Xin Feng, professor, Department of Human Sciences, College of Education and Human Ecology, has been awarded a 2025-2026 Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award for “Development of Internalizing Problems in Children of Asian and European Descent in New Zealand.” From February – June 2026, Feng will be based at Massey University in New Zealand.
“This Fulbright project will examine the development of internalizing problems, such as depression and anxiety, among children of Asian and European descent in New Zealand. Asians are the fastest-growing ethnic groups in both New Zealand and the U.S., and in both countries, they have faced increasing depression, anxiety, and decreased life satisfaction. The rise of internalizing problems among children and adolescents has become an increasingly prominent global concern over the past decade,” Feng explained.
Given the ongoing global youth mental health crisis, there is an urgent need to understand the emergence and progression of internalizing problems, as well as the associated risk and protective factors, across diverse cultural contexts. This understanding is crucial for identifying key targets for early prevention and intervention efforts.
“Through this Fulbright experience, I aim to advance my research on the development of childhood internalizing problems within a global context. I seek to understand how cultural factors shape the emergence of internalizing symptoms and disorders, as well as the culturally embedded mechanisms that contribute to the intergenerational transmission of depression,” Feng noted.
“Leveraging the secondary data from the Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ), this study will investigate the development of internalizing problems and contributing factors in children of East Asian and European descent in New Zealand,” Feng said. “Specifically, the study will examine growth trajectories, identify predictive factors, and test a developmental model.”
The project will analyze differences in the growth trajectories of internalizing problems during early and middle childhood (ages two to eight) between children of East Asian and European descent. Identify key child factors (e.g., emotion regulation, executive function) and familial factors (e.g., parental mental health, cultural values, and parenting behavior) during childhood that predict developmental changes in internalizing symptoms within each ethnic group and compare between groups.
Lastly, the project will identify developmental profiles of internalizing trajectories and test a developmental model of childhood internalizing problems, where child and familial factors predict varying trajectories of internalizing symptoms from age two to eight, which in turn predict depressive and anxiety problems at age 12.
“With the support of the Fulbright scholarship, I hope to establish long-term international research collaborations focused on child development and mental health. These partnerships will support efforts to address global challenges in education and child well-being, including the development of culturally responsive interventions that promote positive development and mental health outcomes for children across diverse settings,” Feng said.
Fulbright
The Fulbright Scholar Program is administered by the Institute of International Education and is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State.
For more information about the Fulbright Scholar Program contact Joanna Kukielka-Blaser. View a complete list of Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program recipients.