Dr. Soyeon Kim
PhD
Research Scientist / Clinical Epidemiologist
Research Interests
Dr. Soyeon Kim is a Research Scientist at Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care and an Assistant Professor (Part-time) in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences at McMaster University. She is also an Associate Member at the Offord Centre for Child Studies.
Dr. Kim’s research focuses on youth mental health, digital behavior, forensic psychiatry, and culturally responsive interventions. Her work bridges clinical practice and public health through mixed-methods and population-based studies. She has published extensively in leading journals, including Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, Frontiers in Psychiatry, and Journal of Youth and Adolescence. Dr. Kim leads projects on screen time, mindfulness-based interventions for youth and healthcare workers, and emergency department utilization for substance use disorders. She has received funding from CIHR, SSHRC, and the TD Ready Commitment, among others, and actively contributes to national and international research networks focused on mental health equity and service innovation.
Publications
Dr. Soyeon Kim’s research spans critical areas of youth mental health, forensic psychiatry, and digital health interventions. Her work is published in high-impact journals, addressing contemporary challenges in mental health services, screen time effects on adolescents, and culturally informed interventions. Below are select highlights:
Digital Health & Adolescent Mental Health
Kim et al. (2020) identified how passive versus active screen time differently associates with adolescent mood and anxiety disorders in Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology [IF=4.52].
Kim et al. (2018) revealed sex-specific differences in the relationship between cyberbullying victimization and mental health outcomes in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence [IF=5.63].
Kim et al. (2023) explored Korean adolescents’ coping strategies during COVID-19 through social media data in Frontiers in Psychiatry [IF=5.44].
Mindfulness-Based Interventions
Kim & Hunter (2023) evaluated the effects of brief online mindfulness programs on healthcare worker burnout amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Mindfulness [IF=5.11].
Kim et al. (2023) assessed the role of mindfulness in building socio-emotional capacities among youth exposed to screens, published in Frontiers in Psychiatry [IF=5.44].
Kim et al. (2022) examined the impact of a mindfulness program on healthcare workers’ resilience during the pandemic, published in Frontiers in Public Health [IF=5.99].
System-Level Trends in Youth Substance Use
Kim et al. (2023) conducted a repeated cross-sectional study on emergency department visits for substance use among adolescents and young adults, published in PLOS ONE [IF=3.75].
Kim et al. (2023) examined substance use-related ED visits during COVID-19, published in Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice [IF=2.55].
These publications reflect Dr. Kim’s integrated focus on translational mental health research, combining epidemiology, intervention development, and policy-relevant insights.
Student / Volunteer Opportunities
Dr. Kim is currently accepting students for research projects.