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Daphne C. Watkins

Letha A. Chadiha Collegiate Professor of Social Work, University Diversity and Social Transformation Professor, Professor of Social Work, School of Social Work

Daphne C. Watkins

Daphne C. Watkins is a University Diversity and Social Transformation Professor at the University of Michigan who studies: (1) behavioral interventions for historically underrepresented groups; (2) mixed methods approaches to research in context; and (3) social impact leadership and organizational development.

Centering the strategies for success among historically marginalized groups, Professor Watkins’ research aims to maximize human potential, elevate social experiences, and provide equitable impact in communities and organizations. She is a community-practitioner interested in developing efficient tools and systems that activate positive, strengths-based outcomes for those most in need. Ultimately, she is committed to conducting and mobilizing cutting-edge, use-inspired research to address important social concerns.

Professor Watkins is the founding director of the Gender and Health Research (GendHR) Lab, the Certificate Program in Mixed Methods Research, and the award-winning Young Black Men, Masculinities, and Mental Health (YBMen) Project, which leverages technology to provide mental health education and social support for young Black men. She teaches graduate-level courses on research methods, social equity and equality, and community-based interventions. She also serves on committees and advisory boards aimed at improving men’s health equity both domestically and globally.

Research Interests/Focus

Behavioral interventions; mixed methods; leadership development; social impact; social innovations; organizations; underrepresented groups

Contact Information

PhoneEmailRoomAddress
(734) 647-0161[email protected]University of Michigan
School of Social Work
1080 S. University
Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Education

Year Degree   School
2025 EMBA Leadership & Organizational Behavior Quantic School of Business and Technology, Washington, DC
2006 PhD Health Education & Behavior Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
2002 BA Anthropology & French University of North Carolina, Wilmington

Websites

The Curtis Center
The Gender and Health Research (GendHR) Lab
The YBMen Project

News

See all Daphne C. Watkins SSW news posts »

Year Description
2024 Watkins, DC. The Promise and Potential of Mental Health, Manhood Redefined, and Social Support Through the YBMen Project. Merrill Palmer Skinner Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan. February 8, 2024.
2024 Watkins, DC. (2024) Maximizing Your Mixed Methods With Secondary Data. Designing Your Mixed Methods Research: An Interactive Workshop. Stanford University, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, April 25 to April 27, 2024
2023 Watkins, DC. Reimagining Mental Health, Manhood, and Social Support Through the YBMen Project. Inaugural Symposium of the Black Men’s Research Institute (BMRI), Morehouse College, Atlanta, Georgia. March 29-30
2022 Watkins, DC. This is America: Where Mental Health is Your Most Valued Asset. University Health Service Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Symposium Keynote. February 24, 2022
2022 Watkins, DC. Leveraging Racial Equity in Community, Family, and Peer Support. Caswell Diabetes Institute – Metabolism, Obesity, and Diabetes (CDI-MOD) Symposium. May 11-12
2022 Watkins, DC. Centering Communities and Families with Peers. At the Communities, Families, and Peers: Opportunities to Address Diabetes, Racism, and Inequities Michigan Center for Diabetes Translational Research (MCDTR) Core 3 Workshop, May 12
2021 Watkins, DC. Centering Race in Health Equity Research and Leadership. Diabetes Peer Support Special Interest Group. Michigan Center for Diabetes Translational Research (MCDTR). April 7, 2021
2020 Watkins, DC. #BlackMen: Resourceful and Resilient in the Face of Adversity. #CRSPCast. Center for Race and Social Problems. University of Pittsburgh. July 1, 2020
2020 Watkins, DC. Physical Distance, Social Connection: The Practice and Potential of the YBMen Project. Part of the panel: Strategies for supporting the social and emotional wellbeing of students of colour and First Nations students. With James Smith & Bep Uink. July 23, 2020
2020 Williams, E. G. & Watkins, D. C. (2020, January). “Black Boys Perceptions of Depression and Mental Health: Findings from the YBMen Project.” Presented as part of the symposium titled: Black/African American Boys in Context. Society for Social Work Research 24th Annual Conference. Washington, DC.
2020 Goodwill, J. R., & Watkins, D. C. (2020, January). Everyday Discrimination and Suicide Ideation Among African American Men: Examining Depressive Symptoms as a Mediator. Society for Social Work Research 24th Annual Conference. Washington, DC.
2019 Watkins, DC. The what, why, and how of doing mixed methods research with existing data. William T. Grant Foundation Qualitative and Mixed Methods Workshop. Michigan Research and Scholarship Program. Ann Arbor, MI, April 26
2019 Watkins, DC. Strategies to improve the physical and mental health of Black men. Comprehensive Student Retention Strategies for Men of Color. Academic Impressions, Orlando, FL, November 17-19, 2019
2019 Williams, E.G., Watkins, D.C. “Social Work's Role in the Mental Health of Black Boys.” Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) 23rd Annual Conference. San Francisco, CA, January 16-20, 2019
2019 Goodwill, J. R., Watkins, D. C. (2019, January). Maladaptive Copings Behaviors, Self-Compassion, and Suicide Ideation in Black College Students. Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) 23rd Annual Conference. San Francisco, CA.
2019 Watkins, D. C. (2019, March). Successful Prevention and Early Intervention Strategies Rooted in Social Media. Strategic Discussion on Mental Health for Boys and Men of Color. Mental Health California. The California Endowment, Sacramento, California.
2014 Watkins, DC. (2014, June). Lessons learned from the implementation and evaluation of an online mixed methods research continuing education program for social workers. Mixed Methods International Research Association Inaugural Conference, Boston, MA.
2008 Watkins, D. C., & Neighbors, H. W. (2008, March). Insight before we act: Exploring what "mental health" means to young black men. On the panel titled, A Developmental Look at the Intersection of Race and Gender in Psychopathology of the 2008 Society for Research on Adolescence, Biennial Meeting in Chicago, IL.
2007 Watkins, D. C. (2007, August). Media and cultural stereotypes. Presented at the NIH/UNM Mentorship and Education Program Training Institute in Mental Health Services Research, Albuquerque, NM.
2007 Watkins, D. C. (2007, January). Black college men and mental health: A time for action. Presented at the Southwestern Black Student Leadership Conference (SBSLC). College Station, TX.
2006 Watkins, D. C. (2006, November). Using your past job experience to develop your future career. Guest Speaker for Psychology Course: Citizenship for Engagement, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.
2006 Watkins, D. C. (2006, April). Mental health: It's not really 'health' is it? Presented at the Sterling C. Evans Library Presentation, Texas A&M Univeristy, College Station, TX.
2006 Watkins, D. C. (2006, March). Public speaking and the media. Presented at the NIMH/UNM Mentorship and Education Program Training Institute in Mental Health Services Research, Albuquerque, NM.
2006 Watkins, D. C. (2006, March). Life events and their impact on the mental health of young black men: A qualitative study. Presented at the NIMH/UNM Mentorship and Education Program Training Institute in Mental Health Services Research. Albuquerque, NM.
2006 Watkins, D. C. (2006, March). The mental health of young black men: The impact of stressful life events. Presented at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin Minority Scholars Program.
2006 Watkins, D. C. (2006, March). Choosing a research focus in graduate school. Presented at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin Minority Scholars Program.
2006 Watkins, D. C. (2006, February). Building and maintaining strong mentors. Presented at the Center for the Study of Health Disparities Publication Workshop, College Station, TX.
2006 Watkins, D. C., Sharf, B., Rowell, K., Rivers, D., Roberts-Perez, S., Sarabia, M., et al. (2006, May). Hearing their voices: Issues that affect patient health literacy. Presented at the 2006 Society for Public Health Education Mid-year Scientific Conference, Las Vegas, NV.
2006 Rivers, D., Rivers, B., Green, B. L., Rowell, K., Watkins, D. C., Louis, R., et al. (2006, April). Equipping current and future health professionals through research, education, and training to address health disparities: The CSHD model. Presented at the American Academy of Health Education/American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance Convention in Salt Lake City, UT.
2006 Watkins, D. C., Rivers, D., Rowell, K., Green, B. L., & Rivers, B. M. (2006, March). A closer look at effect sizes and their relevance to health education. Presented at the American Academy of Health Behavior, Carmel, CA.
2005 Watkins, D. C. (2005, October). What can be done about African American college men and depression? Visionary Scholars Presentation, Center for the Study of Health Disparites, College Station, TX.
2005 Watkins, D. C., & Rowell, K. (2005, May). Mental health and minority populations, "Brazos Valley Health" KEOS 89.1, College Station, TX.
2005 Watkins, D. C. (2005, March). Depression among black men in a rural community in southern Texas. Presented at the NIMH/UNM Mental Health Mentorship and Education Program Training Institute, Albuqueque, NM.
2005 Rivers, B. M., & Watkins, D. C. (2005, February). The center for the study of health disparities: Inequalites in health opportunities for change. "Brazos Valley Health" KEOS 89.1, College Station, TX, Radio Interview.
2005 Watkins, D. C. (2005, February). Keeping it real: The truth about graduate school (panelist). Presented at the Black Graduate Student Association, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX.
2005 Buhi, L., Green, B. L., Rivers, B., McWhinney, S., Dorman, S., & Watkins, D. C. (2005, December). Collaboration between a research institution, federally qualified health center, and historically black university: A necessary, yet challenging endeavor. Presented at the American Public Health Association, Philadelphia, PA.
2005 Walker, A., & Watkins, D. C. (2005, October). The role of 'believability' in identifying health information sources on college campuses. Presented at the Southwest College Health Association (SWCHA) Annual Meeting-Regional Conference, Denton, TX.
2005 Watkins, D. C., Rowell, K., Rivers, D., Green, B. L., & Rivers, B. (2005, October). The limited research on African-American college men and depression: A path to solutions. Presented at the National Conference on Men's Health, Atlanta, GA.
2005 Watkins, D. C., Green, B. L., Rivers, B., Rivers, D., & Rowell, K. (2005, March). Depressive symptoms in black men: Using theory to plan a help seeking program for black, male university students. Presented at Student Research Week, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX.
2005 Rivers, D., Rivers, B., Watkins, D. C., Green, B. L., Rowell, K., Louis, R., et al. (2005, December). Self-management education among African-Americans with type II diabetes: A literature review. Presented at the Society for Public Health Education's (SOPHE) 56th Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, PA.
2005 Rivers, D., Rivers, B., Green, B. L., Rowell, K., Watkins, D. C., & Arekere, D. (2005, December). Race-base research: Mayhem or miracle? Presented at the American Public Health Association, Philadelphia, PA.
2005 Green, B. L., Dorman, S., Rivers, B., Watkins, D. C., Rivers, D., & Rowell, K. (2005, December). Development of a research center within an academic setting to coordinate and build infrastructure to conduct health disparities research. Presented at the American Public Health Association Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA.
2005 Delissaint, D., Rivers, D., Green, B. L., Honore, H., Watkins, D. C., Rivers, B., et al. (2005, December). Global health disparities: HIV/AIDS & its impact on human rights. Presented at the American Public Health Association, Philadelphia, PA.
2005 Rivers, B., Green, B. L., Rowell, K., Watkins, D. C., Rivers, D., & Robledo, M. (2005, December). A transdisciplinary approach to career development and training of health disparities researchers. Presented at the American Public Health Association Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA.
2005 Watkins, D. C., Green, B. L., & Stanley, C. (2005, October). The health of African American male students at historically black colleges and universities: Is there limited research? Presented at the 4th International Conference on Urban Health, Toronto, Canada.
2005 Rowell, K., Rivers, D., Watkins, D. C., Rivers, B., & Green, B. L. (2005, August). Perceived racism as a stressor in suicide attempts among African Americans. Presented at the Association of Black Psychologists, Miami Beach, FL.
2005 Watkins, D. C., Rivers, D., Green, B. L., Rivers, B., & Rowell, K. (2005, April). Factors that lead to depression among black men: A systematic review of the literature from 1984 to 2004. Presented at the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) Mid-year Scientific Conference, Boston, MA.
2005 Rivers, D., Rivers, B., Watkins, D. C., Rowell, K., & Green, B. L. (2005, March). Self-management education among African-American persons with Type 2 diabetes: A literature review, Student Research Week. Texas A&M University, College Station, TX.
2005 Watkins, D. C., Green, B. L., & Rivers, B. (2005, March). Depressive symptoms in Black men: Using theory to plan a help seeking program for black, male university students. Presented at the 19th National Conference on Chronic Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), Atlanta, GA.
2005 Rivers, B., Green, B. L., Kohler, C., Watkins, D. C., Rivers, D., & Rowell, K. (2005, February). An Assessment of the relationship of socio-demographic factors, prostate cancer knowledge and perceived readiness to participate in the informed decision making process for prostate cancer. Presented at the American Academy of Health Behavior, Charleston, SC.
2004 Watkins, D. C. (2004, October). Exploring "Human genetic variation and health: New assessment approaches based on ethnogenetic layering" by Fatimah L. C. Jackson. Visionary Scholars Presentation, Center for the Study of Health Disparities, College Station, TX.
2003 Watkins, D. C., Green, B. L., & Rivers, B. (2003, November). Center for the Study of Health Disparities: Inequalities in health, opportunities for change. Presented at the Health Services & Outcomes Research Conference, Houston, TX.

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