Broadly, the aim of Dr. Derek Iwamoto's research is to address health disparities experienced by traditionally underserved and understudied groups including African Americans and Asian Americans by 1) identifying socio-cultural factors and mechanisms that influence the development of substance use and mental health problems, and 2) conducting translational research to inform and augment substance abuse treatment and interventions targeting at-risk ethnic and racial minority adolescents and young adults. To date, his work has contributed to the literature by examining the influence of socio-cultural factors including racial socialization (i.e., racial consciousness, racial/ethnic group attachment) and gender socialization, or the beliefs, attitudes and expectations of what it means to be a man or woman (adherence to masculine and feminine norms), on substance abuse and mental health problems among ethnically diverse populations. Dr. Iwamoto recently edited the first ever book on counseling interventions with Asian American men.