Biography

As a researcher long immersed in technology-based health communication, Professor Zhou’s research integrates disciplines of communication, social psychology, public health, and information technology. Her expertise lies in developing and evaluating innovative mobile health (mHealth) interventions and theory-based communication strategies for health promotion and reducing health disparities. Her studies have been supported by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), American Cancer Society (ACS) and the Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade (OEDIT).

Professor Zhou also investigates the persuasive effects of various communication strategies and the psychological mechanisms of how people respond to health-related messages, including using narratives to reduce psychological reactance, maximize personalization, and activate unconscious health goals. These studies have been published in top-tier communication and public health journals, including Health Communication, Journal of Health Communication, New Media and Society, Communication Monographs, Health Promotion Practice, and Journal of Medical Internet Research.

Abstract

The escalating global youth mental health crisis demands effective, innovative, accessible, and scalable interventions. In this talk, Prof. Zhou will synthesize research from diverse disciplines to explore how communication theories and strategies can enhance the design, implementation, and dissemination of youth mental health interventions. Focusing primarily on family-based interventions, Prof. Zhou will discuss how communication and digital technologies could play an important role in informing both the content development and the delivery of youth mental health interventions to guide future research and practice.