Addressing Challenges to Human Well-Being
Research Focus
Outside of a focus on the well-being of close relationships, my research has examined how patterns of provider-patient communication can improve patient outcomes, as well as how it may manifest and potentially exacerbate health disparities. In addition, in work funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, I have examined the effects of visual features of persuasive messages in promoting climate action.
Key Questions
- How can provider-patient communication reduce health disparities?
- What communication patterns improve patient health outcomes?
- How do persuasive messages promote pro-environmental behavior?
- What role does visual design play in health message effectiveness?
Research Areas
Health Communication
- Provider-patient interaction patterns
- Health disparities and communication equity
- Patient-centered communication
- Health literacy and message design
Digital Health
- Mental health discourse on social media
- AI chatbots in health decision-making
- Online health communities
- Youth health risk behaviors on digital platforms
Environmental Communication
- Visual persuasion for climate action
- Message framing for pro-environmental behavior
- Science communication and public engagement
- Funded by Swiss National Science Foundation
Representative Publications
Zhang, X., & Oh, Y. J. (2024). “I hope I don’t sound like I’m self-diagnosing”: Redditors’ help-seeking posts about ADHD reflect confusion and accountability in online mental health communities. Journal of Health Communication, 29(9), 615-625. https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2024.2385349
Zhang, X., Smith, S. W., & Egbert, N. (2023). Persuasive chatbots for promoting fruit and vegetable intake: A construal level theory approach. Computers in Human Behavior, 148, 107910. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2023.107910
Funding: Swiss National Science Foundation
Contact: zxinyu@msu.edu for collaborations