Research

Broadly speaking, I conduct research on affective and social processes related to psychological well-being and psychopathology, with a particular focus on depression and people of diverse identities and lived experiences. Specifically, my research aims to understand (1) intrapersonal and interpersonal emotion regulation in major depressive disorder, (2) the association between romantic relationships and mental health, (3) affect regulation in the context of sexual and gender minority stress. I also plan to launch a program of research aimed to identify person-specific risk factors and treatment targets for depression to inform personalized interventions. My research heavily relies on ambulatory assessment (e.g., ecological momentary assessment) to understand people’s experiences in their naturalistic settings. I also highly value qualitative research methods to understand lived experiences of diverse populations.

Statistical analysis skills: My background in computer science and completion of advanced statistics courses (e.g., hierarchical linear modeling, structural equation modeling) have laid a strong foundation for my statistical and programming knowledge and skills. I obtained my graduate program’s Graduate Certificate in Quantitative Data Analysis. Additionally, my experience sampling research has afforded me extensive opportunities to conduct multilevel modeling analyses as well as to apply other complex analyses to multilevel data (e.g., Bayesian analyses, factor analyses). I am familiar with several statistical softwares, including SPSS, R, JMP, and Mplus.

During my postdoctoral training, I also gained expertise in qualitative methods through conducting qualitative research to understand the lived experiences of marginalized populations.

News & Media

Menaker, M., Liu, D. Y., Davis, E. P., & Rhoades, G. K. (September, 2025). What kind of support do you have? Understanding relational risk and resilience in the perinatal period. Invited newsletter article published at the Feminist Psychologist: Newsletter of the Society for the Psychology of Women. pdf

Sung, A. (2023, September). A little help from our loved ones: Everyday interpersonal emotion regulation in depression. Society for Affective Science Issue 4 - Science Feature 1. Retrieved from https://society-for-affective-science.org/issue-4-science-feature-1/

Woolston, C. (2023, July). People experiencing depression actively fight to manage their emotions. Ampersand. Retrieved from https://artsci.wustl.edu/ampersand/people-experiencing-depression-actively-fight-manage-their-emotions

Jefferson, B. (2021, December). How do others help us regulate emotions? The Source. Retrieved from https://source.wustl.edu/2021/12/how-do-others-help-us-regulate-emotions

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Perry, N. S., Liu, D. Y., Harlan, D., Miller, J. V., Rubin, A., & Rhoades, G. K. (in press). After Obergefell: Legally married status is associated with lower depressive symptoms among cisgender sexual minority couples. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity.

Luginbeuhl, T., Liu, D. Y., Miller, J. V., & Davila, J. (in press). Romantic Relationships and Depression. APA Handbook of Depression. American Psychological Association.

Le, Y., Lee, J., Liu, D. Y., Perry, N. S, & Rhoades, G. K. (in press). Does sociodemographic disadvantage moderate the impact of MotherWise: Findings from a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Family Psychology.

Liu, D. Y., Perry, N. S., Demers, C. H., Hyer, J. S., Alamo, A., Vuksanovich, P., Dube, N., Flanagan, E. R., Gallop, R. J., Rhoades, G. K., & Davis, E. P. (2025). Virtual versus In-person ROSE program (La Luz) as universal prevention for perinatal depression: Protocol for a randomized controlled trial in a safety net hospital. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 107988. https://10.1016/j.cct.2025.107988 pdf

Liu, D. Y.+, Berkowitz, A.+, English, T., & Thompson, R. J. (2025). How might interpersonal emotion regulation shape well-being? A naturalistic investigation of its impact on subsequent affect and intrinsic emotion regulation. Emotion. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0001536 pdf

+Equal contribution (co-first authors)

Chapman, C., Liu, D. Y., Stanley, S. M., & Rhoades, G. K. (2025). Thinking about moving in together? Reasons for cohabitation are associated with relationship outcomes over time. Family and Couples Psychology: Research and Practice. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/cfp0000286 pdf

Zhang, S., Tang, Y.-L, Nehl, E., Oh, S. J., Bai, J., Liu, D. Y., Fu, J.-C., Jiang, F., Liu, H., Liu, Y.,, Zhang, C. & Kaslow, N. J. (2025). Wellness program preferences and associated factors among Chinese healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychological Services. Advance online publication. https://10.1037/ser0000964 pdf

Thompson, R. J., Liu, D. Y., & Lai, J. (2024). What predicts the initiation and outcomes of interpersonal emotion regulation in everyday life? Motivation and Emotion. 48, 776-790. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-024-10089-8 pdf

Liu, D. Y., Strube, M. J., & Thompson, R. J. (2024). Do emotion regulation difficulties in depression extend to social context? Everyday interpersonal emotion regulation in current and remitted major depressive disorder. Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science. 133(1), 61–75. https://doi.org/10.1037/abn0000877 pdf

Zhang, S., Liu, D. Y., Bai, J., Fu, J.-C., Jiang, F., Nehl, E., Liu, H., Liu, Y., Zhang, C., Tang, Y.-L., & Kaslow, N. J. (2024). Psychological effects of trauma, negative and positive coping, resilience, and psychological distress of Chinese healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Mood and Anxiety Disorders, 5, 100046. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xjmad.2023.100046 pdf

Liu, D. Y., Springstein, T., Tuck, A. B., English, T., & Thompson, R. J. (2024). Are depressed people motivated to change how they feel? An experience sampling study of emotion regulation goals and motives in current and remitted major depressive disorder. (Top ranked abstracts from the 2023 Annual Meeting of the Society for Affective Science). Affective Science.

Liu, D. Y., Springstein, T., Tuck, A. B., English, T., & Thompson, R. J. (2023). Everyday emotion regulation goals, motives, and strategies in current and remitted major depressive disorder: An experience sampling study. Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science, 132(5), 594-609. https://doi.org/10.1037/abn0000831 pdf

Freitag, S., Au, J. S., Liu, D. Y., Mekawi, Y., & Lamis, D. A. (2023). Do bipolar disorder symptom profiles matter for suicide risk? A latent class approach to investigating differences in suicidal desire and acquired capability. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior. Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/sltb.13013 pdf

Liu, D. Y. & Thompson, R. J. (2023). Do individuals with current and remitted major depression benefit from interpersonal emotion regulation? An experience sampling study. (Abstracts from the 2022 Annual Meeting of the Society for Affective Science_Emotion Regulation). Affective Science, 4, 191-198. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42761-022-00172-z pdf

Liu, D. Y., Strube, M. J., & Thompson, R. (2022). Age differences in interpersonal emotion regulation seeking behaviors in everyday life. (Top ranked abstracts from the 2021 Annual Meeting of the Society for Affective Science). Affective Science, 3, 273-289. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42761-021-00071-9 pdf

Zhang, L., Li, M., Yang, Y., Xia, L., Min, K., Liu, T., Liu, Y., Kaslow, N. J., Liu, D. Y., Tang, Y.-L., Jiang, F., & Liu, H. (2022). Gender differences in the experience of burnout and its correlates among Chinese psychiatric nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic: A large sample nationwide survey. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 31(6), 1480-1491. https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.13052 pdf

Yang, Y., Zhang, L., Li, M., Wu, X., Xia, L., Liu, D. Y., Liu T., Liu, Y., Jiang, F., Tang Y.-L., Liu, H., & Kaslow, N. J. (2022). Turnover intention and its associated factors among psychiatrists in 41 tertiary hospitals in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 899358. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.8993 pdf

Liu, D. Y., Strube, M. J., & Thompson, R. J. (2021). Interpersonal emotion regulation: An experience sampling study. Affective Science, 2, 273–288. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42761-021-00044-y pdf

Thompson, R. J., Liu, D. Y., Sudit, E., & Boden, M. T. (2021). Emotion differentiation in current and remitted Major Depressive Disorder. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 685851. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.685851 pdf

Liu, D. Y., Gilbert, K., & Thompson, R. J. (2020). Emotion differentiation moderates the effects of rumination on depression: A longitudinal study. Emotion, 20(7), 1234-1243. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0000627 pdf

Liu, D. Y., & Thompson, R. J. (2017). Selection and implementation of emotion regulation strategies in major depressive disorder: An integrative review. Clinical Psychology Review, 57, 183-194. https://doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2017.07.004 pdf

Manuscripts Under Revision, under Review, or in Preparation

Lai, J., Liu, D. Y., Eckland, N. S., & Thompson, R. J. (revision under review). Examining emotion beliefs in daily life and their links to emotion experiences and regulation. Emotion.

Berkowitz, A. W., Liu, D. Y., English, T., & Thompson, R. J. (revision under review). Looking beyond the means and into momentary dynamics: Associations between momentary affect and emotion regulation strategy use in major depressive disorder. Emotion.

Liu, D. Y., Chapman, C., Le, Y. Perry, N. S., & Rhoades, G. K. (under revision). Change in relationship status and internalizing symptoms among adolescents: Testing bidirectionality and moderation by gender, age, and sexual orientation. Journal of Research on Adolescence.

Liu, D. Y., Swerdlow, B. A., Chong, S. Y., Kako, N., Rubin, A., & Perry, N. S. (under review). Affect regulation in the context of sexual and gender minority stress: A scoping review protocol. preprint

Swerdlow, B. A., Pearlstein, J. G., Liu, D. Y., & Hudson, S. T. J. (under review). The importance of embedding diversity science frameworks in affective science. preprint

Le, Y., Liu, D. Y., Rhoades, G. K., & Stanley, S. M. (in prep). Prospective associations of prenatal relationship happiness and postpartum depression among at-risk low-income couples.

Conference Research Presentations

Upcoming presentations:

Liu, D. Y., Bibby, E. S., Brandt, S. A., Sullivan, T. J., Swerdlow, B. A., & Davila, J. (2025, November). Discrimination and depressive symptoms among sexual minority young adults: The role of relationship status, quality, and support. [Individual oral paper]. To be presented at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies 59th Annual Convention, New Orleans, LA, USA.

Le, Y., Stanley, S. M., Perry, N. S., Liu, D. Y., Chapman, C., & Rhoades, G. K. (2025, November). Outcomes of a briefer version of Family Expectations: A community-based relationship education. In Le, Y. (Chair), Impacts of relationship education delivered through community partnerships to couples from various minoritized and marginalized backgrounds. [Symposium]. To be presented at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies 59th Annual Convention, New Orleans, LA, USA.

Past presentations:

Rhoades, G. K., Liu, D. Y., Demers, C., Perry, N. S., Hyer, J., & Davis, E. P. (2025, August). A group-based postpartum depression prevention program (La Luz) for underserved pregnant individuals. In Davis, E. P. (Chair), Supporting pregnant moms and babies: Evidence-based perinatal programs for marginalized populations. [Symposium]. The 2025 American Psychological Association Annual Convention, Denver, CO, USA.

Liu, D. Y. & Le, Y. (2025, August). Implementing community-based relationship-focused programs for underserved youth and families. [Symposium]. The 2025 American Psychological Association Annual Convention, Denver, CO, USA.

Dube, N., Demers, C., Perry, N. S., Liu, D. Y., Hyer, J., Davis, E. P., & Rhoades, G. K. (2025, August). Relationship factors and depressive symptoms among socioeconomically disadvantaged pregnant people. [Poster presentation]. The 2025 American Psychological Association Annual Convention, Denver, CO, USA.

Menaker, M., Liu, D. Y., Rhoades, G. K., & Davis, E. P. (2025, August). Relational risk and resilience in the perinatal period: Depression, anxiety and social Support. [Poster presentation]. The 2025 American Psychological Association Annual Convention, Denver, CO, USA.

Liu, D. Y., Swerdlow, B. A., McRae, K., Rhoades, G. K., & Perry, N. S. (2025, March). “Can you believe what just happened?!”: A qualitative investigation of interpersonal emotion regulation in the context of minority stress in newlywed LGBTQ+ couples. In Sudit, E. & Ramadurai, R. (Co-Chairs), Interpersonal emotion processing across close relationships. [Symposium]. The 2025 Society for Affective Science Annual Conference, Portland, OR, USA.

Liu, D. Y., Harlan, D. J., Rubin, A., Swerdlow, B. A., McRae, K., Rhoades, G. K., & Perry, N. S. (2025, March). Emotion regulation in the context of minority stress: A qualitative study of newlywed sexual and gender minority adults. [Poster presentation]. The 2025 Society for Affective Science Annual Conference, Portland, OR, USA.

Berkowitz, A. W., Liu, D. Y., English, T., & Thompson, R. J. (2024, October). Momentary associations between emotion regulation strategy use and positive affect in major depressive disorder [Poster presentation]. The Society for Research in Psychopathology 2024 Annual Meeting, Montreal, QC, Canada.

Le, Y., Liu, D. Y., Rhoades, G. K., & Stanley, S. M. (2024, November). Prospective associations of prenatal relationship happiness and postpartum depression among at-risk low-income couples. In A. K. Wojda-Burlij (Chair), Love among the margins: A critical examination of individual and relationship functioning within traditionally under-represented couples [Symposium]. The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies 58th Annual Convention, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Chapman, C., Liu, D. Y., Miller, J. V., Stanley, S. M., & Rhoades, G. K. (2024, November). Thinking about moving in together? How reasons for cohabitation are associated with relationship quality over time. In Brunett, K. M. & Gates, M. (Co-Chairs), ABCT Couples SIG Student Symposium: Minority Stress and Relationship Functioning [Symposium]. The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies 58th Annual Convention, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Harlan, D., Liu, D. Y., Miller, J. V., Perry, N. S. (2024, November). After Obergefell: Associations between marital status and depressive symptoms among cisgender sexual minority couples. In Perry, N. S. (Chair), Identifying modifiable relationship factors to strengthen development and dissemination of health-focused interventions for sexual and gender minority people. The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies 58th Annual Convention, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Liu, D. Y., Springstein, T., Tuck, A. B., English, T., & Thompson, R. J. (2024, June). Looking beyond the means and into momentary dynamics: Associations between momentary affect and emotion regulation frequency and strategy use in major depressive disorder in everyday life [Individual Paper Oral Presentation]. The 2024 Conference of the Society for Ambulatory Assessment, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.

Chapman, C., Liu, D. Y., Miller, J. V., Le, Y., & Rhoades, G. K. (2024, July). Longitudinal associations between adolescent romantic involvement and internalizing symptoms [Poster presentation]. The 2024 International Association for Relationship Research Conference, Boston, MA, USA.

Le, Y., Lee, J., Liu, D. Y., Perry, N. S., & Rhoades, G. K. (2024, July). Sociodemographic disadvantage associated with intervention needs and gains: Findings from the impact study of MotherWise [Oral presentation]. The 2024 International Association for Relationship Research Conference, Boston, MA, USA.

Berkowitz, A. W., Liu, D. Y., English, T., & Thompson, R. J. (2024, April). Interpersonal emotion regulation engagement and successive intrapersonal and interpersonal emotion regulation strategy choice in daily life [Poster presentation]. The 2024 Anxiety and Depression Association of America Annual Conference, Boston, MA, USA.

Chapman, C., Liu, D. Y., Miller, J. V., Stanley, S. M., & Rhoades, G. K. (2024, April). Thinking about moving in together? The moderating effects of reasons for cohabitation on the longitudinal trajectories of relationship functioning [Oral presentation]. The 2024 Rocky Mountain Psychological Association Annual Convention, Denver, CO, USA.

* Top ranked research abstract selected for oral presentation

Vuksanovich, P., Alamo, A., Liu, D. Y., Demers, C. Perry, N. S., Rhoades, G. K., Davis, E. P. (2024, April). We love La Luz! Program perceptions of the La Luz postpartum depression group program among English- and Spanish-speaking pregnant individuals. The 2024 Rocky Mountain Psychological Association Annual Convention, Denver, CO, USA.

Liu, D. Y. (2024, March). Interpersonal emotion regulation in depression: Characteristics, benefits, and implications. [Invited Awards Symposia Talk]. The 2024 Society for Affective Science Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA, USA.

*Invited to present at the Awards Symposia for winning the 2023 SAS Best Dissertation Award

Liu, D. Y., English, T., & Thompson, R. J. (2024, March). Where might emotion regulation go awry in adults with major depressive disorder in daily life? Associations between momentary positive affect and emotion regulation strategy use [Poster presentation]. The 2024 Society for Affective Science Emotion Regulation Pre-Conference, New Orleans, LA.

Thompson, R. J., Liu, D. Y., & Lai, J. (2024, March). Using a multilevel approach to predict the initiation and outcomes of interpersonal emotion regulation in everyday life. In Tamir, M. & Hu, D. (Co-Chairs), Initiating emotion regulation in daily life [Symposium]. The 2024 Society for Affective Science Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA, USA.

Lai, J., Liu, D. Y., Eckland, N. S., & Thompson, R. J. (2024, March). Examining emotion beliefs in daily life and their links to emotion experiences and regulation. In Thompson, R. J., & Lai, J. (Co-Chairs), Emotion research on emotion beliefs: Bridging work in various domains examining affect and emotion appraisals [Symposium]. Research abstract submitted for the 2024 Society for Affective Science Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA, USA.

Liu, D. Y., English, T., & Thompson, R. J. (2023, November). Where might emotion regulation go awry in adults with major depressive disorder in everyday life? Associations between positive affect and emotion regulation strategy use. In Clayton, M. (Chair), Harnessing ecological momentary assessment methods to elucidate emotion regulation skills use in anxiety and mood disorders [Symposium]. The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies 57th Annual Convention, Seattle, WA, USA.

Liu, D. Y., Strube, M. J., & Thompson, R. J. (2023, September). How much do depressed adults utilize and benefit from social resources to regulate emotion? An experience sampling study of interpersonal emotion regulation in major depressive disorder. In Nook, E. & Thompson, R. J. (Co-Chairs), The role of interpersonal affective processes in internalizing psychopathology [Symposium]. The Society for Research in Psychopathology 2023 Annual Meeting, St. Louis, MO, USA.

Liu, D. Y., Springstein, T., Tuck, A. B., English, T., & Thompson, R. J. (March, 2023). Are depressed people motivated to change how they feel? An experience sampling study of emotion regulation goals and motives in current and remitted major depressive disorder. Thematic flash talk given at the Society for Affective Science Conference, Long Beach, CA
*Top ranked research abstract selected for oral presentation and publication in Affective Science

Kleinman, M. E., Liu, D. Y. & Thompson, R. J. (September, 2022). Comparison of interpersonal emotion regulation goals and strategies in adults with major depressive disorder and healthy controls. Poster presented at the Society for Research in Psychopathology Conference, Philadelphia, PA.

Liu, D. Y. & Thompson, R. J. (April, 2022). Do individuals with current and remitted major depression benefit from interpersonal emotion regulation? An experience sampling study. Thematic flash talk given virtually at the Society for Affective Science Conference.

*Top ranked research abstract selected for oral presentation and publication in Affective Science

Tuck, A. B., Liu, D. Y., Springstein, T., English T., & Thompson, R. J. (April, 2022). Everyday emotion regulation goals, motives, and strategies in current and remitted major depressive disorder: An experience sampling study. Research poster presented virtually at the Society for Affective Science Conference.

Liu, D. Y. & Thompson, R. J. (September, 2021). Do individuals with current and remitted major depression benefit from interpersonal emotion regulation? An experience sampling study. Research poster presented virtually at the Society for Research in Psychopathology Conference.

Liu, D. Y., Strube, M. J., & Thompson, R. J. (April, 2021). Age differences in interpersonal emotion regulation seeking behaviors in everyday life. Thematic flash talk given virtually at the Society for Affective Science Conference.

*Top ranked research abstract selected for oral presentation and publication in Affective Science

Liu, D. Y., & Thompson, R. J. (April, 2020). What really matters in interpersonal emotion regulation: Strategy or warmth? Thematic flash talk given virtually at the Society for Affective Science Conference.

*Top ranked research abstract selected for oral presentation

Tuck, A. B., Liu, D. Y., & Thompson, R. J. (April, 2020). Interpersonal emotion regulation in individuals with current and remitted major depressive disorder. Research poster presented virtually at the Society for Affective Science Conference.

Liu, D. Y., & Thompson, R. J. (April, 2019). How interpersonal emotion regulation in everyday life varies based on gender: An experience sampling study. Thematic flash talk given at the Society for Affective Science Conference, Boston, MA.

*Top ranked research abstract selected for oral presentation

Liu, D. Y., Gilbert, K. E., & Thompson, R. J. (September, 2018). Emotion differentiation moderates the effect of rumination on depression: A longitudinal study. Research poster presentation given at the Society for Research in Psychopathology Conference, Indianapolis, IN.

Liu, D. Y., & Thompson, R. J. (April, 2018). Does rumination always predict increases in depression? The moderating effect of emotion differentiation. Research poster presented at the Society for Affective Sciences. Los Angeles, CA.

Liu, D. Y., & Thompson, R. J. (July, 2017). Selection and implementation of emotion regulation strategies in major depressive disorder: An integrative review. Symposium talk given at the International Society for Research on Emotion Conference, St. Louis, MO.

Liu, D. Y., Zisook, S., Weingart, K., & Young, I. (May, 2015). Social contact and cross-cultural adjustment of Asian international students. Symposium talk given at the Stanford Annual Undergraduate Psychology Conference, San Francisco, CA.

Liu, D. Y., Zisook, S., Weingart, K., & Young, I. (April, 2015). Social contact and cross-cultural adjustment of Asian international students. Symposium talk given at the UC San Diego Annual Undergraduate Research Conference. San Diego, CA.