- Overview
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We live in a Canadian society that is quickly evolving in social and cultural diversity. With this growth, it is important for us to gain a complete understanding of how children’s social and cultural environments can influence their health and wellness. Gaining this insight is essential to addressing the challenges related to inequality and exclusion experienced by some, for example, in their encounter with systems such as healthcare. At the same time, it is important to identify the constellation of strengths and resilience strategies that others draw on, to live well with their health and mental health.
Our research team is dedicated to studying how culture shapes the health, well-being, and flourishing of children, young people, and families within diverse social systems, including healthcare, education, and communities. We take an interdisciplinary approach that bridges clinical, developmental, and cultural psychology, and we are deeply committed to diversity, inclusion, and equity. Using participatory research methods, we work closely with youth, families, and communities as partners throughout the research process. Our goal is to generate knowledge that helps shape culturally responsive strategies and interventions, advancing health equity and improving outcomes for underserved and underrepresented children and youth.
- Publications
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Engaging Under-Represented Adolescents and Young Adults in Cancer Research: A Qualitative Exploration of Lived Experiences and Engagement Strategies
Cancer Medicine
Jenny Duong and Iqra Rahamatullah and Tristan Bilash and Caitlin Forbes and Sharon H. J. Hou and Brianna Henry and Perri R. Tutelman and Sheila N. Garland and Jackie L. Bender and Kaitlyn Hanson and Sapna Oberoi and Fiona S. M. Schulte
DOI: 10.1002/cam4.71086
08/2025Barriers and Enablers to Engaging with Long-Term Follow-Up Care Among Canadian Survivors of Pediatric Cancer: A COM-B Analysis
Current Oncology
Holly Wright and Sharon H. J. Hou and Brianna Henry and Rachelle Drummond and Kyle Mendonça and Caitlin Forbes and Iqra Rahamatullah and Jenny Duong and Craig Erker and Michael S. Taccone and R. Liam Sutherland and Paul C. Nathan and Maria Spavor and Karen Goddard and Kathleen Reynolds and Sharon Paulse and Annette Flanders and Fiona S. M. Schulte
DOI: 10.3390/curroncol32080427
07/2025Co-Designing Priority Components of an mHealth Intervention to Enhance Follow-Up Care in Young Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer and Health Care Providers: Qualitative Descriptive Study
JMIR Cancer
Sharon H J Hou and Brianna Henry and Rachelle Drummond and Caitlin Forbes and Kyle Mendonça and Holly Wright and Iqra Rahamatullah and Perri R Tutelman and Hailey Zwicker and Mehak Stokoe and Jenny Duong and Emily K Drake and Craig Erker and Michael S Taccone and Liam Sutherland and Paul Nathan and Maria Spavor and Karen Goddard and Kathleen Reynolds and Fiona S M Schulte
DOI: 10.2196/57834
04/2025An Evaluation of Racial and Ethnic Representation in Research Conducted with Young Adults Diagnosed with Cancer: Challenges and Considerations for Building More Equitable and Inclusive Research Practices
Current Oncology
Sharon H.J. Hou and Anika Petrella and Joshua Tulk and Amanda Wurz and Catherine Sabiston and Jacqueline Bender and Norma D’Agostino and Karine Chalifour and Geoff Eaton and Sheila Garland and Fiona Schulte
DOI: 10.3390/curroncol31040166
04/2024Social adjustment in children diagnosed with sickle cell disease: A retrospective study
Pediatric Blood & Cancer
Hailey M. Zwicker and Taryn B. Fay-McClymont and Sharon H. J. Hou and Sara Cho and Kaelyn McDonald and Gregory M. T. Guilcher and Keith O. Yeates and Brian L. Brooks and Fiona S. M. Schulte
DOI: 10.1002/pbc.30807
03/2024Co-Designing Priority Components of an mHealth Intervention to Enhance Follow-Up Care in Young Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer and Health Care Providers: Qualitative Descriptive Study (Preprint)
Sharon H J Hou and Brianna Henry and Rachelle Drummond and Caitlin Forbes and Kyle Mendonça and Holly Wright and Iqra Rahamatullah and Perri R Tutelman and Hailey Zwicker and Mehak Stokoe and Jenny Duong and Emily K Drake and Craig Erker and Michael S Taccone and Liam Sutherland and Paul Nathan and Maria Spavor and Karen Goddard and Kathleen Reynolds and Fiona S M Schulte
DOI: 10.2196/preprints.57834
02/2024Describing and Exploring Coping Strategies among Those Diagnosed with Cancer as an Adolescent or Young Adult: A YACPRIME Study
Current Oncology
Amanda Wurz and Anika Petrella and Joshua Tulk and Catherine Sabiston and Fiona Schulte and Jackie Bender and Norma D’Agostino and Sharon H.J. Hou and Geoff Eaton and Karine Chalifour and Sheila Garland
DOI: 10.3390/curroncol31020050
01/2024Navigating parent-child value differences: Capturing strategies used by immigrant parents from the perspective of East Asian young adult children of immigrants
International Journal of Intercultural Relations
Sharon HJ Hou and Saba Safdar and Ian R. Newby-Clark and Benjamin Giguère
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijintrel.2023.101902
11/2023Mental health and health behaviors of parents of survivors of childhood cancer in the early COVID-19 pandemic: Exploring the role of intolerance of uncertainty
Journal of Psychosocial Oncology Research & Practice
Sharon H. J. Hou and Caitlin Forbes and Sara Cho and Andrew Tran and Victoria J. Forster and Claire E. Wakefield and Lauren C. Heathcote and Lori Wiener and Gisela Michel and Pandora Patterson and Mehak Stokoe and Kathleen Reynolds and Fiona M. S. Schulte
DOI: 10.1097/OR9.0000000000000107
07/2023An Investigation of Social Status among Adolescents and Young Adults Who Have Been Diagnosed with Cancer in Canada
Cancers
Fiona Schulte and Sharon H. J. Hou and Jacqueline L. Bender and Joshua Tulk and Amanda Wurz and Anika Petrella and Catherine Sabiston and Norma D'Agostino and Karine Chalifour and Geoff Eaton and Sheila Garland
DOI: 10.3390/cancers15133436
06/2023A Transdiagnostic, Modular Approach to Treating Pica in Young Girl
Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology
Rachel Moline and Kristel Thomassin and Sharon Hou
DOI: 10.1037/cpp0000438
02/2023Pediatric Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation: A Longitudinal Assessment of Health-Related Quality of Life of Pediatric Donors
Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings
Sharon H. J. Hou and Mehak Stokoe and Hailey Zwicker and Morgan Young-Speirs and Wendy Pelletier and Gregory M. T. Guilcher and Melanie Khu and Fiona Schulte
DOI: 10.1007/s10880-022-09933-1
01/2023An investigation of cultural influences in survivors of paediatric cancer: a systematic review protocol
BMJ Open
Sharon H J Hou and Fiona S M Schulte
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-062452
11/2022The Perceived Impact of COVID-19 on the Mental Health Status of Adolescent and Young Adult Survivors of Childhood Cancer and the Development of a Knowledge Translation Tool to Support Their Information Needs
Frontiers in Psychology
Hou, S.H.J. and Tran, A. and Cho, S. and Forbes, C. and Forster, V.J. and Stokoe, M. and Allapitan, E. and Wakefield, C.E. and Wiener, L. and Heathcote, L.C. and Michel, G. and Patterson, P. and Reynolds, K. and Schulte, F.S.M.
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.867151
2022Exploring Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Posttraumatic Growth among Children Living beyond Cancer and Their Parents Using an Actor–Partner Interdependence Model
Cancers
Wurz, A. and Patton, M. and Merz, E.L. and Hou, S.H.J. and Cho, S. and Schulte, F.
DOI: 10.3390/cancers14030704
2022A systematic review of the effectiveness of behavioural treatments for pica in youths
Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy
Moline, R. and Hou, S. and Chevrier, J. and Thomassin, K.
DOI: 10.1002/cpp.2491
2021A web-based adaptation of the quality of life in bipolar disorder questionnaire: Psychometric evaluation study
JMIR Mental Health
Morton, E. and Hou, S.H.J. and Fogarty, O. and Murray, G. and Barnes, S. and Depp, C. and Michalak, E.
DOI: 10.2196/17497
2020Integrating Delphi Consensus Consultation and Community- Based Participatory Research
Engaged Scholar Journal: Community-Engaged Research, Teaching, and Learning
Melinda J. Suto and Sara Lapsley and Anusha Balram and Steven J. Barnes and Dragos C. Ragazan and Jehannine Austin and Mike Scott and Lesley Berk and Erin E. Michalak
DOI: 10.15402/esj.v5i1.67847
02/2019Keeping pre-adolescents safe: Parental knowledge and safety promotion strategies
Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology
Morrongiello, B.A. and Hou, S. and Cox, A.
DOI: 10.1016/j.appdev.2019.01.002
2019Supervising for Home Safety Program: A Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) Testing Community-Based Group Delivery
Journal of Pediatric Psychology
Morrongiello, B.A. and Hou, S. and Bell, M. and Walton, K. and Filion, A.J. and Haines, J.
DOI: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsw083
2017The Delphi Consensus Consultation Method: Using Community Engagement to Identify Effective Self-Management Strategies for Bipolar Disorder
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Sara Lapsley and Melinda J. Suto and Steven J. Barnes and Mike Scott and Erin E. Michalak
DOI: 10.4135/9781473992955
2017Effective self-management strategies for bipolar disorder: A community-engaged Delphi Consensus Consultation study
Journal of Affective Disorders
Michalak, E.E. and Suto, M.J. and Barnes, S.J. and Hou, S. and Lapsley, S. and Scott, M. and Murray, G. and Austin, J. and Elliott, N.B. and Berk, L. and CREST.BD
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2016.06.057
2016Parents and tots together: Pilot randomized controlled trial of a family-based obesity prevention intervention in Canada
Canadian Journal of Public Health
Walton, K. and Jordan Filion, A. and Gross, D. and Morrongiello, B. and Darlington, G. and Simpson, J.R. and Hou, S. and Haines, J.
DOI: 10.17269/CJPH.106.5224
2015Creativity is linked to ambition across the bipolar spectrum
Journal of Affective Disorders
Johnson, S.L. and Murray, G. and Hou, S. and Staudenmaier, P.J. and Freeman, M.A. and Michalak, E.E.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2015.02.021
2015Implications for psychiatric care of the Word 'recovery' in people with bipolar disorder
Psychiatric Annals
Michalak, E.E. and Hole, R. and Holmes, C. and Velyvis, V. and Austin, J. and Pesut, B. and Hou, S.
DOI: 10.3928/00485713-20120507-04
2012 - Research
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Culture and serious or life-threatening illness: perspectives from young people with cancer and eating disorders
Culture plays a critical role in how serious and life-threatening illnesses, including cancer and eating disorders, are experienced, understood, and managed by young people and their families. This research area explores how culture, including cultural values and identities, acculturation, and migration status, shape the illness journey, including how people make sense of their diagnoses, navigate with their day-to-day, and engage with healthcare systems.
We use qualitative and mixed-method approaches to centre the voices of underrepresented and underserved communities. Knowledge is gathered to develop and test culturally responsive approaches that are better attuned to the needs of diverse youth and families. This work is conducted in close collaboration with the Coelho and Deyell Research Teams.Advancing health equity for children with health complexity
Children with health complexity, including those with severe neurological conditions, are an equity-denied group. These children and their often face disadvantages in accessing timely and specialty care. This research area focuses on understanding health equity considerations and the impact of health systems on the outcomes and care experiences of children with health complexity and their families.
Using implementation science and patient-oriented research methods, we partner with families and community pediatricians and organizations to develop, test, and refine research-informed care pathways. Our goal is to empower families, enhance the capacity of clinicians, and support more inclusive and community-based care for children with health complexity. This work is conducted in close collaboration with the Siden and Glegg Research Teams.Parent-child relationships, acculturation, and well-being of immigrant families
When immigrant families settle in a new cultural environment, parents and their children often adjust in different ways. This experience can be especially complex during in young adulthood, as young people navigate both their heritage culture and the broader Canadian context. Family relationships play a vital role in supporting these periods of change, but what makes these relationships unique for immigrant families living in Canada?
This research area explores how migration experiences, cultural values, and intergenerational dynamics shape the psychological health and quality of life of immigrant young people, especially as they navigate major life decisions such as forming new relationships, pursuing education and careers, and gaining independence. We also examine how these cultural and structural factors impact overall family well-being. This work aims to uncover and celebrate the cultural strengths within immigrant families, and to enhance the well-being of immigrant young people and their family.Grants2024-2027: CIHR Strengthening the Health Workforce for System Transformation Grant, Capacity Building in the Pediatric Eating Disorders Workforce: System Transformation to Improve the Continuum of Care, Co-Applicant and EDI Co-Champion
2023-2028: Canadian Cancer Society Emerging Scholar Research Grant, IMplementation of Physical Activity for Children and adolescents on Treatment (IMPACT): Adapting and evaluating individual- and system-level outcomes to support uptake, Research Team Member
2023-2025: CIHR Implementation Science and Knowledge Mobilization, A hybrid Implementation-Effectiveness Study on the Pain Pathway in Community Pediatric Practices in BC to Manage Pain and Irritability in Children with Severe Neurological Impairments, Early Career Researcher and Co-Investigator
2023-2025: SSHRC Insight Development Grant, Well-being and Vicarious Resilience in Healthcare Professionals: Cultural Considerations, Co-Applicant
2023-2024: BC Children’s Hospital Trainee Boost Award, Establishing a Foundational Understanding of the Intersectionality of Disability and Social/Cultural Determinants as Related to Health Inequities in Children Living with Health Complexity, Principal Applicant
2022-2024: Kids Cancer Care in Childhood Cancer Research, Surviving and Thriving: Creating an Online Follow-up Care Platform for Survivors of Childhood Cancer, Co-Principal Applicant
2022-2024: BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute Clinical and Translational Research Seed Grant, Evaluation of an Innovative, Culturally Responsive, and Equitable Mixed Model of Care for Survivors of Childhood Cancer and Their Families in BC, Canada, Principal Applicant
Honours & Awards2010: Chancellor’s Service Award, University of California, Los Angeles
2025-2029: Michael Smith Health Research BC Scholar Award, Michael Smith Health Research BC
2024: Peer Mentorship Excellence By a Trainee, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute
2024: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Postdoctoral Fellow Award, University of Calgary
2024-2027: Michael Smith Health Research BC Trainee Award, Michael Smith Health Research BC
2022-2024: Programs and Institutions Looking to Launch Academic Researchers (PILLAR) Award, Empowering Next-Generation Researchers in Perinatal and Child Health (ENRICH)
2023: Howard Research Publication Award, Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute
2019: Diversity Graduate Travel Award, Society for Personality and Social Psychology
2018: Certificate for Teaching Excellence, Council of Canadian Departments of Psychology
2016: Certificate of Academic Excellence, Canadian Psychological Association
2025-2029: ENRICH REACH (Recipients of External Awards in Perinatal and Child Health) Learner Award
Research Group MembersTayla Bain, Research Project Assistant
Lauren Chew, Research Assistant
Sophia Guan, INSPIRE PROGRAM TRAINEE
Julia Kaufmann, Research and Knowledge Translation Coordinator
Griffin Mawson, INSPIRE Trainee, INSPIRE Trainee
Mikayla Mbogga, INSPIRE Trainee
Ryan Tom, INSPIRE PROGRAM TRAINEE
Lara Vaziri, Research Assistant
Gabriel Zamma, Lab Assistant
Christina Zeng, Research Assistant
Research holds out hope for improved Rett syndrome treatment
To mark Rett Syndrome Awareness Month, BCCHR contributes to foster understanding about this complex neurological disorder that affects multiple organ systems and can lead to severe impairments that disrupt key aspects of an individual’s life — most of them female patients.
