About

Dr. Derek K. Iwamoto is a professor affiliated with the Department of Psychology at the University of Maryland and is involved with the Gender, Culture & Health Lab. His research focuses on issues related to gender, culture, and health, particularly within Asian American populations. His work explores how sociocultural factors, such as discrimination, racial identity, and gender norms, influence mental health, substance use, body image, and other health-related behaviors among marginalized groups. Dr. Iwamoto's research aims to understand the intersectionality of race, gender, and cultural experiences to inform culturally informed interventions and promote health equity.

Research topics

• Psychiatry
• Clinical psychology
• Psychology
• Environmental health
• Medicine
• Demography
• Internal medicine
• Developmental psychology
• Gerontology

Selected publications

• Feminine Norms, Culture, and Asian and White American College Women’s Drinking Behaviors: A Qualitative Study

  Figshare · 2026-01-01

  articleOpen access

  Research indicates that heavy alcohol use is increasingly prevalent among college young adult women and is associated with a range of negative health outcomes. To expand upon prior quantitative research examining the influence of distinct feminine norms and cultural factors on college women’s alcohol consumption, the present study seeks to develop a comprehensive, in-depth understanding of these factors through a qualitative approach, providing deeper insight into the cultural, gender-relevant and normative influences shaping college women’s heavy drinking behaviors. Thirteen White and twelve Asian American college women were randomly selected from two latent drinking classes based on latent class analyses in previous research: college women who engage in heavy drinking (<i>n</i> = 10) and college women who engage in low/no drinking (<i>n</i> = 15). Participants then participated in an in-depth semistructured interview, which were coded and analyzed using thematic analysis. Our main findings demonstrate that while endorsing the sexual fidelity feminine norms discourages heavy alcohol use, conforming to the appearance investment norm and resisting submissive norms motivate participants’ alcohol use. We also found that toward women who drink, Asian women’s attitudes tended to be more critical, while White women were more lenient. Furthermore, we identified various interpersonal influences on participants’ alcohol use, such as drinking for social acceptance and distinct drinking patterns when drinking with men compared to drinking with women. Our findings emphasize the significance for clinicians to be conscious about the impact of conformity to certain feminine norms and cultural influences when providing interventions toward college women’s alcohol use.

  PublisherDOI

• Feminine Norms, Culture, and Asian and White American College Women’s Drinking Behaviors: A Qualitative Study

  Figshare · 2026-01-01

  articleOpen access

  Research indicates that heavy alcohol use is increasingly prevalent among college young adult women and is associated with a range of negative health outcomes. To expand upon prior quantitative research examining the influence of distinct feminine norms and cultural factors on college women’s alcohol consumption, the present study seeks to develop a comprehensive, in-depth understanding of these factors through a qualitative approach, providing deeper insight into the cultural, gender-relevant and normative influences shaping college women’s heavy drinking behaviors. Thirteen White and twelve Asian American college women were randomly selected from two latent drinking classes based on latent class analyses in previous research: college women who engage in heavy drinking (<i>n</i> = 10) and college women who engage in low/no drinking (<i>n</i> = 15). Participants then participated in an in-depth semistructured interview, which were coded and analyzed using thematic analysis. Our main findings demonstrate that while endorsing the sexual fidelity feminine norms discourages heavy alcohol use, conforming to the appearance investment norm and resisting submissive norms motivate participants’ alcohol use. We also found that toward women who drink, Asian women’s attitudes tended to be more critical, while White women were more lenient. Furthermore, we identified various interpersonal influences on participants’ alcohol use, such as drinking for social acceptance and distinct drinking patterns when drinking with men compared to drinking with women. Our findings emphasize the significance for clinicians to be conscious about the impact of conformity to certain feminine norms and cultural influences when providing interventions toward college women’s alcohol use.

  PublisherDOI

• Feminine Norms, Culture, and Asian and White American College Women’s Drinking Behaviors: A Qualitative Study

  Substance Use & Misuse · 2026-01-10

  article

  OBJECTIVE: Research indicates that heavy alcohol use is increasingly prevalent among college young adult women and is associated with a range of negative health outcomes. To expand upon prior quantitative research examining the influence of distinct feminine norms and cultural factors on college women's alcohol consumption, the present study seeks to develop a comprehensive, in-depth understanding of these factors through a qualitative approach, providing deeper insight into the cultural, gender-relevant and normative influences shaping college women's heavy drinking behaviors. METHOD: = 15). Participants then participated in an in-depth semistructured interview, which were coded and analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Our main findings demonstrate that while endorsing the sexual fidelity feminine norms discourages heavy alcohol use, conforming to the appearance investment norm and resisting submissive norms motivate participants' alcohol use. We also found that toward women who drink, Asian women's attitudes tended to be more critical, while White women were more lenient. Furthermore, we identified various interpersonal influences on participants' alcohol use, such as drinking for social acceptance and distinct drinking patterns when drinking with men compared to drinking with women. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings emphasize the significance for clinicians to be conscious about the impact of conformity to certain feminine norms and cultural influences when providing interventions toward college women's alcohol use.

  PublisherDOI

• Associations between gendered racism, racial identity, and nicotine use among Asian American men

  Journal of Clinical Psychology · 2024-03-21 · 6 citations

  article

  OBJECTIVES: The present study utilized an intersectional framework to examine if two forms of gendered racism, psychological emasculation and messages about Asian American men being undesirable partners, were associated with Asian American men's nicotine use. We also examined the potential mediating roles of two racial identity statuses, racial conformity and racial immersion. METHODS: A sample of 356 Asian American men living in the United States of America (USA) completed a cross-sectional survey via Qualtrics containing measures assessing the aforementioned constructs of interest. The primary analysis examined separate parallel mediation models, situating psychological emasculation and undesirable partner as separate independent variables, racial conformity and racial immersion as parallel mediators, nicotine use as the outcome, and age and employment as covariates. RESULTS: In separate parallel mediation models, the links between psychological emasculation and undesirable partner on one hand, and nicotine use on the other, were completely mediated only by racial conformity, and not significantly mediated by racial immersion. Specifically, greater endorsement of gendered racism was associated with greater conformity with (and internalization of) these gendered racist beliefs, which in turn were associated with greater nicotine use. CONCLUSION: Researchers and practitioners may consider racial conformity as an interventional target to ameliorate Asian American men's nicotine use. Future studies should continue to examine other culturally relevant and/or potentially protective constructs (e.g., on the basis of gender, race, and its intersection) that may mitigate Asian American men's nicotine use.

  PublisherDOI

• Substance use trends and patterns among Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.

  American Psychological Association eBooks · 2024-01-01

  book-chapterSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Technology-Assisted Interventions for SUDs with Racial/Ethnic Minorities in the United States

  2023-01-01

  book-chapterSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Why conform?: The implications of conformity to feminine norms on psychological distress among college women

  Current Psychology · 2023-07-29 · 6 citations

  article1st author
  PublisherDOI

• Development and empirical test of the research‐informed South African Relationship Functioning Assessment (<scp>SARFA</scp>)

  Personal Relationships · 2023-10-13 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Intimate partners play an important role in chronic diseases. Despite the chronic disease burden in sub‐Saharan Africa, very few culturally relevant quantitative measures of intimate relationship functioning are available. We conducted an empirical investigation evaluating the psychometric properties of the South African Relationship Functioning Assessment (SARFA) assessing healthy relationship functioning in N = 150 community members (50% women; M age = 27.2 years) living in the Vulindlela area of KwaZulu‐Natal, South Africa. Item development was based on prior qualitative research from two South African communities. All assessments were conducted in isiZulu, participants' primary language. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted on the initial 39‐item measure. The best‐fitting model consisted of one factor with 22 items. The SARFA's internal consistency was α = .94. Convergent validity was observed via significant positive associations (all r s ≥ .38, p &lt; .001) between the SARFA's total score and measures of trust, emotional intimacy, constructive communication, sexual satisfaction, and relationship control (women only). Divergent validity was observed for women only. Encouraging initial psychometric properties of a culturally relevant measure of relationship functioning in KwaZulu‐Natal may have relevance to other communities and potential to be used in research involving couples and health in chronic disease‐burdened communities.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Effectiveness of man therapy to reduce suicidal ideation and depression among working‐age men: A randomized controlled trial

  Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior · 2022-11-14 · 16 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Objective This randomized controlled trial of the online intervention, man therapy (MT), evaluated efficacy to reduce suicidal ideation (SI) and depression among working‐aged men. Method Five‐hundred and fifty‐four men enrolled and 421 completed all surveys. Control Condition men explored the Healthy Men Michigan (HMM) website and Intervention Condition men explored HMM and MT. Hypotheses included men who used MT would report decreased SI and depression over time compared to Control Condition men. Results Latent growth curve modeling revealed improvements in SI (slope = −0.23, p &lt; 0.001, 95% CI: −0.29, −0.16) and depression (slope = −0.21, p &lt; 0.001, 95% CI: −0.23, −0.18) over time for men in both groups; however, there was no difference in slope based on group assignment. Depression, lifetime suicide attempts, and interpersonal needs were associated with SI. Interpersonal needs and poor mental health were associated with depression. No group differences in change in risk and protective factors over time were observed. MT sub‐group analyses revealed significant improvements in risk and protective factors. Conclusion While a direct effect of MT versus HMM on SI or depression was not observed, men in both groups improved. Results suggest online screening might play a role in reducing SI and depression among men and there are potential benefits to MT related to mental health, social support, and treatment motivation.

  PublisherDOI

• Not All the Same: Examining Asian American Women’s Self-Objectification Processes Using a Latent Class and Cultural-Specific Approach

  Psychology of Women Quarterly · 2022-04-01 · 11 citations

  articleSenior author

  Past research has shown that Asian American women are subject to distinct forms of sexism and racism that can influence culture-specific appearance evaluations. However, no studies have examined within-group differences in self-objectification processes. To address this gap, we used latent class analysis. Our study had three aims: (a) identify subgroups (e.g., latent classes) of Asian American women ( N = 554) based upon their general and group-specific self-objectification processes, (b) examine the racial objectification predictors (e.g., general racism, gendered racial microaggressions, and racial identity) of latent class membership, and (c) examine the relation between the classes and disordered eating and depression. Results of the latent class analysis yielded four classes: (a) High Self-Objectification class (37.2%), (b) Moderate Self-Objectification class (40.1%), (c) Body Conscious class (7.3%), and (d) Appearance Acceptance class (15.5%). The High Self-Objectification class reported significantly higher rates of disordered eating and depression. Women were more likely to be in the High Self-Objectification class if they experienced higher levels of gendered racial microaggressions and racial dissonance. Results can advance the literature by demonstrating significant within-group variability in self-objectification processes among Asian American Women and offer valuable clinical implications for targeting high-risk groups.

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• Stereotype threat and risk-taking propensity among Asian Americans young adults

  NIH · $94k · 2012–2014

Frequent coauthors

• Aylin Kaya

  17 shared

• Margaux M. Grivel

  New York University

  16 shared

• Thomas P. Le

  Bryn Mawr College

  16 shared

• Lauren Clinton

  Auburn University

  12 shared

• Nalini Junko Negi

  Bloomberg (United States)

  9 shared

• Jennifer Brady

  8 shared

• William R. Corbin

  Arizona State University

  8 shared

• Stephanie K. Takamatsu

  University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

  8 shared

Labs

• Gender, Culture & Health LabPI

Education

• Ph.D., Psychology

  University of Maryland, College Park

  2006

• M.S., Psychology

  University of Maryland, College Park

  2003

• B.A., Psychology

  University of California, Los Angeles

  2001