Hsiu-Lan Cheng

Hsiu-Lan Cheng is a tenured Professor in the Department of Counseling Psychology at the University of San Francisco (USF). Previously, she served as an Assistant Professor at New Mexico State University and a staff psychologist at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Her research intersects racial/ethnic minority psychology, objectification theory, attachment theory, and positive psychology, focusing on mental health help-seeking attitudes, body image concerns, and disordered eating.

• Education: PhD in Counseling Psychology, University of Missouri-Columbia (2006)

Her work contextualizes psychological wellbeing within systemic oppressions (racism, sexism, classism) and immigration experiences, including community-based projects with San Francisco Chinatown agencies. Key research themes include multicultural mental health frameworks, critical consciousness, and intersectional feminist approaches.

Recent publications (2021–2025) examine:

• Global body image experiences among Asian populations
• Racialized trauma and resilience during the pandemic
• Sociocultural drivers of disordered eating
• Acculturative stress in Latinx and Asian American communities

Scientific recognition includes:

• Fellow, Society of Counseling Psychology (2023)
• Best in Science Award (2023)
• Distinguished Mentor Award (2021)
• Donald C. Roush Award for Teaching Excellence (2015)

Her research has received funding from the American Psychological Association, with a focus on community engagement and culturally informed interventions.