Faculty and Staff Profile

Hye Won Chai

Educational Background

Ph.D. Human Development and Family Studies & Demography, Pennsylvania State University 2020

M.A. Child and Family Studies, Yonsei University 2013

B.A. Political Science and International Studies, Yonsei University 2011

Profile

Hye Won's research focuses on family and social relationships of middle and older adults and their associations with diverse health outcomes (e.g., psychological, physical, and cognitive) in later life. She is particularly interested in examining how the dynamics of social relationships and health unfold across different time scales, connecting daily interactions to long-term health outcomes. Her interest also includes studying whether and how the associations between social ties and health vary by gender and sexuality and ways in which these processes relate to health disparities.

Research Interests

Social Relationships, Family Ties in Later Life, Daily Experiences, Healthy Aging, Gender and Sexuality, Health Disparities, Social Determinants of Health, Dyadic Studies, Interpersonal Stress Processes

Research Publications

Chai, H., Jester, D. J., Lee, S., Joo, S., Umberson, D. J. & Almeida, D. M. (2023). Sleep quality moderates the association between family bereavement and heart rate variability. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 46, 622-631. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-022-00388-1

Chai, H., Mernitz, S. E., & Umberson, D. J. (2023). Sexual motives, stress, and depressive symptoms among midlife different-sex and same-sex couples. The Gerontologist, 63(2), 261-273. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnac136

Chai, H. & Almeida, D. M. (2023). How families make their way into your heart: Exploring the associations between daily experiences involving family members and cardiovascular health. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 57(1), 74-85. https://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kaab095

Chai, H., Ayanian, J. Z., & Almeida, D. M. (2021). Non-spousal family support, marital status, and heart problems in adulthood. Psychology and Health, 36(8), 1003-1020. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2020.1809660

Charles, S., Mogle, J., Chai, H., & Almeida, D. M., (2021). The mixed benefits of a stressor-free life. Emotion, 21(5), 962-971. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0000958

Lee, S., Joo, S., Chai, H., & Jun, H. (2021). Patterns of multimorbidity trajectories and their correlates among Korean older adults. Age and Aging, 50(4), 1336–1341. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afab002