Research Interests

Character education，Examinations and student development，Educational big data

Current Position:

Assistant Professor, Renmin University of China, 2024 - present

Academic History:

Master’s Degree in Applied Psychology, Tsinghua University, 2015-2017

Ph.D. in Education, Tsinghua University, 2017-2021

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Stanford University, 2021-2024

Publications

Peer-Reviewed Articles: (* Corresponding Author)

1.Yan, W., Yuan, Y., Yang, M., Zhang, P., & Peng, K. (2023). Detecting the risk of bullying victimization among adolescents: A large-scale machine learning approach. Computers in Human Behavior, 147, 107817. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2023.107817 (IF: 9.0, Five-year IF: 9.5, Q1)

2.Yan, W., Wang, Y., Jiang, Z., & Peng, K., & Cohen, G. (2024) Effects of a self-affirmation intervention among Chinese adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic: A large-scale randomized controlled trial. Applied Psychology-Health and Well-being, 16(3), 1100–1121. https://doi.org/10.1111/aphw.12516 (IF: 6.9, Five-year IF: 4.7, Q1)

3.Yan, W., Zhang, X., Wang, Y., Peng, K., & Ma, Y. (2024). Unraveling the relationship between teachers’ and students’ mental health: A one-to-one matched analysis. The Journal of Experimental Education, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220973.2024.2306412 (IF: 2.9, Five-year IF: 2.8, Q1)

4.Yan, W., Wang, Y., Yuan, Y., May, F., Zhang, P., & Peng, K. (2024). Timing matters: A longitudinal study examining the effects of physical activity intensity and timing on adolescents’ mental health outcomes. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 53, 2320–2331. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-024-02011-9 (IF: 3.7, Five-year IF: 5.3, Q1)

5.Wu, Y., Yan, W.*, Wu, Y. & Peng, K. (2024). Adaptation and validation of the Claremont purpose scale to measure Chinese adolescents’ purpose in life. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 34(3), 776–790. https://doi.org/10.1111/jora.12944 (IF: 4.6, Five-year IF: 3.9, Q1)

6.Yan, W., Shi, Z., & Peng, K. (2024). The vitality of teachers and positive teacher-student relationships: A study on the emotional transmission effect. Journal of East China Normal University (Educational Sciences), 42(3), 78–86. (CSSCI)

7.Yan, W., Huang, Q., Wang, Y., Ni, Z., Peng, K., & Zhang, P. (2024). Hope as the mediator in the relation between resilience and life satisfaction among Tibetan orphans. SAGE Open, 14(2), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440241252003 (IF: 2.0, Five-year IF: 2.3, Q1)

8.Zhang, P., Huang, N., Yang, F., Yan, W.*, Zhang, B., Liu, X., Peng, K., & Guo, J. (2024). Determinants of depressive symptoms at individual, school and province levels: A national survey of 398,520 Chinese children and adolescents. Public Health, 229, 33–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2024.01.015 (IF: 3.9, Five-year IF: 3.7, Q1)

9.Chen, X., Li, J., Zhang, P., Hu, H., Yan, W.*, & Peng, K. (2024). Who experiences greater happiness when dining together? A study of the relationship between dining with family members and the mental health of Chinese students. Child Indicators Research, 17, 1995–2010. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-024-10150-5 (IF: 2.0, Five-year IF: 2.5, Q1)

10.Wang, Y., Jiang, T., & Yan, W. (2025). Suddenly enlightened: Awe promotes wise reasoning via self-transcendence. The Journal of Positive Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2025.2461570 (IF: 3.4, Five-year IF: 4.6, Q1)

11.Yan, W., Spencer-Rodgers, J., Bacon, M., & Peng, K. (2024). Does taking a health psychology course increase health self-efficacy and decrease psychological stress? Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/stl0000368 

12.Yan, W., Xiao, X., & Yan, F. (2024). Excellence and vitality: An empirical study on the spiritual qualities of Chinese entrepreneurs. Studies in Science of Science, 42(2), 366–374. (CSSCI)

13.Yan, W., Jiang, Z., Zhang, P., Liu, G., & Peng, K. (2023). Mindfulness practice versus physical exercise in enhancing vitality. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(3), 2537. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032537 (IF: 4.6, Five-year IF: 4.8, Q2)

14.Zhang, P., Wang, Y. Chen X., Yan, W.*, Zhu Y., & Peng, K. (2023). Beyond the bell: exploring the link between time allocation on extracurricular activities and academic performance in Chinese adolescents. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 28(1), 2277379. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2023.2277379 (IF: 1.9, Five-year IF: 3.8, Q3)

15.Zhang, P., Yang, F., Huang, N., Yan, W., Zhang, B., Zhang, C., Peng, K., & Guo, J. (2023). Assessment of factors associated with mental well-being among Chinese youths at individual, school, and province levels. JAMA Network Open, 6(7), e2324025. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.24025 (IF: 10.5, Five-year IF: 11.0, Q1)

16.Guan, F., Xu, Z., Zhang, B., Yan, W., & Peng, K. (2022). Bidirectional associations between Tibetan Buddhism and vertical space. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 14(4), 599–605. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/rel0000367 (IF: 2.2, Five-year IF: 2.2, Q2)

17.Zheng, M., Peng, K., Yan, W., Lin, Y., Ni, Z., & Zhang, P. (2022). Self-control protects Tibetan adolescent orphans from mental problems: A mediating role of self-esteem. Journal of Adolescence, 94(2), 253–263. https://doi.org/10.1002/jad.12025 (IF: 3.0, Five-year IF: 4.0, Q2)

18.Yan, W. (2022). A review on the research of the Western principals’ leadership theories, models and implications. Journal of National Academy of Education Administration, 4, 78–87. (CSSCI)

19.Yan, W., Zhang, P., Jiang, Z., Liu, G. Peng, L. (2022). The theoretical construction and measurement of vitality in the Chinese cultural context. Chinese Social Psychological Review, 23, 160–186. (CSSCI)

20.Yan, W., Spencer-Rodgers, J., Anderson, E., & Peng, K. (2021). The effects of a cross-cultural psychology course on perceived intercultural competence. Teaching of Psychology, 48(3), 221–227. https://doi.org/10.1177/0098628320977273 (IF: 0.7, Five-year IF: 1.0, Q3)

21.Yan, W. (2020). Grafted identities and the transformation of cultural traits: A review of Wenlin Li’s Managing Chineseness: Identity and ethnic management in Singapore. Tsinghua Sociological Review, 13, 227–236. (CSSCI)

22.Chen, Y., Yan, F., He, G., & Yan, W. (2020). The Werther effect revisited: Do suicides in books predict actual suicides? Poetics, 81, 101441. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.poetic.2020.101441 (IF: 2.0, Five-year IF: 2.1, Q2)

23.Fan, X., Yan, F., & Yan, W. (2020). Better choice, better health? Social integration and health inequality among international migrants in Hangzhou, China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(13), 4787. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17134787 (IF: 4.6, Five-year IF: 4.8, Q2)

Books

1.Peng, K. & Yan, W. (2021). The character of children. CITIC Press.

2.Peng, K. & Yan, W. (2020). Living a flourishing life. CITIC Press.

3.Yan, W. (Translator). (2025). Belonging: The Science of creating connection and bridging divides (Cohen, G. L., Author). Imaginist Press. 

Conferences

1.Yan, W., Chen Y., & Wu, Y. (July 22-23, 2023). Improving happiness via positive psychology intervention in China and the United States, Vancouver, Canada.

2.Yan, W., Zhang, P., Zhao, Y., & Peng, K. (July 22-23, 2023). Improving happiness via positive education: Self-affirmation intervention among adolescents in China, Vancouver, Canada. 

3.Yan, W. (February 8, 2023). Investigating the self-affirmation effect in collectivist culture context, Stanford University Annual Postdoc Symposium, California, U.S. 

4.Yan, W. (February 8, 2023). Positive education in China, Stanford University Social Psychology Seminar, California, U.S. 

5.Yan, W., & May, F. (August 30, 2022). Perceptions, attitudes and wellbeing of China's rural youth 16th international conference on agriculture & rural development in China. Oxford University, UK. 

6.Yan, W., Jiang, Z., Liu, G., & Zhang, P. (August 4-6, 2022). Physical exercise or mindfulness practice? Comparing the efficacy of interventions on vitality, APA Annual Convention, Minneapolis, U.S. 

7.Yan, W., Wu, Y., Jiang, Z., & Zhang, P. (August 4-6, 2022). Exploring babyface effect on insurance sales performance in Chinese sales agents, APA Annual Convention, Minneapolis, U.S. 

8.Yan, W., & Yan. F. (March 25-26, 2020). History education reform and identity building in contemporary China. International conference on smart education and applied social sciences, University of Cambridge, UK. 

Contact Information

E-mail: weiyan@ruc.edu.cn

Office: Room 338, Guoxueguan Building