CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS
Recognition, Inclusion, and Voice Projects
The present study will explore the efficacy of a brief (two, 90-minute workshops) writing and arts-based intervention for increasing college students' self-confidence, future orientation, hope, positive affect, and belonging.
College students identify numerous difficulties in transitioning and persisting in college. This is increasingly true for students who may hold one or more marginalized identities. Working towards creating inclusive spaces that allow students to process and reflect on their identities, belonging, and well-being is imperative for assisting in the goals of equity and inclusion in higher education.
Previous research has detailed the impact of writing interventions on mental well-being, creativity, self-identity, and decreases in anxiety and depression (Stuckey & Nobel, 2010). Specific to expressive arts focusing on story-telling, research has found usefulness for participants in identifying how they have overcome obstacles and healed from past traumas (Aguilera, Reed, & Goulding, 2020) as well as challenging socio-cultural issues that have led to trauma and oppressive conditions (Mannel, Ahman, & Ahmad, 2018).
Thus, the present research builds on previous research in expressive arts therapeutic interventions and specifically within poetry, art, and storytelling. Given the positive influences of expressive arts-based interventions, the current research is designed to increase the well-being of participants.
Relational Cultural Framework for Career Construction Theory
This is two projects. The first is nearing completion, outlining an integrated theory of constructionist counseling for persons facing marginalization and oppression in their career development, especially adolescents and emerging adults.
The second part of the project would be to test this integrated theory in the field. This would involve working in the community within area high schools or after school programs to deliver career groups based on narrative practices. Community partnerships, recruitment, group facilitation, and research decisions would be fully available. This would be building from the ground up.
Financial Stress, Scarcity, and Uncertainty Among College Students
The above study seeks to further explore the role of financial stress in the lives of college students. Specifically, the study seeks to determine the relationships among financial stress, perceived social and economic status, social and family support and their influence on mental health and academic performance and persistence among university students. Additionally, we are extending previous research by adding the variable of scarcity, or one’s perception of lacking time, material, and psychological needs. Results from this study will inform the role that financial barriers play in students’ mental health, well-being, and continuation towards a college degree. We hope these results will be useful for college counseling centers, academic advisors, and career services to aid students in managing financial stress and putting resources towards financial education and increased assistance for those in need.
This work is being done with Kourtney Kotvas, Master's student in Counseling Psychology and builds on previous work (Cadaret & Rieder-Bennet, 2019) published in the Journal of College Counseling: https://doi.org/10.1002/jocc.12139
navigating stigma, identity, and career development in STEM
Other projects
Many thanks to the students who were involved in various projects and helped to publish or in the process of publishing them:
Mok, K. D., Kohnen, S., Bergman, Z., Ko, S.-J., & Wang, L. (2021). Not your model minority: Examining the unique challenges and resilience of East Asian American girls and emerging adults. In A. Demoura (Ed.), Emerging adults and adulthood (pp. 43-82). Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
Wang, L., Truong, N. N., Palacio, A., & Unterberger, J. E. (accepted). What’s next?: On better supporting women of color clinicians at university counseling centers. Journal of Prevention and Health Promotion.
Wang, L., Gonzalez, P. D., Lau, P. L., Vaughan, E. L., & Costa, M. F. (revised and resubmitted). “Dando gracias": Gratitude, social connectedness, and subjective happiness among bilingual Latinx students.
Carpico, C., Chambers, K., Wang, L., & Friedman, H. (in preparation). International student-athletes’ experiences with anti-racist activism and racial identity development.
Boss, N., Wang, L., Roush, L., Taylor, T., & Weber, A. (in preparation). Intersectional stigma: A qualitative study of African American women experiencing homelessness.
Help with updating literature:
Experiences of multilingual therapists and trainees in U.S. university counseling centers
- This project is led by Dr. Lei. The aim of this study is to better understand the experiences of multilingual therapists working at university counseling centers. The entirety of the manuscript is completed, however, we need help updating the literature review from the last 2-3 years. I have a list of literature to start from so you would not be starting from scratch. For this project, I need one student to assist with this task. A fourth authorship can be offered.
Help with literature review, data cleaning, and data analysis:
Experiences of pre-doctoral BIPOC psychology interns working at U.S. university counseling centers
- This project is led by Dr. Nelson Zounlome (Dr. Lei is a coauthor on this study). The study aims to better understand experiences of pre-doctoral BIPOC psychology interns working at university counseling centers between 2019-2021. Responsibilities would include assistance with literature review, checking the interview transcriptions for accuracy, and helping with qualitative data analysis. Other responsibilities, such as authorship, can be discussed. Data cleaning should be completed by the end of the Fall 2022 semester and analysis will begin in January or February of 2022. Timeline for literature review is more flexible and more information will be provided if you are interested. For this project, I need 2-4 students to help with the tasks. You will need to complete the CITI training to be able to look at the data.
PUBLICATIONS
Keum, B. T. H., & Wang, L. (in press). Does clinical supervision make a difference in therapy? A meta-analysis of supervision and psychotherapy process and outcome. Translational Issues in Psychological Science.doi:10.1037/tps0000272
(2020) Efficacy of a group career construction intervention with urban youth of colour, British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, DOI: 10.1080/03069885.2020.1782347
Wang, L., Wong, Y. J., Ko, S.-J., Deng, K., & Chung, Y. B. (2020). “I am very proud to be Taiwanese”: Taiwanese internationals’ experience of race, ethnicity, and nationality in the United States. Asian American Journal of Psychology. Advance online publication.doi:10.1037/aap0000179
Cadaret, M. C. & Bergman, Z. (in preparation). Determinants and antecedents of efficacy for coping with educational barriers among undergraduate women.
Cadaret, M.C., Johnson, N.L., Devencenzi, M. L.; & Morgan, E.A. (2019). An quasi-experimental study on the efficacy of the Bystander Plus program on changing rape culture attitudes and beliefs. Journal of Interpersonal Violence.
Wang, L., Ko, S.-J., & Keum, B. T. H. (2019). Through the lens of indigenous psychology to a Taiwanese International Bicultural Model. In M. Allison (Ed.), Exploring the opportunities and challenges of international students (pp.1-46). Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
Cadaret, M. C., Hartung, P. J., Subich, L. M., & Weigold, I. K.. (2017). Stereotype Threat as a Barrier to Women Entering STEM Careers. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 99, 40-51.
PRESENTATIONS
APA Presentations (August, 2022)
Cadaret, M.C., Sekikawa, T.; & Ashworth, S.; Integrating a Relational Cultural approach to Career Construction Counseling, Division 17 Poster Session
Cadaret, M.C., Ritter, M.A., Kohnen, S.; Bergman, Z.; Folio, F.; & Albrecht, J.; Evaluation of the Define It! program for raising critical conscious bystander behaviors, Division 35 Poster Session
APA Presentations (August, 2021)
Cadaret, M.C., Wang, L., Caico, S, Maddox, C. A Mixed-Methods Investigation of Black Student Persistence in STEM, Division 17 Poster Session
APA Presentations (August, 2020)
Cadaret, M.C. & Hartung, P.J. Efficacy of a Group Career Construction Intervention with Minority Youth, Division 17 Poster Session
Cadaret, M.C., Lee, S. Y., Zaffino, M., Shaw, S., Hakala, T. M., Jones, K., & Albrecht, J. Exploring the Efficacy of Student-Athlete Career Construction Groups on Career Development, Division 47 Poster Session
Cadaret, M.C. (Chair), Albrecht, J., Corbett-Hone, M., & Johnson, N. L. (Discussant). Exploring the use of consciousness-raising groups for sexual assault prevention. Division 35 Symposium.