Dr. Wongsomboon’s research is interdisciplinary, examining how stigma, social contexts, and evolving forms of relationship development influence health & well-being. She uses a range of quantitative and qualitative methods (e.g., cross-sectional, longitudinal, experimental, natural language processing) to study how psychosocial factors, family/peer processes, and relationship choices/statuses influence health outcomes. Her work also explores relationship formation and maintenance across diverse settings, particularly in contemporary and digital contexts, among vulnerable or underrepresented populations facing health disparities. Before joining FSU, she completed her Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of Florida and postdoctoral fellowships at Northwestern and Yale Universities.
The Sexuality & Health in Context (SHIC) Lab
Dr. Wongsomboon is the director of the SHIC lab. Learn more about the lab here:
https://www.theshiclab.com/
We welcome motivated students interested in gaining research experience in human development & family science and related fields. We also welcome volunteers, especially those preparing for graduate school or careers in the social and health sciences.
If you are interested, please email: v.wongsomboon@fsu.edu with a) a brief statement (1–2 paragraphs) about your interest and any relevant experience, as well as your availability (hours per week and semester).
Research Overview
The Sexuality and Health in Context (SHIC) Lab investigates how social contexts, stigma, and contemporary relationship environments shape sexuality and health across development. We approach relationships as a health context—examining how sexual/relationship decisions and experiences function as determinants of health. Our work focuses on adolescence through adulthood, with particular attention to populations whose experiences are often overlooked—such as LGBTQ youth and people navigating singlehood.
We examine how family, peer, and digital environments influence relationship and sexual decisions, and how those decisions affect health outcomes. Using mixed-methods approaches, we map the pathways from social stressors to relationship decisions to health, identifying when, how, and for whom different contexts help or harm well-being.
Research Areas
Social Stress and Sexual/Relationship Decision-Making
We study how social stressors—such as stigma, family pressure, peer influence, and relationship norms or expectations—influence sexual and relationship decisions. These decisions (whether to seek, enter, sustain, or avoid relationships, as well as sexual choices and behaviors) play a pivotal role in development and well-being. By mapping the mechanisms linking stressors to decisions and outcomes, we identify intervention points and clarify when, how, and for whom relationships help or harm well-being across diverse populations and contexts.
Singlehood as Developmental and Health Context
Singlehood is not simply the absence of a romantic relationship—it is its own developmental and social context with unique implications for health and well-being. Our research examines how norms, stigma, and fear of being single (FOBS) shape dating standards, partner seeking, and decisions about pursuing or maintaining relationships. We study when singlehood functions as a space for resilience and growth, and when it creates vulnerabilities for mental, sexual, and relational health.
Digital Contexts of Intimacy and Health
Digital environments—from social media to dating apps to emerging AI companionship—are now central to how young people explore sexuality and form relationships. We investigate how adolescents and young adults navigate intimacy in these online contexts, including their motives for seeking partners, experiences of affirmation or discrimination, and exposure to risks such as cyber dating abuse. Our studies explore how digital spaces create both opportunities and challenges for health and identity development, with particular attention to how vulnerable youth (e.g., LGBTQ youth) use these platforms differently and how emerging technologies like AI companionship may reshape intimacy and relationship development. We are also interested in translational applications, including digital interventions and safety education to promote healthy relationship development in online spaces.
Sexual Pleasure and Well-Being in Context
We examine sexual pleasure, satisfaction, and communication as key dimensions of health across all types of intimate experiences—from committed romantic relationships to casual sexual encounters. Our research also explores how social and relational pressures—such as sexual script or stigma, partner expectations, and performance anxiety—shape sexual behaviors and communication patterns (e.g., faking orgasm) in varied contexts. Much of this research focuses on diverse and understudied populations such as queer individuals and men who have sex with men, addressing significant gaps in sexual pleasure and well-being research.