Associate Professor
Contact Information:
Email: suns@umbc.edu
Office: Math/Psychology 334
Phone: 410.455.3431
Fax: 410.455.1055
Lab: Sondheim 407
Phone: 410.455.2934
Website: Quantitative Methods Lab
Education:
Ph.D. – University of Cincinnati
Fall 2024 Office Hours:
Area of Study:
Quantitative Methods
Research Interests:
Dr. Sun is a quantitative research methodologist whose areas of expertise in research and teaching are focused on applied statistics, psychometrics, and their applications in the social and behavioral research. Her methodological work includes modeling longitudinal data with complex structures, using Monte Carlo methods to examine the performance of statistical models, and evaluating psychometric properties of psychological measures. With a strong interest in educational psychology, Dr. Sun also conducts research on children’s academic development in early school years, the role of school engagement in academic achievement, as well as formal and informal learning environments for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) from K-12 to higher education.
Courses Taught:
Research Methods in Psychology I (PSYC 311)
Experimental Psychology: Design and Analysis I (PSYC 331)
Experimental Psychology: Design and Analysis II (PSYC 332)
Data Analytic Procedures I (PSYC 611)
Data Analytic Procedures II (PSYC 711)
Measurement of Behavior (PSYC 715)
Graduate Research and Training Opportunities:
YES Graduate opportunities available
Dr. Sun would like to work with graduate students who are interested in either quantitative research methods (e.g., measurement, multilevel modeling, structural equation modeling, meta-analysis) or using quantitative methods to study important developmental issues (e.g., academic achievement, school engagement, formal and informal STEM learning environments, and learning technologies). Students will get the opportunity to work on different projects that are funded by extramural research awards. Please visit Dr. Sun’s lab to learn more about current projects.
Undergraduate Research and Training Opportunities:
YES Undergraduate opportunities available
Dr. Sun’s Quantitative Methods Lab provides undergraduate students with training in statistical analyses and the opportunity to conduct independent research projects. Preference will be given to students who have taken statistics courses (e.g., PSYC 311, STAT350) and are interested in presenting at the UMBC Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD).
Graduate Program Affiliation(s):
Applied Developmental Psychology
Selected Publications:
Andorko, ND., Mittal, V., Thompson, E., Denenny, D., Epstein, G., Demro, C., Wilson, C., Sun, S., Klingaman, E., DeVylder, J., Oh, H., Postolache, TT., Reeves, G., & Schiffman, J. (2017). The association between sleep dysfunction and psychosis-like experiences among college students. Psychiatry Research, 248, 6-12. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2016.12.009
Sonnenschein, S., & Sun, S. (2016). Racial/ethnic differences in kindergartners’ reading and math skills: Parents’ knowledge of children’s development and home-based activities as mediators. Infant and Child Development. Advanced online publication. doi:10.1002/icd.2010
Cheah, C. S., Yu, J., Hart, C. H., Özdemir, S. B., Sun, S., Zhou, N., … & Sunohara, M. (2016). Parenting hassles mediate predictors of Chinese and Korean immigrants’ psychologically controlling parenting. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 47, 13-22. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2016.09.005
Maton, K. I, Beason, T. S., Godsay, S., Domingo, M. S. R., Bailey, T. S., Sun, S., & Hrabowski, III, F. A. (2016). Outcomes and Processes in the Meyerhoff Scholars Program: STEM PhD completion, sense of community, perceived program benefit, science identity, and research self-efficacy. CBE-Life Sciences Education, 15, ar48. doi:10.1187/cbe.16-01-0062
Yu, J., Sun, S., & Cheah, C. S. L. (2016). Multitrait-multimethod analysis of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire in Asian-American preschoolers. Assessment, 23, 603-613. doi:10.1177/1073191115586459
Yu, W., Cheah, C. S. L., & Sun, S. (2015). The moderating role of English proficiency in the association between immigrant Chinese mothers’ authoritative parenting and children’s outcomes. The Journal of Genetic Psychology: Research and Theory on Human Development, 176, 272-279. doi:10.1080/00221325.2015.1022503.
Guo, Y., Sun, S., Breit-Smith, A., Morrison, F. J., & Connor, C. M. (2015). Behavioral engagement and reading achievement in elementary-school-age children: A longitudinal cross-lagged analysis. Journal of Educational Psychology, 107, 332-347. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0037638
Yu, J., Cheah, C. S. L., Hart, C., Sun, S., & Olsen, J.A. (2015). Confirming the multidimensionality of psychologically controlling parenting among Chinese-American mothers: Love withdrawal, guilt induction, and shaming. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 39, 285-292. doi:10.1177/0165025414562238.
Sun, S. & Wang, S. (2015). The Children’s Depression Inventory in worldwide child development research: A reliability generalization study. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 24, 2352-2363. doi:10.1007/s10826-014-0038-x
Sun, S. & Pan, W. (2014). A methodological review of statistical methods for handling multilevel nonnested longitudinal data in educational research. International Journal of Research & Method in Education, 37, 285-308. doi:10.1080/1743727X.2014.885012.
Hwu, F., Pan, W., & Sun, S. (2014). Aptitude-treatment interaction effects on explicit rule learning: A latent growth curve analysis. Language Teaching Research, 18, 294-319. doi:10.1177/1362168813510381
Sun, S. & Pan, W. (2013). Investigating the accuracy of three estimation methods for regression discontinuity design. Journal of Experimental Education, 81, 1-21. doi:10.1080/00220973.2012.678410
Hwu, F., & Sun, S. (2012). The aptitude-treatment interaction effects on the learning of grammar rules. System, 40, 505-521. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2012.10.009
Sun, S. (2011). Meta-analysis of Cohen’s Kappa. Health Services and Outcomes Research Methodology, 11, 145-163. doi:10.1007/s10742-011-0077-3
Sun, S., & Pan, W. (2011). The philosophical foundations of prescriptive statements and statistical inference. Educational Psychology Review, 23, 207-220. doi:10.1007/s10648-011-9157-8
Sun, S., Pan, W., & Wang, L. (2011). Rethinking observed power: Concept, practice, and implications. Methodology, 7, 81-87. doi:10.1027/1614-2241/a000025
Sun, S., Pan, W., & Wang, L. (2010). A comprehensive review of effect size reporting and interpreting practices in academic journals in education and psychology. Journal of Educational Psychology, 102, 989-1004. doi:10.1037/a0019507