Media Guide to WCU Faculty Experts
Dr. Janet Chang
Associate Professor
College of Sciences and Mathematics - Psychology
Bio
Dr. Janet Chang is a social-cultural psychologist whose research examines culture, coping, mental health, and well-being among vulnerable populations, including first-generation college students, Latinx, and Asian Americans. She examines how cultural values and norms -- tied to race/ethnicity and social class -- influence help seeking, with a focus on social support (i.e., turning to others for emotional comfort and assistance) and coping behaviors (e.g., self-reliance). She investigates ethnic/racial disparities in mental health and sociocultural influences on psychological functioning among diverse ethnic/racial groups. She was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation New Connections Program (2009-2012) to examine the relationship between social networks and mental health among Asian and Latinx Americans.
Education
- B.A., Swarthmore College
- Ph.D., University of California, Davis