Dr. Ruth Chao

What kind of research does Dr. Chao do?  

•  Dr. Chao’s primary research interests include multicultural counseling, counselor’s cultural competencies, issues of cultural diversity, racism and mental health, and social justice. She is currently working on a LGBQ counseling competence scale; HIV-stigma; a driving competence scale; and a Refugee counseling competence scale. Some specific topics in her research, but not limited to, are:

  • Service-learning: A training method to enhance multicultural competence toward international students

  • White racial identity attitudes and White empathetic reactions toward racism: The moderation effect of openness to diversity

  •  Perceived racism as moderator between self-esteem/shyness and psychological distress among African Americans

  •  Race/Ethnicity and multicultural competence among school counselors 

  • Training, racial/ethnic identity, and color-blind attitude

  • Racism and Mental Health: An Exploratory Research on Ethnic Minority Clients. Best Poster Award in APA Div 45, 2017.

  • Refugees: Stress, Resources, and Coping

  •  Refugee Counseling Competence Scale: Development and Analysis

  • Homonegativity, religion, and counselors' LGB-affirmative counseling self-efficacy. 

  • Homonegativity and Counselors’ Judgment of LGB Clients’ Well-Being: A Moderation Test of LGB-Affirmative Counseling

  •  LGBQ Counseling Competence Scale: Development and Analysis

  •  Driving Competence Scale: Development and Analysis

What would I do in her lab? 

• Over the past year, students in Dr. Chao's lab have participated in literature reviews, scale items development, and data collection.

Current lab members include:

• John Stennes: john.stennes@du.edu

• Hannah Meisels: hannah.meisels@du.edu

• Ashley King: ashley.king@du.edu

Can I participate in the lab if I don't come to the meetings? 

• Yes, you can still participate. Follow up with Dr. Chao to make specific arrangements for your interests and schedule.