Research Paper Summaries
In-depth Studies and Scholarly Contributions by Dr. Su Yeong Kim.
Acquisition of the Mental State Verb Know by 2- to 5-Year-Old Children
Su Yeong Kim
This study by James R. Booth, William S. Hall, Gregory C. Robison, and Su Yeong Kim (1997) explores how young children learn to understand and use the word know — a small but powerful verb that reflects one’s awareness, understanding, and beliefs. By analyzing parent–child conversations from ages two to five, the researchers trace how children’s grasp of know develops from simple recognition (“I know Mommy”) to deeper, more abstract meanings tied to thought, learning, and knowledge. The authors found that children’s use of know evolves through clear developmental stages. At first, children use it in very concrete ways, often to describe familiarity or sensory awareness — for example, “I know that dog” or “I know this song.” As their cognitive and linguistic skills expand, they begin to use know to express understanding, such as knowing facts or reasons (“I know why it’s raining”), and eventually, evaluative uses, where know conveys reflection or judgment (“I know that’s not fair”). This growth mirrors the emergence of theory of mind — the child’s ability to understand that thoughts and knowledge can differ from reality or from what others think. Parents play a crucial role in this process. The study showed that the...
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Download PDFParenting Practices and Adolescent Depressive Symptoms in Chinese American Families
Su Yeong Kim
This article by Su Yeong Kim and Xiaojia Ge (2000) looks closely at how everyday parenting connects to depressive symptoms among Chinese American adolescents—and, crucially, how parents’ own distress can ripple through family life. The authors start by tightening the measurement lens: using confirmatory factor analyses with reports from mothers, fathers, and adolescents, they show that three familiar dimensions of parenting travel well across cultures—inductive reasoning (explaining rules and decisions), monitoring (knowing teens’ whereabouts, peers, and routines), and harsh discipline (punitive, hostile practices). These three strands held together as expected across informants, offering a solid base to ask the real question: how do these practices matter for teens’ mood? The answer unfolds as a clear process. Parents who report more depressive symptoms tend to show disrupted parenting—less monitoring, less reasoned guidance, and more harsh discipline. Adolescents pick up on this and evaluate the parenting they receive more negatively. Those perceptions are directly tied to higher adolescent depressive symptoms. In simple terms, when parents feel low, everyday parenting frays; teens notice; mood suffers. This pattern appears for both mothers and fathers, and it remains robust even after accounting for income, education, and generation status. There are some texture and nuances. Adolescents...
Patients with Recognized Psychiatric Disorders in Trauma Surgery: Incidence, Inpatient Length of Stay, and Cost
Su Yeong Kim
This study by Douglas F. Zatzick, Sun-Mee Kang, Su Yeong Kim, and colleagues (2000) examined how psychiatric disorders affect hospital outcomes among trauma surgery patients — specifically their length of stay (LOS) and inpatient costs. While it is well established that psychiatric conditions are common after physical trauma, few studies had quantified their direct impact on the healthcare system. The authors aimed to fill that gap using trauma registry data from the University of California, Davis Medical Center. Drawing from more than 10,000 trauma admissions between 1993 and 1996, the researchers identified psychiatric diagnoses recorded in hospital charts and compared the inpatient experiences of patients with and without such diagnoses. Nearly 29% of trauma patients had a documented psychiatric condition. The most common were alcohol abuse (15%)and drug abuse (14%), followed by smaller percentages diagnosed with stress disorders, psychosis, depression, and delirium. The findings revealed a complex relationship between mental health and medical outcomes. Patients diagnosed with alcohol abuse had 10–12% shorter hospital stays and lower costs, possibly because these individuals were more likely to be younger, physically healthier, and discharged more quickly after stabilization. By contrast, patients diagnosed with delirium, psychosis, or stress disorders (including posttraumatic stress and adjustment...
Neighborhood Disadvantage Moderates Associations of Parenting and Older Sibling Problem Attitudes and Behavior With Conduct Disorders in African American Children
Su Yeong Kim
This influential study by Gene H. Brody, Xiaojia Ge, Su Yeong Kim, Velma McBride Murry, and colleagues (2003) examined how neighborhood environments shape the relationship between family dynamics and behavioral problems among African American youth. Drawing on data from 296 sibling pairs aged ten and thirteen, the researchers sought to understand why some children develop conduct problems — such as aggression, defiance, and rule-breaking — while others remain resilient in similar circumstances. The study focused on three key influences: parenting practices, the behavior and attitudes of older siblings, and the level of neighborhood disadvantage. Families were drawn from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds and neighborhood types, allowing the researchers to explore how environmental context interacts with family processes. Parents and children completed detailed questionnaires about parenting style, sibling relationships, and behavior, while neighborhood conditions were assessed using U.S. Census data. Findings showed that parenting and sibling influences mattered deeply — but their impact depended on where families lived. Across all contexts, children exposed to harsh or inconsistent parenting were more likely to show conduct disorder symptoms. When parents were warm, communicative, and nurturing, children exhibited fewer behavioral problems. Similarly, older siblings served as powerful role models: those who engaged in...