I examine how digital technologies, data systems, and artificial intelligence influence access to and experiences of mental health care among immigrant, racial/ethnic minority, and linguistically marginalized populations.
I focus on the intersection of technology, culture, and behavioral health equity, with particular attention to how digital tools are implemented within real clinical and community contexts. Projects combine computational, quantitative, and qualitative approaches with administrative, digital, survey, and web-based data to examine how technology shapes the therapeutic process and to guide the development of culturally and linguistically responsive AI and digital interventions.
I aim to produce evidence that advances equitable mental health systems and promotes ethical, inclusive technology design across service, policy, and research settings.
PROGRAM OF RESEARCH
Topic 1. Digital Access to Mental Health Care among Immigrants and Minority Populations
This theme examines how immigrant, racial/ethnic minority, and limited English proficient (LEP) populations access, navigate, and experience digital mental health services. It focuses on the structural, linguistic, and cultural factors that influence engagement with telehealth, language-concordant therapy, and other virtual care modalities. The work also explores how digital systems can support more culturally and linguistically appropriate care guided by an implementation science framework.
Topic 2. Computational and AI Approaches to Behavioral Health Equity
This topic applies natural language processing, machine learning, and large-scale data analysis to study equity in behavioral health systems. It investigates how clinicians describe clients across professional roles, whether social and cultural contexts—such as discrimination or language barriers—are represented, and how these patterns affect the quality of care and data-driven decision-making. The research also evaluates the social implications of artificial intelligence in behavioral health.
Topic 3. Digital Spaces of Well-being, Identity-making, and Coping
This theme analyzes online environments—such as immigrant forums and social media communities—as spaces of emotional expression, identity formation, and mutual support. It examines how individuals who experience stigma, marginalization, or mistrust of formal systems use digital platforms to seek connection, exchange coping strategies, and sustain resilience. Insights from these studies contribute to the development of natural language processing tools that better detect emotion, context, and support dynamics across culturally diverse online settings.
Topic 4. Social and Structural Determinants of Mental Health among Minority Populations
This theme investigates how institutional, policy, and sociocultural contexts shape mental health, identity, and help-seeking among immigrant and minority communities. It examines the cumulative effects of inequality, discrimination, and racialization on well-being, while also identifying pathways of collective resilience and solidarity. The work bridges individual experience and macro-level conditions to inform more equitable behavioral health systems.
MENTORSHIP AND COLLABORATION
I work with students and collaborators from social work, sociology, public health, psychology, and data science. Mentorship emphasizes research design, interdisciplinary collaboration, and professional development for students pursuing careers in mental health research and practice. Collaborations include partnerships with hospitals, community-based organizations, and research organizations working on behavioral health equity, digital inclusion, and ethical technology design.
At this time, I do not have open RA positions, but I am creating an interest pool of students. If opportunities arise, I may reach out to you. If you are a current U-M MSW student, some RA opportunities may be paid depending on project funding. Others may be for course credit or volunteer experience.
Importantly: you do not need prior research experience to sign up. If you are curious and motivated, that is enough for some of my projects. If you are volunteering, I will make every effort to ensure that your work is meaningful, that you learn something new, and that the experience contributes to your growth🌱. When students make substantial contributions to a project, there may also be opportunities to be involved in conference presentations or publications.
CONTACT
Dr. Nari Yoo, Assistant Professor of Social Work (nariyoo@umich.edu)
