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Dr. Janet Chang Headshot West Chester University media relations managers are happy to assist journalists with interview requests for this expert. Call 610-436-3383 or email HSchwarz@wcupa.edu

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