Su Yeong Kim: Developmental Research

By Su Yeong Kim Professor, Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Texas at Austin Stress in the family does not exist by itself; it moves, transforms, and often catches us by surprise. For decades, scientists and physicians have toiled under the same assumption: the stresses of the parents trickle down to children and impact their mental health. But suppose the reverse were also true? Suppose children's stresses had the potential to affect the mental health of their parents and sometimes more intensely than the other way around? Our latest research, conducted by Wen Wen, Ashley Janyn Galvan, Ka I. Ip, Yang Hou, Shanting Chen, Su Yeong Kim , published in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence , explored the fine-grained adolescent and maternal stress dynamics at various developmental stages. Why This Research Matters Now: Insights from Su Yeong Kim As a researcher of the developmental lives of ethnic minority and immigrant families , I’ve witnessed how sociocultural stre...

First published in the Journals of Gerontology by Dr. Su Yeong Kim, Ph.D. & Team Discrimination doesn’t just bruise emotions; it shapes the way the brain functions years down the line. Our latest research explores how the chronic stress of discrimination can deteriorate the mental sharpness of Mexican-origin women, with depression acting as the hidden link in this troubling chain. The study, titled “Prospective Effects of Discrimination, Depressive Symptoms, and Cognitive Control Among Mexican-Origin Women” , tracks how social stress reverberates inside the mind, ultimately slowing reaction times and impairing decision-making in ways that can persist for nearly a decade. Why This Study, Why Now? Mexican-origin women represent over 60% of the U.S. Latino population and face heightened risk for cognitive impairment compared to non-Hispanic Whites. Despite this, few studies have examined how discrimination, a pervasive and insidious form of chronic stress, may be impairing their cogn...

By Su Yeong Kim Professor, Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Texas at Austin How Cultural Values Influence Parenting and Adolescent Outcomes — Findings by Su Yeong Kim Family is a noted determinant to Mexican American adolescents , not only due to its provision of care, but as the central cultural identity. Some of the most dominant cultural principles include family obligation, which contends that a person ought to respect, assist, and make sure that the family members are well. A research by Dr. Su Yeong Kim in the Journal of Early Adolescence, maps out the effects of family obligation values as enacted by both parents and adolescents. He discusses changing the patterns of parenting activities and consequently, the psychological, as well as academic conditions of adolescents. Based on two waves of data on 604 Mexican Americans families, the study developed a complex insight regarding how cultural values may be used as an asset in the development of adolescents. Fi...

By Dr. Su Yeong Kim and Colleagues First published in the Annual Review of Clinical Psychology Introduction: Why It Matters In the U.S. today, a quarter of all the children are being reared in immigrant families. By 2050, that ratio will be one in three. Kids from Asian, Latino, etc., communities are the overwhelming majority of that group. Here, in this contemporary review, we will be discussing how cultural as well as structural factors, ranging from discrimination to parenting techniques , decide the mental health of immigrant children. A Theory of Well-being in Humans Here we present an informative model in which transcultural (universal) and culture-related (minority-related) sources of stress interact with parenting, community settings, and adolescent development to influence mental health outcomes. Main Takeaways 1. Children of Immigrants Experience Two Worlds of Stress These transcultural stressors are poverty and area disadvantage. Culture-specific sources of distress are dis...