Sylvia Wang

Sylvia Y. Wang, PhD

  • Assistant Professor

Affiliated Programs

Education

  • Ph.D., Experimental Psychology (2019)
    The University of Alabama (AL)
  • M.A., Clinical Psychology (2016)
    The University of Alabama (AL)
  • B.A., Psychology (2012)
    Temple University (PA)

About Me

My teaching goals are to increase students’ understanding of psychology, diversify perspectives, and strengthen critical thinking skills. I teach through discussion and idea exchange because active listening and open communication are essential for increasing overall understanding. I also encourage students to use logical reasoning with supporting evidence to facilitate critical thinking. Within the realm of psychology, we develop numerous theories to explain human behaviors, and students have their unique perspectives on human development. Therefore, I ask my students to connect developmental theories with real-life situations and then apply this new knowledge to understand their own and other’s behaviors. Ultimately, I work with my students to increase their ability to share, to think, and to learn in this constantly changing environment.

Research Interests

I have two general, but complementary, lines of research interest. My primary interest falls within mental health disparities, while my secondary interest lies in subjective well-being research. Within mental health disparities, I examine the measurement equivalence of commonly used psychological measures. I am also passionate about examining variations in prevalence rates of mental health conditions and social determinants of health among different racial/ethnic groups. Specifically, I am interested in how socioeconomic status, gender, geographic location, language, immigrant status, and culture impact behaviors and well-being across racial/ethnic groups. Within subjective well-being research, I am curious about what factors influence people’s happiness, resilience, meaning of life, and quality of life.

Publications

  • Simons, L., Wang, S., Blank, N. Renavitz, E., Hoffman, M., & Shoneman, S. (2024). A theoretical model of student learning in an academic service-learning coutse: Diversity and civic outcomes. European Journal of Education Studies, 11 (11), 331-358.
  • Kim, G., Wang, S. Y., Park, S., & Yun, S. W. (2020). Mental health of Asian American older adults: contemporary issues, and future directions. Innovation in Aging, 4(5), 1-12.
  • Wang, S. Y., & Kim, G. (2019). The impact of physical-mental comorbidity on subjective wellbeing among older adults. Clinical Gerontologist, 43(4), 455-464.
  • Kim, G., Wang, S. Y., & Sellbom, M. (2018). Measurement equivalence of the subjective well-being scale among racially/ethnically diverse older adults. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences. 75(5), 1010-1017.
  • Kim, G., Allen, R. S., Wang, S. Y., Park, S., Perkins, E. A., & Parmelee, P. A (2018). the Relation between multiple informal caregiving roles and subjective physical and mental health status among older adults: Do racial/ethnic differences exist?. The Gerontologist. 59(3), 499-508.

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

Gerontological Society of America (GSA), International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG)