Melissa L. Bessaha, PhD., LMSW, MA, Assistant Professor | Stony Brook University School of Social Welfare

Melissa L. Bessaha, PhD, LMSW, MA
Assistant Professor
Email: Melissa.Bessaha@stonybrook.edu
Phone: 631-638-2514

Curriculum Vitae

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

Mental health and educational disparities among adolescents and young adults, Immigration and social determinants of mental health during the transition to adulthood, Influence of social relationships, Higher education equity, Social Work in higher education, Evaluating programs serving transition age youth

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Bessaha, M.L., Cornelius, L., & Unick, G.J. (2020). Barriers to behavioral health service utilization among first-generation immigrant emerging adults. Social Work in Mental Health, 18(1), 55-74. Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332985.2019.1679323

Bessaha, M.L., Sabbath, E.L., Morris, Z., Malik, S., Scheinfeld, L., & Saragossi, J. (2020). A systematic review of loneliness interventions among non-elderly adults. Clinical Social Work Journal, 48 (1), 110-125. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-019-00724-0

Thompson, T., Rodebaugh, T.L., Bessaha, M.L., & Sabbath, E. (2020). The association between social isolation and health: An analysis of parent-adolescent dyads from the Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health, and Eating Study. Clinical Social Work Journal, 48 (1), 18-24. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-019-00730-2

Mushonga, D., Fedina, L., & Bessaha, M.L. (2019). College student perceptions of institutional responses to sexual assault reporting and general help-seeking intentions. Journal of American College Health. Advanced online publication.

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

SELECTED PRESENTATIONS

Bessaha, M.L., Mushonga, D., & Fedina, L. (2019, October). College student perceptions of institutional responses to sexual assault reporting and general help-seeking intentions. Paper presentation at the Society for the Study of Emerging Adulthood 9^th Conference, Toronto, ON.

Bessaha, M.L. Reed, R., Donlon, A., Matthews, W., Bell, A., & Merolla, D. (2019, October). Voices heard: College students with disabilities use participatory action research to enact campus-wide change. Symposium at the Society for the Study of Emerging Adulthood, 9^th Conference, Toronto, ON.

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.

GRANTS/AWARDS

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