Meet visiting scholar, Jing Xu

Jing Xu joins Dalhousie's Department of Community Health and Epidemiology as a visiting scholar from the Child Mental Health Research Center at the Brain Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, China, a WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Child Mental Health. A clinical psychologist, researcher, and educator, she has spent the past decade supporting children, adolescents, and families through clinical care while advancing research in child and adolescent mental health. Her work focuses on neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as well as emotional and behavioural challenges affecting young people. 

Jing’s research has contributed to studies examining the epidemiology of mental disorders in children and adolescents, child mental health cohort studies, and the assessment and treatment of neurodevelopmental and behavioural conditions. Alongside her research, she provides psychological assessment and evidence-based interventions for children and families and teaches Medical Psychology at Nanjing Medical University. During her time at Dalhousie, she is working with Dr. JianLi Wang on research related to child and adolescent mental health, prevention, and early intervention while exploring opportunities for international collaboration between Canada and China.

Can you tell us about your academic and professional journey and what inspired you to pursue a career in clinical psychology and mental health research?

I first became interested in psychology when I was in junior high school after participating in a psychological assessment at school. It was the first time I realized that psychology could help us understand people's thoughts, emotions, and behaviours, and that experience inspired me to pursue the field. Over the past ten years, I have worked as a clinical psychologist supporting children, adolescents, and their families while also conducting research in child and adolescent mental health. Seeing children's progress, even small changes that make a meaningful difference in their lives and the lives of their families, continues to motivate me. 

For me, clinical practice and research are closely connected. Working directly with children helps me better understand the challenges they face and often inspires new research questions. At the same time, research provides evidence that can improve clinical practice and the quality of care. I believe the two should continuously inform and strengthen one another. 

What first sparked your interest in child and adolescent mental health, particularly neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?

Although I was interested in psychology from an early age, I did not originally plan to specialize in child and adolescent mental health. After graduation, I joined the Child Mental Health Research Center at Nanjing Brain Hospital, where my professional journey truly began. The centre is one of China's leading child mental health institutions and has long been dedicated to the assessment, intervention, and research of autism spectrum disorder and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

Working alongside experienced clinicians and researchers gave me a strong foundation in both clinical practice and research. As I worked more closely with children and their families, I became inspired by children's remarkable capacity for growth and change. Seeing how early assessment and intervention could make a meaningful difference strengthened my commitment to child and adolescent mental health and led me to focus on conditions such as ASD and ADHD. 

Since 2015, you have worked as a clinical psychologist supporting children, adolescents, and families. How has your clinical experience informed your research interests and priorities?

Working closely with children and families has helped me better understand the challenges they experience in everyday life. These experiences continually remind me that research should ultimately improve clinical practice and benefit children and families. 

One example comes from our work with a social skills program. During clinical practice, we observed that strengthening children's mentalization skills appeared to improve their social interactions. This observation inspired a research project, and we are now evaluating whether integrating mentalization training into the program can lead to better outcomes. Experiences like this remind me that some of the most meaningful research questions arise directly from clinical practice. 

What do you see as some of the most pressing mental health issues currently affecting children and adolescents?

One of the biggest challenges is that many children with mental health difficulties are not identified early enough. Delayed recognition often means delayed support, which can affect long-term outcomes. At the same time, many children and families continue to face barriers in accessing timely, evidence-based mental health services. A shortage of trained professionals can delay assessment and intervention, reinforcing the need to strengthen the mental health workforce while advancing research. 

We are also seeing increasing concerns related to anxiety, depression, ADHD, and ASD. Improving early identification, expanding access to evidence-based services, and providing better support for families are all important priorities if we want to improve outcomes for children and adolescents. 

What attracted you to the opportunity to work with Dr. JianLi Wang and the Department of Community Health and Epidemiology at Dalhousie?

I am very grateful for the opportunity to join Dalhousie as a visiting scholar. I hope to learn from experienced researchers and gain a deeper understanding of Canada's community mental health system. As I have only recently arrived in Canada, I am still learning about the Canadian healthcare system and the services available to support children and families. 

I believe this experience will broaden my perspective and help me better understand both the similarities and differences between China and Canada in supporting mental health. I also look forward to building long-term collaborations with colleagues at Dalhousie and contributing to ongoing research in child and adolescent mental health.

How do international research collaborations strengthen our understanding of child and adolescent mental health and improve outcomes for young people and families?

Although countries have different healthcare systems and cultural backgrounds, many of the challenges facing children's mental health are shared. International collaborations allow us to learn from different perspectives, exchange ideas, and identify innovative approaches that can improve both research and clinical practice. 

I believe there is a great deal we can learn from one another. By working together across institutions and countries, we can strengthen our understanding of child and adolescent mental health and ultimately improve the support available to children, young people, and their families.