Steff Du Bois

Pronouns: he/they

Dr. Steff Du Bois researches health broadly, and more specifically health behavior change, health in romantic relationships, health equity, and health research methodology. Populations of interest include LGBTQ+ individuals, racially and ethnically minoritized groups, and individuals in long-distance relationships. He currently has 39 peer-reviewed publications, and has received multiple grants to conduct his research. He is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in the state of Illinois, and has a small private practice where he provides therapy to individuals and those in relationships. He has over 100 plants and trees in his home.

Education

Postdoctoral Fellowship in Couple Therapy: The Family Institute at Northwestern University, 2015
Ph.D., University of Illinois at Chicago, Psychology (Clinical), 2013
M.A., University of Illinois at Chicago, Psychology (Clinical), 2009
B.A., University of Michigan, Psychology, 2005

Research Interests

• Health and health behaviors
• Health in romantic and sexual partnerships
• Sexual and gender minorities (SGM)
• Long-distance relationships
• Equity and social justice 
• Community-Based Participatory Research

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

• Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies
• Rocky Mountain Psychological Association
• Society of Behavioral Medicine
• Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality
• Western Psychological Association
• American Psychological Association
• American Public Health Association

Awards

Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools Excellence in Teaching Award
Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 2013

Harry S. Upshaw Award for Excellence in Teaching
Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 2012

LGBT Summer Institute (LGBTSI) Fellow
University of Michigan, Summer 2010

Publications

Du Bois, S., *Manser, K., *Cannon, M., *Guerra, W., *Lee, J., & Moller, A.C.(in press). Facilitators and barriers to SOGI disclosure to healthcare providers among LGBTQ+ college students. Journal of Gay &. Lesbian Social Services.

*Guy, A. A., *Woodward, H., *Kannout, L., & Du Bois, S. (in press). Participating in a peer-led pilot intervention relates to reduced effects of HIV discrimination among African Americans living with HIV and serious mental illness. Journal of Community Health Research.    

Weber, D. M., Baucom, D. H., Wojda-Burlij, A. K., Carrino. E. A., Du Bois, S., & Sher, T.G. (in press). Relationship “jet lag” in long-distance and geographically-close relationships: The impact of relationship transitions on emotional functioning. Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/cfp0000224

*Ramos, S., *Guerra, W., & Du Bois, S. (2022). Comparing mental and physical health of full-service sex workers in the United States to the health of the general population in 2019-2020. Journal of Community Health Research, 11 (1), 22-30.

Du Bois, S., *Woodward, H., *Manser, K., Saigal, S., *Santic, F., *Tully, T., & Sher, T. G. (2022). Examining relationship-level predictors of individual-level health in long distance relationships. The Family Journal, 30 (3), 289-300. https://doi.org/10.1177/10664807211054151

Du Bois, S., *Woodward, H., *Manser, K., Saigal, S., Santic, F., Tully, T., & Sher, T.G. (In press). Examining relationship-level predictors of individual-level health among postsecondary students and partners of secondary students in long distance relationships. The Family Journal.

*Ramos, S., *Guerra, W., & Du Bois, S. (In press). Comparing the mental and physical health of U.S. full-service sex workers to the United States general population in 2020. Journal of Community Health Research.

Du Bois, S., *Kannout, L., & *Ramos, S. (In press). Examining partnership-health associations in full-service sex workers. Sexual and Relationship Therapy.

*Guy, A. A., *Woodward, H., *Kannout, L., & Du Bois, S. (In press). Participating in a peer-led pilot intervention relates to reduced effects of HIV discrimination among African Americans living with HIV and serious mental illness. Journal of Community Health Research.    

*Manser, K., & Du Bois, S. (In press). Examining structural stigma, substance use, and cardiovascular conditions among lesbian women and gay men, using U.S. population-level data. Annals of LGBTQ Public and Population Health.

Bathje, G., Pillersdorf, D., & Du Bois, S. (In press). Right-wing attitudes relate to stigma toward harm-reduction programs. Alcoholism & Drug Addiction.

*Ramos, S., Roundtree, A., Schepis, T., Haskard-Zolnierek, K., & Du Bois, S. (In press.) A Qualitative Approach to Understanding HIV-Related Stress in Texas. The Journal of Texas Medicine.

Du Bois, S., Legate, N., & Kendall, A.D. (2019). Examining Partnership-Health Associations Among Lesbian Women and Gay Men Using Population-Level Data. LGBT Health, 6(1), 23-33.

Du Bois, S., *Yoder, W., *Ramos, S., *Grotkowski, K., & Sher, T.G. (2019). Unexpected Gender Moderation of Marital Satisfaction-Health Associations in Long Distance Relationships. The Family Journal. DOI: 1066480719826300.

Du Bois, S., *Yoder, W., *Guy, A. A., *Manser, K., & *Ramos, S. (2018). Examining Associations Between State-Level Transgender Policies and Transgender Health. Transgender Health, 3(1), 220-224.

Du Bois, S., *Guy, A.A., & Legate, N. (2018). Testing the partnership-health association among African American men who have sex with men. Journal of Black Sexuality and Relationships, 4(4), 33-51.

*Anand, L., Du Bois, S., *Grotkowski, K. & Sher, T.G. (2018). Defying tradition: Gender roles in long-distance relationships. The Family Journa, 25(1), 22-30l. DOI: 1066480717731342.

Du Bois, S., Sher, T., *Grotkowski, K., *Aizenman, T, *Slesinger, N, & *Cohen, M. (2016). Going the distance: health in long-distance versus proximal relationships. The Family Journal, 24(1), 5-14.

Holland, C.M., Ritchie, N.D., & Du Bois, S. (2015). Itunes song-gifting is a low-cost, efficient recruitment tool to engage high-risk MSM in internet-based research. AIDS & Behavior. 19(10), 1914-1918.DOI: 10.1007/s10461-015-1130-y

Raja, S., Holland, C., Du Bois, S., McKirnan, D., Allgood, K. L., & Glick, N. (2015). History of Traumatic Events in HIV-Positive Individuals: Risk Behavior Implications in an Urban Clinic Setting. Journal of HIV/AIDS & Social Services,14(1), 110-128.

Nelson, L.E., Walker, J., Du Bois, S., & Giwa, S. (2014). Your blues ain’t like mine: Considering integrative anti-racism in HIV prevention research with Black men who have sex with men in Canada and the United States. Nursing Inquiry, 21, 270-282. DOI: 10.1111/nin.12055

McKirnan, D.J., Du Bois, S., Alvy, L., Holland, C., & Jones, K. (2013). Healthcare access and health behaviors among men who have sex with men: The cost of health disparities. Health Education & Behavior,40, 32-41. DOI: 10.1177/1090198111436340

Parsons, J., Starks, T., Du Bois, S., Golub, S., & Grov, C. (2013). Alternatives to monogamy among gay male couples in a community survey: implications for mental health and sexual risk. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 42, 303-312. DOI: 10.1007/s10508-011-9885-3

Du Bois, S. & McKirnan, D.J. (2012). A longitudinal analysis of HIV-treatment adherence among men who have sex with men : a cognitive escape perspective. AIDS Care, 24, 1425-1431. DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2011.650676

Du Bois, S., Johnson, S.E., & Mustanski, B. (2012). Examining racial and ethnic minority differences among YMSM during recruitment for an online HIV prevention intervention study. AIDS and Behavior, 16: 1430-1435. DOI: 10.1007/s10461-011-0058-0

Du Bois, S., Emerson, E., & Mustanski, B. (2011). Condom-related problems among a racially diverse sample of young men who have sex with men. AIDS and Behavior,15, 1342-1346. DOI: 10.1007/s10461-010-9862-1

Ji, P., Du Bois, S., & Finnessey, P. (2009).An Academic Course That Teaches Heterosexual Students to be Allies to LGBT Communities: A Qualitative Analysis. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services,21, 402-429. DOI: 10.1080/10538720802690001

Grants

Lewis College Faculty Research Support Grant 
Co-Principal Investigator (Steff Du Bois & *Wren Yoder). Illinois Institute of Technology ($2,000), December 2019. Proposal title: Testing a Pilot Intervention Aiming to Increase Transgender Allyship among Future Healthcare Providers.

Chicago Health Disparities Center
Co-Principal Investigator (Steff Du Bois, *Arryn A. Guy, Novie Thomas). Inspiring Change: Community Based Participatory Research Grant ($21,000), December 2017. Proposal title: Prepare to Thrive: Investigating HIV Treatment Adherence among African Americans with Serious Mental Illness.

American Psychological Foundation
Co-Principal Investigator (Steff Du Bois & *Stephen D. Ramos). The Drs. Rosalee G. and Raymond A. Weiss Research and Program Innovation Grant ($1,000), December 2018. Proposal title: Examining Barriers and Facilitators to PrEP Uptake in Sex Workers, using a Community-Based Participatory Research Approach

Adler University Seed Grant, 2015-16
Used to conduct the Gender Socialization in Long Distance Relationships study

The Family Institute at Northwestern University Early Researcher Award, 2013-14
Used to conduct the Long-Distance Relationships and Health study

Editorial Boards

• LGBTQ Public and Population Health

Du Bois also provides editorial service to the following journals:

• Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice
• Family Process
• Journal of Homosexuality
• LGBT Health & Wellness Conference
• Psychological Services
• AIDS Care
• Journal of Anxiety Disorders
• Psychology of Women

Additional Info

Fellowships

The Family Institute at Northwestern University
Dr. John J. B. Morgan Fellowship 2013-15