CARE LAB
Our Research
The CARE Lab is dedicated to advancing research that centers the lived experiences of immigrants and marginalized communities with a particular focus on Asian American individuals and families. Our work is grounded in four interconnected commitments:
Contextual
We recognize that social relationships and psychological experiences cannot be understood in isolation. For marginalized communities, the interplay of culture, history, and sociopolitical forces deeply shapes everyday factors. Our research highlights these contextual layers to provide more nuanced understandings of well-being.
Allyship
We focus on building and enhancing intragroup (within Asian ethnic groups) and intergroup (cross-racial) solidarity. Underscoring the role of critical consciousness, our work shifts responsibility of systemic problems away from individual level to the institutional and structural levels.
Racism
We investigate the impact of racism (discrimination and systemic racism) on psychological health and relational well-being. By documenting these detriments, we aim to challenge deficit narratives and to promote structural change.
Empowerment
We are committed to strengthening Asian American communities through research that cultivates resilience at both individual and collective levels. Our goal is to amplify voices and celebrate strengths of individuals, while also building accessible and enduring pathways leading toward healing and empowerment of the collective.
Published Research
Lee, H.N., & Yoon, E. (2025). Coalition or Othering? Asian Americans’ experiences of discrimination, collective identity, and intergroup solidarity.The Counseling Psychologist.
Lee, H.N., Oh, J. & Takeshi, N. (2025). Obligations in Japan: a three-year longitudinal study among mid-life adults. Asian Journal of Social Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajsp.70045
Lee, H.N., Yoon, E., Choi, Y., & Yanuaria, C. (2024). Acculturation, depression, culturally specific syndrome, and parenting styles of Korean immigrant mothers in the U.S. Asian American Journal of Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/aap0000328
Chang, Y., Yoon, E. & Lee, H.N. (2024). Migratory grief and mental health outcomes for First- generation Korean American immigrants. Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology. DOI: 10.1037/cdp0000607
Yoon, E., Lee, H.N., Pinney, E., Adams, P., Lovan, D. & Lilwani, J. (2023). A Content Analysis of the Counseling Psychology Literature on Religiousness and Spirituality. The Counseling Psychologist, 51(4), 500-531. https://doi.org/10.1177/00110000231153965
Manuscripts Under Review
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Lee, J., Yoon, E., & Lee, H.N. (Under review). It’s Not Always My Fault: Racial Discrimination and Social Anxiety among Asian Americans.
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Cheng, Y., Yoon, E., & Lee, H.N. (Under review). Sexual identity development among queer Chinese international students in the U.S.​
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Yoon, E., Lee, H.N., Lee, J. & Lewis, C. (Under review). Contextualized social relationships theory: Exploration of Asian Americans’ social relationships.
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Kim, K., Lee, H.N., & Chang, Y. J. (Under review). Effects of ambiguous loss on depressive symptoms in North Korean defector women: interaction effects by tolerance of ambiguity and emotional awareness.
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Lee, H.N., Lee, A., Yoon, E. & Chang, Y. (Under review). Preliminary examination of individual and community resilience among Asian Americans.
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Louis, C., Yoon, E. & Lee, H.N. (Under review). All my skin folk ain't my kin folk: understanding system justification through the lens of Black identity.
Ongoing Projects
Othering and Social Anxiety
Grounded in the Contextualized Social Relationship Theory and Othering frameworks, we examine the impact of discrimination on social anxiety across contexts.
Parent-Child Relationships
Grounded in the Family Stress Model and acculturation gap-distress theory, we examine the bidirectional pathways between bicultural management, intergenerational cultural conflict, and psychological outcomes in Korean and Filipino immigrant families.
Language and Belonging
The role of language: this project focuses on empowering international bilingual therapists-in-training.