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Yanchen Zhang

Assistant Professor

Introduction

Yanchen Zhang, PhD, LP, NCSP, is an assistant professor of school psychology at the Department of Psychological & Quantitative Foundations. Before joining the University of Iowa, Yanchen was an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. He also serves as the research consultant at multiple institutions in the US and overseas (e.g., New Zealand and Australia). Yanchen’s research focus on the intersection of prevention, intervention, and implementation science about Evidence-Based Programs and Practices for the social, emotional, and behavioral (SEB) needs of diverse school populations. Yanchen also works on behavioral stats, psychological technology (e.g., IM4 education, which is adopted by over 100 districts across 13 states), and cross-cultural psychology (e.g., current collaborations with 14 countries).

Current Positions

  • Assistant Professor of School Psychology

College of Education Affiliations

Education

  • PhD in School Psychology, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
  • Doctoral Internship in Health Service Psychology, Office of Diagnostic & Prevention Services, Loudoun County Public Schools, Virginia
  • MEd in Educational Psychology, University of Washington-Seattle
  • BS in Clinical & Counseling Psychology, Henan University, China

Licenses & Certifications

  • Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP), National Association of School Psychologists, USA
  • Nationally Licensed Athlete in Tai-chi, National Licensed Athlete in Tai-chi
  • National Teaching License for Psychoeducation in K-12, Ministry of Education, China
  • Licensed Psychologist, Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards

Selected Awards & Honors

  • AAPI leader in research, teaching, and service in school psychology, Social Justice Committee, Trainers of School Psychology. 2022
  • Early Career Scholar, School Psychology Research Collaboration Conference, the Society for the Study of School Psychology (SSSP), 2021 - present
  • Lead Methodologist at Plumtree Education in New Zealand, 2021- present
  • Trainee at Summer Institute of Systems Science for Social Impact, Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, 2021
  • Invited to the World Pandemic Research Network at the Paris Institute for Advanced Study (IAS), 2020
  • Article of the Year, School Psychology Review, 2019
  • One of the ten most cited articles at Children and Youth Services Review, 2018
  • Innovative Product Award of the Psychological Health Committee, National Health Association, China, 2012
  • Recognition for Outstanding Student/Early-Career Research by the NASP Dissemination & Implementation Practice & Science-Interest Group (DIPS-IG; 2023).

Professional Memberships

  • Oxford Review, UK, 2020
  • World Pandemic Research Network at the Paris Institute for Advanced Study, 2020
  • The Trainers of School Psychologists (TSP), 2019
  • International School Psychologist Association (ISPA), 2019
  • American Psychological Association (APA) Division 16: School Psychology, 2014
  • National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), 2014
  • FIUTS - Foundation for International Understanding Through Students, University of Washington, 2013

Selected Publications

  • Zhang, Y., Cook, C. R., & Smith. B., (in press; 2023). PurposeFull People SEL and Character Education Program: A Cluster Randomized Trial in Schools Implementing Tier 1 PBIS with Fidelity. School Mental Health
  • Zhang, Y., (2023). A Precision-Based Approach to Implement Evidence-Based Interventions for Students with Externalizing Behaviors in Developing Countries: A Single Case Experimental Study in China. School Psychology Quarterly. DOI: TBD (Note. Sole author
  • Zhang, Y., Cook, C. R., Fallon, L., Corbin, C., Eharhart, M., Brown, E., Locke, J., & Lyon, A. (2022). The Interaction Between General and Strategic Leadership and Climate on Their Cross-Level Associations with Implementer Attitudes Toward Universal Prevention Programs for Youth Mental Health: A Multilevel Cross-Sectional Study. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, DOI: 10.1007/s10488-022-01248-5
  • Bocanegra, J., Grapin, S.,. Zhang, Y, & Gubi, A., (2022). Undergraduate School Psychology Courses: A Potential Tool for Diversifying the field of School Psychology. Psychology in the Schools. DOI: 10.1002/pits.22850
  • Zhang, Y., Cook, C. R., Azad, G., Larson, M., Merle, J., Thayer, J., Pauls, A.,* & Lyon, A., (2022). A Theory-Informed Pre-Implementation Enhancement Strategy Targeting Mechanisms and Outcomes of Implementation: A Triple-blind Randomized Controlled Trial. Prevention Science. DOI: 10.1007/s11121-022-01464-3
  • Zhang, Y., Cook, C. R., Lyon, A. R., Lickteig O., Janzen, L., & Thayer, J. (2022). Proceedings of the 14th Annual Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation in Health. S8 Theory-informed pre-implementation enhancement strategy to promote staff's intentions to implement evidence-based practices and youth behavioral outcomes. Implementation Science 17, 35 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13012-022-01210-x
  • Bocanegra, J, Gubi, A., Zhang, Y., Clayson, E.,* Hou, M.,* Perihan, C. (2022) Upending the Shortages Crisis: A National Survey of School Psychology Recruitment, School Psychology Quarterly, doi: 10.1037/spq0000486
  • Pauling, S.,* Cook, C. R., Pekel, K., Larson, M.,* & Zhang, Y., (2021) A Cross-Sectional Survey of School Administrators' Implementation of Evidence-Based Practices and Programs: Training, Knowledge, and Perceived Barriers. Leadership and Policy in Schools, DOI: 10.1080/15700763.2021.1998545
  • Zhang, Y., Cook, C. R., & Lyon, A., (2021) A Simple Matter of Time? School-Level Analysis of the Relationship between Time Allocation, Treatment Integrity, and Student Outcome, School Mental Health, DOI: 10.1007/s12310-021-09412-2
  • Callan, G., Yang, N., Zhang, Y., & Sciuchetti, M., (2020) Narrowing the Research the Research to Practice Gap: A Primer to Self-regulated learning Application in School Psychology. Contemporary School Psychology, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40688-020-00323-8

Selected Presentations

  • Zhang, Y., & Cook, C.R., (Accepted: 2021, Dec). Theory-informed pre-implementation enhancement strategy to promote staff's intentions to implement evidence-based practices and youth behavioral outcomes. Oral presentation at the 14th Annual Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation, Academy Health & National Institutes of Health (NIH), Virtual.
  • Zhang, Y., Cook, C.R., & Lyon, A.R., (2021, Aug). School-Level Relationship Among Time Allocation, Treatment Integrity, and Student Behavioral Outcome. Poster presentation at the 2021 American Psychological Association (APA) Annual Convention, DC.
  • Zhang, Y., Yu, Q., Renshaw, T., & Cook, C., (2021, July). "Happy teachers make happy students": Hierarchical Association between Teachers' and Students' Subjective Wellbeing: An Exploratory Study. Paper Presented at the 2021 conference of the International School Psychology Association (ISPA), Nicosia, Cyprus.
  • Zhang, Y., (2021, July). “Believe it or not” Hierarchical Association among School Leadership, Climate, and Teachers' Attitudes toward Evidence-Based Practices (EBPs). presented at the 2021 conference of the International School Psychology Association (ISPA), Nicosia, Cyprus.
  • Zhang, Y., Janson, A., Kern, M., & Bayasgalan, M., (2021, June). "We Are in This Together": Multilevel Examination of an International Positive Psychology Empowerment Program for Parents of Children with Disabilities. Poster presentation at the 2021 5th Future Directions Forum by Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology (JCCAP), DC
  • Zhang, Y., (2021, April). Culturally Adapted Precision Education Approach Based on MTSS for Externalizing Problems in Chinese Schools. Poster presented at the 2021 Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) Biennial Meeting, Minneapolis, MN.
  • Zhang, Y., & Cook, C.R., (2021, March). DIY an Implementation Framework Tailored to Evidence-Based Practices (EBPs) in Your Schools. Paper presentation with Q& A at the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) 2021 Convention and Expo, Baltimore, MD.
  • Zhang, Y., & Cook, C.R., (2021, March). Cross-Level Association of School Leadership, Climate, and Teachers' Attitudes toward Evidence-Based Practices. Poster presented at the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) 2021 Convention and Expo, Baltimore, MD.
  • Zhang, Y., (2021, Feb). "Attitudes Matter": Multilevel Associations of Leadership, Climate, and Teachers' Attitudes. Poster presented at the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) 53rd Annual Convention. Salt Lake City, UT
  • Zhang, Y. (2021, Feb). "School Leadership, Educators' Beliefs, and Fidelity": A Mediation Analysis. Presented at the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) 53rd Annual Convention. Salt Lake City, UT.

Selected Grants & Contracts

  • Rodgers, Naomi (PI), Zhang, Yanchen (Co-PI), Combiths, Philip (Co-PI), Walker, Elizabeth (Co-PI), " Project STIRS: SLP Training to Improve Resilience in Students with Communication Disorders.". Sponsored by Iowa Center for School Mental Health (ICSMH), University of Iowa, $250,000. (7/1/22-6/30/24).
  • PI: Andrew Barnes, Co-PIs: Kyla Wahlstrom, Yanchen Zhang, Rachel Widome, Development and Pilot Testing of the Sleep to Enhance Educational [A1] Performance in Schools (SLEEPS) Curriculum, Institute of Education Sciences (IES), Funded: $1,399,667. (08/30/2021 - 06/30/2023) 
  • PI: Clayton Cook, Co-PIs: Yanchen Zhang; Mark Ehrhart, & Madeline Larson, Developing and Validating the Checklist of District Implementation Infrastructure as a Pragmatic Tool to Facilitate Locally Managed Continuous Improvement, Institute of Education Sciences (IES), (Under Review: 09/01/2022 - 08/31/2025)
  • PI: Clayton Cook, Co-PIs: Yanchen Zhang; Mark Ehrhart, Eric Brown, & Aaron Lyon, Development and Validation of the Readiness in Education to Drive Implementation (REDI) Tool to Facilitate Implementation of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices, Institute of Education Sciences (IES), (Under Review: 09/01/2022 - 08/31/2025)
  • PI: Clayton Cook, Co-PIs: Yanchen Zhang; Jessica L. Schleider, & Madeline Larson, Single-Session, Brief, Targeted Tier 2 Interventions as a Cost-Effective Solution for Students with Mental Health Problems, Institute of Education Sciences (IES), (Under Review: 09/01/2022 - 08/31/2025)
  • Co-PIs: Minglee Yong , Hanna Suh, methodologist: Yanchen Zhang, Post-Pandemic Growth and Career Adaptability for School-to-Work Transition, National Institute of Education, Singapore (Under Review: 11/01/2021 - 08/31/2023)
  • PI: Yanchen Zhang, Co-PI, Clayton Cook, Translation and Adaptation of SEB Screeners and Subjective Well-being Scales for Chinese Speaking Population in Schools, Kim M. and David B. Cooke School Psychology Research Grant, University of Minnesota, (completed: 04/2018—12/2019)
  • PI: Faith G. Miller, Co-PI: Clayton R. Cook, project assistants: Yanchen Zhang and Aria Fiat, Project ESCAPES: Evidence-based System for Children with Anxiety Problems in Educational Settings, Institute for Translational Research (ITR) in Children's Mental Health (completed: 09/2016 - 08/2017)