Wen Xu, PhD, MSW

Email: wxu.14@uh.edu
Curriculum Vitae

Personal Statement

Wen Xu’s research focuses on exploring and informing services for mothers and children. Specifically, she is interested in using both qualitative and quantitative methods to identify unmet needs and reveal important social determinants of health. During her research assistantship working at the University of Houston Healthy Start, she worked on examining the service data to inform better implementation. Besides her interest in maternal and child services, Wen is also interested in the development of social work education and profession in China.

Methodologically, Wen is interested in cutting-edge quantitative methods, such as Structural Equational Modeling and Longitudinal Analysis, as well as innovative qualitative methods that create spaces for women’s voices, such as the narrative approach.

Wen got her MSW from Washington University in St. Louis and her BSW from Sun Yat-sen University. Prior to her Ph.D. study, she has experience in both social work education and practice in different areas of mainland China. She is interested in teaching research methods, program evaluation, and social work foundations.

Research Statement

My research focuses on exploring and informing services for mothers and children. Specifically, she is interested in using both qualitative and quantitative methods to identify unmet needs and reveal important social determinants of health. During my research assistantship working at the University of Houston Healthy Start, I worked on examining the service data to inform better implementation. 

Besides my interest on maternal and child services, I am also interested in the development of social work education and profession in China.   

Methodologically, I am interested in cutting-edge quantitative methods, such as Structural Equational Modeling and Longitudinal Analysis, as well as innovative qualitative methods that create spaces for women’s voices, such as the narrative approach.  

Research Interests

• Maternal and child health
• Parenting
• Implementation research
• Social work development in China

Education

• MSW, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 2013 
• BSW, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 2007 

Teaching Experience

• Summer 2022. Assessment in social work practice (Online). Instructor. 
• Instructor evaluations: 4.68 out of 5.0 (College average: 4.23) 
• Spring 2022. Teaching Assistant. Motivational Interview and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Hybrid) 
• Fall 2019. Guest Lecturer. Research and Knowledge Building in Social Work Practice (In Person)  

Teaching Interests

• Research methods
• Program evaluation
• Social work foundations

Practice Experience

• Data analyst. University of Houston Healthy Start, Houston, Tx.  
• Program manager.  Gender development Solutions, Shaanxi, China 

Publications

• Xu, W.*, Liu, Y.* & Sampson, M. (accepted). Prenatal and childbirth risk factors of postpartum pain and depression scores: A machine learning approach. Submitted to Maternal and Child Health Journal  
• Xu W*, Yuan X, Cheung M, Huang Y. (2021). An Imbalanced Professional Identity: The Experience of Teaching Social Work in China. China Journal of Social Work. 
• Xu, W., & Cheung, M*. (Second round revision). Who is the educator? Parental engagement roles in CSA prevention education in Hong Kong. Health Education Journal. 
• Zhang, R.*, Xu, W. Yoon, S. Chen, W., & Parmenter, S. (Under Review). Workplace support, job autonomy, and turnover intention among child welfare social works in China: The mediating role of job satisfaction. 
• Sampson, M.*, Xu, W. & Prabhu, S. (Under Review).  Tailoring Perinatal Health Communication: Centering the Voices of Mothers at Risk for Maternal Mortality and Morbidity. 
• Xu, W. & Sampson, M. (In preparation) When home visiting meets client information system, but it doesn’t work: A case study