Chieh Li

Chieh Li

EdD

Associate Professor

Applied Psychology


Research

As a bilingual psychologist, Dr. Li writes on bilingual and bicultural issues in the field of school and counseling psychology and addresses social justice issues that multilingual students encounter. Her current projects are addressing two national and international needs: (A) Integrating mental health promotion in the classrooms to enhance both academic and psychological wellbeing, and (B) elevating mental health equity by creating culturally, linguistically, and developmentally appropriate tools for diverse populations to improve access. To enhance psychological wellbeing in the classrooms, Dr. Li has been exploring with collaborators the feasibility, efficacy and mechanism of brief meditation. To empower minoritized youths to help themselves cope with adversities along with mental health challenges, she is working with her research team on developing culturally tailored intervention strategies and tools. Their project Preventing Depression of Chinese American Adolescents through Mobile Health Application is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Dr. Li has served on professional committees at various levels (see CV). She has also served on the editorial board of multiple academic journals, including School Psychology Review, Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, School Psychology Training and Pedagogy, and School Psychology Forum. In addition, she has reviewed manuscripts for the Journal of School Psychology, Journal of Educational PsychologyCultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, Bilingual Research Journal. She served as article editor of the traditional Chinese mind-body health techniques for Sage Open.

Research Interests

Culturally sensitive intervention, acculturation, assessment of multilingual students, mindful/meditation

Selected Publications

Recent Publications in Refereed Journals

Yue, N., Li*, C., Xu, S., Si, S., Zhang, Q., & Cui*, L. (2024) Brief meditation on test anxiety of 8th grade Chinese students: Chain-mediating roles of mindfulness and self-efficacy. School Mental Health. 10.1007/s12310-024-09652-y(International collaboration, work with graduate students. *Corresponding author).

Kimble, E., Li, C., Kruger, L., Cai, Q., & Bivens, A. (2021). Acceptability of Bilingual Guided Meditation with second language learners in a culturally diverse and economically disadvantaged school setting. International Journal of Emotional Education,13(2), 4-42. (Work with graduate)

Li, C., Kruger, L., & Abdulkerim, N. (2021). Advancing social justice for English learners: Implications for school psychology training. Special Issue: Training School Psychologists as Social Justice Change Agents, School Psychology Training and Pedagogy, 38(1), 54-70. (work with graduate student)

Li, C., Cai, Q., Elias, S., & Wilson-Jones, L. (2019). Mindfulness and Well-being: A mixed method study of Bilingual Guided Meditation in Higher Education. Journal of Research Initiatives, 5 (1) Article3. https://digitalcommons.uncfsu.edu/jri/vol5/iss1/3

Li, C., Li, H., & Niu, J. (2016). Intercultural stressors in Chinese immigrant students: Voices of Chinese-American mental health professionals. Asian-American Journal of Psychology, 7(1), 64-73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/aap0000044

(See CV for more information)

Book Chapters

Li, C., Cai, A. & Liu, D. (2023) Wellbeing and Chinese language study: A case of cross-disciplinary teaching. Book chapter in Nobuko C. Chandler & L. Jin (Eds.), A Transdisciplinary Approach to Chinese and Japanese Language Teaching (TACJ): Pedagogical Collaboration Across Languages, Disciplines, Communities, and Borders. Publisher: Routledge. DOI:10.4324/9781003266976-9

Li, C., & Li, H. (2016). Chapter 15, Longing for a balanced life: Voices of Chinese-American/immigrant adolescents. In Bonnie K. Nastasi, & Amanda P. Borja (Eds.), International handbook of psychological well-being of children and Adolescent: Bridging the gaps between theory, research and practice. 247-269. New York, NY: Springer. DOI 10.1007/978-1-4939-2833-0_15

Li, C., & Wang, Z. (2014). School-based assessment with Asian children and adolescents. In Lorraine T. Benuto, Nicholas Thaler, & Brian D. Leany (Eds.), Guide to Psychological Assessment with Asian Americans, 393-405. New York, NY: Springer. (Collaboration with graduate student)

Vasquez-Nuttall, E., Li, C., Dynda, A. M., Ortiz, S.O., Armengol, C., Walton, J., &Phoenix, K. (2007). Cognitive Assessment of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. In Esquivel, G. B., Lopez, E. C. & Nahari, S. (Eds.), Handbook of Multicultural School Psychology. New York: Taylor & Francis, Inc. (work with graduate students)

Selected Public Service

2023 – Present
Co-Chair of taskforce on teaching module and materials for training bilingual-Mandarin school psychologists, NASP Bilingual Interest Group

7/2021 – 6/2022
Chair of Leadership Team of NASP Bilingual Interest Group

7/2020 – 6/2021
Co-Chair of Leadership Team of NASP Bilingual Interest Group

8/2010 – 8/2011
Chair, (National) Council of Directors of School Psychology Programs (CDSPP)

2009-2011
Chair of the CDSPP practicum taskforce

Courses

  • Understanding Cultural and Diversity
  • Advanced Cross-Cultural Psychology
  • Psychological Testing/Introduction to assessment
  • Psychology of Individuals with Special Needs
  • Psycho-educational Assessment of Preschoolers
  • Applied Research Projects for School Psychology
  • School-based counseling
  • Seminar in School Psychology
  • School Psychology Practicum Seminar
  • School Psychology Internship Seminar
  • Introduction to Counseling Theories and Process
  • Development across Life Span
  • Consultation and Program Evaluation (spring 2022)

New Courses Designed for Bilingual School Psychology Specialty

  • CAEP6204 Assessment of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Children: An Interdisciplinary Approach
  • CAEP6205 Intervention for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Children: An Interdisciplinary Approach

Media

2001/7/7 Boston Globe reported their interview of Dr. Li regarding her findings on writing Chinese and SAT mathematics score, entitled “Putting Chinese to the test: Learning language may boost SATs,” on the front page of City & Region section, pp.B1 and B4.

2001/9/ Chronicle of Higher Education reported her research, entitled “Want to give your children an extra edge on the SAT? Teach them to write Chinese” on Research: WHO KNEW, p. A30.

2001/7/12 World Journal (a Chinese newspaper distributed nationwide in the U.S.), wrote a news report entitled “Writing Chinese and higher SAT Score: Chinese-American Scholar Chieh Li found from her research that writing Chinese may facilitate processing images”, on B2.