Contact Information
702 South Wright Street
Urbana IL 61801
Office Hours
Research Areas
Biography
I study how communication in interpersonal relationships promotes mental and physical well-being. My research primarily focuses on support-seeking communication in health-related contexts, especially when individuals face identity threats associated with their health conditions. I also examine how health recommendations influence people’s cognitive appraisals and behavioral intentions.
Research Interests
Interpersonal Communication, Health Communication, Supportive Communication
Education
B.A., Communication and Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
M.A., Communication, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Awards and Honors
Marion Morse Wood Fellowship (2024-2025)
Courses Taught
CMN101: Public Speaking
CMN102: Introduction to Communication
CMN230: Introduction to Interpersonal Communication
CMN336: Family Communication
Recent Publications
Liao, D., Yan, J., & Wilson, S. R. (In Press). Beyond the words: How physicians’ verbal and nonverbal communication shape patients’ intentions to seek health information. Health Communication.
Yan, J., Wilson, S. R., & Liao, D. (2025). Imagine your immune system is a sports team: Language expectancies in the use of physician analogies and jargon. Patient Education & Counseling. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2025.108810
Yan, J., & Bigsby, E. (2025). Explicating college students’ COVID-19 prevention behaviors: Integrating information seeking and response efficacy into the reasoned action approach. Journal of American College Health. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2025.2451978
Quick, B., Caban, S., Chung, M., & Yan, J. (2025). Introducing Health Communication Science to Mental Health Researchers: An Examination of Information Seeking, Processing, and Dissemination Frameworks. In Yzer, M. & Siegal, J. (Eds.), The Handbook of Mental Health Communication. John Wiley & Sons.