Wan-Yi Chen, MSW, MPhil, PhD

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.

Childhood victimization: Behavioral and mental health outcomes

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

Effects of domestic and community violence exposure

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.

Additional areas of research

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

Recognition

  • Outstanding Service Award, MSW Program at West Chester University -- 2015

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