RESEARCH INTERESTS
我是一名社会工作学者和公共利益技术专家（public interest technologist）。我将多年服务移民与难民机构的工作经验，与在社会工作及计算社会科学领域的专业训练相结合，聚焦语言与技术，研究移民以及种族、族裔和语言少数群体的心理健康、福祉与服务利用。具体而言，我的研究涵盖以下方面：(a) 移民与语言少数群体对医疗与支持服务的获取，特别关注语言获取及其相关政策；(b) 数字技术与AI在移民求助行为和支持系统中的应用；以及 (c) AI在医疗卫生与社会服务机构，以及社会工作实务、研究和教育中的应用。
CURRENT PROJECTS
语言可及性作为移民福祉的结构性决定因素
在美国，有超过2500万人（约占五岁以上人口的9%）的英语熟练度低于“非常熟练”，自1990年以来，这一群体规模大幅增长[1]。对于移民和难民群体而言，语言障碍已被证实是获取包括心理健康在内的医疗与社会服务的一大阻碍，同时还伴随着费用高昂、保险限制、社会污名化以及母语匹配服务供给有限等问题[2][3]。《1964年民权法案》第六章和《平价医疗法案》第1557条明确规定，接受联邦资助的医疗健康项目必须采取合理措施，为英语水平有限者提供有效服务获取途径；国家CLAS标准也对医疗健康领域的语言协助提出了规范要求[4]。这一法定义务已经明确，但目前尚未被充分刻画的，是能够满足该义务的专业人才队伍的实际分布情况。
我将语言一致服务的可获得性视为健康的结构性决定因素，与保险状况或到服务提供者的距离处于同等地位，并将其视为在分析上有别于与之相伴的文化障碍。其他文化障碍同样重要；语言之所以特殊，在于它制约着其他障碍。它决定一个人属于哪些社会网络、能获得哪些信息、哪些服务真正可用，因此形成了一种具有自身地理分布的可及性结构。项目的一半工作是测量这一差距：对全国服务提供者名录进行地理编码，以确定语言一致服务所在之处；构建同时包含距离与语言的可及性指标；并估计州政策环境和劳动力构成如何影响所能提供的服务。
项目的另一半着眼于补救，因为记录差距并不能弥合差距。我与服务移民的社区组织合作开展这项工作，开发并评估文化和语言适应性干预措施，并提升已有实务工作者的能力。通过与基于社区的组织及地方政府合作，我协助设计基于社区的解决方案，以改善移民（尤其是英语能力有限的移民）的服务获取。这是社区参与式研究（community-engaged research）：社区在特定阶段作为合作伙伴，包括构建问题和阐释研究结果；这一定位比基于社区的参与式行动研究（CBPR）更为审慎，也更为准确[5]。
Immigrant Support AtlasImmigrants in Korea Dashboard
已发表
Yoo, N. (2026). Language Access and Written Health Communication: Readability of Medicaid Notices of Action by Primary Language, 2021-2022. PEC Global. DOI
Yoo, N., & Gill, M. (2026). Disaggregating the South Asian Category: Language-Concordant Psychotherapist Availability and Affordability in the United States. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. DOI
Yoo, N., & Weaver, A. (in press). Closing the Urban-Rural Gap in Access to Racially and Ethnically Focused Mental Health Providers: The Role of Telehealth and Interstate Licensing Compacts. American Journal of Public Health.
Yoo, N. (2026). Proof of Citizenship at the Point of Care: Documentation Requests and Forgone Care among California Immigrants, 2019-2022. Health Services Research. DOI
Yoo, N., Park, M., & Chang, D.F. (2025). Using Computational Methods to Assess Racial, Ethnic, and Linguistic Diversity and Spatial Accessibility of the Clinical Social Work Workforce in the United States. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research. DOI
Na, S., Solomon, P., & Yoo, N. (2026). Impact of Asian Language-Speaking Mental Health Providers on Asian American Patient Volume in Mental Health Treatment Facilities: Moderating Role of Medicaid Spending. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. DOI
Yoo, N., Hong, Y., & Choi, Y. (2025). Explaining Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Telehealth Use with Different Levels of English Proficiency: A Decomposition Approach. Telemedicine Reports. DOI
Baslock, D. & Yoo, N. (2026). Multidimensional Approaches to Ranking State‐Level Rurality to Enhance Comparisons Across States. The Milbank Quarterly. DOI
Yoo, N., Kang, M. Y., Kim, E. J., Lee, S. Y., Woo, J., & Kim, S. Y. (2026). Korean American Church Leaders as Mental Health Gatekeepers in the USA: A Needs Assessment of Readiness, Barriers, and Referrals. Journal of Religion and Health. DOI
Yoo, N., Kang, M. Y., Lee, S. Y., Na, J. Y., Woo, J., & Kim, S. Y. (2026). Effectiveness of a Virtual Mental Health Literacy Training for Korean American Church Leaders: Knowledge, Behavioral Intentions, and Confidence. Pastoral Psychology. DOI
Park, M., Jeong, E., Yoo, N., Choi, Y., Cabassa, L. J., Yasui, M., & Takeuchi, D. (2026). Mental health service use among Filipino American and Korean American young adults during the COVID‐19 pandemic. American Journal of Community Psychology. DOI
修改后重投
Yoo, N., Choi, Y., & Hong, Y. (revised and resubmitted). Decomposing Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Telemental Health Use among US Adolescents: Evidence from the 2021 Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research.
Yoo, N. (revised and resubmitted). Mental Health Facilities Withdrew Spanish-Language Services, Most in States with Restrictive Immigrant Policies: A National Panel Study, 2016–2025. The Milbank Quarterly.
Choi, Y., Yoo, N., & Hong, Y. (revised and resubmitted). A Language Gap in Awareness of GLP-1 Medications among Immigrants: Evidence from a National Panel. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health.
移民与少数群体对数字技术和AI的使用
对于移民和少数群体社区而言，数字技术与AI同时孕育着两种可能性。它们能够降低以往难以逾越的障碍，以传统面对面体系无法企及的方式，跨越距离、成本并在一定程度上跨越语言限制触达人群。但与此同时，当工具围绕默认用户设计时，它们也会悄然降低对其他所有人的有效性，从而重构排斥机制[6]。这两种可能性同时存在；在具体情境中究竟哪种占据主导，是一个实证问题，其答案取决于工具是如何构建与部署的，以及在开发过程中究竟将谁纳入了考量。
这也正是数字鸿沟——最初被界定为设备与网络接入差异——需要被重新审视之处[7]。一旦接入机会大致均等，两个群体即使拥有相当的上网人数，所获得的回报仍可能截然不同[8]，因为个体所能获取的收益取决于其还能触及的其他资源。我利用美国和韩国两地的数据，研究移民和少数群体社区如何使用电子政务平台、在线社区、社交媒体以及AI聊天机器人，以及他们实际获得了何种回报；这样一来，同一个核心问题便置于两个在数字化程度及对待新移民态度上各异的服务体系中进行考察。除了问卷调查研究，我还运用自然语言处理（NLP）技术分析人们在在线社区中发表的内容，这些社区中呈现的求助行为与心理困扰往往是传统问卷调查难以捕捉的[9]。
已发表
Yoo, N., & Jang, S.H. (in press). An immigrant advantage in ChatGPT adoption? Decomposing nativity gaps in awareness, use, and perceived helpfulness. Technology in Society.
Yoo, N., Lim, J., Park, D., He, P., & Jang, S.H. (in press). Emotion and Moral Framing in Migration Aspirations: A Natural Language Processing Study of a US Emigration Reddit Community. International Migration. DOI
Yoo, N., & Jang, S.H. (in press). Generational Cohort and Social Capital in AI Adoption and AI Literacy among Native-Born and Immigrant Adults in South Korea. American Behavioral Scientist.
Yoo, N., & Jang, S.H. (2026). Did Generative AI Narrow the Digital Divide for Immigrants in South Korea? A Difference-in-Differences Study, 2019-2023. Telematics and Informatics. DOI
Yoo, N., & Jang, S.H. (2026). How Bridging and Bonding Social Capital Shapes Performance Expectancy of Digital Transformation among Immigrants and Natives. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction. DOI
Yoo, N., & Chen, P. (2026). The AI Therapist: ChatGPT Therapy Users at the Boundary of Human Therapy, Disillusionment, and AI Companionship on Reddit. Proceedings of the Fifth Workshop on NLP for Positive Impact (NLP4PI), 493–510. LINK
Youm, S., Yoo, N., Jang, S. H., & Dorr, B. (2026). Beyond Positive or Negative: How Mixed Emotions on Reddit Are Linked to Depressive Symptoms in Asian American Families. Digital Minds Workshop at ICWSM 2026. DOI
Yoo, N., & Jang, S.H. (2026). Who is willing to use AI mental health chatbots? Perceived impact of AI in healthcare predicts acceptance, with higher willingness among immigrants. Computers in Human Behavior Reports. DOI
Yoo, N., Lee, J., & Jang, S.H. (2026). Beyond the Digital Divide: E-Government Services and Subjective Well-Being Among North Korean Refugees and Native-born Koreans During COVID-19. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies. DOI
Yoo, N., Kim, D., Jang, S. H., & Fong, E. (2026). Analyzing Online Migration Forums: An Introduction to Natural Language Processing for International Migration Research. International Migration Review. DOI
Yoo, N., Rodwin, A., Park, M., Youm, S. & Jang, S. H. (2026). Emotional Expression and Mental Health Support in BTS Fandom Communities Using Natural Language Processing on YouTube Comments: Cross-Sectional Study. JMIR Infodemiology. DOI
Yoo, N., & Jang, S.H. (2024). Enhancing or Compensating? Role of On- and Offline Social Capital and Technological Self-Efficacy on Subjective Well-Being among Immigrants and Natives. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. DOI
Yoo, N., & Jang, S.H. (2023). Digital technology use, technological self-efficacy, and subjective well-being among North Korean migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic: Moderated moderation. DIGITAL HEALTH. DOI
修改后重投
Yoo, N., Lee, J., & Jang, S.H. (minor revision). Domain-Specific Patterns of Perceived AI Usefulness among North Korean Refugees and Native Koreans: A Latent Profile Analysis. Journal of Psychology and AI.
实务工作者的AI素养
实务工作者越来越被期待在评估、记录和决策过程中与AI协同工作[10]，而这一期待的到来往往早于能够让他们有效使用这些工具的专业培训。服务于移民和少数群体社区的实务工作者承担着更重的责任，因为对这些群体适用性较差的工具，恰恰会在风险本已极高的领域造成伤害。目前大多数现存的伦理指南都假定机构具备足够的资源来解读和践行这些规范[11]，然而这并不符合开展此类实务的许多社区机构的现实情况。
我个人的观点是，将AI视为一种正常技术（normal technology）最为有益，正如Arvind Narayanan和Sayash Kapoor在AI as Normal Technology[12]中所赋予该术语的涵义：技术的影响是通过数十年向各类机构的渗透扩散而逐渐显现的，决定谁能从中受益的关键在于采纳、获取途径与治理机制，而非模型本身。我在讲授的技术课程（SIL 503, Week 3）中传授这一观点。持有这种观点也意味着需要与技术专家和计算科学家紧密合作，因为评估一个工具的功能取决于对它是如何构建的深刻理解。
本项目开发并评估面向实务工作者的培训，并研究指引所留下的空白。所涉及的能力是判断力：认识特定工具能做什么、不能做什么，倾向于朝哪个方向出错，以及哪种错误会让案主付出更大代价。内容涵盖继续教育、面向社会工作研究者的计算培训，以及对AI伦理指引在资源受限环境中是否站得住脚的分析。
已发表
Yoo, N., & Kim, Y. (2026). Agentic LLM for Information Access among Refugees: A Field Report from a Resource-Constrained Organization. Proceedings of the Fifth Workshop on NLP for Positive Impact (NLP4PI), 30–48. LINK
Yoo, N., Khor, A., Mukhija, N., Adebiyi, A., & Zilka, M. (2026). Guidelines for Whom? Rethinking AI Ethics in Resource-Constrained Migration Services. Proceedings of the Workshop on Evaluating Evaluations (EvalEval). DOI
Yoo, N., Saba, S., & Goldkind, L. (in press). Teaching Note—Advancing AI Literacy in Continuing Education for Social Workers: Lessons from a Post-Master Certificate Program. Journal of Social Work Education.
Stanhope, V., Yoo, N., Matthews, E., Baslock, D., & Hu, Y. (2024). The Impact of Collaborative Documentation on Person-Centered Care: Textual Analysis of Clinical Notes. JMIR Medical Informatics. DOI
Yoo, N., Matthews, E., Baslock, D. & Stanhope, V. (2024). Impact of Collaborative Documentation on Completeness and Length of Clinical Notes in Behavioral Health Settings. Psychiatric Services. DOI
修改后重投
Yoo, N., Stanhope, V., Matthews, E., Hu, Y., & Fang, Y. (revised and resubmitted). Who Writes Better Notes? Linguistic Comparison Between Human-Written and AI-Generated Clinical Notes. Journal of Technology in Human Services.
Yoo, N., Watkins, D., Perron, B., Kane, J., & Smith, M. (revised and resubmitted). Building and Governing AI Systems: Advancing Social Workers’ Roles across the Technology Industry, Human Service Organizations, and Policy Institutions. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research.
Landau, A., Ahn, E., Baez, J., Goldkind, L., Matthews, E., Ramsey, A., Saba, S., Weber, J., Yoo, N., & Patton, D. (minor revision). Social Work Informatics: An Equity Framework for Health Informatics. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association.
面向社会工作的计算社会科学方法
社会工作一直依赖数据，但其所关注的问题已经超越了传统方法的承载能力。整个人群的轨迹在服务机构名录、行政记录和公开文本中留下了印记，而要触达这些群体，需要运用社会工作专业训练鲜少涵盖的工具：自然语言处理、机器学习、空间地理分析、数据可视化以及大规模数字数据集的采集[13][14]。贯穿我所有研究项目的一条方法论主线，正是针对社会工作问题开发并调试这些工具，并探讨当社会工作专业采纳这些工具时会带来哪些改变。
这一兴趣既是技术性的，也同样是教学性和批判性的。我培养新一代计算社会工作科学家，并努力降低一些从外部看来令人望而生畏的方法的入门门槛，这意味着既教授技术本身，也教授可重复的工作流程和如实的验证。我同样关注这些方法随之带入的东西：它们悄然测量的是什么，它们基于谁的数据构建，以及它们从产生它们的学科中带来了哪些关于人和社会生活的假设。指出这些假设并围绕它们进行设计，本身就是方法的一部分。
已发表
Yoo, N., Hong, S., Ahn, E., Kane, J., & Grogan-Kaylor, A. (in press). Individual Turn? Examining Ecological Perspectives in Machine Learning Applications in Social Work Research. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research.
Yoo, N., Mane, H., Zhao, A., Chen, J., Gandhi, A., Kwong, K., Nguyen, T., Okazaki, S., & Chang, D.F. (in press). Working with Annotator Disagreement in Community-Informed Labeling: The Case of Anti-Asian Bias Detection on Social Media. Translational Data Science for Social Impact.
Perron, B., Stoll, D., Qi, Z., Yoo, N., & Ren, C. (in press). Not All Language Models Are Generative: A Methods Primer on Encoder Models in Social Work Research. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research.
Yoo, N., Park, M., & Chang, D.F. (2025). Using Computational Methods to Assess Racial, Ethnic, and Linguistic Diversity and Spatial Accessibility of the Clinical Social Work Workforce in the United States. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research. DOI
Yoo, N., Kim, D., Jang, S. H., & Fong, E. (2026). Analyzing Online Migration Forums: An Introduction to Natural Language Processing for International Migration Research. International Migration Review. DOI
Yoo, N., Ritchie, A., & Gwadz, M. (in press). Training Computational Social Work Scientists: Lessons from the Summer Institute of Computational Social Science. Journal of Social Work Education.
Immigrant Wellbeing and Technology Lab每两周举行一次会议，探讨推进中的研究工作。如果您作为学生、实务工作者或社区合作伙伴正在从事这些领域的研究与实践，请参见参与方式（Get Involved）了解如何加入我们。
1. Zong, J., & Batalova, J. (2015). The limited English proficient population in the United States. Migration Policy Institute.
2. World Health Organization. (2023). Refugee and migrant mental health [Fact sheet].
3. Mohammadifirouzeh, M., Oh, K. M., Basnyat, I., & Gimm, G. (2023). Factors associated with professional mental help-seeking among U.S. immigrants: A systematic review. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 25(2), 1–19. DOI
4. HHS Office of Minority Health. (2013). National standards for culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS) in health and health care. Federal Register.
5. Ward, M., Schulz, A. J., Israel, B. A., Rice, K., Martenies, S. E., & Markarian, E. (2018). A conceptual framework for evaluating health equity promotion within community-based participatory research partnerships. Evaluation and Program Planning, 70, 25–34. DOI
6. Benjamin, R. (2019). Race after technology: Abolitionist tools for the new Jim Code. Polity Press.
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8. van Deursen, A. J. A. M., & van Dijk, J. A. G. M. (2014). The digital divide shifts to differences in usage. New Media & Society, 16(3), 507–526. DOI
9. Malgaroli, M., Hull, T. D., Zech, J. M., & Althoff, T. (2023). Natural language processing for mental health interventions: A systematic review and research framework. Translational Psychiatry, 13, 309. DOI
10. National Association of Social Workers, Association of Social Work Boards, Council on Social Work Education, & Clinical Social Work Association. (2017). Standards for technology in social work practice. NASW Press.
11. Jobin, A., Ienca, M., & Vayena, E. (2019). The global landscape of AI ethics guidelines. Nature Machine Intelligence, 1(9), 389–399. DOI
12. Narayanan, A., & Kapoor, S. (2025). AI as normal technology. Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University. LINK
13. Lazer, D., Pentland, A., Adamic, L., Aral, S., Barabási, A.-L., Brewer, D., Christakis, N., Contractor, N., Fowler, J., Gutmann, M., Jebara, T., King, G., Macy, M., Roy, D., & Van Alstyne, M. (2009). Computational social science. Science, 323(5915), 721–723. DOI
14. Salganik, M. J. (2018). Bit by bit: Social research in the digital age. Princeton University Press.