Research

MBTC's research is broadly in these areas:

Mind + Body

Yoga, Movement, & Embodiment | Mental & Physical Health

Trauma

Emotional Abuse | Interpersonal Violence

Access to Care

Inclusivity Through Technology & Community

mind | body | trauma | care

to increase community access to holistic, embodied, and trauma-informed mental healthcare

The lab's research domains are encapsulated as the following:

lotus | water lily | birth flower

The lotus as Mind-Body: The lotus petals are shaped like a heart. To some, the petals represent spiritual rising and growth found in mind-body practices, which is also exemplified by its namesake meditation form.

The lotus as Trauma: A lotus must first navigate through and rise above muddy soil to see sunlight and grow. Old adages say that the deeper and thicker the mud, the more beautiful the flower. To me, this represents resilience in the aftermath of trauma.

"No mud, no lotus... suffering is a kind of mud to help the lotus flower of happiness grow. There can be no lotus flower without the mud.” –Thích Nhất Hạnh, Vietnamese monk & author of Vietnam: Lotus in a Sea of Fire and No Mud, No Lotus: The Art of Transforming Suffering

The lotus as Care: Lotuses can be cultivated with relative ease, as they are perennial and can propagate quickly. However, they only reach their fullest bloom in the right conditions, with warmth and in an environment safe enough to grow its lengthy roots.

Altogether, the center of the overlapping petals in the lotus represent the lab's approach to Mind-Body Trauma Care. Integration of the mind-body spirit, mental-physical health, psychosociocultural health, psychology & public health, trauma consciousness, and access to care awareness is necessary for growth. With that, we aim to produce research that is not simply academic exercises; rather, we hope for our work to reflect back on and create direct change in the community where we serve. After all, it is the water that holds the lotus.

As you explore the lab's work below, we welcome any thoughts and feedback on this representation.

The following select publications provide information on completed projects and their overlapping domains:

For information regarding select ongoing projects, please see the Lab tab.

* = undergraduate/postbaccalaureate co-author | ^ = graduate student/postdoctoral co-author | italics = corresponding author role

Mind + Body | Yoga, Movement, & Embodiment

^Sundstrom, M. J., *Asplund, A. L., & Nguyen-Feng, V. N. (forthcoming). Evaluation of online adaptive yoga for psychological well-being in adults with disabilities. Rehabilitation Psychology (APA Journal).
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., *Nikcevich, E., ^Hanson, B., & Babbar, S. (forthcoming). Hot yoga during pregnancy: A mixed-method study examining perspectives of studio management. International Journal of Yoga Therapy (International Association of Yoga Therapists Journal). [doi] [view] [preregistration]]
^Song, W., ^Zheng, L., Tichá, R., Abery, B., & Nguyen-Feng, V. N. (2023). Everyday leisure participation of autistic adults living independently: A feasibility and acceptability study of ecological momentary assessment. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Journal), 128(4), 319-333. [doi] [view] [preregistration] [preprint]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N. (2020, November 10). Foreword. In J. Turner (Ed.), Embodied Healing: Survivor and Facilitator Voices from the Practice of Trauma-Sensitive Yoga. North Atlantic Books, Penguin Random House. (Invited contribution) [see publisher]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., Hodgdon, H., Emerson, D., Silverberg, R., & Clark, C. J. (2020). Moderators of treatment efficacy in a randomized controlled trial of trauma-sensitive yoga as an adjunctive treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy (APA Journal, Division 56): Complementary Medicine and Integrative Approaches to Trauma Therapy and Recovery, 12(8), 836-846. [doi] [view]
^Sundstrom, M., *Asplund, L., & Nguyen-Feng, V. N. (2020, November 13). Trauma, disability, and physical activity: A call for trauma-sensitive adaptive yoga and wellbeing programs. Trauma Psychology News, 15(3), 10-13. (Feature article) [website]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., *Morrissette, J., Lewis-Dmello, A., Michel, H., Anders, D., Wagner, C., & Clark, C. J. (2019). Trauma-sensitive yoga as an adjunctive mental health treatment for survivors of intimate partner violence: A qualitative examination. Spirituality in Clinical Practice (APA Journal), 6(1), 27-43. [doi] [view]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., Clark, C. J., & Butler, M. E. (2019). Yoga as an intervention for psychological symptoms following trauma: A systematic review and quantitative synthesis. Psychological Services (APA Journal, Division 18): Special Issue on Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Holistic Mental Health Care, 16(3), 513-523. [doi] [view]
Clark, C. J., Lewis-Dmello, A., Anders, D., Parsons, A., Nguyen-Feng, V. N., Henn, L., & Emerson, D. (2014). Trauma-sensitive yoga as an adjunct mental health treatment in group therapy for survivors of domestic violence: A feasibility study. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 20(3), 152-158. (Policy mention: New Zealand Analysis & Policy Observatory; Media mentions: Bustle Media Group; Uplift Connect) [doi] [open access]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., Feng, S. L., Babbar, S., Rankins, N., & Blando, J. D. (2014). Hot yoga establishments in local communities serving pregnant women: A pilot study on the health implications of its practice and environmental conditions. Journal of Environmental Health (National Environmental Health Association Journal), 77(3), 8-13. (Cover article) [view]

For downloadable access to select articles above, see the Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga research page.

I also want to acknowledge that I strive to honor, rather than appropriate, the histories of yoga and mindful, meditative movement that stem from Hinduism and Buddhism. This is a continual practice of understanding and humility, in which I kindly ask for grace.

Mind + Body | Mental & Physical Health

† = authors contributed equally

Frazier, P. A., ^Liu, Y., ^Selvey, A., Meredith, L. N., & Nguyen-Feng, V. N. (2023). Randomized controlled trials assessing efficacy of brief web-based stress management interventions for college students during the COVID pandemic. Journal of Counseling Psychology (APA Journal), 70(3), 314-324. [preprint] [doi] [view]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., ^Shrestha, P., Kafle, N., *Asplund, A., Lotzin, A., Zhou, X., & Wamser-Nanney, R. (2022). COVID-related posttraumatic stress and adjustment disorder symptoms in a sample of Nepali adults. Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health (Journal of the Asia-Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health), 34(6-7), 684-691. [doi] [view]
Frazier, P. A., ^Liu, Y., *Asplund, A., Meredith, L., & Nguyen-Feng, V. N. (2021). US college student mental health and COVID-19: Comparing pre-pandemic and pandemic timepoints. Journal of American College Health (American College Health Association Journal). Advance online publication. [doi] [view] [preprint]
Zhou, X., Nguyen-Feng, V. N., Wamser-Nanney, R., & Lotzin, A. (2022). Racism, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and racial disparity in the US COVID-19 syndemic. Behavioral Medicine: Special issue on COVID-19 and Social Determinants of Health, 48(2), 85-94. [doi] [view] [preprint]
Wamser-Nanney, R., Nguyen-Feng, V. N., Lotzin, A., & Zhou, X. (2021). Parenting amidst COVID-19: Pandemic-related stressors, inequities, and treatment utilization and perceptions. Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice (APA Journal). Advance online publication. [doi] [view]
Kaubrys, M., Baker, M. R., Frazier, P. A., & Nguyen-Feng, V. N. (2021). Relations among daily stressors, childhood maltreatment, and sleep in college students. Journal of Counseling Psychology (APA Journal), 68(4), 489–500. [doi] [view]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., *Asplund, A., Frazier, P. A., & Misono, S. (2021). Association between communicative participation and psychosocial factors in patients with voice disorders. JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery (Journal of the American Medical Association), 147(3), 245-252. [doi] [view]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., Frazier, P. A., Roy, N., Cohen, S., & Misono, S. (2021). Perceived control, voice handicap, and barriers to voice therapy. Journal of Voice (Voice Foundation and International Association of Phonosurgeons Journal), 35(2), 326.E13-326.E19. [doi] [view]
†Lotzin, A., †Nguyen-Feng, V. N., & †Wamser-Nanney, R. (2020). Introduction to the special section on international perspectives on the coronavirus pandemic. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy (APA Journal, Division 56), 12(5), 474. [doi] [open access]
†Alpert, J. L., & †Nguyen-Feng, V. N. (2020). COVID in New York City, the epicenter: A New York University perspective and COVID in Duluth, the bold north: A University of Minnesota perspective. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy (APA Journal, Division 56), 12(5), 524-528. [doi] [open access]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., Frazier, P. A., Stockness, A., Narayanan, A., Merians, A. N., & Misono, S. (2020). Web-based perceived present control intervention for voice disorders: A pilot study. Journal of Voice (Voice Foundation and International Association of Phonosurgeons Journal), 34(2), 300.e1-300.e9. [doi] [view]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., Frazier, P. A., Stockness, A., Lunos, S., *Hoedeman, A. N., & Misono, S. (2019). Assessing change over time in voice handicap and voice-related perceived control using ecological momentary assessment. Annals of Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology (American Broncho-Esophagological Association Journal), 128(9), 829-837. [doi] [view]
Clark, C. J., Alonso, A., Everson-Rose, S. A., Brady, S. S., Resnick, M. D., Borowsky, I. W., Connett, J. E., Krueger, R. F., Nguyen-Feng, V. N., Feng, S. L., & Suglia, S. F. (2016). Intimate partner violence in adolescence and cardiovascular risk in adulthood. Preventive Medicine, 87, 132-137. [doi] [view]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., Feng, S. L., Babbar, S., Rankins, N., & Blando, J. D. (2014). Hot yoga establishments in local communities serving pregnant women: A pilot study on the health implications of its practice and environmental conditions. Journal of Environmental Health (National Environmental Health Association Journal), 77(3), 8-13. (Cover article) [view]

Trauma | Emotional Abuse

Nguyen-Feng, V. N., ^Zheng, L., Reich, C. M., ^Lee, E. K., & Dahl, C. (2023). Perceived severity of childhood emotional, sexual, and physical abuse: Comparisons across psychologists, students, and the general public. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy (APA Journal, Division 56). Advance online publication. [preprint] [doi] [view]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N. (2022, March 17). Four signs of emotional abuse [Video; 4 minutes, 36 seconds]. TED Education. Role: Educator. Team: Y. Reisfeld (Director); B. Cutmore-Scott (Narrator); A. Alexander (Composer and Sound Designer); L. Smalley (Executive Creative Director); G. Xhelo, & B. Cutmore-Scott (Producers); A. Rosenthal (Editorial Director); E. Cox (Editorial Producer); A. Ewis (Content Associate). (Invited contribution) [video]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., & Rossen, E. (2020, April 25). Six tips for teachers who see emotional abuse. Oxford University Press Blog. (Invited contribution) [website]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., ^Sundstrom, M., *Asplund, A., & Hodgdon, H. (2020, March 15). Bringing attention to childhood emotional abuse in psychotherapy with adults. Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy (APA Division 29). (Invited feature contribution) [website]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., *Romano, F. N., & Frazier, P. A. (2019). Emotional abuse moderates efficacy of an ecological momentary stress management intervention for college students. Journal of Counseling Psychology (APA Journal), 66(4), 461-472. (Preregistration Challenge Award; Award for Outstanding Dissertation in the Field of Trauma Psychology, APA Division 56) [preregistration] [doi] [view]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., Baker, M. R., Merians, A. N., & Frazier, P. A. (2017). Sexual victimization, childhood emotional abuse, and distress: Daily coping and perceived control as mediators. Journal of Counseling Psychology (APA Journal), 64(6), 672-683. [doi] [view]

Trauma | Additional Forms of Interpersonal Violence

Kaubrys, M., Baker, M. R., Frazier, P. A., & Nguyen-Feng, V. N. (2021). Relations among daily stressors, childhood maltreatment, and sleep in college students. Journal of Counseling Psychology (APA Journal), 68(4), 489–500. [doi] [view]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., & ^Zheng, L. (2021). Book review: The gifts of adversity: Reflections of a psychologist, refugee, and survivor of sexual abuse. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 45(1), 140. (Invited contribution). [doi] [view]
Baker, M. R., Nguyen-Feng, V. N., Nilakanta, H., & Frazier, P. A. (2020). Childhood maltreatment predicts daily stressor exposure in college students but not perceived stress or stress reactivity. Journal of Counseling Psychology (APA Journal), 67(1), 79–89. [doi] [view]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., ^Carroll, T., & King, L. (2020). Students affected by interpersonal violence. In E. Rossen (Ed.), Supporting and Educating Traumatized Students: A Guide for School-based Professionals (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. (Invited contribution) [view publisher] [view proof]
Frazier, P. A., Mischel, E., Nguyen-Feng, V. N., Merians, A. N., & Kaubrys, M. T. (2019). Trauma psychology. In D. S. Dunn (Ed.), Oxford Bibliographies in Psychology. Oxford University Press. [doi] [preview]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., *Morrissette, J., Lewis-Dmello, A., Michel, H., Anders, D., Wagner, C., & Clark, C. J. (2019). Trauma-sensitive yoga as an adjunctive mental health treatment for survivors of intimate partner violence: A qualitative examination. Spirituality in Clinical Practice (APA Journal), 6(1), 27-43. [doi] [view]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., Clark, C. J., & Butler, M. E. (2019). Yoga as an intervention for psychological symptoms following trauma: A systematic review and quantitative synthesis. Psychological Services (APA Journal, Division 18): Special Issue on Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Holistic Mental Health Care, 16(3), 513-523. [doi] [view]
Frazier, P. A., Nguyen-Feng, V. N., *Fulco, C., Anders, S., & Shallcross, S. (2017). Mediators of the relations between past sexual victimization and distress: Comparison to bereavement. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy (APA Journal, Division 56), 9(1), 96-104. [doi] [view]
Frazier, P. A., Nguyen-Feng, V. N., & Baker, M. R. (2017). Reconstructing meaning after sexual assault. In E. M. Altmaier (Ed.), Reconstructing Meaning After Trauma: Theory, Research, and Practice (pp. 103-113). Elsevier. [doi] [view]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., Frazier, P. A., Greer, C. S., Meredith, L., Howard, K., & Paulsen, J. (2016). Testing the efficacy of three brief web-based interventions for reducing distress among interpersonal violence survivors. Translational Issues in Psychological Science (APA Journal): Special Issue on Psychology of Trauma, 2(4), 439-448. [doi] [view]
Clark, C. J., Alonso, A., Everson-Rose, S. A., Brady, S. S., Resnick, M. D., Borowsky, I. W., Connett, J. E., Krueger, R. F., Nguyen-Feng, V. N., Feng, S. L., & Suglia, S. F. (2016). Intimate partner violence in adolescence and cardiovascular risk in adulthood. Preventive Medicine, 87, 132-137. [doi] [view]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., Frazier, P. A., Greer, C. S., Howard, K. G., Paulsen, J. A., Meredith, L., & *Kim, S. (2015). A randomized controlled trial of a web-based intervention to reduce distress among students with a history of interpersonal violence. Psychology of Violence (APA Journal): Special Issue on Protective Factors, Resilience, and Violence, 5, 444-454. (Peer review: Statcheck) [doi] [view]
Clark, C. J., Lewis-Dmello, A., Anders, D., Parsons, A., Nguyen-Feng, V. N., Henn, L., & Emerson, D. (2014). Trauma-sensitive yoga as an adjunct mental health treatment in group therapy for survivors of domestic violence: A feasibility study. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 20(3), 152-158. (Policy mention: New Zealand Analysis & Policy Observatory; Media mentions: Bustle Media Group; Uplift Connect) [doi] [open access]

Access to Care | Inclusivity Through Technology

^Song, W., ^Zheng, L., Tichá, R., Abery, B., & Nguyen-Feng, V. N. (2023). Everyday leisure participation of autistic adults living independently: A feasibility and acceptability study of ecological momentary assessment. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Journal), 128(4), 319-333. [doi] [view] [preregistration] [preprint]
Frazier, P. A., ^Liu, Y., ^Selvey, A., Meredith, L. N., & Nguyen-Feng, V. N. (2023). Randomized controlled trials assessing efficacy of brief web-based stress management interventions for college students during the COVID pandemic. Journal of Counseling Psychology (APA Journal), 70(3), 314-324. [preprint] [doi] [view]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., Frazier, P. A., Stockness, A., Narayanan, A., Merians, A. N., & Misono, S. (2020). Web-based perceived present control intervention for voice disorders: A pilot study. Journal of Voice (Voice Foundation and International Association of Phonosurgeons Journal), 34(2), 300.e1-300.e9. [doi] [view]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., Frazier, P. A., Roy, N., Cohen, S., & Misono, S. (2019). Perceived control, voice handicap, and barriers to voice therapy. Journal of Voice (Voice Foundation and International Association of Phonosurgeons Journal). Advance online publication. [doi] [view]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., *Romano, F. N., & Frazier, P. A. (2019). Emotional abuse moderates efficacy of an ecological momentary stress management intervention for college students. Journal of Counseling Psychology (APA Journal), 66(4), 461-472. (Preregistration; Preregistration Challenge Award; Award for Outstanding Dissertation in the Field of Trauma Psychology, APA Division 56) [doi] [view]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., Greer, C. S., & Frazier, P. A. (2017). Using online interventions to deliver college student mental health resources: Evidence from randomized clinical trials. Psychological Services (APA Journal, Division 18): Special Issue on Mental Health on College Campuses, 14(4), 481-489. [doi] [view]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., Frazier, P. A., Greer, C. S., Meredith, L., Howard, K., & Paulsen, J. (2016). Testing the efficacy of three brief web-based interventions for reducing distress among interpersonal violence survivors. Translational Issues in Psychological Science (APA Journal): Special Issue on Psychology of Trauma, 2(4), 439-448. [doi] [view]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., Frazier, P. A., Greer, C. S., Howard, K. G., Paulsen, J. A., Meredith, L., & *Kim, S. (2015). A randomized controlled trial of a web-based intervention to reduce distress among students with a history of interpersonal violence. Psychology of Violence (APA Journal): Special Issue on Protective Factors, Resilience, and Violence, 5(4), 444-454. (Peer review: Statcheck) [doi] [view]

Access to Care | Inclusivity Through Community

^Song, W., ^Zheng, L., Tichá, R., Abery, B., & Nguyen-Feng, V. N. (2023). Everyday leisure participation of autistic adults living independently: A feasibility and acceptability study of ecological momentary assessment. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Journal), 128(4), 319-333. [doi] [view] [preregistration] [preprint]
^Leget, D., & Nguyen-Feng, V. N. (2022, June 8). Nonsuicidal self-injury in gender and sexual minority communities: Reflecting on the minority stress model to explore what we know and future directions. Perspectives on Gender and Sexual Orientation Diversity (APA Publication, Division 35, Section IV). [website]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., ^Shrestha, P., Kafle, N., *Asplund, A., Lotzin, A., Zhou, X., & Wamser-Nanney, R. (2022). COVID-related posttraumatic stress and adjustment disorder symptoms in a sample of Nepali adults. Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health (Journal of the Asia-Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health), 34(6-7), 684-691. [doi] [view]
Zhou, X., Nguyen-Feng, V. N., Wamser-Nanney, R., & Lotzin, A. (2022). Racism, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and racial disparity in the US COVID-19 syndemic. Behavioral Medicine: Special issue on COVID-19 and Social Determinants of Health, 48(2), 85-94. [doi] [view] [preprint]
^Akhmetova, A. & Nguyen-Feng, V. N. (2021). A conceptual review of proactivity in coping and daily life: Perspectives following Kazakhstan’s “proactive state” decree. Хабаршысы Л.Н. Гумилев атындағы Еуразия ұлттық университетінің (Bulletin of L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University), 137(4), 371-377. [doi] [view]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., *Morrissette, J., Lewis-Dmello, A., Michel, H., Anders, D., Wagner, C., & Clark, C. J. (2019). Trauma-sensitive yoga as an adjunctive mental health treatment for survivors of intimate partner violence: A qualitative examination. Spirituality in Clinical Practice (APA Journal), 6(1), 27-43. [doi] [view]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., Beydoun, H. A., McShane, M. K., & Blando, J. D. (2015). Disparities in hospital services utilization among patients with mental health issues: A statewide example examining insurance status and race factors from 1999-2010. Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice (Center for Health Disparities Research Journal), 8(2), 89-101. [open access]
Clark, C. J., Lewis-Dmello, A., Anders, D., Parsons, A., Nguyen-Feng, V. N., Henn, L., & Emerson, D. (2014). Trauma-sensitive yoga as an adjunct mental health treatment in group therapy for survivors of domestic violence: A feasibility study. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 20(3), 152-158. (Policy mention: New Zealand Analysis & Policy Observatory; Media mentions: Bustle Media Group; Uplift Connect) [doi] [open access]
Nguyen-Feng, V. N., Feng, S. L., Babbar, S., Rankins, N., & Blando, J. D. (2014). Hot yoga establishments in local communities serving pregnant women: A pilot study on the health implications of its practice and environmental conditions. Journal of Environmental Health (National Environmental Health Association Journal), 77(3), 8-13. (Cover article) [view]

... and others in preparation.

For questions, please email the lab director, Viann Nguyen-Feng, at vnf@umn.edu.

I usually respond relatively quickly. If I do not reply within a week, I likely did not see or receive your email, so feel free to contact me again.