Keith J. Watts | University of Kentucky College of Arts & Sciences

Keith J. Watts

• Assistant Professor, College of Social Work

• Core Faculty, Center for Health, Engagement and Transformation

• Member, Markey Cancer Center

• Affiliate Faculty, African American & Africana Studies

Guided by the principles of social justice, Dr. Keith J. Watts’ research program is dedicated to advancing health equity for marginalized populations. He focuses on the significant health disparities affecting racial, sexual, and gender minorities, employing minority stress and intersectionality frameworks to understand these complex dynamics. A central theme of his work is exploring the protective role of belongingness within identity-based communities. Using collaborative, community-engaged methods, Dr. Watts seeks to translate key research findings into tangible interventions and effective policies that foster community well-being.

Contact Information

keithjwatts@uky.edu

671 Patterson Office Tower

(859)-257-6660

Education

Ph.D. in Social Work • Virginia Commonwealth University
Master of Social Work • Clark Atlanta University
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology • Georgia State University

Research Interests

health disparities
well-being
community
belongingness
Identity and Intersectionality

Affiliations

African American and Africana Studies
Commonwealth Institute for Black Studies
College of Social Work
Center for Health Equity Transformation

ORCID
LinkedIn
Twitter

Dr. Keith J. Watts

Selected Publications

Selected Publications:

Griffin, D., Thrasher, S. S., Watts, K. J., Baiden, P., Maccio, E.M., & Tate, M. (2025). Protective factors for marijuana use and suicidal behavior among Black LGBQ U.S. high school students. Social Sciences. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14050267

Li, C., Howard, S. P., Rogers, C. R., Andrzejak, S., Gilbert, K. L., Watts, K. J., Bevel, M. S., Moody, M. D., Langston, M. E., Doty, J. V., Toriola, A. T., Conwell, D., & Moore, J. X. (2024). Allostatic load, educational attainment, and risk of cancer mortality among US men. JAMA Network Open. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.49855

Thrasher, S. S., Cupid, S., Watts, K. J., Henderson, T., Brune, S., Tate, M., Griffin, D., & Gwynn, D. X. (2024). “You have to humanize your feelings:” Black fathers’ reflections on how youth violence prevention and penetrations influence their overall health and fathering practices. Social Work in Public Health. https://doi.org/10.1080/19371918.2024.2371967

Watts, K. J., & Thrasher, S.S. (2023). The impact of community belongingness on mental health and well-being among Black LGBTQ adults. Race and Social Problems. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12552-023-09396-5

Watts, K. J., Wagaman, M. A., Eaton, A. D., Leung, V. W. Y., & Craig, S. L. (2023). Examining the role of peer and family belongingness in the mental health of Black LGBTQ+ youth. Child & Youth Services. https://doi.org/10.1080/0145935X.2023.2261364

Watts, K. J., Matijczak, A., Tomlinson, C. A., Wagaman, M. A., Murphy, J. L., O’Connor, K., & McDonald, S. E. (2022). Transgender and gender expansive emerging adults: The moderating role of thwarted belongingness on mental health. Psychology & Sexuality. https://doi.org/10.1080/19419899.2022.2143276

Watts, K. J., & Bentley, K. J. (2021). Perceptions of gay Black men on the social construction of masculinity and its role in mental health. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health. https://doi.org/10.1080/19359705.2021.1949422

Dentato, M. P., Verdino, A., Argüello, T. M., & Watts, K. J. (2022). Practice with the gay male community. In M. P. Dentato (Ed.), Social work practice with the LGBTQ+ community: The intersection of history, health, mental health and policy factors (2nd Ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Wagaman, M. A., Gattis, M. N., Watts, K. J., Yabar, M. P., Blair, D., Haynes, T., & Williams, E. G. (2022). The role of schools in supporting students experiencing homelessness: Perceptions of school staff. Children & Schools. https://doi.org/10.1093/cs/cdac002

Wagaman, M. A., Watts, K. J., Lamneck, V., D’Souza, S., McInroy, L. B., Eaton, A., & Craig, S. (2020). Managing stressors online and offline: LGBTQ+ youth in the Southern United States. Children and Youth Services Review. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.104799

Wagaman, M. A., Alessi, E., Goffnett, J., Watts, K. J., Iacono, G., Thomas, D., Paceley, M. S., & Craig, S. (2019). Interrupting hetero- and cisnormativity in social work programs: LGBTQ+ student strategies for increasing inclusion. Journal of Social Work Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2019.1671261