不良研究所

Xiangfei Meng, PhD

Dr. Meng鈥檚 research mainly focuses on population mental health and neuropsychiatric epidemiology in general and aging populations, using a wide range of analytic techniques to research the roles of biological (genetic predispositions), psycho-socio environmental risk factors, and their interplay of common mental disorders across the life span, especially focusing on the importance of prevention strategies in the diverse ethnocultural environment. She aims to identify biological and/or psychosocial attributes that signify the risk of psychopathology and potentially serving as targets for prevention and intervention purposes.

Details are available via

Our research group is working in two broad areas:

Population mental health and mental disorders

  • exploring bio-psycho-social attributes related to common mental disorders and mental health, including psychosocial attributes tied to mental health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic
  • identification modifiable risk factors for population disease prevention and health promotion

Early life stress in neuropsychiatric disorders across the life span

  • examining the role of child maltreatment in later-on mental health and mental illness
  • exploring the underlying mechanism of intergenerational transmission of early life stressors and neuropsychiatric disorders

We are actively recruiting interested students, postdoctoral fellows, and visiting scholars in psychiatric epidemiology, integrated program in neuroscience, and quantitative life sciences! Please see the detailed descriptions of our recent projects () and feel free to email me to work on some exciting projects together!


Articles published in 2022 (Key publications in bold)

Y Su, M Li, K O鈥橠onnell, J Caron, X Meng. 2022. To what extent do social support and mastery mediate the association between childhood maltreatment and depression? A sequential causal mediation analysis. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences.31, e77, 1-8. (Rank: 16/155 in Psychiatry; 45% of contribution for study design, data analysis, results interpretation, and writing, funded by CIHR)

T Gao, S Mei, H Cao, L Liang, C Zhou, X Meng. Latent transitions across perceived parental marital conflict and family cohesion profiles in high school students. Frontiers in Psychology. 13:954825. (Rank: 55/209 in General psychology; 10% of contribution for study design, data analysis, results interpretation, and writing)

M Li, Y Su, K O鈥橠onnell, M Meaney, J Caron, C D'Arcy, X Meng. To what extent do social support and coping strategies mediate the relationship between childhood maltreatment and major depressive disorder: A longitudinal community-based cohort. Development and Psychopathology, 1-12. (Rank: 17/77 in Developmental psychology; 40% of contribution)

Y Su, M Li, C D'Arcy, X Meng. Determinants of life satisfaction and self-perceived health in nationally representative population-based samples, Canada, 2009 to 2018. Applied Research in Quality of Life.17:3285-3310.听(Rank: 20/109 in Social sciences interdisciplinary; 40% of contribution)

T Gao, S Mei, M Li, C D鈥橝rcy, X Meng. Roles of psychological distress and social support in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and perceived needs for mental health care. Journal of Interpersonal Violence.37: NP14089-NP14116. (Rank: 4/47 in Family Studies, 14/84 in Applied Psychology; 45% of contribution)

Gao, H Cao, X Zhou, C Zhou, X Meng. Parental Psychological Aggression and Phubbling in Adolescents: A Moderated Mediation Model. Psychiatry Investigation. 19: 1012-1020. (15% of contribution)

Y Su, X Meng, G Yang, C D'Arcy. The relationship between childhood maltreatment and mental health problems: coping strategies and social support act as mediators. BMC Psychiatry. 22:359. (Rank: 71/156 in Psychiatry; 15% of contribution)

T Gao, L Liang, M Li, Y Su, S Mei, C Zhou, X Meng. Changes in the comorbidity patterns of negative emotional symptoms and Internet addiction over time among the first-year senior high school students: A one-year longitudinal study. Journal of Psychiatric Research. 155:137-145. (Rank:)

T Gao, S Mei, M Li, C D鈥橝rcy, X Meng. Decision authority on positive mental health in the workforce: A moderated mediation model of social support, gender, income, and occupation. Journal of Happiness Studies.23:27-43. (Rank: 17/426 in Social sciences; 40% of contribution)

X Meng, M Wang, KJ O鈥橠onnell, M Meaney, Y Li. Integrative PheWAS analysis in risk categorization of major depressive disorder and identifying their associations with genetic variants using a latent topic model approach. Translational Psychiatry.12:240. (Rank: 24/156 in Psychiatry; 45% of contribution)

Y Su, M Li, C D'Arcy, X Meng. Trends and patterns of life satisfaction, Canada, 2009 to 2018: Is the level of social support tied to the trend of life satisfaction? Scientific Reports. 12:9720. (Rank: 17/72 in Multidisciplinary sciences; 40% of contribution)

W Rao, M Li, Y Su, J Caron, YT Xiang, X Meng. How psychosocial stress profile influences the subsequent occurrence of neuropsychiatric comorbidities: A longitudinal population-based cohort study. Journal of Affective Disorders. 311:294-302. (Rank: 18/275 in Clinical Psychology; 40% of contribution)

M Li, T Cassis, C D鈥橝rcy, N Low, X Meng. Development and validation of a brief form of the childhood adversities questionnaire (CECA.Q3-BF) among a population of mood disorders. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. 37:NP2288-NP2312. (Rank: 4/47 in Family Studies, 14/84 in Applied Psychology; 40% of contribution)

B Armoon, Z Cao, G Grenier, X Meng, M-J Fleury. Profiles of high emergency department users with mental disorders. The American Journal of Emergency Medicine. 54:131-141. (Rank: 20/80 in Emergency Medicine; 10% of contribution)

Y Su, W Rao, M Li, G Caron, C D'Arcy, X Meng. Prevalence of loneliness and social isolation among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Psychogeriatrics. 1-13. (Rank: 2/39 in Gerontology; 30% of contribution)

A Brunet, M Rivest-Bearegard, M Lonergan, S Cipolletta, A Rasmussen, X Meng, N Jaafari, S Romero, J Superka, A Brown, R Sapkota. PTSD is Not the Emblematic Disorder of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Adjustment Disorder Is. BMC Psychiatry. 22:300. (Rank: 71/156 in Psychiatry; 5% of contribution)

Y Su, X Meng, D鈥橝rcy C. Does Gender Moderate the Relationship between Chronic Pain and Substance Use Disorder? Insights From a National Canadian Population Survey. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 13:799655. (Rank: 56/156 in Psychiatry; 15% of contribution)

Y Su, C D鈥橝rcy, M Li, K O鈥橠onnell, J Caron, M Meaney, X Meng. Specific and cumulative lifetime stressors in the etiology of major depression: A longitudinal community-based population study. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences. 31:1-12. (Rank: 16/155 in Psychiatry; 45% of contribution)

T Gao, S Mei, M Li, K O鈥橠onnell, J Caron, X Meng. Impulsivity mediates the relationship between childhood maltreatment and quality of life: Does social support make it different? Personality and Individual Differences. 184: 111208. (Rank: 28/65 in Social Psychology; 40% of contribution)

Y Su, C D鈥橝rcy, X Meng. Intergenerational Effect of Maternal Childhood Maltreatment on Next Generation鈥檚 Vulnerability to Psychopathology: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis. Trauma, Violences, & Abuse. 23:152-162. (Rank: 1/47 in Family Studies, 1/44 in Social Work; 40% of contribution)

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