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Dr. Ben C. H. Kuo

Professor

Certified Psychologist (Ontario)
Clinical Psychology, Adult Clinical

Department of Psychology
University of Windsor
401 Sunset Avenue
Windsor, Ontario, N9B 3P4, Canada

(519) 253-3000 x2238
Fax: (519) 973-7021 
Room 261-1 Chrysler Hall South
benkuo@uwindsor.ca​

Profile photo of Dr Ben C. H. Kuo

Professional/Academic Interests and Backgrounds:

As a scientist-practitioner Dr. Kuo actively engages in clinical training and psychotherapy practices in addition to his research. He designed and teaches regularly two graduate-level courses on multicultural clinical/counselling competency training. Dr. Kuo's clinical experiences involve therapy work with clients of diverse backgrounds, including international students, immigrants, refugees, racial/ethnic minorities and non-minority individuals in Canada, U.S, and Asia.

These therapy experiences extend from counselling clients in dealing with adjustment, relational, psychological and family issues, and treating survivors of traumas due to domestic violence, physical and sexual abuse, and political torture. Dr. Kuo also serves in a consultation/advisory capacity for several community-based and health organizations and research-policy initiatives in Canada.   

Dr. Kuo has travelled, lectured, and provided workshop training and teaching extensively in Taiwan, China, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Brazil, Poland, UK, U.S. and Canada. Dr. Kuo has undertaken distinguished visiting professorships and taught/lectured at the National Taiwan Normal University in Taipei, Taiwan (2007-08 & 2015), the Methodist Graduate School of Theology in Taipei, Taiwan (2007-2008), Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand (2012 & 2015), Beijing Normal University in Beijing, China (2014 & 2015), Central University of Finance and Economics in Beijing (2016 & 2017), Victoria University at Wellington, Centre for Applied Cross-Cultural Psychology in Wellington, New Zealand (2015), University of Brasilia, Brazil (2017), Polish Academy of Sciences & Jesuit University, Poland (2019), and Manchester Metropolitian University, U.K. (2019).  

Awards & Recognition

In 2021 Dr. Kuo received the John C. Service Member of the Year Award of the Canadian Psychological Association, for his volunteer counselling and therapy support for frontline health workers due to COVID-19.   

Dr. Ben C. H. Kuo was the recipient of the 2019 Mary Lou Dietz Equality Leadership Award at the University of Windsor. The award reception was held on May 7th, 2019. Follow the links below.   

https://www.uwindsor.ca/dailynews/2019-05-16/faculty-association-honors-psychology-prof-contributions-equity

https://www.uwindsor.ca/dailynews/2019-04-10/faculty-association-honour-psych-prof-contributions-equity

Dr. Ben C. H. Kuo was honoured at the university’s “Celebration of Excellence in Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity” event on March 8th, 2017, as the recipient of U. of Windsor’s 2017 Outstanding Research Award: Established Scholars/Researchers.

Dr. Ben C. H. Kuo receiving award

Dr. Ben C. H. Kuo with the Vice-President of Research and Innovation, Dr. K. W. Michael Siu, Dr. Ming Zheng, and the President, Dr. Alan Wildeman

Dr. Ben C. H. Kuo with other Psychology Faculty awardees and attendees

Dr. Ben C. H. Kuo with other Psychology Faculty Awardees and Attendees at the event

Dr. Ben C. H. Kuo with Students from the Multicultural Clinical & Counselling Research lab

Dr. Ben C. H. Kuo with Students from the Multicultural Clinical & Counselling Research lab: Rachel Plowman, Siqi Huang, Sara Keshavarzi, and Renee Taylor

Research Interest & Expertise

Dr. Kuo's research focuses on the interface between culture and mental health among culturally diverse populations, and falls within the domains of cross-cultural and multicultural psychology. In particular, Dr. Kuo investigates how culturally diverse groups and individuals respond to various stressors and cope with psychological and mental health consequences that may arise from these stressful circumstances.

Under this broad scope, Dr. Kuo has published research and conducts on-going research across the following areas:

  1. Cultural coping responses and processes
  2. Cultural adaptation (acculturation)and cultural identity of ethnic minorities, immigrants, international students, and refugees in Canada and the US
  3. Mental health well-being and trauma recovery of refugee survivors
  4. Multicultural clinical/counselling competency training
  5. Psychological treatment-seeking behaviours and attitudes of culturally diverse populations

Moreover, Dr. Kuo's research extends internationally with cross-cultural studies involving multiple countries and regions (e.g., multinational, cross-national research) as well as indigenous studies (e.g., counselling/psychotherapy) carried out in Asia and elsewhere. While primarily a quantitative researcher, Dr. Kuo has published works with both quantitative and qualitative methods.

Dr. Kuo's research takes on multicultural and developmental perspectives and examines psychological phenomena with participants across the life span, including adolescents, international students, university students, adults, and older adults.

Dr. Kuo is an award-winning scholar in both research, teaching, and service. In March 2017 Dr. Kuo was honoured as the recipient of the University of Windsor Award for Outstanding Research: Established Researcher/Scholar Category - the highest research distinction internally within the university. Furthermore, in December of the same year, Dr. Kuo was awarded the Dr. Kathleen E. McCrone Teaching Award of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities, and Social Science at the University of Windsor, in recognition of his excellence in teaching, training, and student mentorship. In 2019 Dr. Kuo was the recipient of the Mary Lou Dietz Equity Leadership Award for his community and service contributions on and off the campus. Most recently, in 2021 Dr. Kuo received the John C. Service Member of the Year Award of the Canadian Psychological Association, for his volunteer counselling and therapy support for frontline health workers due to COVID-19.    

Grant Supported Research

  • 2020-2021 Promising Practices in Accessing Virtual Mental Health: Supporting Refugees During COVID-19 - The Canadian Insitute of Health Research (CIHR) Operating Grant under COVID-19 Mental Health & Substance Use Services Needs & Delivery Operating Grant ($158,061: as Co-Applicant)
  • 2016-2021 Long-Term Integration and Health Outcomes of Syrian Refugees in Canada - The Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) Project Grant ($1.3 million: as Co-Applicant)
  • 2010-2011 Multicultural Counselling Training through Experientially Based Therapy Practica: Processes, Effects, and Implications -  U. of Windsor Humanities and Social Sciences Research Grant ($5,000; As the Principal Investigator)
  • 2007-2009 Psychosocial Antecedents of Treatment-Seeking by In-Treatment Problem Gamblers: A Conceptual Approach - Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre ($42,000; As the Principal Investigator)
  • 2006-2009 Gambling and Public Health - Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre ($117,500; As a Co-investigator)
  • 2006-2007 Immigrants with Physical and Mental Disabilities and Community Support Services - SSHRC Metropolis Project, Joint Centre of Excellence for Research on Immigration and Settlement (CERIS) ($14,000; As a Co-investigator) 
  • 2002-2007 Gender Role Conflict, Psychological Stress, and Cross-Cultural Coping: A Study of Male Chinese Canadian Adolescents - U. of Windsor SSHRC Internal Grant ($4,250; As the Principal Investigator)

Education

  • Ph.D. Counselling Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA (2001)
  • M.Ed. Counselling Psychology, University of Toronto, CANADA (1995)
  • B.A. Sociology and Psychology, University of Toronto, CANADA (1989)

Teaching Profile

Graduate Teaching:

  • (PSYC8715)  Psychological Services and Research Centre Practicum: Counselling and Psychotherapy with Refugees (Multicultural Practicum)
  • (PSYC8588) Multicultural Issues in Clinical Practice
  • (02-64-716) Psychological Services Centre Predoctoral Internship I
  • (PSYC584) Introduction to Clinical Interviewing

Undergraduate Teaching:

  • (PSYC4300) Clinical and Counselling Psychology - Basic Skills and Theories on Helping and Interviewing
  • (PSYC4450) Stereotype, Prejudice, and Discrimination
  • (PSYC3420) Culture and Psychology 
  • (PSYC244o) Developmental Psychology: Adolescence      

Publications 

  • Oda, A., Adnan A. M. Al-Saadi, R., Arya, N., Awwad, M., Hajjar, O., Hanley, J., Hynie, M., Ives, N., Jamil, R., Khalaf, M., Khyar, R., Kuo, B. C. H., Massijeh, M., Mohammad, & Sherrell, K. (2022). Ethical challenges of conducting longitudinal Community-based research with refugees: Reflections from peer researchers. In K. Grabska & C. R. Clark-Kazak & (Ed.) (p. 29-55). Documenting displacement: Questioning methodological boundaries in forced migration research. The McGill-Queen's University Press. 

  • Kuo, B. C. H., Nardone, S., Glos, B., Mahdi, M., & Hussein, N. (2021). Therapeutic use of language interpreter [Video]. In G. Ko, M. Anderson, S. Collins, and Y. Yasynskyy (Eds.), Fostering responsive therapeutic relationships: Repositioning microskills and techniques in service of just conversations. Counselling Concepts. https://responsiverelationships.pressbooks.com/chapter/responsive_relationships/. CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.

  • Kartolo, A. B. & Kuo, B. C. H. (2021). Trust in the Taiwanese context. In C. Kwantes and B. C. H. Kuo (Eds.) (p. 53-69), Trust and Trustworthiness across Cultures: Implications for Societies and Workplaces. Springer.

  • Kuo, B. C. H. (2020). Multicultural counselling training and intercultural training: A Synthesis. In D. Landis and Bhawuk D. P. S. (Eds.), Handbook of intercultural training (4th ed.) (p.407-439). London, UK: Cambridge University Press. 

  • Kuo, B. C. H. (2020). Communicating and bridging relationship gaps across language, generational, and cultural Divides: A case of Asian Canadian Immigrant Churches in Toronto. In N. S. Song, B. C. H. Kuo, D. H. Kim, & I. K. Kim (Eds.). People of Faith, People of Jeong: The Asian Canadian Churches of Today for Tomorrow (p. 138-159). Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers.  

  • Liang, L. & Kuo, B. C. H. (2020). A brief history of Taiwanese Immigrants Churches in Canada. In N. S. Song, B. C. H. Kuo, D. H. Kim, and I. K. Kim (Eds.). People of Faith, People of Jeong: The Asian Canadian Churches of Today for Tomorrow (p.17-29) . Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers. 

  • Kuo, B. C. H., Huang, S., Keshavarzi, S., & Taylor, R. (2020). Facilitating cultural transition: Counselling and clinical interventions with immigrants and refugees. In G. McAullife (Ed.). Culturally alert counselling: A comprehensive introduction (p. 473-490). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. 

  • Kuo, B. C. H. & Boucher, C. M. (2020). Training and preparing therapist trainees to work with refugee clients through a multicultural psychotherapy practicum: The training model and its learning impacts. In Kottler, J., Banu, S., and Jani, S. (Eds.) Handbook of refugee experience: Trauma, resilience, and recovery (p. 330-342). San Diego, CA: Cognella Academic Publishing. 

  • Boucher, C. M. & Kuo, B. C. H. (2020). A Syrian refugee mother’s trauma recovery from domestic violence through therapy: Narrative reflections from the refugee client, the language interpreter, and the therapist. In Kottler, J., Banu, S., and Jani, S. (Eds.). Handbook of refugee experience: Trauma, resilience, and recovery (p. 143-158). San Diego, CA: Cognella Academic Publishing. 

  • Kuo, B. C. H. (2018). Refugee-serving multicultural therapy practicum: An example of a culture-infused, service-based training program. In N. Arthur (Eds.). Counseling in cultural context: Identity and social justice (p. 359-379). Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

  • Kuo, B. C. H. & Rodriguez-Rubio, B. (2018). Infusing Asian traditional healing practices into counseling psychology. In R. Moodly, L. Ted, N. Zhu, & M. Ishii (Eds.). Asian healing traditions: Implications for health and mental health (p. 67-81). CA: Sage Publication.

  • Kuo, B. C. H. (2017). 多元文化諮商風潮：回顧多元文化諮商的過去、現在、未來，及其對臺灣諮商的啟示 (Chinese Title) (The Multicultural Counseling Movement: A review of its past, present & future and its implications for counselling in Taiwan). In P. H. Chen (陳秉華) (EDs). 多 元文化諮商在臺灣 (Multicultural Counselling in Taiwan) (p. 27-50). 心理出版社 (Psychology Publisher)：Taipei, Taiwan.

  • Kuo, B. C. H. (2017). 背景緒論: 多元文化諮商及專業訓練的基本定義、概念與架構 (Chinese Title) (Foundational definitions, concepts and frameworks of multicultural counselling and training: An introductory survey). In P. H. Chen (陳秉華) (Eds.). 多 元文化諮商在臺灣 (Multicultural Counselling in Taiwan). 心理出版社 (Psychology Publisher) (p. 51-81)：Taipei, Taiwan.

  • Hsu, W. S. & Kuo, B. C. H. (2017). Working with the Taiwanese mother-daughter relational conflict from the Solution-Focused Brief Therapy framework: A practice-based reflection In D. Hogan, D. Hogan, J. Tuomola & A. Yeo (Eds.) Solution stories from Asia: Adapting solution focused practice in Asian contexts (pp.73-77). Singapore: Taylor & Francis.

  • Hsu, W. S. & Kuo, B. C. H. (2013). Solution-Focused Supervision with School Counselors in Taiwan. In F. N. Thomas, Solution-Focused Supervision: A Resource-Oriented Approach to Developing Clinical Expertise (pp.197-204). New York: Springer.

  • Kuo, B. C. H. (2012). Situating multicultural counselling in the Canadian cultural context: A reflection on Clemmont Vontress’s Works. In R. Moodley, L. Epp & H. Yusuf (Eds.). Counseling across the Cultural Divide: The Clemmont E. Vontress Reader (pp.261-275). United Kingdom: PCCS Books, UK

  • Kuo, B. C. H. (2010). Predicting cultural adaptation of elderly Chinese immigrants within a bidirectional model of acculturation: Canadian acculturation and Chinese identification. In D. Durst & M. MacLean (Eds.). Diversity in Aging among Immigrant Seniors in Canada: Changing Faces and Greying Temples (pp.409-427). Detselig Enterprises Ltd.

  • Bhagat, R. S.,Steverson, P. K., & Kuo, B. C. H. (2009). Cultural variations in work stress and coping in an era of globalization. In R. S. Bhagat & R. M. Steers (Eds.). Handbook of Culture, Organizations, & Work (pp. 418-441). Cambridge University Press.

  • Billing, T., Bhagat, R., Lammel, A., … Kuo, B. C. H. & other country collaborators (2009). Temporal orientation and its relationships with organizationally valued outcomes: Results from a 14 country investigation. In A. Gari &  K. Mylonas (Eds.). Q.E.D. From Herodotus’ Ethnographic Journeys to Cross-Cultural Research (pp.211-220). The 18th International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology volume of selected manuscripts. Athens, Greec: Pedio Books Publishing.

  • Kuo, B. C. H. (2008).Teaching based on a framework of continuous learning. In W.C. Ho (Ed.). Character and Innovative Education (pp.1-10). Tzu Chi University Press, Hua-Lien, Taiwan.  

  • Kuo, B. C. H. & Guan J. (2006). Sociocultural predictors of depression for Chinese immigrant elderly in Canada: Acculturation, relationship with adult children, social support, and perceived services barriers. In D. Zinga. (Ed.). Navigating Multiculturalism: Negotiating Changes (pp.379-398). Cambridge Scholars Press, Newcastle, U.K.

  • Kwantes, C. & Kuo, B. C. H. (2020). Trustworthiness across Cultures: Implications for Societies and Workplaces (Eds). In Cross-Cultural Industrial and Organizational Psychology Series. Springer.

  • Song, N. S., Kuo, B. C. H., Kim, D. H., & Kim, I. K. (2020). People of Faith People of Jeong (Qing): Asian Canadian Churches of Today for Tomorrow (Eds). Wipf & Stock