Yixin "Cindy" Chen, Ph.D.

Yixin Chen, Ph.D.

Yixin "Cindy" Chen, Ph.D.
Associate Professor

Cindy (Yixin) Chen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Sam Houston State University. She is passionate about teaching and conducting research in communication. She joined Sam Houston State University in Fall 2014. She holds a master’s degree from the University of Texas at El Paso and a Ph.D. from University at Buffalo, the State University of New York, both in Communication.

As a health and interpersonal communication researcher, Cindy studies how interpersonal and mediated communication processes influence individuals’ cognition and emotion. She is also interested in the impact of cognition and emotion on health decision-making, health behaviors, and personal well-being. Currently, her research centers on how social support is associated with well-being, and how health literacy and health beliefs are related to health/risky behaviors. Her works have appeared in communication, psychology, and substance use journals. Her research on binge drinking among college students has been featured on National Public Radio. She received a Top Paper award from the Health Communication Division at the 2012 conference of the International Communication Association. She also received a Top Student Paper award from the Health Communication Division at the 2014 conference of the National Communication Association.

Cindy experienced many difficulties and hardships following her dream of coming to the U.S. to earn advanced degrees in Communication. Her effort was recognized by the 2007 UTEP “Woman of Valor,” an award for women overcoming adversity in pursuit of higher education. She is grateful to the people who have helped and supported her on her journey. She is committed to helping her students realize their dreams and live happy, healthy, and productive lives. She enjoys travelling and aerobics. She also loves folk songs and dances. Please feel free to contact her at cindychen@shsu.edu or 936-294-3164.

Representative Publications:

  1. Chen, Y. (2023). How do religious and political beliefs predict COVID-19 vaccination behavior among U.S. college students? A study using the health belief model. American Journal of Health Promotion. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/08901171231160666
  2. Chen, Y., & Liu, X. (2021b). Determinants of Beijing residents’ intentions to take protective behaviors against smog: An application of the health belief model. Health Communication. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2021.1956036
  3. Chen, Y., & Liu, X. (2021a). How do environmental news and the Under the Dome documentary influence air-pollution knowledge and risk perception among Beijing residents? SAGE Open, 11(2), 1-11. doi: 10.1177/21582440211015712.
  4. Chen, Y. (2019). How does communication anxiety influence well-being? Examining the mediating roles of preference for online social interaction (POSI) and loneliness. International Journal of Communication, 13, 4795–4813.
  5. Chen, Y. & Feeley, T. H. (2018). Risk perception, social support, and alcohol use among U.S. adolescents. International Journal of Communication and Health, 13, 11-22.
  6. Chen, Y. (2018). Two-wave online survey and negative binomial regression: Using optimal methods and statistics in a binge-drinking study. Sage Research Methods Cases, 2, 1-15. doi: 10.4135/9781526446343
  7. Chen, Y. & Bello, R. S. (2017). Does receiving or providing social support on Facebook influence life satisfaction? Stress as mediator and self-esteem as moderator. International Journal of Communication, 11, 2926–2939.
  8. Chen, Y. (2017). The roles of prevention messages, risk perception, and benefit perception in predicting binge drinking among college students. Health Communication, Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/10410236.2017.1321161
  9. Chen, Y., & Yang, Q. (2017). How do cancer risk perception, benefit perception of quitting, and cancer worry influence quitting intention among current smokers: A study using the 2013 HINTS. Journal of Substance Use, Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/14659891.2016.1271033
  10. Chen, Y., & Feeley, T. H. (2015). Predicting binge drinking in college students: Rational beliefs, stress, or loneliness? Journal of Drug Education, 45(3/4), 133-155. doi: 10.1177/0047237916639812 (Lead Article)
  11. Chen, Y., & Yang, Z. J. (2015). Message formats, numeracy, risk perceptions of alcohol-attributable cancer, and intentions for binge drinking among college students. Journal of Drug Education, 45(1), 37-55. doi: 10.1177/0047237915604062
  12. Chen, Y., & Feeley, T. H. (2014b). Numeracy, information seeking, and self-efficacy in managing health: An analysis using the 2007 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS). Health Communication, 29(9), 843-853. doi: 10.1080/10410236.2013.807904 (Lead Article)
  13. Chen, Y., & Feeley, T. H. (2014a). Social support, social strain, loneliness, and well-being among older adults: An analysis of the Health and Retirement Study*. Journal of Social & Personal Relationships, 31(2), 141-161. doi: 10.1177/0265407513488728 (Lead Article)
  14. Chen, Y., & Feeley, T. H. (2012). Enacted support and well-being: A test of the mediating role of perceived control. Communication Studies, 63(5), 608-625. doi: 10.1080/10510974.2012.674619