Overview
I am interested in child mental health and relevant cultural difference. My research focuses on how psychosocial factors (e.g., parenting, self-compassion, self-esteem, friendships, peer difficulties) contribute to youth depression and how it can be influenced by cultural differences. I would like to propose conceptual models with a developmental and culturally-informed perspective to guide assessment and intervention in youth mental health.
Qualifications
PhD Clinical Psychology, University of Exeter, UK (Sep 2017- Aug 2021)
MSc Psychological Research Methods, University of Exeter, UK (Sep 2016 - Sep 2017)
BSc Applied Psychology, Shandong Normal University, China (Sep 2012 - Jul 2016)
Research
Research interests
Mental health
Psychosocial factors
Child development
Culture differences
Psychophysiological mechanisms
Intervention
Psychometrics
Research projects
PhD
• Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Self-Compassion Scale and using focus group discussion to explore how Chinese young adults understand the construct of self-compassion
• Examining the association between self-compassion and adolescent depression from an interpersonal perspective in both the UK and China
• Investigating the associations between parenting, self-evaluation peer relations and depression from 3 years old to 17 years old: evidence from ALSPAC
• Exploring the associations between early family experience, social abilities, peer relations, self-esteem and depression from infancy to adolescence: evidence from MCS
• Investigating the facilitating effect of self-compassion exercise in a lab on prosocial behaviour in university students and its potential psychophysiological mechanism
Master
• Exploring the associations between empathy, self-compassion and prosocial behaviour
Undergraduate
• Examining the associations between negative body image, self-esteem, school adaptation and depression in middle school
• Exploring the association between family factors and pubertal timing in early adolescence
• Development of Education Decision Test for High School Students
• Compiling educational resources for Primary school pupils and exploring cognitive development in pupils
Publications
Key publications | Publications by category | Publications by year
Publications by category
Journal articles
Zhao M, Smithson J, Ford T, Wang P, Wong NYB, Karl A (2021). Self-compassion in Chinese Young Adults: Specific Features of the Construct from a Cultural Perspective.
Mindfulness,
12(11), 2718-2728.
Abstract:
Self-compassion in Chinese Young Adults: Specific Features of the Construct from a Cultural Perspective
Abstract
. Objectives
. Recent
research has suggested that Chinese individuals from a collectivist culture may have a different understanding of self-compassion, which could differentially contribute to mental health. This study aimed to obtain an in-depth insight into Chinese adults’ understanding of self-compassion.
.
. Methods
. Four online focus groups in Chinese undergraduates discussed the construct of self-compassion based on self-kindness, self-judgment, common humanity, isolation, mindfulness, and over-identification. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.
.
. Results
. Chinese participants valued benign self-criticism and self-reflection when contemplating their understanding of self-compassion. Similarly, participants’ view of self-compassion dimensions can be described as dialectical in that they reflected both negative and positive perceptions in each factor rather than suggesting separate and purely negative or purely positive dimensions. There was also an overlap in the interpretation of the negative dimensions (self-judgment, isolation, and over-identification).
.
. Conclusions
. The findings highlight particularities in the understanding of self-compassion in these Chinese students, which may be influenced by philosophical traditions promoting dialecticism and the dual focus on the transformation of the self and social participation. This suggests the importance of a cultural perspective when studying self-compassion and interpreting relevant research findings.
.
Abstract.
Full text.
Zhao M, Ford T, Wang P, Karl A (2021). The role of parenting, self-compassion and friendships in depressive symptoms among young people in the UK and China.
Current PsychologyAbstract:
The role of parenting, self-compassion and friendships in depressive symptoms among young people in the UK and China
Abstract
Self-compassion, being kind to oneself in difficult times, is a way of relating to oneself that promotes better mental health, but little is known about how self-compassion affects interpersonal relationships. The current study examined the association between self-compassion and adolescent depressive symptoms from an interpersonal perspective in different cultural contexts. Adolescents (N = 422/570, Mean age = 14.44/13.41, UK/China) completed questionnaires about their perceptions of their parents' behaviour towards them, self-compassion, friendships and depressive symptoms. Structural equation modelling revealed that positive parenting was positively associated with higher self-compassion, positive friendship quality, and with fewer depressive symptoms in both samples. Additionally, we confirmed a negative association between self-compassion and depressive symptoms. The pathway from positive parenting to lower depressive symptoms via higher self-compassion was also corroborated in both cultures. Contrary to our hypothesis, positive quality of friendship was associated with higher depressive symptoms in both countries. Conflicts were associated with more depressive symptoms in the Chinese sample only. There was evidence of a negative association between self-compassion and conflicts in the Chinese sample only. Finally, the direct association between self-compassion and depressive symptoms was greater in the UK sample, whereas in the Chinese sample, interpersonal factors were more strongly associated with self-compassion and depressive symptoms. Our findings suggest that self-compassion may be a useful therapeutic target to improve social functioning and mental health among adolescents and that it may be necessary to account for cross-cultural differences in interpersonal factors when designing psychological interventions.
Abstract.
Full text.
Publications by year
2021
Zhao M, Smithson J, Ford T, Wang P, Wong NYB, Karl A (2021). Self-compassion in Chinese Young Adults: Specific Features of the Construct from a Cultural Perspective.
Mindfulness,
12(11), 2718-2728.
Abstract:
Self-compassion in Chinese Young Adults: Specific Features of the Construct from a Cultural Perspective
Abstract
. Objectives
. Recent
research has suggested that Chinese individuals from a collectivist culture may have a different understanding of self-compassion, which could differentially contribute to mental health. This study aimed to obtain an in-depth insight into Chinese adults’ understanding of self-compassion.
.
. Methods
. Four online focus groups in Chinese undergraduates discussed the construct of self-compassion based on self-kindness, self-judgment, common humanity, isolation, mindfulness, and over-identification. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.
.
. Results
. Chinese participants valued benign self-criticism and self-reflection when contemplating their understanding of self-compassion. Similarly, participants’ view of self-compassion dimensions can be described as dialectical in that they reflected both negative and positive perceptions in each factor rather than suggesting separate and purely negative or purely positive dimensions. There was also an overlap in the interpretation of the negative dimensions (self-judgment, isolation, and over-identification).
.
. Conclusions
. The findings highlight particularities in the understanding of self-compassion in these Chinese students, which may be influenced by philosophical traditions promoting dialecticism and the dual focus on the transformation of the self and social participation. This suggests the importance of a cultural perspective when studying self-compassion and interpreting relevant research findings.
.
Abstract.
Full text.
Zhao M (2021). The Role of Psychosocial Factors in Adolescent Depressive Symptoms.
Abstract:
The Role of Psychosocial Factors in Adolescent Depressive Symptoms
Psychosocial factors play a critical role in young people mental health and influence various developmental outcomes. This thesis aimed to examine a theory-informed multifactorial model of adolescent depressive symptoms that included self-perception and interpersonal factors. Briefly, this model posits that early parenting practices exert influence via self-perception and peer relationships (e.g. peer difficulties and friendships) and directly play a role in depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms, on the other hand, could also negatively influence self-perception, such as low self-esteem and self-compassion, and one’s social relationships, such as more peer difficulties and poor friendships. Furthermore, the model accounts for early parenting behaviour and peer relations playing an important role in developing self-esteem and self-compassion, but also for the opposite effect, one’s self-perception can also impact peer relationships. The current thesis examined the model through a cross-sectional study recruiting adolescents in the UK and China (Study 3) and a secondary data analysis study using data from Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (Study 4). Before examining the hypothesised developmental pathways, Study 1 and Study 2 were conducted to explore the construct of self-compassion in Chinese samples due to the definition and assessment debate in the current literature. The current thesis found that positive parenting, self-esteem, self-compassion and fewer peer difficulties play a protective role in adolescent depression, but the role of friendships in depression remains unclear. Also, the notion that positive parenting and peer relationships shape how children think about themselves, known as social-origin development of self-perception, was supported. Conversely, during adolescence, self-perception and peer relationships were associated with each other. Finally, the thesis identified cultural differences in the development of young people’s depressive symptoms with social relationships being more important in a collectivist culture and self-compassion being more eminent an individualist culture. The current thesis discussed theoretical and clinical implication of the findings and provided several assessment considerations of psychosocial factors in empirical studies in adolescents. Future studies should further explore the hypothesised pathway model. Keywords: depressive symptoms, self-perception, peer relationships, positive parenting, culture difference
Abstract.
Full text.
Zhao M, Ford T, Wang P, Karl A (2021). The role of parenting, self-compassion and friendships in depressive symptoms among young people in the UK and China.
Current PsychologyAbstract:
The role of parenting, self-compassion and friendships in depressive symptoms among young people in the UK and China
Abstract
Self-compassion, being kind to oneself in difficult times, is a way of relating to oneself that promotes better mental health, but little is known about how self-compassion affects interpersonal relationships. The current study examined the association between self-compassion and adolescent depressive symptoms from an interpersonal perspective in different cultural contexts. Adolescents (N = 422/570, Mean age = 14.44/13.41, UK/China) completed questionnaires about their perceptions of their parents' behaviour towards them, self-compassion, friendships and depressive symptoms. Structural equation modelling revealed that positive parenting was positively associated with higher self-compassion, positive friendship quality, and with fewer depressive symptoms in both samples. Additionally, we confirmed a negative association between self-compassion and depressive symptoms. The pathway from positive parenting to lower depressive symptoms via higher self-compassion was also corroborated in both cultures. Contrary to our hypothesis, positive quality of friendship was associated with higher depressive symptoms in both countries. Conflicts were associated with more depressive symptoms in the Chinese sample only. There was evidence of a negative association between self-compassion and conflicts in the Chinese sample only. Finally, the direct association between self-compassion and depressive symptoms was greater in the UK sample, whereas in the Chinese sample, interpersonal factors were more strongly associated with self-compassion and depressive symptoms. Our findings suggest that self-compassion may be a useful therapeutic target to improve social functioning and mental health among adolescents and that it may be necessary to account for cross-cultural differences in interpersonal factors when designing psychological interventions.
Abstract.
Full text.
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