Wendy Kliewer, Ph.D.

Professor
Developmental Psychology
912 W. Grace rm. 4121
wkliewer@vcu.edu
Professor (tenured)
Coordinator, Humphrey Fellowship Program
Member, Culture, Race and Health Transdisciplinary iCubed Core
Ph.D. (1989), University of California, Irvine
APA Fellow (Division 52, International Psychology)
Doctoral Program Affiliations
Primary: Developmental Psychology
Secondary: Health Psychology, Social Psychology, and Clinical Psychology
Research Interests
My current projects reflect a commitment to helping launch the careers of current and former students and mentees, as well as VCU faculty in the beginning stages of their careers. I am particularly committed to increasing the research capacity of individuals in low- and middle-income countries, a passion that grew out of my experience as a Fulbright Research Fellow in South Africa for six months in 2011, and my interactions with mid-career professionals coming to VCU as part of the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program. My research and writing since 2012 in particular has centered on the broad theme of risk and resilience, with much of my work specifically examining substance use in early, middle, or late adolescence as an outcome. I am invested in growing and improving the department of psychology’s undergraduate concentration in addiction studies, as well as improving VCU graduate and undergraduate students’ knowledge generally in the area of addiction, and Humphrey Fellows’ knowledge of and capacity to conduct research in the substance abuse and related health fields.
- What affects parenting in high-risk communities?
- Do bullies and victims have different physiological responses to stress?
- How urban, African American mothers handle their emotions and respond to children's emotions are important for children's emotional competence and well-being over time, particularly in boys.
- Are experiences of discrimination associated with worse sleep at night?
Select Publications
Kliewer, W., Lecaj, R., & Wan, N. (2022). Cigarette smoking in male high school students in Myanmar: Developmental differences in risk and promotive factors. Journal of Child and Family Studies.
Kliewer, W., Svikis, D.S., Yousaf, N., Ashton, H., & Cyrus, J.W. (2022). Psychosocial interventions for alcohol and/or drug misuse and use disorders in women: A systematic review. Journal of Women’s Health. https://doi.org/10.1089./jwh.2021.0488
Dautovich, N., Katjijova, M., Cyrus, J., & Kliewer, W. (2022). Duty-related stressors, adjustment, and the role of coping processes in first responders: A systematic review. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0001258
Kliewer, W., & Robins, J. W. (2021). Adverse childhood experiences are associated with cardiometabolic risk indicators and telomere length in low-income African American adolescents. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-021-09978-w
Kliewer, W., Kheirallah, K.A., Cobb, C.O., Al-Sulaiman, J.W., Mzayek, F., & Jaddou, H. (2020). Trauma exposure and post-traumatic stress symptoms: Gender differences among Syrian refugee youth in Jordan. International Journal of Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijop.12695
Drazdowski. T.K., Kelly, L.M., & Kliewer, W.L. (2020). Motivations for the Non-medical Use of Prescription Drugs in a Longitudinal National Sample of Young Adults. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 114, 108013. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2020.108013
Recent Courses
- Research Internship, undergraduate level
- Developmental Research Methods, graduate level
Recent Grants
Center for the Study of Tobacco Products
Amount: $19,775,808
Role: Co-Investigator
Source: National Institute of Drug Abuse
Period: 9/1/2018 - 8/31/2023
Number: 2U54DA036105-06
Hubert H Humphrey Fellowship Program
Role: Associate Coordinator
Source: United States Department of State
Period: 7/1/21 – 6/30/26
Recent Awards
- 2017, Distinguished Mentoring Award, VCU College of Humanities and Sciences
- 2017, Presidential Award for Community Multicultural Enrichment (PACME), VCU
- 2016, Undergraduate Research Opportunities (UROP) Faculty Mentor Award, VCU
News Features
- Kliewer, Zyzniewski win College of Humanities and Sciences awards
- Kliewer and Hailu earn PACME awards
- Dr. Wendy Kliewer wins faculty mentor award from the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program