Cixin Wang

Research Interests

Bullying and bullying prevention, school-based mental health services and prevention of mental health problems, mental health literacy, help seeking among culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students, parenting practice and family involvement

Bio

Cixin Wang is an assistant professor of School Psychology in the College of Education at the University of Maryland, College Park (Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education). She received her Ph.D. in School Psychology from University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2011. She then completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at Kennedy Krieger Institute/Johns Hopkins University in 2013. Her research interests focus on bullying prevention and mental health promotion among children and adolescents. Her research seeks to: (1) better understand different factors contributing to bullying/ victimization and mental health difficulties, including individual, family, school, and cultural factors; (2) develop effective prevention and intervention techniques to decrease bullying at school; and (3) develop school-wide prevention models to promote mental health among students, especially among culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students. Dr. Wang is currently conducting the following studies:

Promoting mental health literacy and positive help-seeking attitudes for school-based mental health services among minority adolescents.
The Bullying Literature Project: Using children’s literature to promote prosocial behavior and social -emotional outcomes among elementary school students.
The impact of school (e.g., school climate) and family factors (e.g., parenting practice, parental ethnic racial socialization) on students’ involvement in bullying and psychosocial adjustment.
Culturally Responsive Parenting Intervention to Reduce Bullying and Depression for Asian American Students.

Notice to Applicants for the Ph.D. Program in School Psychology

It is an exciting time in the field of school psychology. The roles and functions of school psychologists have evolved dramatically, and expanded from the traditional assessment to school-based mental health services (e.g., prevention and early intervention). I work actively with my graduate students to address those current issues in the field and prepare them to embrace the new roles of school psychologists.

I will be accepting Ph.D. students for mentorship in the 2019-2020 academic year. Applicants with an interest in school based mental health services, peer relationships, bullying prevention, parenting practice, working with culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students, and bridging the gap between research and practice are especially encouraged to apply. Please feel free to contact me directly if you have any specific questions.

Honors & Awards

Early Career Award for Distinguished Contributions to Research, Asian American Psychological Association, 2017

Early Career Psychologist Travel Award, American Psychological Association, Division 16 School Psychology, 2017

American Psychological Association Public Interest Leadership Conference (PILC) Health Equity Dissemination Award, 2016

Early Career Scholar, School Psychology Research Collaboration Conference (SPRCC), 2015

Early Career Scholarship, Trainers of School Psychology, 2015

Irwin Hyman and Nadine Lambert Memorial Scholarship, American Academy of School Psychology, 2011

Publications

*Student authors + postdoctoral fellow

Atwal, K.*, & Wang, C. (In press). Religious head covering, being perceived as foreigners, victimization, and adjustment among Sikh American adolescents. School Psychology Quarterly. doi:10.1037/spq0000301

Wang, C., Boyanton, D., Ross, A. M.*, Liu, J.*, Sullivan, K. E.*, Do, K. A. † (In press). School climate, victimization, and mental health outcomes among elementary school students in China. School Psychology International.

Wang, C., La Salle, T., Do, K. A. †, Wu, C., & Sullivan K. E.* (In press). Does parental involvement matter for students' mental health difficulties and suicide thoughts and behaviors in middle school? School Psychology Quarterly. doi: 10.1037/spq0000300

Wang, C., La Salle, T., Wu, C., Do, K. A. †, & Sullivan K. E*. (In press). School climate and parental involvement buffer the risk of victimization on suicidal thoughts and behavior among Asian American middle school students. Asian American Journal of Psychology. doi: 10.1037/aap0000138

Do, K. A. †, Wang, C., & Atwal, K.* (In press). Peer victimization and the perpetual foreigner stereotype on Sikh American adolescents’ mental health outcomes: The moderating effects of coping and behavior enculturation. Asian American Journal of Psychology. doi: 10.1037/aap0000132

Xie, J., Liu, S., Yang, C., Furlong, M. J., Wang, C., Boyanton, D., Deng, J. (2018). Validation of the Social and Emotional Health Survey-Primary Chinese Students. Chinese Journal of Clinical Psychology, 3 (26), 522-527.

Wang, C., Do, K. A. †, & Frese, K.*, Zheng, L*. (2018). Asian Immigrant Parents’ Perception of Barriers Preventing Adolescents from Seeking School-Based Mental Health Services. School Mental Health. doi:10.1007/s12310-018-9285-0

Wang, C., Do, K. A. †, Bao, L., Xia, Y., Wu, C., & Couch, L*. (2018). Ecological influences on Chinese Adolescents’ problem behaviors: A multilevel study of individual, family, school and cultural characteristics. Journal of Family Issues, 39, 2545-2571. . doi; org/10.1177/0192513X18757828

Ryoo, J., Wang, C., Swearer, S., Hull, M., & Shi, D. (2018). Longitudinal Model Building using Latent Transition Analysis: An example using school bullying data. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 675. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00675

Wang, C., Yang, C., Jiang, X., & Furlong, M. (2018). Validation of the Chinese version of the Social Emotional Health Survey-Primary. International Journal of School and Educational Psychology, 6, 62-74. doi:10.1080/ 21683603.2016.1272026.

Cheng, H., Wang, C., McDermott, R., Kriedel, M.*, & Rislin, J.* (2018). Self-stigma, mental health literacy, and attitudes toward seeking psychological help. Journal of Counseling and Development, 96, 64-74. doi: 10.1002/jcad.12178.

Wang, C., Do, K. A. †, Bao, L., Xia, Y., & Wu, C. (2017). Parental autonomy granting and school functioning among Chinese adolescents: The moderating role of adolescents’ cultural values. Frontiers in Psychology, section Educational Psychology, 8, 2161. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02161 (Impact factor: 2.321; 5-year impact factor: 2.820)

La Salle, T., Wang, C., Parris, L., & Brown, J. A. (2017). Associations between school climate, suicidal thoughts, and behaviors and ethnicity among middle school students. Psychology in the Schools, 54, 1294-1301. doi: 10.1002/pits.22078

Ryoo, J. H., Wang, C., Swearer, S. M., & Park, S*. (2017). Investigation of transitions in bullying/victimization statuses of gifted and general education students. Exceptional Children, 83, 396-411. doi: 10.1177/0014402917698500

Wang, C., & Goldberg, T. S.* (2017). Using children’s literature to decrease moral disengagement and victimization among elementary school students. Advanced online publication on June 26, 2017. Psychology in the Schools. doi:10.1002/pits.22042

Wang, C., Yang, C., Jiang, X., & Furlong, M. (2017). Validation of the Chinese version of the Social Emotional Health Survey-Primary. International Journal of School and Educational Psychology. Advanced online publication on June 9, 2017. doi:10.1080/ 21683603.2016.1272026

Wang, C., Ryoo, J. H., Swearer, S. M., Turner, R., & Goldberg, T. S.* (2017). Longitudinal relationships of bullying and moral disengagement among adolescents. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 46, 1304-1317. doi: 10.1007/s10964-016-0577-0. 2015.

Cheung, C., Wang, C., Monroy, J.*, & Couch, L.* (2016). Adolescents’ implicit theories of peer relationships and their school adjustment. AERA Open, 2(4), 1-8. doi: 10.1177/2332858416675328.

Hong, N., Li, C., & Wang, C. (2016). Students' perceptions of resilience promoting factors in Chinese and American middle schools. School Psychology International. 37(5), 435-455. doi: 10.1177/0143034316664391. 2015.

Wang, C., Wang, W.*, & Zheng, L.*, & Atwal, K.* (2016). Bullying prevention as a social justice issue: Implications with Asian American elementary school students. School Psychology Forum: Research into Practice, 10(3), 251-264.

Wei, M., Li, J., Wang, C., & Ko, S.* (2016). Finding benefits from acculturative stress among Asian Americans: Self-reflection moderating the mediating effects of ethnocultural empathy on positive outcomes. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 63, 633-644. doi:10.1037/cou0000173.

Shea, M., Wang, C., Shi, W.*, Gonzalez, V.*, & Espelage, D. (2016). Parents and teachers’ perspective on school bullying among elementary school-aged Asian and Latino immigrant children. Asian American Journal of Psychology, 7, 83-96. doi: 10.1037/aap0000047.

Wang, C., Xia, Y. R., Li, W., Wilson, S., Bush, K. & Peterson, G. (2016). Parenting behaviors, adolescent depressive symptoms, and problem behavior: The role of self-esteem and school adjustment difficulties among Chinese adolescents. Journal of Family Issues, 37, 520-542.doi:10.1177/0192513X14542433

Radliff, K. M., Wang, C., & Swearer, S. M. (2016). Bullying perpetration and peer victimization: An examination of cognitive and psychosocial constructs. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 31, 1983-2005. doi: 10.1177/0886260515572476.

Shea, M., Wang, C., Shi, W., Gonzalez, V., & Espelage, D. (2016). Strengthening home-school collaboration to combat school bullying: A focus group study with parents and teachers of Asian and Latino immigrant children. Asian American Journal of Psychology, 7, 83-96. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/aap0000047

Wang, C., Couch, L.*, Rodriguez, G. R.* & Lee, C. (2015). The Bullying Literature Project: Using children’s literature to promote prosocial behavior and social -emotional outcomes among elementary school students. Contemporary School Psychology, 19, 320-329. doi: 10.1007/s40688-015-0064-8

Wang, C. & Atwal, K*. (2015). School climate, discrimination, and depressive symptoms among Asian American adolescents. Contemporary School Psychology, 19, 205-217. doi: 10.1007/s40688-014-0040-8

Wang, C., Swearer, S. M., Lembeck, P., Collins, A., & Berry, B. (2015). Teachers matter: An examination of student-teacher relationships, attitudes towards bullying, and bullying behavior. Journal of Applied School Psychology, 31(3), 219-238. doi: 10.1080/15377903.2015.1056923

Wang, C., Ni, H., Ding, Y., & Yi, C. (2015). Chinese teachers’ perceptions of the roles and functions of school psychological service providers in Beijing. School Psychology International, 36, 77-93. doi: 10.1177/0143034314560623

Roo, J. H., Wang, C., Swearer, S. (2015). Examination of the change of latent statuses in bullying behaviors across time. School Psychology Quarterly, 30, 105-122. doi:10.1037/spq0000082

Xia, Y., Wang, C., Li, W., Wilson, S., Bush, K., & Peterson, G. (2015). Chinese parenting behaviors, adolescent school adjustment, and problem behavior. Marriage and Family Review, 51(6), 489-515. doi: 10.1080/01494929.2015.1038408

Swearer, S., Wang, C., Berry, B.*, & Myers, Z*. (2014). Reducing bullying: Application of social cognitive theory. Theory into Practice, 53(4), 271-277. doi:10.1080/ 00405841.2014.947221

Wang, C., Berry, B.*, & Swearer, S. M. (2013). The critical role of school climate in effective bullying prevention. Theory into Practice, 52(4), 296-302. doi: 10.1080/00405841.2013.829735

Swearer, S. M., Wang, C., Magg, J. W., Siebecker, A. B., & Frerichs, L. (2012). Understanding the bullying dynamic among students in special and general education. Journal of School Psychology, 50, 503-520.

Raikes, H., Torquati, J., Wang, C. & Shjegstad, B. (2012). Parent experiences with state child care subsidy systems and their perceptions of choice and quality in care selected. Early Education and Development, 23, 558-582.

Li, Y., Wang, M., Wang, C., & Shi, J. (2010). Individualism, collectivism, and Chinese adolescents’ aggression: Intracultural variations and mediation processes. Aggressive Behavior, 36, 187-194.

Grants & Projects

Funding Agency: Society for the Study of School Psychology, Early Career Research Awards Program ($20,000)

Project title: “A Culturally Responsive Parenting Intervention to Reduce Peer Victimization and Psychosocial Difficulties for Asian American Students”

Project period: June 2018-June 2019

Role: PI

Funding Agency: College of Education, University of Maryland, College Park, Support Program for Advancing Research and Collaboration (SPARC) Grant
Project title: “Using Children’s Literature to Promote Social Emotional Learning and Decrease Bullying among Elementary School Students”
Role: Principle Investigator (PI)
Project period: July 2016-December 2017

Funding Agency: The Graduate School at University of Maryland, College Park, Research and Scholarship Award
Project title: “Promoting Mental Health Literacy among Teachers”
Role: Principle Investigator (PI)
Project period: January 2016-December 2016

Funding Agency: American Psychological Association (APA), Promoting Psychological Research and Training on Health Disparities Issues at Ethnic Minority Serving Institutions (ProDIGs) Small Research Grant.
Project title: “Promoting Mental Health Literacy among Minority Adolescents”
Role: Principle Investigator (PI)
Project period: July 2014-June 2016

Labs

Bullying Prevention and Mental Health Promotion Lab