Dong Zhang '07 (Shanghai, China) channeled his interests in psychology, research on Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and his knowledge of China into an Emerson project he has spent the summer compiling in China.
"Since I conducted research on ADHD with Professor (Tara) McKee last summer using a questionnaire called 'College ADHD Response Evaluation (CARE),' I thought that it would be great to translate the CARE into Chinese," said Zhang.
During the literature review section of his research, he discovered that minimal research had been done on this topic, and this prompted him to contact the CARE author and some professors, who all encouraged him to pursue this research and apply for an Emerson Grant.
Within his project, titled "Symptomatology of ADHD among Chinese College Students," Zhang has translated the CARE into Chinese and has administered it to more than 1,000 college students at East China Normal University.
"Statistical analysis is still in progress and I'm hoping to see some difference in the symptomatology and prevalence of ADHD among Chinese college students, as compared with U.S. college students," he said.
Zhang explained that recently, there has been a trend in comparing ADHD symptomatology in college students across different cultures. He added that one reason why he chose this topic for research is because it will help him "to extend further my research interest in clinical psychology, including educational testing, learning disorders, and cultural differences in psychiatric symptoms."
A double major in psychology and mathematics, Zhang is currently working with Professor McKee on this project, and hopes to develop it into his senior thesis.
Hamilton students have been awarded Emerson Grants to collaborate with faculty members during the summer on topics ranging from forgery in the arts to Nietzsche's influence on the Harlem Renaissance.
-- by Katherine Trainor
Posted August 3, 2005