Contact Information
702 South Wright Street
Urbana IL 61801
Office Hours
Research Areas
Biography
I study how communication within interpersonal relationships promotes mental and physical well-being. My research primarily focuses on supportive communication in health-related contexts, especially when individuals experience identity threats related to their health conditions. I also examine how health recommendations communicated in interpersonal contexts shape 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. (2025). Beyond the words: How physicians’ verbal and nonverbal communication shape patients’ intentions to seek health information. Health Communication. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2025.2585307
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.