RESEARCH AREAS
Traumatic Stress/ Intergenerational Transmission of Traumatic Stress/ Systemic Resilie
Global Mental Health & Relational Health
Culturally Relevant Multi-level Interventions
Parenting Intervention & Positive Child Development
Qualitative/Multi Methods Methodology
Refugee & Immigrant Families/ Marginalized Populations
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Postdoctoral Project: “Exploring Cambodian refugee parenting practices after 40+ years of resettlement in the United States” (July 2023- July 2025) _ University of Minnesota, Minnesota, USA (UMN IRB Approval: 12/21/2023_ IRB ID: STUDY00020956)
Primary responsibilities are to write a proposal, develop research materials in both Khmer and English, apply for IRB, contact key community leaders who are serving Cambodian refugee families in Minnesota & across the United States, conduct participant recruitment, conduct survey and in-depth ethnographic interviews, clean survey data, transcribe interview data in their original languages (Khmer and English), conduct data analysis, consult with academic mentors regularly to ensure the quality & trustworthiness of the research, and constantly search for possible research fundings (both internal and external) with academic mentors to expand the scope of the research and to open a path for a future cultural adaptation project of an evidence-based parenting intervention (e.g., Generation-PMTO) to interrupt the cycle of intergenerational transmission of trauma among trauma-affected and forcibly displaced families.
Doctoral Dissertation: “Mental health and relational needs assessment among Cambodian refugee families in the United States: A transgenerational ecological perspective” (Spring 2022-Spring 2023) _ University of Georgia, Georgia, USA (UGA IRB Approval: 4/22/2022_ IRB ID: PROJECT00005353)
Primary responsibilities were to propose the study to get approval from the academic committee, apply for IRB, contact key informants who are serving Cambodian refugee families across the United States, conduct in-depth ethnographic interviews with key informants who consented to participate, transcribe and analyze the interview data in their original languages (Khmer and English), have ongoing consultation with academic advisor to enhance trustworthiness of data analysis, write results and discussion as well as clinical implications for future research, produce manuscripts for publication, and continuously apply for funding to further develop clinical trial studies and programs in response to the needs of Cambodian refugee families in the United States.
Doctoral Research Project: “Intergenerational transmission of traumatic stress and resilience among Cambodian immigrant families along coastline in Alabama: Collective narratives through genogram” (Fall 2018-Spring 2020) _ University of Georgia, Georgia, USA
Primary responsibilities were to propose the study to get approval from the academic committee, apply for IRB, search for research funding, contact community leaders who are serving Cambodian families along coastline in Alabama, conduct in-depth ethnographic interviews with Cambodian families (across three generations) who consented to participate, transcribe and analyze the interview data in their original languages (Khmer and English), have ongoing consultation with academic advisors to enhance trustworthiness of data analysis, write results and discussion as well as clinical implications for future research, produce a manuscript for publication, and continuously send abstracts for presentations at national and international conferences.
Graduate Research Assistant (2018-2021) _ University of Georgia, Georgia, USA
Project: Community and Family Resilience, Strength, and Vulnerabilities: Sociocultural Influences on Cambodian and Laotian Refugee Communities’ Responses to Environmental Challenges Research assistant for Dr. Denise Lewis and Dr. Desiree Seponski (NAS #200008280)
Primary responsibilities were to conduct in-depth interviews with Cambodian and Laotian community members, conduct prolonged ethnographic and observational field notes in the community, transcribe and analyze interview data in their original languages (Khmer and English), write and submit abstracts for national and international conferences, present findings at national and international conferences, and prepare manuscripts for publication. Presentations and manuscripts were related to social inequality, disaster preparedness, mental health, intergenerational family relationships, and health seeking behaviors.
PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7742-7446
Published
Mak, C., & Wieling, E. (2024). Mental health and relational needs of Cambodian refugees after four decades of resettlement in the United States: An ethnographic needs assessment. Behavioral Sciences, 14(7), 535. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14070535 (IF:2.5)
Mak, C., & Wieling, E. (2024). Intergenerational transmission of traumatic stress and relational disruptions among Cambodian refugee families in the United States. Journal of Health Psychology, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1177/13591053241245098 (IF:3.2)
Mak, C. (2023). Mental health and relational need assessment among Cambodian refugee families in the United States: A transgenerational ecological perspective. (Order No. 9949559225102959) [Doctoral dissertation, University of Georgia]. ProQuest Central.
Mak, C., & Wieling, E. (2022). A systematic review of evidence-based family interventions for trauma-affected refugees. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(15), 9361. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159361 (IF:4.47)
Mak, C., Lewis, D., & Seponski, D. (2021). Intergenerational transmission of traumatic stress among Cambodian immigrant families: Collective Narratives. Journal of Health Equity, 5(1), 431-438. https://doi.org/10.1089/heq.2020.0142 (IF:2.7)
Mak, C.& Ouano, J. (2017). Stress appraisals and coping strategies of Cambodian dual-degree students: The moderating role of achievement emotions. Philippines Journal of Counseling Psychology.19(1). p.39-50
In Preparation
Mak, C. & Wieling, E. (2026) Traumatic stress and complicated grief of first-generation Cambodian refugees in the United States: An ethnographic qualitative study. Transcultural Psychiatry. (Under Review)
Mak, C., Solheim, C., Wieling, E., & Ballard, J. Cambodian American parenting practices after 40+ years post resettlement in the United States: Perspectives of former refugee minors. (Target: Journal of Immigrant and Refugee Studies)
Mak, C. & Wieling, E. Tailoring Narrative therapy and trauma-informed care for trauma-affected and displaced families in healing intergenerational transmission of traumatic stress and relational disruptions. (Target: Journal of Contemporary Family Therapy)