Biography

As a researcher and practitioner in school psychology, I have always been fascinated by youth risk and resilience and exploring the social-emotional and social-ecological factors (e.g., school climate, social-emotional learning competencies, bullying and victimization) that underlie these effects on mental health outcomes (e.g., problematic Internet use, depressive symptoms). One focus of my ongoing scholarly activities is risk and resilience of mental health among understudied and underserved students and families. The broader aim for my future career is to conduct school psychology research that can be transferrable to impact marginalized youth mental health and advocate my results to facilitate policy change for underserved youth and promoting social justice.

My recent works include developing school-wide mental health screening Chinese rural high school students (an under-served population, particularly in regard to mental health support) and evaluating the effectiveness of a social-emotional learning intervention curriculum and positive behavioral interventions and supports in Chinese elementary schools. Some of my other projects include addressing ethical dilemma on LGBTQ+ adolescents and their unallied families in the U.S., investigating the risk and resilience factors of problematic Internet use among adolescents and emerging adults , and exploring the peer discrimination experiences of Chinese American adolescents during the COVID-19.


Credential and Professional Licensure

 

2025-26.12  中国心理学会注册心理师Certified Counselor (Certified No. X-24-038)


2022-27.11  National Certification of School Psychologist (Certified No. 63203)



Journal Editorial Board


2025             Editorial Fellow, School Psychology Review


2024             Editorial Fellow, International Journal of School & Educational Psychology


2024             Associate Editor, School Psychology International

Research
Awards and honors
  • 2025
  • 2024
  • 2023
  • 2022
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  • 01

    2025

    1+1+1 CUHK-CUHK(SZ)-GDST Joint Collaboration Fund Young Scholar Project

  • 02

    2024

    SSSP/ISPA International Initiatives Committee (IIC) Research Award

  • 03

    2023

    2023 Early Career Scholar in School Mental Health Group, School Psychology Research Collaboration Conference (SPRCC)

  • 04

    2022

    Guangdong Province's Educational Science Planning Project: Elementary School Students' Mental Health Screening and School-Wide Intervention: Exploring Social Emotional Competence as a Protective Factor Via the Lens of School Psychology

>
Publications

Selected Publications


Chen, C., Wang, H., Chen, Y., Li, J., Zhang, Y., Kalantzis, M., Xiao, Y., He, J.* (2025). Food insecurity and problematic Internet use among Chinese adolescents in under-resourced rural areas: The roles of school, family and peer support and self-esteem. Appetite.


Chen, C., Zhang, Y., Xu, R., Gong, J., Shane, J., & Song, Y.* (2025). Relationship between bullying victimization and depressive symptoms among early adolescents in rural China: Exploring the overgeneralization of social distrust in cross-sectional and longitudinal designs. School Psychology International, 01430343241308550.


Chen, C.*, Chen, Y., Jia, X., Lei, S., Yang, C., Nie, Q., & Weiss, B. (2024). Cultural adaptation and evaluation of a school-based positive psychology intervention among Chinese middle school students: A mixed methods program design study. School Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/ 10.1037/spq0000661


Chen, C.*, Yang, C., Nie, Q, & Teng, Z. (2023). The Association Between Bullying Victimization and Problematic Internet Use: The Role of Social-Emotional Learning Competencies. School Psychology Review, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/2372966x.2023.2263812

 

Chen, C.*, Sharkey, J., Nadler, R., & Yang, C. (2023). Ethical and Legal Considerations in Balancing Mental Health of Sexual and Gender Minority Students and Parental Consent. Journal of Applied School Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1080/15377903.2023.2221202


Chen, C.1, Chen, Y.1*, & Song, Y. (2023). Reciprocal Relationship Between Interpersonal Communication and Depressive Symptoms and The Mediating Role of Resilience Among Children in Rural China Across Two Years: Three-Wave Cross-Lagged Panel Model. Journal of Affective Disorder. (Online).


Sit, H., Chang, C., Yuan, G., Chen, C., Cui, L., Elhai, J., & Hall, B. (2023). Symptoms of Internet Gaming Disorder and Depression in Chinese Adolescents. Psychiatry Research.

 

Chen, C., Li, C., Chen, M., Wang, L., Zhu, Y., & Zhu, Z. (2022). Coping and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms among Chinese Youth in the Peak and Remission Periods of COVID-19. Children and Youth Services Review. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2022.106690

 

Jimerson, S. R., & Chen, C. (2022). Multicultural and cross-cultural considerations in understanding student engagement in schools: Promoting the development of diverse students around the world. In: Reschly, A.L., Christenson, S.L. (eds). Handbook of Research on Student Engagement. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-07853-8_31

 

Kuang, J., Zhong, J., Yuan, P., Bo, X., Liang, Y., Cheval, B., Herold, F., Wei, G., Taylor, A., Zhang, J., Chen, C., Sun, J., Zou, L., Arnett, J. (2022). Psychometric Evaluation of the Inventory of Dimensions of Emerging Adulthood (IDEA) In China. International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology. 

 

Chang, C.I., Fong Sit, H., Chao, T., Chen, C., Shen, J., Cao, B., Montag, C., Elhai, J, & Hall, B. (2022). Exploring subtypes and correlates of internet gaming disorder severity among adolescents during COVID-19 in China: A latent class analysis. Current Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-03133-8

 

Yang, C., Lin, X., Chan, M., & Chen, C. (2022). Teacher Victimization and Teacher Burnout: Multilevel Moderating Role of School Climate in a Large-scale Survey Study. Journal of School Violence. 1-16.

 

Chen. C., Yang, C., Chan, M. & Jimerson, S. (2020). Association between School Climate and Bullying Victimization: Advancing Integrated Perspectives from Parents and Cross-country Comparisons. School Psychology Quarterly, 35(5), 311-320. http://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000405


Yang, C., Chen. C., Chan, M., Wang, C., Luo, H., & Lin, X. (2020). Training Experience in the U.S. School Psychology Program: Understanding Asian International Students’ Assets, Challenges, and Strategies. Contemporary School Psychology. http://doi.org/10.1007/s40688-020-00320-x

 

Yang, C., Chan, M., Chen, C., & Jimerson, S. R. (2021). Parental perceptions of school climate in the United States and China: Advancing cross-country understanding. School Psychology, 36(1), 24. https://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000421

 

Yang, C., Chen, C., Lin, X., & Chan, M. (2021). School-wide Social Emotional Learning and Cyberbullying Victimization among Middle and High School Students: Moderating Role of School Climate. School Psychology. 36(2), 75-85

 

Yang, C., Jenkins L., Fredrick S. S., Chen, C., Xie, J., & Nickerson, A. (2018). Teacher victimization by students in China: A multilevel analysis. Aggressive Behavior. 45(2), 169-180. http://doi.org/10.1002/ab.21806

 

Yang, C., Sharkey, J. D., Chen, C., & Jimerson, S. (2019). Teacher–Home Communication and Bullying Victimization: Do Parents' Perceptions of Fairness of Rules Matter?. School Psychology Review, 48(3). http://doi.org/10.17105/spr-2018-0060.v48-3.

 

Yang, C., Sharkey, J. D., Reed, L., Chen, C., & Dowdy, E. (2018). Bullying victimization and student engagement in Elementary, Middle, and High Schools: Moderating role of school climate. School Psychology Quarterly. 33(1), 54-64. http://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000250