We have several key research projects currently ongoing. We also use several large publically available datasets (e.g., Add Health, Healthy Minds, Chinese Family Panel Study, etc.) to explore issues related to health and social disparity; parenting and family processes; and culturally responsive interventions.
1. Burmese Youth Psychosocial Development Longitudinal Study. This is an ongoing project to collect longitudinal data from Burmese high school students in south Indianapolis. In collaboration with Ball State University, this project includes several domains of investigation: health and mental health, educational and occupational outcomes, identity development, and civic engagement. This project is funded by the Center for Families.
2. Burmese American Community Institute (BACI) Participatory Action Research (PAR) program. As an ongoing community-engaged scholarship and funded by the Purdue Research Fund, Dr. Zhou has been providing mentorship to Burmese students through BACI on research that is informed, conducted, and interpreted by Burmese community members. Counseling doctoral students Brenda Shein and Jenni Thang have been past leaders in the BACI PAR program.
3. College Experiences of Southeast Asian Students from Refugee Background. Led by Brenda Shein, this project is currently under data collection phase (see flyer on the right) to examine resilience and risk factors among Southeast Asian students who identify as coming from refugee backgrounds.
4. Health Service Psychology Trainee Dismissal Study. This is a qualitative interview study in order to understand trainees' perspectives in the dismissal process. We have completed the data collection and are currently analyzing the interview data via consensual qualitative research (CQR) methodology. This study is funded by the APA Commission on Ethnic Minority Recruitment, Retention and Training in Psychology II (CEMRRAT2) Task Force.
5. Racial Disparity in Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS) amid COVID-19. As part of a larger, longitudinal study that focused on the psychological adjustment of U.S. population, this project specifically examined the racial disparity in PTSS using a racial trauma framework. We found POC experienced higher levels of PTSS compared to Whites, and such racial disparity could be explained by pandemic-specific stressors, and more importantly, direct racism, and indirect racism. Preprint is available here.
6. COVID-19 and family adjustment. As a pre-registered project, we collected a three-wave short-term longitudinal data to understand how U.S. parents with 3- to 8- year old children adjusted during March to June 2020 in the initial phase of COVID-19. We specifically examined the dual-trajectory of parental anxiety and child's emotional distress. Preprint is available here.
7. Disparity in sexual assault and harassment among Chinese heterosexual and sexual minority youth. Led by Nina Li, this project uses a large dataset (N = 50,818) to examine the prevalence of sexual assault and harassment among Chinese youth. Our preliminary analyses indicate 1 in 2 Chinese have reported ever experiencing sexual assault and harassment, with women and sexual minority disproportionately impacted across childhood, adolescence, and emerging adulthood.
8. A Systematic Review of Help-Seeking Barriers for Racial-Ethnic Minority Caregivers Accessing Autism Interventions. Led by Amani as one of two papers for her dissertation. This is a systematic review of the literature on healthcare barriers that exist for racial-ethnic minority families in accessing autism interventions within the healthcare system.