Faculty Profile

Wei-Chin Hwang, Ph.D.
Associate Professor

E-mail: whwang@cmc.edu
Phone: (909) 607-2762
Campus Address: Seaman Hall 234

Departments:
Curriculum Vitae

Leave/Sabbatical
Academic Year (on leave or sabbatical for the entire academic year)

Educational Background

Ph.D. University of California, Los Angeles; M.A. University of California, Los Angeles; B.A. University of Utah

Teaching Interests

  • Clinical and Abnormal Psychology
  • Minority Mental Health
  • Introductory Psychology

Research Interests

  • Psychotherapy process and treatment outcomes
  • Ethnic, racial, and cultural issues in mental health and depression
  • Cultural competency and adaptation of services for ethnic minorities
  • Acculturation and family issues
  • Hwang, W. (PI) – NIMH R34: From Intervention Development to Services: Exploratory Research Grants (09/03/2007 – 05/31/2011, Grant No: 1 R34 MH073545-01A2). Adapting Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Chinese Americans (3 Year Grant Funded - $405,000 direct costs, $500,670 total costs).
  • Hwang, W. (Program Leader) NIMH PAR-04-60: Advanced Centers for Mental Health Disparities Research (ACMHDR). (Nolan Zane PI (07/01/2007-06/30/2012, Grant No: 1 P50 MH073511-01A2). Asian American Center on Disparities Research. Program Leader for one of the center’s three primary projects: Therapist factors that predict treatment outcomes among ethnic minority clients (5 Year Grant Funded - $2.9 million direct costs, 3.9 million total costs).

Selected Professional Activities

  • Independent Psychology Practice: I have a private clinical practice in both Pasadena and Claremont. I specialize in treating mood disorders, culture and mental health issues, relationship and family problems, traumas, adjustment, and personal growth and development. I work with adults, adolescents, couples, and families. I take an integrative cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic, and solution-focused approach to treating clients, and conduct therapy in English, Mandarin, or Taiwanese.
  • Member: American Psychological Association (APA), Society for the Psychological Student of Ethnic Minorities Issues (APA Division 45), Asian American Psychological Association (AAPA), Taiwan Psychology Network (Faculty Mentor)
  • Ad Hoc Journal Reviewer: American Psychologist, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, Journal of Abnormal Psychology, Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, American Journal of Community Psychology, Cognitive & Behavioral Practice, Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, Psychological Assessment, International Journal of Psychology, Asian American Psychological Association (AAPA)
  • Member, Executive Committee, National Asian American Center for Disparities Research

Selected Research and Publications

  • Hwang, W., Wood, J. J., & Fujimoto, K. (In Press). Acculturative Family Distancing (AFD) and depression in Chinese American Families. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.
  • Hwang, W., & Wood, J. J. (2009). Acculturative Family Distancing (AFD) in Immigrant Families: A structural model of linkages with mental health outcomes among young adults. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 40(1), 123-138.
  • Hwang, W. (2009). The Formative Method for Adapting Psychotherapy (FMAP): A community-based developmental approach to culturally adapting therapy. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 40(4), 369-377.
  • Hwang, W., & Goto, S. (2008). The effects of racial discrimination on minority college students. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 14, 326-335
  • Hwang, W., Myers, H. F., Abe-Kim, J., & Ting, J. Y. (2008). A conceptual paradigm for understanding culture’s impact on mental health: The Cultural Influences on Mental Health (CIMH) Model. Clinical Psychology Review, 28, 212-228
  • Hwang, W. & Ting, J. Y. (2008). Disaggregating the effects of acculturation and acculturative stress on the mental health of Asian Americans. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 14, 147-154.
  • Hwang, W. (2007). Qi-Gong Psychotic Reaction in a Chinese American Woman. Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry, 31(4), 547-560.
  • Hwang, W., Miranda, J., & Chung, C. (2007). Psychosis and Shamanism in a Filipino-American Immigrant. Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry, 31, 251-269.
  • Ting, J. Y., & Hwang, W. (2007). Eating disorders among Asian American women: Integrating multiculturalism and feminism. Women and Therapy, 30(3-4), 145-160.
  • Hwang, W., & Myers, H. F. (2007). Major Depression in Chinese Americans: The roles of stress and vulnerability. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 42(3), 189-197.
  • Hwang, W., Wood, J., Lin, K., & Cheung, F. (2006). Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy with Chinese Americans: Research, Theory, and Clinical Practice. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 13, 293-303.
  • Hwang, W. (2006). The Psychotherapy Adaptation and Modification Framework (PAMF): Application to Asian Americans. American Psychologist, 61(7), 702-715.
  • Hwang, W. (2006). Acculturative family distancing: Theory, research, and clinical practice. Psychotherapy: Theory, research, practice, training, 43(4), 397-409.
  • Hwang, W., Chun, C., Takeuchi, D. T., Myers, H. F., & Prabha, S. (2005). Age of first-onset major depression in Chinese Americans. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 11(1), 16-27.
  • Miranda, J., Bernal, G., Lau, A., Kohn, L., Hwang, W., La Framboise, T. (2005). State of the Science on Psychosocial Interventions for Ethnic Minorities. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 1, 113-142.
  • Miranda, J., Bernal, G., Lau, A., Kohn, L., Hwang, W., La Framboise, T. (2005). State of the Science on Psychosocial Interventions for Ethnic Minorities. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 1, 113-142.
  • Myers, H.F., & Hwang, W. (2004). Cumulative psychosocial risks and resilience: A conceptual perspective on ethnic health disparities in late life. In National Research Council, Critical Perspectives on Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health in Later Life. Anderson, N.A., Bulatao, R. A., Cohen, B. (Eds.) Committee on Population, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education (pp. 492-539). Washington, D.C.: The National Academies Press.
  • Abe-Kim, J., Takeuchi, D. T., & Hwang, W. (2002). Predictors of help seeking for emotional distress among Chinese Americans: Family Matters. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 70(5), 1186-1190.
  • Myers, H. F., Lesser, I., Rodriguez, N., Bingham, C. B., Hwang, W., Camp, C., Anderson, D., Erickson, L., & Wohl, M. (2002). Ethnic differences in clinical presentation of depression in depressed adult outpatients. Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology, 8(2), 138-156.
  • Hwang, W., Myers, H., & Takeuchi, D. (2000). Psychosocial predictors of first-onset depression in Chinese Americans. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 35, 133-145.

Selected Awards

  • Western Psychological Association Enrico E. Jones Award for Research in Psychotherapy and Clinical Psychology (2010)
  • Inducted as Fellow of Western Psychological Association for outstanding and sustained contributions to psychology through research, teaching, or service to the profession (2010)
  • American Psychological Association Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) Early Career Award in Research for Distinguished Contributions to the Field of Racial and Ethnic Minority Psychology (2009)
  • Asian American Psychological Association Early Career Award for Distinguished Contributions in Scholarship, Leadership, and Dedication to Asian American Communities (2009)
  • National Institute of Mental Health 3-C Institute for Social Development Leadership Training Institute Fellow (2008)
  • Taiwan Overseas Health Professionals Program Fellow (2007)
  • American Psychological Association (APA) Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) Psychology Summer Institute (PSI) Fellow (2006)
  • National Institutes of Health (NIH) OBSSR Summer Institute on Clinical Trials Fellow (2006)
  • Okura Mental Health Leadership Foundation Fellow (2002)
  • University of California Eugene Cota Robles Graduate Fellowship (1997-2001)
  • American Psychological Association Minority Fellowship Program Graduate Fellowship (1997-2000)
  • Phi Kappa Phi Graduate Fellowship (University & National Awards) (1997-1998)