Yu-Ping Chen

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Developmental Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 2005-2007
ScD, Applied Kinesiology, Boston University, 1994-2001
BS, Physical Therapy, National Taiwan University, 1988-1992

Courses Taught:

• Movement Science II
• Lifespan I, II, and III
• Evidence-based Practice I, II, and III
• Pediatric elective
• Research II, III, and IV

Research:

My primary research interests are in 1) determining the effectiveness of novel physical therapy interventions in improving upper-extremity function in children with developmental disabilities, 2) examining the current evidence and identifying gaps of interventions used to train upper-extremity function in children with developmental disabilities, and 3) systematically identifying the “constraints” (factors) that affect the emergence of reaching/grasping movements in infants and children with and without developmental disabilities. The target populations I study now are children with cerebral palsy and infants at high risk of developing cerebral palsy (i.e., infants born prematurely). I have been working closely with Dr. Ayanna Howard at Georgia Institute of Technology to develop an affordable virtual-reality game system (Super Pop VR^TM ), which not only can be used to quantitatively measure reaching kinematics while children are playing the game, but also can serve as a tailored intervention program for training children with different levels of severity of disability. Together, we also use a humanoid robot as a playmate and coach to ‘supervise’, ‘monitor’, and ‘encourage’ children with cerebral palsy to train their arm function. We are conducting some clinical trials to examine the effects of virtual reality and robotic therapy to train arm function in children with cerebral palsy with the funding from National Science Foundation and Center for Transforming Pediatric Healthcare Delivery.

Professional Service Activities:

• Abstract Review Committee, Research Section, American Physical Therapy Association, 2015 – present.
• Research Committee, Physical Therapy Association of Georgia, 2012 – present
• Discipline Leader in Physical Therapy, Georgia LEND (Leadership Education on Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities)
• Manuscript Reviewer: Physical Therapy, Clinical Rehabilitation, Developmental Neurorehabilitation, Pediatric Physical Therapy, Disability and Rehabilitation, Journal of Physical Therapy Education, Applied Bionics and Biomechanics

Selected Publications

1. Chen, Y., Selby-Silverstein, L., Greenberger, H. B., Gobert, D., Levine, D., & Kaplan, S. L. Evidence-based practice curricular guideline validation identifies gaps in entry-level physical therapist preparation: A convergent parallel mixed methods study. Article accepts for publication in Journal of Physical Therapy Education.
2. Chen, Y., Armstrong, C., Childers, R., Do, A., Thirey, K., Xu, J., Bryant, D., & Howard, A. M. Effects of object size and task goals on reaching kinematics in a virtual environment. Article accepts for publication in Human Movement Science. (Impact factor: 2.161)
3. Walz, A., Potter, P., Doran, S., & Chen, Y. A novel intervention – Stand up paddle boarding aquatic therapy (SUPAT) for pediatric patients with cerebral palsy: Two case studies. Article accepts for publication in The Journal of Aquatic Physical Therapy.
4. Chen, Y., Xu, J., Bryant, D., & Howard, A. M. Effects of human and robot feedback on shaping human movement behaviors during reaching task. Article accepts for publication in International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction. (Impact factor: 3.353)
5. Cain, M.S., Ban, R., Chen, Y., Geil, M. D., Goerger, B.M., & Linens, S. W. (2020). Four-week ankle rehabilitation programs in adolescent athletes with chronic ankle instability. Journal of Athletic Training. 55(8), 801-810. PMID: 32577737. (Impact factor: 2.478)
6. Chen, Y., Garcia, S., & Howard, A. M. (2020). Number of trials necessary to achieve performance stability in a reaching kinematics movement analysis game. Journal of Hand Therapy, 33(3), 371-377. (Impact factor: 1.532)
7. Fry, KE., Chen, Y., & Howard, A. (2019). Discriminative models of spontaneous kicking movement patterns for term and preterm infants: A pilot study. IEEE Access. 7, 51357-51368. (Impact factor: 4.098)
8. Tsai, M-J., Wu, A-H., & Chen, Y. (2019). Static and dynamic seductive illustration effects on text-and-graphic learning processes, perceptions, and outcomes: Evidence from eye tracking. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 33(1), 109-123. (Impact factor: 1.552)
9. Chen, Y., Fanchiang, H. D., & Howard, A. M. (2018). Effectiveness of virtual reality in children with cerebral palsy: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Physical Therapy. 98(1), 63-77. PMID: 29088476. (Impact factor: 3.599)
10. Chen, Y., Garcia, S., & Howard, A. M. (2018). Effect of feedback from a socially interactive humanoid robot on reaching kinematics in children with and without cerebral palsy: A pilot study. Developmental Neurorehabilitation. 21(8), 490-496. PMID: 28816558. (Impact factor: 2.05)

Selected Presentations

1. 2021 Comprehensive Evaluation and Treatment of the Child with Cerebral Palsy Conference, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA (October 16)
2. 2021 Healthcare Ideation Workshop sponsored by National Science Foundation, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA (May 14, 18, 21, and 26)
3. Barton-Hulsey, A., Chen, Y., Erickson, K., Gibbs, V., Goldman, A., Mineo, B., Ogletree, B. T., Paul, D., Romski, M., Sevcik, R., Schoonover, J., & Tripp, N. (2022). Using the Communication Bill of Rights to promote diversity, equity, inclusion and access. Live poster will be presented in ASHA Convention, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.A., November 17-19, 2022.
4. Fry, K., Chen, Y., & Howard, A. (2021) Method for the determination of relative joint axes for wearable inertial sensor applications. A virtual platform presentation in IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS 2021), September 27-October 1, 2021, Prague, Czech Republic. Online.
5. Chen, Y., Austin, A., Blanchard, S., Shumeyko, K., Smith, M., Trac, T., Xu, J., Bryant, D., & Howard, A. (2021). Effect of task constraints on children’s reaching kinematics using virtual reality. A poster presentation in Virtual Annual Conference, North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity, June 2021.
6. Chen, Y., Austin, A., Blanchard, S., Shumeyko, K., Smith, M., Trac, T., Xu, J., Bryant, D., Weissman, B., Hallman-Cooper, J., & Howard, A. (2021). Effects of home-based virtual reality and functional strength training in children with cerebral palsy. A platform presentation in Combined Sections Meeting, American Physical Therapy Association, Virtual Conference, February 2021.
7. Walz, A., Krunkosky, T. J., Branch, M., & Chen, Y. (2020). Standup paddle boarding aquatic therapy for children diagnosed with various types of cerebral palsy: A case series. Poster presented in American Physical Therapy Association Georgia Impact Conference, Virtual Annual Conference, October 23-24, 2020.
8. Chen, Y., Armstrong, C., Childers, R., Do, A., Thirey, K., Xu, J., Bryant, D., & Howard, A. (2020). Effect of task constraints on reaching kinematics during virtual reality game. North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity. Virtual Annual Conference, June 11-12, 2020.
9. Chen, Y., Armstrong, C., Childers, R., Do, A., Thirey, K., Xu, J., Bryant, D., & Howard, A. (2020). Comparing the effect of feedback from a robot and human (coach) on reaching kinematics in adults. North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity. Virtual Annual Conference, June 11-12, 2020.

Funding

1. US Department of Education (H325K200060)
   “Interdisciplinary Personnel Preparation for Early Speech, Physical, and Occupational Therapy Services (Early SPOTS)”
   Y Chen (Disciplinary Leader; with Project Director: Emily C. Graybill, Georgia State University, School of Public Health); November 1, 2020 – October 31, 2025; $1,244,936
2. Emory-Georgia Tech Healthcare Innovation Program (HIP)
   “Effects of the Addition of a Single Bout of Whole-Body Vibration to a Single Bout of Treadmill Training on Gait and Spasticity in Ambulatory Children with Cerebral Palsy”
   Y. Chen (Faculty Co-Advisor and Co-I; with Student PI Gena Henderson); April 15, 2019 – April 14, 2020; $5,000 (total cost)
3. Emory-Georgia Tech Healthcare Innovation Program (HIP)
   “Effectiveness of Functional Strength Training in Virtual Reality Games for Improving Arm Function in Children with Cerebral Palsy- A Pilot Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Trial (SMART) Design.”
   Y. Chen (PI); February 1, 2016 – July 31, 2017; $25,000

Memberships

American Physical Therapy Association (Section on Pediatrics; Section on Research; Education Section; Hand Section; Neurology Section; Georgia Chapter): 1996 – present
International Society of Infant Studies: 1997 – present
North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity: 2020 – present

Service

Committee:
National Joint Committee for the Communication Needs of Persons with Severe Disabilities (NJC), American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2021 – present
Abstract Review Committee, Hand and Upper Extremity Section, American Physical Therapy Association, 2020 – present.
Abstract Review Committee, Research Section, American Physical Therapy Association, 2015 – 2018; Ad-hoc Abstract Reviewer 2018 – present.
Membership Committee, Research Section, American Physical Therapy Association, 2011 – 2014.
Research Committee, Physical Therapy Association of Georgia, 2012 – 2017.
Group leader of Georgia State University group, Hooked on Evidence, American Physical Therapy Association, 2011 – 2014.

Manuscript Reviewer:
Infancy, 2020 – present
Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine, 2019 – present
Assistive Technology, 2019 – present
IEEE RAS/EMBS Robotics and Automation Society, 2019 – present
Developmental Science, 2018 – present
Physical and Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics, 2018 – present
IEEE Robot and Human Interactive Communication, 2018 – present
Games for Health Journal, 2017 – present
Journal of Motor Behavior, 2017 – present
Medical Education, 2017 – present
Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 2017 – present
Plos One, 2016 – present
Games, 2016 – present
Disability and Rehabilitation, 2015 – present
Journal of Child Neurology, 2015 – present
Pediatric Physical Therapy, 2014 – present
Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 2013 – present
Clinical Rehabilitation, 2013 – present
Physical Therapy, 2012 – present
Journal of Physical Therapy Education, 2012 – present
Applied Bionics and Biomechanics, 2010 – present
Formosan Journal of Physical Therapy, 2003 – present
Human Movement Science, 2002 – present

Grant Reviewer:
Graduate Women In Science (GWIS) National Fellowship Program, 2022
Grant Review Panelist, National Science Foundation (NSF), 2013; 2020; 2021; 2022
Internal Grants Peer Review Committee, Office of the Vice President for Research, Georgia State University, 2020 - present
Grant Reviewer, Royal Dutch Society for Physical Therapy (KNGF), 2019 – present
Grant Review Panelist, National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), 2017; 2018

Editor:
Co-Guest Editor, Special Topic in Rehabilitation of Motor Function in Pediatric Population, Frontier in Rehabilitation Sciences, 2021-

Awards and Honors

Regents’ Teaching Excellence Award for Departments and Programs, February 2017
Nomination for University Faculty Award for Undergraduate Research, November 2014
Atlanta Magazine Groundbreaker Award: Playful, Watchful Robot, November 2013
ERRIS (Enhancing Rehabilitation Research in South) Grant Writing Workshop, January 2012.