The collaboration between the Focus on Emotions lab and its partners in China was initiated in 2017 with the NWO-KNAW grant, obtained in partnership with Prof. Li Yi (Peking University, Beijing). Prof. Yi is an expert in social-cognitive development of children with autism and devoted to developing novel techniques for early detection and intervention of children with autism. During the course of collaboration, we extended the project to include children with hearing loss, in close collaboration with Prof. Yifang Wang Capital Normal University and the China Rehabilitation Research Center for Hearing and Speech Impairment CRRCHSI in Beijing.

Chinese deaf and hearing preschoolers

Three PhD projects within our China-Netherlands collaboration are focusing on emotion socialization in Chinese preschoolers. Qi’s project focuses on the social-emotional functioning in Chinese DHH and typically hearing children. Zijian researches social emotions in Chinese children with hearing loss by validating empathy and moral emotion questionnaires in Chinese contexts, examining how DHH and typically hearing children’s (longitudinal) social development and experience of moral emotions. Shannon’s project focuses on family functioning and social emotional development of preschool children with hearing loss, by looking at the effects of different child-parent relationships.

These projects are conducted in close collaboration with Prof. Yifang Wang (Capital Normal University, Beijing) and the China Rehabilitation Research Center for Hearing and Speech Impairment (CRRCHSI, Beijing). Prof. Wang specializes in social-emotional development of preschool children. She has applied her research outcomes to the management of a university-affiliated kindergarten hosting 400 preschool children, creating a positive environment to foster child development. The CRRCHSI is the leading institute in China for supporting children with hearing loss in their most critical developmental stage. Each year, parents and their child with hearing loss from all over China come to CRRCHSI for treatments, training and education.

China-Netherlands Collaboration

Starting in 1857, Leiden University has built a deep-rooted relationship with China. Collaboration with China and its many institutions has long been an important goal for the China Region Group at Leiden University. This university-wide program involves at least 20 Chinese universities, and fosters an exchange of knowledge and resources for both the Netherlands and China. These joint projects focus on making an innovative impact on science and creating benefits for society.

People involved

Psychology, Leiden University - Boya Li, Carolien Rieffe, Shannon Yuen, Qi Meng, Zijian Li, Yung-Ting Tsou

China - Yifang Wang (Capital Normal University), Wei Liang, Liyan Wang (CRRCHSI), Li Yi (Peking University, Beijing)

If you have any inquiries about this project, please contact Dr. Boya Li.

Key publications

• Yuen, S., Li, B., Tsou, Y. T., Meng, Q., Wang, L., Liang, W., & Rieffe, C. (2022). Family systems and emotional functioning in preschool children with hearing loss. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 27 (2) , 125-136 pdf documents
• Li, Z., Li, B., Tsou, Y.T., Oosterveld, P., & Rieffe, C. (2023). Moral emotions in early childhood: Validation of the Chinese moral emotion questionnaire. Social Development, 32 (2), 527-545. doi: 10.1111/sode.12645.

In the media

• video collaboration Leiden University - China
• starting our collaboration in 2017

Visits

• Shannon and Qi represent China Project at HEAL 2022

• Carolien and Boya visited CRRCHSI, Capital Normal University, and Peking University in 2018

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