Jeesoo's blog

I am a child and family well-being researcher, focused on fostering safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and environments while also addressing key structural challenges for low-income families, particularly within neighborhood contexts. My long-term research agenda has two areas of focus:

(1) investigating the role of social support in preventing child maltreatment and promoting flourishing,

(2) identifying how social resources may be impacted by structural resources such as economic and neighborhood conditions, and

(3) improving community-based interventions and policies that aim to enhance the protective factors of families (e.g. increase social capital)

My training in realist evaluation methods will underlie my continued research to rigorously evaluate mechanisms and contexts for programs to refine the community-based program for parents and families. My methodological skills encompass quantitative and qualitative research methods. My dissertation has been awarded the Richard A. Zdanis Research Scholarship Award ($5,000) from the School of Graduate Studies at Case Western Reserve University. 

While I enjoy envisioning the development of new programs and future systems, I am equally committed to improving existing systems. This involves identifying and addressing the barriers families face, as well as understanding the mechanisms and contexts that shape program success. It’s critical to assess the enabling and disabling conditions of a program before determining whether it should continue. This is guided by realist evaluation methodology, which focuses on identifying the underlying causal mechanisms that explain how, why, for whom, and under what conditions interventions work. Pawson & Tilley’s (1994) theory-led evaluation based on realist ontology is fascinating because it gives deep causal understanding of how the program works. I am utilizing this realist evaluation-informed qualitative study in my dissertation paper. 

Another concept I am incorporating into my research agenda is flourishing. Unlike traditional approaches, which focus on merely reducing negative mental health issues, flourishing emphasizes the presence of positive mental health, which encompasses various dimensions such as positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishments. Working with parent participants in prevention programs allowed me to realize that the term “prevent child maltreatment” can have a stigmatizing connotation for those who participate in the program. I still ponder whether promoting positive outcomes should be an overarching goal compared to merely reducing negative ones, and how these objectives are interrelated. 

I am always eager to learn new methodologies, as they broaden the scope of my research questions, and I find the process of learning them truly enjoyable. I have a strong affinity for quantitative methods, appreciating the power of numbers in providing rigorous insights into the lives of children and families. In my PhD program, I have developed my proficiency in qualitative methods through studies such as process evaluations, and in-depth qualitative interviews with stakeholders and parent participants.

In addition to research, I have a deep passion for mentoring students of diverse backgrounds, especially those navigating the challenges of higher education in the United States.

Education