Wan-Yi Chen, MSW, MPhil, PhD
Professor
Anderson Hall, Room 448
610-738-0332
wchen@wcupa.edu
Curriculum vitae
Degrees
- BA, Social Work: Tunghai University
- MSW: University of Pennsylvania
- MPhil, Social Work: Columbia University
- PhD, Social Work: Columbia University
Main areas of interest
- Children and adolescents
- Victimization experiences and reaction to trauma
- Environmental impact in the person, family, and community
Inspiration
At a young age, I went to a summer camp where I was surrounded by children of backgrounds
very diverse from mine. I always knew I was fortunate, but it wasn’t until I observed
the other children’s tendencies compared to mine that I realized how lucky I truly
was. This planted a very small seed in me; when it came time to choose a major, the
decision was pretty simple. As much as I enjoyed working in the field, I realized
very early on that I personally could make a bigger impact as a professor so that
I could develop the program and set the pace for future social workers. Social work
is a fairly young profession, so I want to produce and transform the knowledge so
that students have a strong foundation to collect and assess information to provide
feedback for clients.
My research primarily focuses on the association between individual victimization
experiences, including those within the home environment and in the community, and
behavioral and mental health outcomes.
Presentations
- Chen, W.-Y., & Lee, Y. (2016, June). Adolescent exposure to community violence and depressive
symptoms among adolescents and young adults: Understanding the effect of mental health
service usage. Paper presented at Add Health Users Conference, Bethesda, MD.
- Chen, W-Y. (2016, May). Adolescent exposure to community violence, use of mental health services
and depressive symptoms among adolescents and young adults. Paper presented at the
meeting of the American Psychiatric Association, Atlanta, GA.
- Chen, W-Y. (2015, November). It's about the community: Community violence exposure, community
connection, and volunteering in the community. Poster session presented at WCU Research
Day, West Chester, PA.
- Chen, W-Y. (2015, March). Adolescent exposure to community violence and depressive symptoms
among adolescents and young adults: Understanding the effect of mental health service
usage. Paper presented at WCU Research Day, West Chester, PA.
- Chen, W-Y., & Corvo, K. (2015, January). Adolescent exposure to community violence and depressive
symptoms among adolescents and young adults: Understanding the effect of mental health
service usage. Paper presented at the meeting of the Society for Social Work and Research,
New Orleans, LA.
- Chen, W-Y., Propp, J. & Lee, Y. (2011, January). Connection between adolescent's exposure to community violence and
future civic engagement behaviors. Poster presented at the meeting of the Society
for Social Work and Research, Tampa, FL.
Publications
- Chen, W-Y., Corvo, K., Lee, Y., & Hahm, H.C. (2016). Longitudinal trajectory of adolescent exposure to community violence and depressive
symptoms among adolescents and young adults: Understanding the effect of mental health
service usage. Community Mental Health Journal. Advance online publication.
- Chen, W-Y., Propp, J., & Lee, Y. (2015). Connection between adolescents exposure to community violence and future civic engagement
behaviors during their young adulthood. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 32(1), 45-55.
- Chen, W-Y., & Corvo, K. (2012). Community violence. In R.J. Levesque (Ed.), Encyclopedia of adolescence, Part 3 (pp. 487-495). New York, NY: Springer.
- Chen, W-Y., Propp, J., deLara, E. & Corvo, K. (2011). Child neglect and its association with subsequent juvenile drug and alcohol offense. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 28(4), 273-290.
A related area of my research focuses on how mothers are affected by domestic and
community violence.
Presentations
- Lee, Y., & Chen, W-Y. (2016, November). Maternal community violence exposure and harsh parenting: The mediational
role of depression. Poster presented at the Council on Social Work Education Annual
Program Meeting, Atlanta, GA.
- Chen, W-Y., & Lee, Y. (2016, November). The associations among community violence exposure,
parenting stress, and harsh maternal parenting. Paper presented at the Council on
Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting, Atlanta, GA.
- Pasquarette, M., Chen, W-Y., & Lee, Y. (2016, November). Effects of maternal exposure to domestic violence and
community violence on toddler behaviors. Poster presented at the Council on Social
Work Education Annual Program Meeting, Atlanta, GA.
- Chen, W-Y. (2016, November). The associations between community violence exposure, parenting
stress, and maternal harsh parenting. Paper presented at WCU Research Day, West Chester,
PA.
- Chen, W-Y., and Pasquarette, M. (2016, April). Mothers' exposure to domestic and community violence
and the association with toddler's behavioral outcomes. Poster presented at WCU Research
Day, West Chester, PA.
- Hadeed, L., Lee, Y., & Chen, W-Y. (2016, March). The mediational role of depression in harsh parenting among mothers
who have been directly and indirectly exposed to community violence. Poster presented
at the International Conference on Social Work, Education, and Social Development,
St. Augustine, Trinidad.
- Chen, W-Y., & Lee. Y. (2016, January). Community violence victimization, father involvement,
and maternal harsh parenting practices. Poster presented at the meeting of the Society
for Social Work and Research, Washington, DC.
- Chen, W-Y., & Lee. Y. (2016, January). Connection between mother's exposure to domestic and
community violence and toddler's behavioral outcomes. Paper presented at the meeting
of the Society for Social Work and Research, Washington, DC.
- Lee, Y., & Chen, W-Y. (2015, October). Community violence victimization, father involvement, and maternal
harsh parenting practices. Poster presented at the Council on Social Work Education
Annual Program Meeting, Denver, CO.
- Chen, W-Y., & Lee. Y. (2015, June). The impact of community violence and paternal involvement
on maternal harsh parenting. Paper presented at the Global Well-Being Conference, Millersville, PA.
I have collaborated with researchers in other areas of research, such as caregiving
to individuals with severe mental illness, young fathers, and access to health care
services among minority youths. Currently, I am working with Dr. Amber Holbrook on
projects related to the teaching pedagogy for the MSW Program's applied research methods
course.
Presentations
- Chen, W-Y., & Holbrook, A. (2015, October). Learning by doing: An experiential approach to teaching
program evaluation. Paper presented at the Council on Social Work Education Annual
Program Meeting, Denver, CO.
- Holbrook, A., & Chen, W-Y. (2015, October). Teaching program evaluation to social work students: An agency collaboration.
Workshop presented at the Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting,
Denver, CO.
- Chen, W-Y. (2015, January). Parental investment and youth education. Moderated session at the
meeting of the Society for Social Work and Research, New Orleans, LA.
- Lee, Y., Fagan, J. & Chen, W-Y. (2011, October). Young fathers and depression. Poster session presentation at the
Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting, Atlanta, GA.
- Corvo, K., Chen, W-Y., & Selmi, P. (2011, January). Federal funding of social work research: High hopes
or sour grapes? Roundtable discussion at the meeting of the Society for Social Work
and Research, Tampa, FL.
Publications
- Holbrook, A., & Chen, W. Building research capacity in a mobile psychiatric rehabilitation program: Service
learning in a university-agency collaboration. Manuscript submitted for publication.
- Holbrook, A.M., & Chen, W-Y. (2016). Learning by doing: An experimental approach to program evaluation. Social Work Education: The International Journal. Advance online publication.
- Lee, Y., Fagan, J. & Chen, W-Y. (2012). Do late adolescent fathers have more depressive symptoms than older fathers? Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 41(10), 1366-1381.
- Corvo, K., Chen, W-Y., & Selmi, P. (2011). Federal funding of social work research: High hopes or sour
grapes? Social Work, 56(3), 225-233.
- Chen, W-Y. & Lukens, E. (2011). Well being, depressive symptoms, and burden among parent and sibling caregivers of
persons with severe and persistent mental illness. Social Work in Mental Health, 9(6), 397-416.
- Outstanding Service Award, MSW Program at West Chester University -- 2015
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