.Bessaha@stonybrook.edu
Phone: 631-638-2514

EDUCATION

Ph.D., University of Maryland, (Social Work)
M.S.W., New York University
M.A., Stony Brook University
B.S., Stony Brook University

AREAS OF INTEREST

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): Minority Fellowship Program, provided through the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), 2015 – 2016
University of Maryland, Baltimore: Competitive Innovation Research Award, 2015

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Dixon, Z., Bessaha, M.L., & Post, M. (2018). Beyond the ballot: Immigrant integration through civic engagement and advocacy. Race and Social Problems, Special Issue on Immigration. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12552-018-9237-1

Bessaha, M.L., Solis, C., Franks, C., Yoon, J., Dualeh, D., Monroy-Caceres, H., Cuesta, G., & Rodriguez, E. (2018).  Social work in higher education: Internships in opportunity programs. Teaching in Social Work. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841233.2018.1500412

Bessaha, M.L., Shumway, M., Smith, M.E., & Bright, C.L., & Unick, G.J. (2017). Predictors of hospital length and cost of stay in a national sample of adult patients with psychotic disorders. Psychiatric Services, 68(6), 559-565. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201600312

Bessaha, M. L., Schuler, B.R., & Moon, C.A. (2017). Social workers’ perceptions of training preparedness and social justice norms on workplace empowerment. Journal of Social Service Research, 43(2), 181-192. https://doi.org/10.1080/01488376.2016.1226228

Bessaha, M. L., (2015). Factor structure of the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6) among emerging adults. Research on Social Work Practice, 27(5), 616-624. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731515594425

Bright, C.L., Young, D., Bessaha, M. L., & Falls, B. (2015). Perceptions and outcomes following teen court involvement.  Social Work Research, 39(3), 135-146. https://doi.org/10.1093/swr/svv018

Bessaha, M.L. (2018, July). Barriers to mental health service utilization among emerging adult immigrants in the United States. Paper presentation at the Joint World Conference on Social Work, Education and Social Development (SWSD), Dublin, Ireland.

Bessaha, M.L., Fedina, L., & Backes, B. (2017, November). Factors associated with sexual assault police reporting and victim service utilization among college-enrolled emerging adults. Symposium at the American Society of Criminology Meeting, Philadelphia, PA.

Bessaha, M.L. & Ko, J. (2017, November). Behavioral health among emerging adults: College enrollment status, barriers to seeking services, and service utilization. Paper presented at the Society for the Study of Emerging Adulthood, 8th Biennial Conference, Washington, D.C. 

Bessaha, M.L. & Fedina, L. (2017, November). Sociocultural predictors of psychological help-seeking behaviors among emerging adult immigrants: A systematic review.  Paper presented at the Society for the Study of Emerging Adulthood, 8th Biennial Conference, Washington, D.C.

Bessaha, M.L., Shumway, M., Smith, M., Bright, C. L., & Unick, G. J. (2017, January). Predictors of hospital length and cost of stay in a national sample of adult patients with psychotic disorders. Presented at the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR), 21st Annual Conference: Ensure Healthy Development for all Youth, New Orleans, LA. 

Bessaha, M. L., (2016, June).  From digital citizenship to digital leadership: Preparing future college student leaders. Workshop at the CUNY Special Programs Student Leadership Academy: Developing Leaders for a Changing World, Callicoon, NY.