Dr. Li is currently accepting new graduate students.
Undergraduate students who wish to volunteer on research projects should fill out this application form.
Interests
I am interested in the dynamic interplay between parents and children, focusing particularly on early parent-child interactions and coregulation in relation to child development. My research examines how these early parent-child dynamics influence and are influenced by children’s developing self-regulation, and how these processes, in turn, shape children’s social-emotional, educational, and health outcomes. I am also interested in applying advanced statistical methods to measure variables and model developmental processes accurately across diverse populations and throughout the lifespan.
Research Projects
Parent-Child Interactions and Well-Being in Daily Life. This ongoing project seeks to understand the daily experiences, stressors, screen media use, and well-being of families with 3-year-old children (ages 2.5–3.5), particularly those experiencing financial hardship or high levels of life stress. In this study, we also tested the validity and reliability of a new measure of parent-child coregulation of daily behaviors and emotions. Data collection includes a baseline survey, 21 days of daily surveys, and a one-year follow-up survey. Example research questions: How does overall family stress influence parental use of screen media (e.g., smartphones, TVs) to manage their children’s emotions and behaviors, such as allowing a child to use a smartphone to calm down? What are the immediate and long-term outcomes of parental regulatory media use for children?
Harsh Parenting: Predictors and Outcomes. This project uses secondary datasets to examine the development of harsh parenting practices over time during childhood, as well as their major predictors and child outcomes. Example research questions: What are the developmental trajectories of harsh parenting? How are harsh parenting trajectories related to children’s self-regulatory development, academic achievement, and well-being?
Screen and Social Media Use in Adolescents. This project uses secondary datasets to study adolescents’ screen and social media use (including passive smartphone tracking and self-reports) and its associations with their lifestyle behaviors (e.g., sleep, physical activity), development, and well-being. Example research questions: What are the patterns of passive screen media use? How is screen media use related to adolescents’ sleep, physical activity, and health?