About

Irene Xu

They/Them

PhD Student

University of Wisconsin-Madison

About

I am Irene Xu (pronunciation), a PhD student in the Clinical Psychology Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I work with Dr. Brooke Ammerman at the Affect, Suicide, Self-Injury, and Social Triggers (ASSIST) Lab. My research is oriented around understanding the transition from suicidal ideation to suicidal behaviors, especially the distal and proximal cognitive and affective factors involved in the decision-making process.

Research

Some of the questions that my research tries to answer are

How do traits and moment-to-moment state changes combine to influence when and for whom the transition from suicidal thoughts to actions is more likely to occur?
What are the key components of the decision-making process before suicide attempts, and how can we help individuals better understand their own processing style?
How do different decision-making styles — or the lack of decision-making — inform peraonalized interventions in the moment?

To answer these questions, I employ a wide range of study designs and statistical models. See my recent projects here.

Purpose

My research is guided by a commitment to making findings accessible, actionable, equitable, and scalable, informed by the perspectives of disadvantaged communities that I am a part of and I’ve had the opportunity to connect with. I am particularly focused on understanding and addressing the needs of gender-diverse and socially isolated youth by fostering their ability to cultivate hope and strength, even in the most difficult circumstances. If you share similar interests and would like to collaborate, please feel free to reach out.

Resources

Having benefited from valuable support myself, I’ve curated resources to assist graduate school applicants and offer some support options to those navigating suicide-related challenges.