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Wendy Kliewer, Ph.D.

Dr Wendy Kliewer in front of a window

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.

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

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