Hsiu-Lan Cheng

Dr. Hsiu-Lan Cheng's research examines help-seeking attitudes and mental health concerns (particularly depression, body image concerns, disordered eating) from the intersection of racial and ethnic minority psychology, objectification theory, attachment theory, and positive psychology. She is particularly interested in understanding the contextualization of mental health and psychological wellbeing within the sociocultural milieu of racism, sexism, classism, immigration, and acculturation. Dr. Cheng’s most recent research projects involve collaboration with San Francisco Chinatown community agencies to highlight the understudied and underserved mental health concerns within the immigrant population.

Prior to joining the faculty at the University of San Francisco, Dr. Cheng worked as an assistant professor of counseling psychology at New Mexico State University and a practicing counseling psychologist at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Dr. Cheng's research has been funded by the American Psychological Association. She is a fellow of the Minority Fellowship Program of the American Psychological Association. Dr. Cheng was named amongst the 99 Top Professors in Counseling, Psychology and Therapy list in the Masters in Counseling Information Guide.

• Racial/ethnic minority mental health 
• Asian American psychology
• Culturally-informed positive psychology
• Attachment theory & interpersonal process in psychotherapy

• Multicultural contextualization of mental health and help-seeking
• Body image and disordered eating issues
• Critical consciousness and intersectional feminist framework
• Culturally-informed positive psychology

• University of Missouri-Columbia, PhD in Counseling Psychology, 2006

• Associate Professor (tenured), Department of Counseling Psychology, University of San Francisco
• Assistant Professor (tenure-track), Department of Counseling Psychology, University of San Francisco
• Assistant Professor (tenure-track), Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology, New Mexico State University 
• Staff Psychologist, Counseling and Psychological Services, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

• Fellow, Society of Counseling Psychology, American Psychological Association (elected 2023)
• Best in Science Award, Division 17 (Society of Counseling Psychology), American Psychological Association (2023)
• Distinguished Mentor Award, Section V (Psychology of Asian Pacific American Women), Division 35 (Society for the Psychology of Women), American Psychological Association (2021)

• Psychotherapy with Women Research Award, Division 35 (Society for the Psychology of Women), American Psychological Association (2018)

• Donald C. Roush Award for Teaching Excellence, New Mexico Statue University (2015)

• Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research, College of Education, New Mexico State University (2014)

• Fellow, American Psychological Association, Minority Fellowship Program; a program funded by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) (2014)

• Cheng, H.-L., & Tsong, Y. (2024). Body Image and the Asian experience: Asians, Asian Americans, and Asian diasporas across the globe. Publisher: Elsevier Science. 
• Cheng, H.-L., Kim, H. Y., Reynolds, J., Tsong, Y., & Wong, Y. J. (2021). COVID-19 anti-Asian racism: A tripartite model of collective psychosocial resilience. American Psychologist, 76 (4), 627-642.
• Cheng, H.-L., McDermott, R. C., Wong, Y. J., & McCullough, K. M. (2020). Perceived discrimination and academic distress among Latinx college students: A cross-lagged longitudinal investigation. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 67, 401-408.
• Cheng, H., Tran, A. T., Miyake, E. R.,* & Kim, H. Y.* (2017). Disordered eating among Asian American college women: A racially-expanded model of objectification theory. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 64 (2), 179-191.
• Cheng, H., & Mallinckrodt, B. (2015). Racial/ethnic discrimination, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and alcohol problems in a longitudinal study of Hispanic/Latino college students. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 62, 38-49. 
• Cheng, H. (2014). Disordered eating among Asian/Asian American women: Racial and cultural factors as correlates. The Counseling Psychologist, 42, 821-851.
• Cheng, H., Kwan, K. K., & Sevig, T. (2013). Racial and ethnic minority college students’ stigma associated with seeking psychological help: Examining psychocultural correlates. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 60 , 98-111.
• Cheng, H., Mallinckrodt, B., & Wu, L. (2005). Anger expression toward parents and depressive symptoms among undergraduates in Taiwan. The Counseling Psychologist , 33 , 72-97.