Dr. Guy Shilo

Theory & Practice of social planning and social management

Dr. Guy Shilo attained his Master's degree and PhD in social work at Tel Aviv University, and has been a Visiting Scholar at the Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality at New York University, working mainly with faculty members from Steinhardt School of culture, education, and human development. He is currently a lecturer at the Bob Shapell School of Social Work.

Dr. Shilo's research activity over the years is embedded within the 'person in environment' perspective in social work, and focused on stressors of sexual minorities, and on how these stressors impact quality of life. Over the years, he has studied these issues in several contexts, focusing on both personal and social stressors, and on the impact of these stressors on both mental and physical health. He has also expanded this research to assess resilience factors that help minorities cope with these stressors.

 
In one line of research, focusing on minority stress and quality of life, Dr. Shilo has expanded the theoretical and research study of minority stress model to non-U.S. contexts and to adolescents, proposing mechanisms through which minority stressors impact LGB youths' mental health, and emphasizing the importance of family and friends’ support as predictors of mental health among LGB youth, as well as the negative impact of family and social undermining (Family Relations 2011, and the Journal of Research on Adolescents 2012). In addition, he has expanded the research to assess how minority stressors impact not only mental, but physical health as well (Health and Social Work 2014, and Sexual Health, forthcoming). In a related line of research, Dr. Shilo focused on resilience factors that help sexual minorities cope with social and personal stressors (American Journal of Community Psychology 2015 ) and resilence factors that are unique to sexual minority sub-groups and intersectional identities (e.g., religious gay men, Archives of Sexual Behavior, forthcoming).
 

Another line of Dr. Shilo's research focuses on attitudes and beliefs in the social surrounding that are related to the stressors of minority groups. In this line of research, Dr. Shilo studies the social and school climate toward LGBT students (Journal of LGBT Youth 2008) and the way social workers define same-sex relationships within their family concept (Journal of Social Work, forthcoming).

Academic CV >

• Gender, Sexual Orientation, and Sexuality
• Psychological Aspects of Adolescents
• Research Methods
• Social Work Methods
• Intervention Skills in Social Work

I believe in integrating my professional and research activities with social policy and practice. In the past I have been a member of the mental health forum in the social workers' association; in the last 15 years I have volunteered in the Israeli LGBT community services (The Aguda, Israeli Gay Youth Organization, Tel Aviv LGBT community center, Beit Dror) both as a social worker, and as a researcher, In light of the Israeli Social workers' code of ethics which calls us to work in order to minimize the effects of stigma and prejudice toward sexual minority.

Publications 2015 >