Cao Cong, PhD, Assistant Research Professor

Department of Nursing Education

Address: No. 44 Wenhuaxi Road, Nursing Building Room 611

Jinan, Shandong Province, China 250012

Tel. 0531-88382521

Email: caocong@sdu.edu.cn

Research Interests: Child and adolescent development; Biological mechanisms; Parenting and peer influences

Academic advisor for Master's students: Yes
Academic advisor for PhD students: No

Education Background

2006-2010: Bachelor at Department of Psychology, Shandong Normal University 2010.09-2010-2013: Mphil. at Department of Psychology, Shandong Normal University

2013-2017: PhD at Department of Psychology, Shandong Normal University

2015-2016: Joint PhD candidate at the Center for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University

Work Experience

2017-present: Assistant research professor, Department of Nursing, Shandong University  

Description of Research and Teaching

My major research focuses on the social, psychological, and neurobiological determinants of parenting and child development, with special emphasis on gene-by-environment interaction and epigenetics mechanisms.

Course taught: Nursing Education, Ethical Issues in Nursing

Research Projects

Jan 2019-Dec 2021     Parental sensitivity and child internalizing problems: Epigenetic mechanisms (PI) National Natural Science Fund of China (31800936)

Jan 2018-Dec 2020      The screening and intervention of negative parenting behavior in parents of preschoolers: The application of Video-feedback Intervention to Promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP) in China (PI) Social Science Fund of Shandong Province (18DJY01)

July 2019-June 2022    Parenting and adolescent depressive symptoms: Epigenetic mechanisms (PI) National Natural Science Fund of China of Shandong Province (ZR2019BC111)

Publications

Main publications in international journals (*corresponding author):

1. Cao, C., Rijlaarsdam, J*. (2022) Childhood parenting and adolescent internalizing and externalizing symptoms: Moderation by multilocus hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis-related genetic variation. Development and Psychopathology, 1–13.

2. Cao, C*., Yang, S., Sun, K., Gu, J. (2022).Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal Axis multilocus genetic variation, childhood parenting and adolescent anxiety symptoms: Evidence of cumulative polygenic plasticity. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 51, 1597–1610.

3. Cao, C., Rijlaarsdam, J., van der Voort, A., Ji, L., Zhang, W*., & Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J. (2018). Associations between dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) gene, maternal sensitivity and trajectories of depressive symptoms from early to mid-adolescence. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 46(2), 365–379.  

4. Cao, C*., Sun, K., Cao, L., Li, F. (2021). Monoaminergic multilocus genetic variants interact with stressful life events in predicting changes in adolescent anxiety symptoms: A one-year longitudinal study. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 50, 2194–2207.

5. Cao, C*., Cao, L., & Chen, J*. (2019). Differences in sensitivity to environment depending on catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene? A meta-analysis of child and adolescent gene-by-environment studies. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 48(4), 655–667.

6. Zhang, W*., Cao, C., Wang, M., Ji, L., & Cao, Y. (2016). Monoamine oxidase a (MAOA) and catechol-o-methyltransferase (COMT) gene polymorphisms interact with maternal parenting in association with adolescent reactive aggression but not proactive aggression: Evidence of differential susceptibility. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 45(4), 812–829.

7. Wu, M., Wang, Z*., Cao, C., He, Q. (2021). Family socioeconomic status and executive function in urban Chinese children: The effects of cortisol reactivity. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 20, 2616–2626.

Main publications in Chinese journals:

8. Cao, C., Wang, M., Cao, Y., Ji, L., & Zhang, W*. (2017). The interactive effects of the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene and peer victimization on depressive symptoms in early adolescent boys: The moderating role of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene. Acta Psychological Sinica, 49(2), 206–218.

9. Cao, C., Wang, M., Ji, L., Wei, X., Cao, Y., & Zhang, W*. (2016). The MAOA rs6323 polymorphism interacts with maternal supportive parenting in predicting adolescent depression: Testing the diathesis-stress and differential susceptibility hypotheses. Acta Psychological Sinica, 48(1), 22– 35.

10. Cao, C., Wang, M., Zhang, W*., Ji, L., Chen, L., & Chen, X. (2014). Interaction between COMT gene rs6267 polymorphism and maternal parenting behavior on adolescents’ physical and relational aggression. Acta Psychological Sinica, 46(10), 1486–1497

11. Cao, C., Bian, Y., Xu, Y., Wang, M*. (2020). The application of video-feedback intervention to promote positive parenting and sensitive discipline (VIPP-SD) in Children’s social development. Chinese Journal of Special Education, 20, 90–96.

12. Cao, C., Chen, G., Wang, M., Cao, Y., & Zhang, W*. (2014). Association between MAOA gene and depression. Advances in Psychological Science, 22 (12), 1899–1910.

13. Cao, C., Wang, M., Zhang, W*., Chen, G. (2012). The genetic underpinning of proactive and reactive aggression. Advances in Psychological Science, 20(12), 2001–2010.

14. Cao, Y., Wang, M., Cao, C., Ji, L., Zhang, W*. (2017). The interaction between dopamine D2 receptor gene TaqIA polymorphim and peer victimization on early adolescent depression. Acta Psychological Sinica, 49(1), 28–39.

15. Cao, Y., Wang, M., Cao, C., Chen, G., & Zhang, W*. (2013). Gender differences in the genetic underpinning of depression. Advances in Psychological Science, 21(9), 1605–1616.

16. Zhang, W*., Wang, M., & Cao, C. (2012). A brief introduction to developmental behavioral genetics. Advances in Psychological Science, 20(9), 1329–1336.

Awards and Honors

1. 2019 Candidate for Qilu Outstanding Scholars in Shandong University

2. 2018 Excellent Doctoral Dissertation of Shandong Province

3. 2018 Second prize of Social Science Achievements Award of Shandong Province

4. 2017 Second prize of Outstanding Scientific and Technological Innovation Achievements Award for Postgraduate Students in Shandong Province

5. 2013 National Postgraduate Scholarship