Summary: My Pre-Dissertation Research Project explores how couples navigate relationships when at least one partner identifies as asexual. By examining the role of stigma, identity, and larger social systems, this work looks at how asexual people and their partners build and sustain connection across different levels of their lives.

Research Questions

My project asks:

  • How do asexual people and their partners navigate love, intimacy, and connection?

  • What role do stigma, identity, and intersecting identities (such as race, gender, and sexuality) play in shaping these relationships?

  • How do larger systems—families, communities, and cultural norms—support or challenge asexual individuals in relationships?

  • What can we learn from these experiences to reduce stigma and build more inclusive mental health and relationship support?

Why It Matters: Asexual voices are often overlooked in psychological research, leaving major gaps in how we understand relationships and well-being in this community. By centering asexual experiences, this project works to reduce stigma, highlight resilience, and create insights that can strengthen relationships. The findings can also inform more inclusive clinical practices and support systems, ensuring that asexual individuals and their partners are better understood and supported.

Project #1: Pre-Dissertation Research Project

Current Research

Hall, D. L., & Hall, D. L. (2025). Asexual identity strength and age of self-identification as factors in mental health. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/sgd0000874

Summary: Asexual people often face unique mental health challenges because of stigma and discrimination related to their identity. In our study, 200 asexual adults in the U.S. and U.K. completed a survey about when they first identified as asexual and how strongly they connect with that identity. We found that people who identified as asexual at younger ages were more likely to report depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts, and that the strength of their identity also shaped links to phobias and trauma. These results show that the timing and strength of asexual identity are closely tied to mental health, underscoring the need for more affirming care and better support for the asexual community.

Recent Work

©American Psychological Association, [2025]. This paper is not the copy of record and may not exactly replicate the authoritative document published in the APA journal. The final article is available, upon publication, at: 10.1037/sgd0000874

Hall, D. L., & Hall, D. L. (2024, Feb 8-10). Asexual mental health and satisfaction with life: An investigation of age at identification and asexual identity strength. [Virtual pre-conference single speaker presentation]. Society of Personality & Social Psychology [SPSP]: Advancing LGBTQI+ Research Across the Globe, San Diego, CA.

Summary: Using a minority stress framework, this study examined how structural and interpersonal stressors shape the mental health of individuals within the diverse asexual (Ace) spectrum. Given asexuality’s inherently intersectional nature, we investigated the relationship between age of orientation identification and mental health and well-being, while also exploring asexual identity strength as both a predictor and potential moderator. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how identity development processes interact with minority stress to affect outcomes for Ace communities.