Charissa Cheah

Charissa Cheah is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), affiliated with the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, College Park. Her research focuses on children and adolescents’ social, emotional, and health development, particularly in underrepresented, immigrant, and low-income families. She leads the Culture, Child and Adolescent Development (CCAD) Laboratory, emphasizing mixed-method approaches to study cultural influences on development.

Dr. Cheah’s research interests include racial-ethnic socialization, parenting practices, identity development, and contextual factors affecting child outcomes. She explores these areas through cross-cultural and international collaborations, addressing topics like anti-Asian racism during the pandemic and religious identity in Muslim-American youth. She mentors graduate students in quantitative/qualitative methodologies, cross-cultural research, and publication leadership.

Teaching includes courses like Psychology and Culture (PSYC 230), Child Development and Culture (PSYC 330), and Cultural Aspects of Human Development (PSYC 635). Undergraduate research opportunities involve data collection, analysis, and conference participation. Her work has been featured in UMBC Magazine for its global interdisciplinary reach.

Key areas of focus include:

• Racial discrimination impacts on Chinese American youth
• Religious socialization and civic engagement in Muslim-American adolescents
• Virtual reality applications in food behavior studies
• Cross-cultural parenting comparisons

Current projects examine cascading effects of discrimination, pandemic-related identity challenges, and cultural adaptation mechanisms in immigrant families. Her lab actively seeks graduate students for Fall 2025 enrollment.