Raymond Moody is a clinical psychologist with expertise in syndemic approaches to health where multiple epidemics stemming from social inequities and environmental hardships interact to increase the burden of disease. His research broadly seeks to identify biopsychosocial determinants of sexual minority health and develop interventions that address vulnerabilities and promote resilience to reduce health disparities in this population. His research has focused on understanding the impact of intersecting stigmas on substance use and sexual health behaviors and the influence of emotion regulation on these health outcomes.
Ray grew up in Arizona and attended the University of Arizona, where he received a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Human Development and Family Sciences (HDFS). The foundation of his research interests was heavily influenced by his experience as an undergraduate research assistant and then lab coordinator for Dr. Stephen Russell, conducting research on sexual and gender minority health disparities, in addition to his experience as an intake coordinator for a residential drug and alcohol treatment center. He completed his Ph.D. in the Health Psychology and Clinical Science doctoral program at the City University of New York, including a year-long clinical internship at The Ohio State University. He then completed a three-year postdoctoral fellowship in the NIDA-funded T32 Substance Abuse Epidemiology Training Program at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.
Ray joined the UConn HDFS department as an Assistant Professor in August 2023. He currently teaches an undergraduate course on Individual and Family Development, HDFS 1070. He serves as the faculty advisor to the Council on Family Relations at UConn. He is on the editorial board for the Annals of Behavioral Medicine and Translational Behavioral Medicine journals of the Society of Behavioral Medicine. His research has been supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, including an R36 dissertation grant, a Loan Repayment Award, a T32 fellowship, and participation in the NIDA Diversity Scholar’s Network. Additionally, he is a current fellow in the NIDA-funded Enhanced Interdisciplinary Research Training Institute on Hispanic Substance Abuse.
Ray enjoys traveling with his husband, Wes, and exercising with their dog, Pepper. While in graduate school, Ray developed some skills for baking, and he continues to use his baking skills today.