معرفی
Dr. Esther S. Chang is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Soka University of America. She holds a Ph.D. in Psychology and Social Behavior from the University of California-Irvine (2007), an M.A. in General Psychology from Columbia University (2000), and a B.A. in Politics and International Policy Analysis from Oberlin College (1995).
- Education: Ph.D. (UC Irvine), M.A. (Columbia), B.A. (Oberlin)
Her research focuses on lifespan developmental psychology, particularly adolescence and early adulthood, examining how individuals actively construct their development through shared agency with others. Key areas include parent-child dynamics, mentoring, cross-cultural comparisons (e.g., U.S.-China-South Korea), and the psychological adjustment of marginalized groups such as LGBQ individuals in China and foster youth. She developed a mentoring scale for Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) to support foster youth and has mentored numerous capstone students in cross-cultural psychology and developmental studies.
Her recent publications emphasize career-related goal pursuit, intergenerational differences in life priorities, and the impact of social support systems on youth transitions. She presented at conferences like the Association for Psychological Science and Western Psychological Association, often collaborating with former students such as Jianmin Shao (UC Irvine Ph.D. student) and Gary Germo.
