Carolyn F. Wong, PhD

As a Social Health Psychologist, much of Dr. Wong’s scientific work has been devoted to understanding how developmental risk factors, trauma, and stress (e.g., discrimination, violence and victimization) lead to maladaptive coping behaviors (e.g., substance use, sexual risk-taking) and how that translates to poor mental and physical health outcomes. She is also interested in investigating how psychosocial protective factors (e.g., resilience and social support, access to health programs) from different spheres of life might impact these associations.

Major areas of research includes:
1. Cannabis, tobacco, alcohol, and their co-use, other substance use, policy impacts, and health outcomes
2. HIV risk, substance use, mental health among sexual-minority and gender-minority adolescents and young adults
3. Translation science: how best to utilize research to inform programs and interventions
4. Health disparities among underserved and vulnerable populations
5. Tailored intervention development for high-risk adolescents and young adults

Dr. Wong is currently an Associate Professor of Research in the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Department of Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine at USC.

• Medical Marijuana, Emerging Adults, and Community: Connecting Health and Policy
  NIH · R01DA034067 · Jul 1, 2013 – Jan 31, 2029 · Role: Co-Principal Investigator

• Pacula, Rosalie
• Leventhal, Adam
• Pedersen, Eric
• Unger, Jennifer
• Klausner, Jeffrey
• Prince, Mark