Linxiao Zhang

Linxiao Zhang, MA, MSc, BSW

linxiao.zhang@mail.utoronto.ca

Research Interests (including but not limited to)

• Child and adolescent development

• Gender and family

• Environmental sustainability

Biography

Linxiao Zhang is a PhD Candidate at Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (FIFSW), University of Toronto. He holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from Nankai University in China and master’s degrees in public policy from Tsinghua University in China and the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Drawing on his service experiences with minors and older adults, Zhang is interested in applying multilevel and ecological perspectives to well-being and welfare research. His works have been published in Nature and other leading journals, including American Journal of Community Psychology, Applied Research in Quality of Life, Child Abuse & Neglect, Child Indicators Research, Children & Society, Journal of Medical Internet Research, Research on Social Work Practice, and Women’s Studies International Forum. In addition to his research activities, he actively engages in teaching and student services at FIFSW. He was on the teaching team for Social Work with Immigrants and Refugees (2025 & 2026) and serves as the inaugural PhD Program Ambassador (2024-2027). He has received many prestigious awards, including Ontario Graduate Scholarship (international student stream), Dean’s Merit Award, China Scholarship Council Award for Outstanding Overseas Study Elite, and “Canada-China Youth Fund” Scholarship.

Publications: Google Scholar

Three-Paper Dissertation

Navigating Media-Saturated Adolescent Development in Rural China: The Roles of Adolescents’ Internet Use in Their Communication with Parents, Academic Performance, and Mental Health

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New Research Explores How Internet Use Shapes Adolescent Development