Research
My primary research focuses on child and youth health promotion, substance use, mental health, positive psychology, complementary and alternative medicine (especially in yoga and meditation), physical activity based intervention, family factors and risky behaviors. I have been conducting physical activity based, and mind and body practices intervention to promote positive lifestyles. My goal is to apply integrative health intervention to help individual, families, schools and communities to develop healthy lifestyles connecting physical, mental and spiritual health.
To date, my research in health education, minority health, and physical activity promotion has resulted in 15 peer-reviewed publications, three manuscripts in review, two book chapters, and 21 presentations at highly competitive international/national conferences such as American Public Health Association, Society for Health and Physical Education, and American Psychological Association.
I also have served as review editors for several peer-reviewed journals such as Journal of Physical Activity and Health, Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, and International Journal of Child Health and Nutrition, and International Journal of Yoga Therapy, and abstract reviewer for the American Public Health Association.
My primary research focuses on child and youth health promotion, substance use, mental health, positive psychology, complementary and alternative medicine (especially in yoga and meditation), physical activity based intervention, family factors and risky behaviors. I have been conducting physical activity based, and mind and body practices intervention to promote positive lifestyles. My goal is to apply integrative health intervention to help individual, families, schools and communities to develop healthy lifestyles connecting physical, mental and spiritual health.
To date, my research in health education, minority health, and physical activity promotion has resulted in 15 peer-reviewed publications, three manuscripts in review, two book chapters, and 21 presentations at highly competitive international/national conferences such as American Public Health Association, Society for Health and Physical Education, and American Psychological Association.
I also have served as review editors for several peer-reviewed journals such as Journal of Physical Activity and Health, Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, and International Journal of Child Health and Nutrition, and International Journal of Yoga Therapy, and abstract reviewer for the American Public Health Association.
Publications
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles (total 15, under review 3)
1. Richardson, G. B., Chen, C. C., Dai, C. L., Brubaker, M. D., & Nedelec, J. L. (2017). The Psychometrics of the Mini-K:
Evidence from Two College Samples. Evolutionary Psychology, 15(1), 1-12.
2. Richardson, G. B., Chen, C. C., Dai, C. L., Swoboda, C. M., Nedelec, J. L., & Chen, W. W. (2017). Substance use and
mating success. Evolution and Human Behavior, 38(1), 48-57.
3. Dai, C. L., & Chen, C. C. (In Revision) School-based health education program: Impacting physical activity behaviors
among children from low income families.
4. Chen, C. C., Richardson, G. B., & Dai, C. L. (Under Review) Development and Initial Cross-Cultural Validation of a Brief
Measure of Separation-Individuation for U.S. and Taiwanese Samples.
5. Chen, C. C., Chen, W. W., Richardson, G. B., Dai, C. L., Luo, J., & Hays, D. G. (In Revision) The achievement goal
orientation in Chinese societies: Implications for U.S. college counselor.
6. Richardson, G. B., Dai, C. L., Chen, C. C., Nedelec, J., Swoboda, C. M., & Chen, W. W. (2016). Adolescent life history
strategy in the intergenerational transmission and developmental stability of substance use. Journal of Drug Issues,
46, 102-121.
7. Nabors, L., & Dai, C. L. (2016). Introduction: Linkages among traumatic experiences and psychosocial factors and
ecological outcomes for children and adolescents. Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community, 44, 77-
78.
8. Dai, C. L., Nabors, L., Vidourek, R. A., King, K. A., & Chen, C. C. (2015). Evaluation of an afterschool yoga program
for children. International Journal of Yoga, 8, 1-2.
9. Nabors, L., Baker, C., Woodson, K. D., Rebecca, E., & Dai, C. L. (2015). Family support and child functioning: Children
with PTSD and externalizing behaviors receiving mental health services. Behavioral Health in Ohio: Current
Research Trends, 3, 63-67.
10. Dai, C. L., & Sharma, M (2014). Predicting childhood obesity prevention behaviors using Social Cognitive Theory for
elementary school students in Taiwan. International Journal of Health Promotion and Education, 52(6), 339-345.
11. Dai, C. L., & Sharma, M. (2014). Between inhale and exhale: Yoga as an alternative intervention in smoking cessation.
Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 19(2), 144-149.
12. Dai, C. L., Nabors, L., King, K. A., Vidourek, R. A., Chen, C. C., Hoang, N., & Mastro, K. G. (2014). Evaluation of an
afterschool children’s healthy eating and exercise program. International Journal of Child Health and Nutrition,
3(4), 1-7.
13. Elkins, R. L., Nabors, L., King, K. A., Dai, C. L., Vidourek, R. A. (2014). Self-Efficacy Expectations, Body Mass Index,
and physical activity in Appalachian Adolescents. Research Quarterly for Exercise & Sport, 85, 60.
14. Richardson, G. B., Chen, C. C., Dai, C. L., Hardesty, P. H., & Swoboda, C. M. (2014). Parent and child life history
dimensions and their effects on adolescent-young adult substance use. Evolutionary Psychology, 12(5), 932-957.
15. Richardson, G. B., Freedlander, J. M., Katz, E. C., Dai, C. L., & Chen, C. C. (2014). Impulsivity links reward and threat
sensitivities to substance use: A functional model. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 1-10.
16. Tie, H. T., Xia, Y. Y., Zeng, Y. S., Zhang, Y., Dai, C. L., Guo, J. J., & Zhao, Y. (2014). Risk of childhood overweight or
obesity associated with excessive weight gain during pregnancy: a meta-analysis. Archives of Gynecology and
Obstetrics, 289(2), 247-257.
17. Dai, C. L. (2010). The story of a veteran’s wife. Coast Guard, 43, 68-69.
18. Dai, C. L. (2010). Caring for veterans: Stories from a local fishing village. Coastal Patrol,
71, 37.
Reports for Grant
1. Chen, S. C., Chen. C. C., & Dai, C. L. (2011). The rice and decline of Feng-Lin town from the perspective of a
photographer master. Taipei, Taiwan: Hakka Affairs Council.
2. Lin, M. J., & Dai, C. L. (2005). When “eastern student” meets “western helping skills”: Analytical study of learning
experiences of helping techniques among Taiwan undergraduates. In Department of Instructional Psychology and
Counseling Education of NHLUE (Eds.), Hualien: NHLUE.
Book Chapters
1. Clark, R. S., Nabors, L. A., Burbage, M. L., Dai, C. L., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2016). Hope as a Support for a Community of
Caregivers. In F. L. Cohen (Ed.), Hope: Individual Differences, Role in Recovery and Impact on Emotional Health.
Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers. ISBN: 978-1-63485-703-1
2. Kao, C. C., Kuo, H, L., & Dai, C. L. (2011). Shiau-Gaung runs away from the school. In National Dong Hwa University
Center for Teacher Education (Eds.), Case Method and Teacher Education. Taipei: Higher Education (In Chinese).
Presentations
Referred Presentations in National and International Conferences (total 21)
1. Dai, C. L., Chen, C. C., & Richardson, G. B. Step Forward: Evaluation of a
marathon training program for participants in addiction recovery program and
homeless services. Research submitted to 2017 American Public Health Association
Annual Meeting.
2. Dai, C. L., Chen, C. C., Nabors, L. A. & Slagh, D. (2015, Oct). School based programs:
Impacting physical activity behaviors among children in low-income families.
Research paper presented at the annual conference of American School Health
Association, Orlando, FL.
3. Dai, C. L., Mastro, K., Chen, C. C., Nabors, L. A. (2015, Oct). Lessons from evaluating an
obesity prevention program: Children’s Healthy Eating and Exercise. Research poster
presented at the annual conference of American School Health Association, Orlando,
FL.
4. Richardson, G. B., Chen, C. C., & Dai, C. L. (2015, May). From childhood environment to
cognition to substance abuse: The role of religiousness. Research poster presented at
the annual conference of Association for Psychological Science, New York, NY.
5. Dai, C. L., Chen, C. C., Nabors, L. A., Hoang, N., & Mastro, K. G. (2014, Sep). Evaluation of
an yoga afterschool program for children. Research poster accepted at the annual
conference of International Association of Yoga Therapists Symposium on Yoga
Research, Stockbridge, MA.
6. Elkins, R. L., Nabors, L., King, K. A., Dai, C. L., & Vidourek, R. (2014, Apr). Self-
Efficacy Expectations, Body Mass Index and Physical Activity in Appalachian
adolescents. Research paper presented at the annual conference of AAHPERD, St.
Louis, MO.
7. Nabors, L., Burbage, M., Woodson, K., Dai, C. L., & Swoboda, C. (2014, Mar). The
Children’s Healthy Eating and Exercise Program: Review of a school based obesity
prevention project for elementary school-age children. Research paper presented at
the annual conference of Society for Public Health Education, Baltimore, MD.
8. Dai, C. L., Chen, C. C., & Bernard, A. L. (2013, Nov). I live, I grow: An evaluation of a
community gardening program's impact on positive lifestyle among older adults.
Research poster accepted at the annual conference of American Public Health
Association, Boston, MA.
9. Dai, C. L., Chen, C. C., Richardson, G. B., & Chen, S. C. (2013, Oct). Eastern norm
versus Western theory: the effect of Filial Piety and Parentification on Taiwanese
counselors. Research poster presented at the annual conference of Association of
Counselor Education and Supervision, Denver, CO.
10. Chen, C. C., Cook, E. P., Richardson, G. B., & Dai, C. L. (2013, Oct). Inadequate or
inappropriate: Developing an Asian Counselor Training Model from an ecological
perspective. Research poster presented at the annual conference of Association of
Counselor Education and Supervision, Denver, CO.
11. Richardson, G. B., Chen, C. C., Dai, C. L., & Brubaker, M. (2013, Aug). Immediate
Survival Focus: Linking SES, dichotomous thinking, and substance use. Research
poster presented at the annual conference of American Psychology Association,
Honolulu, HI, USA.
12. Richardson, G. B., Chen, C. C., Brubaker, M., & Dai, C. L. (2013, May). Immediate
Survival Focus: Dichotomous Thinking as a Life History Mechanism and Risk Factor
for Substance Abuse. Research paper presented at the annual conference of
NorthEastern Evolutionary Psychology Society, Annville, PA, USA.
13. Chen, C. C., Chen, S. C., & Dai, C. L. (2013, Mar). Inadequate or inappropriate:
Counseling intervention for Asian survivors of natural disaster from social justice and
ecological perspective. Research poster presented at the annual conference of
American Counseling Association, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
14. Dai, C. L., & Sharma, M. (2012, Oct). Between inhalation and exhalation: Yoga as an
alternative or complementary intervention for smoking cessation. Research poster
presented at the annual conference of American Public Health Association, San
Francisco, CA, USA.
15. Chen, C. C., Richardson, G. B., & Dai, C. L. (2012, Aug). Life history strategy and
substance use. Research poster presented at the annual conference of American
Psychological Association, Orlando, FL, USA.
16. Richardson, G. B., Chen, C. C., & Dai, C. L. (2012, Jun). Sex and drugs: The reciprocal
longitudinal effects between young adult mating effort and substance use. Research
paper presented at the annual conference of Human Behavior and Evolution Society
Albuquerque, NM, USA.
17. Dai, C. L., & Sharma, M. (2012, Mar). Childhood obesity in Taiwan: Predicting
childhood obesity prevention behaviors using Social Cognitive Theory. Research
poster presented at the annual conference of Spring Research Conference,
Louisville, KY, USA.
18. Dai, C. L, Chen, C. C., & Richardson, G. B. (2012, Mar). Life history strategy and
substance use. Research poster presented at the annual conference of Spring
Research Conference, Louisville, KY, USA.
19. Kao, C. C., Kuo, H, L., & Dai, C. L. (2011, May). Shiau-Gaung runs away from the
school. Research paper presented at the annual conference of Case Study and
Teacher Education Conference, Hualien, Taiwan.
20. Chen, C. C., & Chen, S. C., Dai, C. L. (2010, Mar). Give-and-take: Separation-
Individuation, Parentification and Filial Piety in Asian culture. Research paper
presented at the annual conference of American Counseling Association, Pittsburgh,
PA, USA.
21. Chen, C. C., & Dai, C. L. (2008, Mar). Separation-Individuation Theory: A source of
conflict for Asian adolescents. Research paper presented at the annual conference of
American Counseling Association, Honolulu, HI, USA.
Referred Presentations in National and International Conferences (total 21)
1. Dai, C. L., Chen, C. C., & Richardson, G. B. Step Forward: Evaluation of a
marathon training program for participants in addiction recovery program and
homeless services. Research submitted to 2017 American Public Health Association
Annual Meeting.
2. Dai, C. L., Chen, C. C., Nabors, L. A. & Slagh, D. (2015, Oct). School based programs:
Impacting physical activity behaviors among children in low-income families.
Research paper presented at the annual conference of American School Health
Association, Orlando, FL.
3. Dai, C. L., Mastro, K., Chen, C. C., Nabors, L. A. (2015, Oct). Lessons from evaluating an
obesity prevention program: Children’s Healthy Eating and Exercise. Research poster
presented at the annual conference of American School Health Association, Orlando,
FL.
4. Richardson, G. B., Chen, C. C., & Dai, C. L. (2015, May). From childhood environment to
cognition to substance abuse: The role of religiousness. Research poster presented at
the annual conference of Association for Psychological Science, New York, NY.
5. Dai, C. L., Chen, C. C., Nabors, L. A., Hoang, N., & Mastro, K. G. (2014, Sep). Evaluation of
an yoga afterschool program for children. Research poster accepted at the annual
conference of International Association of Yoga Therapists Symposium on Yoga
Research, Stockbridge, MA.
6. Elkins, R. L., Nabors, L., King, K. A., Dai, C. L., & Vidourek, R. (2014, Apr). Self-
Efficacy Expectations, Body Mass Index and Physical Activity in Appalachian
adolescents. Research paper presented at the annual conference of AAHPERD, St.
Louis, MO.
7. Nabors, L., Burbage, M., Woodson, K., Dai, C. L., & Swoboda, C. (2014, Mar). The
Children’s Healthy Eating and Exercise Program: Review of a school based obesity
prevention project for elementary school-age children. Research paper presented at
the annual conference of Society for Public Health Education, Baltimore, MD.
8. Dai, C. L., Chen, C. C., & Bernard, A. L. (2013, Nov). I live, I grow: An evaluation of a
community gardening program's impact on positive lifestyle among older adults.
Research poster accepted at the annual conference of American Public Health
Association, Boston, MA.
9. Dai, C. L., Chen, C. C., Richardson, G. B., & Chen, S. C. (2013, Oct). Eastern norm
versus Western theory: the effect of Filial Piety and Parentification on Taiwanese
counselors. Research poster presented at the annual conference of Association of
Counselor Education and Supervision, Denver, CO.
10. Chen, C. C., Cook, E. P., Richardson, G. B., & Dai, C. L. (2013, Oct). Inadequate or
inappropriate: Developing an Asian Counselor Training Model from an ecological
perspective. Research poster presented at the annual conference of Association of
Counselor Education and Supervision, Denver, CO.
11. Richardson, G. B., Chen, C. C., Dai, C. L., & Brubaker, M. (2013, Aug). Immediate
Survival Focus: Linking SES, dichotomous thinking, and substance use. Research
poster presented at the annual conference of American Psychology Association,
Honolulu, HI, USA.
12. Richardson, G. B., Chen, C. C., Brubaker, M., & Dai, C. L. (2013, May). Immediate
Survival Focus: Dichotomous Thinking as a Life History Mechanism and Risk Factor
for Substance Abuse. Research paper presented at the annual conference of
NorthEastern Evolutionary Psychology Society, Annville, PA, USA.
13. Chen, C. C., Chen, S. C., & Dai, C. L. (2013, Mar). Inadequate or inappropriate:
Counseling intervention for Asian survivors of natural disaster from social justice and
ecological perspective. Research poster presented at the annual conference of
American Counseling Association, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
14. Dai, C. L., & Sharma, M. (2012, Oct). Between inhalation and exhalation: Yoga as an
alternative or complementary intervention for smoking cessation. Research poster
presented at the annual conference of American Public Health Association, San
Francisco, CA, USA.
15. Chen, C. C., Richardson, G. B., & Dai, C. L. (2012, Aug). Life history strategy and
substance use. Research poster presented at the annual conference of American
Psychological Association, Orlando, FL, USA.
16. Richardson, G. B., Chen, C. C., & Dai, C. L. (2012, Jun). Sex and drugs: The reciprocal
longitudinal effects between young adult mating effort and substance use. Research
paper presented at the annual conference of Human Behavior and Evolution Society
Albuquerque, NM, USA.
17. Dai, C. L., & Sharma, M. (2012, Mar). Childhood obesity in Taiwan: Predicting
childhood obesity prevention behaviors using Social Cognitive Theory. Research
poster presented at the annual conference of Spring Research Conference,
Louisville, KY, USA.
18. Dai, C. L, Chen, C. C., & Richardson, G. B. (2012, Mar). Life history strategy and
substance use. Research poster presented at the annual conference of Spring
Research Conference, Louisville, KY, USA.
19. Kao, C. C., Kuo, H, L., & Dai, C. L. (2011, May). Shiau-Gaung runs away from the
school. Research paper presented at the annual conference of Case Study and
Teacher Education Conference, Hualien, Taiwan.
20. Chen, C. C., & Chen, S. C., Dai, C. L. (2010, Mar). Give-and-take: Separation-
Individuation, Parentification and Filial Piety in Asian culture. Research paper
presented at the annual conference of American Counseling Association, Pittsburgh,
PA, USA.
21. Chen, C. C., & Dai, C. L. (2008, Mar). Separation-Individuation Theory: A source of
conflict for Asian adolescents. Research paper presented at the annual conference of
American Counseling Association, Honolulu, HI, USA.