Yi-An Burleson

June 24, 2026

Presentations
Internalized Racism and Openness to Diversity: Their Relation to College Involvement and Learning Effectiveness
Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy
2026 ISSBD

The internalization of racism is a dynamic process through which the racial aspects of culture become part of an individual’s worldviews, serving as a lens through which one’s beliefs, identity, relations, and social reality are defined. One of the most widely used measures of internalized racism is the Appropriated Racial Oppression Scale (AROS), developed in 2015 to assess multiple dimensions of internalized racism commonly experienced by racial minority groups. The current study expands this concept to include members of the racial majority group and adapts the AROS to capture this broader conceptualization. In contrast to the inward focus of internalized racism, openness to diversity represents an outward-looking attitude, characterized by interest in and receptivity to different people and ideas.

Openness to diversity is foundational to cultural competence and humility. From a lifespan developmental perspective, particularly during emerging adulthood, reducing internalized racism and fostering openness to diversity among college students may promote meaningful engagement with peers, influencing both involvement in college activities and the effectiveness of learning. This study surveyed students at universities in the Northeastern and Northwestern United States. To date, 380 participants have been recruited, and data collection will continue through May 2026. Preliminary analyses based on 106 participants indicated that White students reported significantly higher levels of internalized racism. College involvement was predicted by students’ openness to diversity and racial/ethnic group membership, while learning effectiveness was additionally predicted by internalized racism. Full-sample analyses will further examine interactions between openness to diversity and internalized racism in predicting these outcomes.

February 5, 2026

Papers and Oral Presentations
Profiles of Reluctance: Developing Inclusive Professionals in Undergraduate Psychology Courses at a PWI
Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy
Blacksburg VA

September 18, 2025

Presentations
Career Development Net for First Generation Students and Students of Color
Conference on Academic Advising
State College, PA & Virtual

This presentation addresses systemic barriers faced by first-generation college students and students of color, introducing a strengths-based, career-focused advising model using O*NET and campus resources to support their success.

August 8, 2024

Presentations
Panelist for Leadership Experiences as a Taiwanese American Psychologist and Scholar
Professional Development Workshop
Seattle WA

June 9, 2024

Presentations
Panelist for Career Development & Academic Programs in Mental Health
Professional Development Workshop
Online

August 5, 2023

Presentations
Faculty Experience of Racism and Sexism
Annual Convention of American Psychological Association
Washington DC

Takeaways:

Brainstorming and sharing strategies and systemic changes to manage the experience of racism and sexism. Discussing the underlying social-cultural context and examples of racism and seism issues experienced by female faculty from students in academia.

The significant impact of race on faculty experience from students has been established (e.g.). In addition to faculty race, the additional intersectionality of faculty gender makes it complex to conceptualize the impact and potential internalized racism of students and faculty (Crenshaw, 1989). Furthermore, women-of-color faculty frequently are presumed to be submissive in addition to the bias of being less competent than White men faculty (e.g. Keum et al., 2018). More intersections of identities (e.g. international, Asian Americans) lead to an even more demanding situation to navigate. Therefore, we propose to have a critical discussion to foster further awareness, and attention to the critical issues which impact women of color in psychology and brainstorm possible personal, interpersonal, and systemic strategies to manage the impact on professional identity and work efficacy in academia. We plan to facilitate discussions about:
The need for awareness of internalized racism, gendered racial microaggression, and xenophobia in interactions with students. The impact on faculty in terms of tenure, performance review, expectations of workload, and mental health of female faculty members. Challenges to discussing these issues with university stakeholders and reactions from the department. Creative strategies to extend further understanding of supervisors and collogues. Proposals for support, systemic changes, and campus climate transformation. Each presenter will share personal experiences and strategies in addition to facilitating the semi-structured dialog with the audience. The discussion aims to empower, and acknowledge the impact of racism and sexism on female faculty and provide a supportive discussion for positive changes.

Learning Objectives:

1. Discuss at least four underlying factors leading to racism and sexism for women-of-color in academia
2. Brainstorm creative strategies to navigate tenure promotion, performance review, and interpersonal interactions with students and colleagues in academia.

August 6, 2022

Presentations
Applicable Teaching Strategies to Foster Awareness and Openness to Diversity
Annual Convention of American Psychological Association
Minneapolis, MN

Given the trend of diversifying and globalizing society, the need to improve student multicultural awareness and openness has been highlighted (e.g. Sue et al., 2019). As a result, many teaching strategies have also been developed, such as experiential learning activities, the application of multicultural theories, and exams (e.g. Loes et al., 2018). To demonstrate how the strategies are applied, presenters in this skill building session will: 1) explain the rationale and instructions to facilitate four types of learning activity/assignments and 2) describe applicable steps and instructions to implement three specific teaching strategies, 3) discuss the positive outcomes and challenges in implementing the teaching strategy. More details about applying the teaching strategy/assignment are described in each individual presentation.

The first presenter will describe the preparation and facilitation to engage students in the virtual social class activity, a snippet for their instructions that directed the students to create a meal plan based on different levels of budget. Privilege and bias being in different class/budget groups will be discussed after the experiential experience.

The second presenter will discuss the resistance project assigned to senior undergraduate students who enrolled in a counseling theories class and intended to seek graduate education in the mental health field. Students were requested to identify resistance, gain exposure to it, and reflect on how it was developed.

The third presenter will discuss the implementation and outcomes of three assignments (immersion, case studies, no diversity-orientated assignment) to facilitate student awareness and desire to reduce racial bias. Limitations and suggestions for future research will be discussed.

August 4, 2022

Presentations
All of the Nerve!  A Clinical Case Study and Applications Based On Findings on Panic Attacks and OCD & Social Media Use 
Annual Convention of American Psychological Association
Minneapolis, MN

Panic disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) are one of the most common psychological disorders which severely impede the functioning of US adults. In addition to the increasing number of cases, the serious functional impairment of both panic disorder (44.8%) and OCD (50%, Harvard Medical School, 2007) leads to an increasing demand for effective treatment for panic disorder and OCD. In response to the increasing needs, we will present two case studies and applications of two research studies in the treatment of panic disorder focusing on health behaviors (e.g. sleep and eating habits) or managing OCD symptoms by monitoring the use of social media.

The symposium will demonstrate applying two different treatment frameworks (DBT, CBT, and systems theories) and two research findings in the treatment of two culturally different clients with panic disorders. More specifically, the first presenter will elaborate on details about taking a culturally responsive relationship approach to treating the client with more collectivistic cultural background. Evaluation of relationships and boundaries are integrated to identify and reduce anxiety and panic attacks resulting from relationship stress. In contrast, the second presenter will discuss treating a Latinx client with a panic disorder after two brain surgeries focusing on concrete goals, such as improving health behaviors, trigger identification, learning mindfulness and distress tolerance and emotion regulation skills, and fostering acceptance.

After case studies are presented, the last two presenters will discuss strategies to apply research findings using a biopsychosocial approach (Engel, 1977) in treating panic disorder and OCD. Treatment will focus on empowering clients to engage in health behaviors (e.g. sleep hygiene, routine in eating, mindfulness eating, and monitoring and reducing social media use). We will discuss strategies and effective alternative behavioral options (e.g. journaling online) in reducing social media use and the severity of OCD and panic disorder. Discussions will be facilitated toward the end of the symposium.

August 4, 2021

Presentations
Classroom Examples in Enhancing Multicultural Humility--Student and Instructor's Perspectives
Annual Convention of American Psychological Association
Online

Statement: Multicultural humility or competence has been identified as one of the most important skills in training psychology clinicians and teaching undergraduate students (Domínguez, 2020). However, students frequently express hesitation in engaging in dialogues about diversity due to fear of making mistakes in stereotyping, misunderstanding, and intergroup anxiety due to a lack of personal exposure (Stephan & Stephan, 1985). Key factors significantly associated with positive intergroup attitude and better diversity learning outcomes have been identified have been highlighted: engagement in cross-cultural interpersonal interactions, immersion, experiential learning, and evaluating and negotiating of power (e.g. Abbott et al., 2019; Crisp & Turner, 2011; Graziano & Noelany, 2020).

In responding to the timely needs, we plan to discuss strategies to foster cultural humility and openness in teaching using Tharp’s cultural consciousness matrix (2015). Examples will be provided to demonstrate the incorporation of course design and learning activities and Tharp and Moreano’s (2020) cultural consciousness matrix (please see the following list). Positive learning outcomes and challenges as well as suggestions for future research will be discussed.

Dimension one- Learning domains: Awareness, knowledge, and behaviors: Examples of exercises facilitate teaching students in the learning domains which also intersect with the dimension of student social identities: Power analysis, self-reflection assignment, and a shoeboxes exercise.

Dimension two- Social levels: Intrapersonal, interpersonal, communal, institutional, and cultural. Examples of exercises facilitate cultural conscious in the social level (interpersonal/communal sub-levels) which intersects with the other two dimensions (learning domains and student social identities): Challenging dialogues, media critique, and a diversity immersion project.

Dimension three- Social identities: Race, gender, sexual orientation, social class, faith, and abilities status. Social identities intersect with behaviors: Privilege negotiation (experiential) exercise.

August 4, 2021

Presentations
Facilitating effective group work in teaching in stages of Yalom
Annual Convention of American Psychological Association
Online

Whether to assign group work in teaching frequently presents a dilemma between benefits and challenges. Benefits of group work has been well documented (e.g. Alfares, 2017; Kurland & Salmon, 1993); such as improving student communication and collaboration skills, better connections with peers, reducing drop-out rate of students (particularly ethnic minority students) potentially prospering future career outlooks and workforce readiness (Vespia, 2020). However, the challenges of group also make many instructors hesitate to assign it.

Common challenges including student ambivalence of group work, unfair share of labor, group conflict, group think, time consuming communication, and schedules. As Yalom (2005) highlighted similar challenges and benefits in stages of group therapy, we plan to provide examples and research based on Yalom’s stage of group (forming, storming, norming, working, and adjourning) and evaluate the applicability of the theory in group work in teaching.

Presenters will discuss examples in strategies in establishing group norms, providing skills training in communication and time management, building in frequent opportunities in class to model, reinforce, and coach pro-group attitude and behaviors, emphasize accountability of individual group members, and providing additional support to students whose engagement in group work prevented by other barriers (e.g. mental health issues) from the instructional level, individual level, and interpersonal levels of facilitating conflict resolution.

August 2, 2021

Presentations
Acting Out: Facilitating Cultural Humility through Client-Based Case Studies
LILLY Conferences: Evidence-Based Teaching and Learning
Virtual

U.S. health care providers are working in increasingly diverse environments, so multi-cultural communication has emerged as a central skill for counseling/psychology students to develop as undergraduate students. This session focuses on the development and implementation of a series of client-based case studies that guide undergraduate psychology students to practice cultural humility when working with clients of different ages, backgrounds, sexual orientation, gender identity, language and other cultural characteristics. The students navigate a series of increasingly complex cases through in-class or pre-recorded role play; the analysis of which sheds light on the challenges and opportunities inherent in fostering cross-cultural understanding.

Participants will:
1. Become proficient in using multicultural case studies (as role play) in their own classrooms
2. Critically evaluate the development of cultural humility as a learning process
3. Gain experience integrating theory and practice into inclusive teaching practice

Key words: cultural humility, multicultural understanding, psychology, case studies

July 18, 2021

Presentations
Sharing the Telehealth Experiences of US-Based Psychotherapists During the Emergent Covid-19 Pandemic in Taiwan
Professional Development Workshop
Virtual

I served as one of the seven panelists in the two 90-minute panel presentation. More specifically, I presented the therapeutic conceptualization, techniques, process, ethical and practical considerations, and outcomes in providing clinical telehealth and supervision during the Covid-19 pandemic. Then I answered most questions about serving children, adolescents, and adults as well as supervising undergraduate students with other panelists.

February 25, 2021

Presentations
Facilitating Mindfulness in Students Remote Class Engagement during the Pandemic
ISSOTL Connect 2021
Virtual

Problem

Although the effectiveness of mindfulness practice on emotional regulation has been well-established in psychology research, the influence of mindfulness practice on student response time and levels of engagement in class discussions has not been well-studied. During the highly stressful time of Covid-19, student anxiety amplifies and prevails effective learning, leading to an increasing need for students to learn mindfulness to manage anxiety in learning (e.g. Felton et al., 2015; Hamilton et al., 2006; Sedlmeier et al., 2012) and improve engagement in remote learning.

Procedure

Undergraduate classes (classes n=6, students n= 14) with instructor facilitated with or without mindfulness practices in the beginning of the class were taught in a public east coast university. Students in the abnormal psychology course participated in the instructor facilitated mindfulness practices when students have their video and microphone off. They were prompted to identify their current feelings in a list of feeling words before and after the mindfulness exercise. Student response time and voluntary number of student responses through verbal participation or the chat function on Zoom were analyzed.

Results and Discussion

A mass majority of student’s self-reported emotions (80-94%) are stress or anxiety before the mindfulness practice. After the mindfulness practice, most students identify relaxation or pleasant feelings (95%). In terms of the level of student engagement, higher levels of student engagement (54.44% more second responses after one student answered instructor’s question) during classes starting with mindfulness exercise. However, differing from the hypothesis, no significantly different student response time of student response time with and without mindfulness practice (M= 18.72, SD= 18.43 & M =14.9, SD=13.75, p=.35 >.05 ) seconds is determined. The results support significantly higher levels of student engagement in remote class discussions after mindfulness exercises are facilitated. Limitation of research and implications in incorporating mindfulness in teaching will be discussed.

Connection to the ISSTOL Themes and Engaging Audience

The proposal is strongly connected to one of the key themes as the effect of mindfulness practice is assessed during the pandemic remote classes. Furthermore, the overwhelming majority of students consistently report stress and anxiety, which significantly reduces student ability to engage effective learning. Thus, the present can provide an actual example of facilitating mindfulness practice to reduce student anxiety and foster better student engagement in remote class discussions. My plan to make the video engaging is to demonstrate one to two mindfulness exercises, invite the audience to reflect their feelings prior and after the exercise, share 3 the research findings, provide practical applications in teaching, and discuss limitations and suggestions for future applications and research.

References

Felton, T. M., Coates, L., & Christopher, J. C. (2015). Impact of mindfulness training on counseling students' perceptions of stress. Mindfulness, 6(2), 159-169. https://10.1007/s12671-013-0240-8 Manglani, H. R., Samimy, S., Schirda, B., Nicholas, J. A., & Prakash, R. S. (2020). Effects of 4-Week Mindfulness Training Versus Adaptive Cognitive Training on Processing Speed and Working Memory in Multiple Sclerosis. Neuropsychology, 34(5), 591- 604. https://10.1037/neu0000633 Sedlmeier, P., Eberth, J., Schwarz, M., Zimmermann, D., Haarig, F., Jaeger, S., & Kunze, S. (2012). The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 138(6), 1139-1171. DOI:10.1037/a0028168

August 6, 2020

Posters
Relapse Prevention after Intensive Outpatient Program due to Anorexia Nervosa
Annual Convention of American Psychological Association
Virtual

The study will focus on determining the levels of effectiveness of relapse prevention by using prevention materials (e.g. trigger warning and coping strategies) and phone follow-ups for individual with remission of anorexia nervosa after completing an intensive outpatient program for anorexia.

August 6, 2020

Presentations
Clinical Issues in Telehealth: Addressing Changes in Therapeutic Dynamics as Related to Diversity Factors
Professional Development Workshop
Virtual

As one of the four panelists, I presented the therapeutic conceptualization, techniques, process, and outcomes of a clinical telehealth case which is cross-cultural and status economic. Then I answered questions and participated in smaller breakout rooms with the audience.