Accepted for publication in Computers in Human Behavior: Not All Family Neglect Is Equal: How Neglect by Adult Children Versus Spouses Relates to Compulsive Smartphone Use Among Older Adults in China.
Oct 20
Jiashen (Jessiya) Huang 黄嘉申
Research Assistant at University of Southern California
I am currently a Research Assistant with the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, working with Prof. Angel Hsing-Chi Hwang.
My research examines how people interact with emerging technologies and how these technologies shape communication and well-being. My current work focuses on trust in generative AI and the social factors associated with older adults' compulsive smartphone use. More broadly, I am interested in human–AI interaction, technology-mediated communication, and digital well-being.
I hold a Bachelor’s degree and a Master of Arts degree from the School of Journalism and Communication at Wuhan University. Previously, I worked as a remote Research Assistant with Prof. Yang Shen at Tsinghua University, and with Prof. Renwen Zhang at Nanyang Technological University. My professional experience at China Media Group, Meituan, and Blue Focus Digital has also strengthened my skills in research, data analysis, and digital communication. I welcome opportunities for collaboration and scholarly discussion in these areas.
Education
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Wuhan University
School of Journalism and Communication
M.A in Journalism and Communication -
Wuhan University
School of Journalism and Communication
B.A. in Radio and Television
Honors & Awards
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Outstanding Scholarship for Graduate Students, Wuhan UniversityDec 2024
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Outstanding Graduate Students, Wuhan UniversityDec 2024
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National Gold Award, the 16th China Chorus FestivalJan 2021
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Second Prize in Hubei Province, 'Telling a Good Chinese Story' Creative Communication CompetitionJan 2021
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Active Contributor to Social Activities, Wuhan UniversityMay 2020
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First Runner-up, Freshman Debate Tournament, School of Journalism and CommunicationOct 2019
Experience
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University of Southern California
Research Assistant
Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism -
Tsinghua University
Research Assistant
School of Journalism and Communication -
Nanyang Technological University
Research Assistant
Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information -
China Central Television
Intern
Advertising Culture and Tourism Marketing Department -
Meituan
Intern
User Product & Content Operations -
BlueFocus
Intern
Public Relations & Marketing Intern
Recent News
2026
Started as a Research Assistant in AI Companion at University of Southern California, working with Prof. Angel Hsing-Chi Hwang.
Jul 08
1 paper accepted by AEJMC'26!
May 20
2025
Started as a Research Assistant in Human–AI Interaction at Nanyang Technological University, supervised by Prof. Renwen Zhang.
Aug 20
Attended the 2025 AEJMC Annual Conference in San Francisco, USA. Featured
Aug 07
Started a remote research assistantship under Prof. Yang Shen at Tsinghua University.
Jul 01
Received the Master of Arts degree from the School of Journalism and Communication, Wuhan University.
Jun 30
2023
Received the Bachelor of Arts degree from the School of Journalism and Communication, Wuhan University.
Jun 29
Selected Publications
Not All Family Neglect Is Equal: How Neglect by Adult Children Versus Spouses Relates to Compulsive Smartphone Use Among Older Adults in China
Computers in Human Behavior (CHB)
Older adults' growing reliance on digital technology has become an important social and public health concern, yet the relational antecedents of this behavior within families remain insufficiently understood. Drawing on compensatory internet use theory and the convoy model of social relations, this study examines whether emotional neglect by adult children versus spouses relates to compulsive smartphone use through perceived family support and loneliness. Using survey data from 1,208 older adults aged 60 and older in mainland China, we evaluated the structural model using partial least squares structural equation modeling. The results indicated divergent associations across the two family sources. Adult-child neglect was positively associated with compulsive smartphone use through perceived family support, through loneliness, and through a sequential path from lower family support to higher loneliness. By contrast, spousal neglect was positively associated with compulsive smartphone use through loneliness, whereas its indirect path through perceived family support was not statistically significant. These findings deepen compensatory internet use theory by indicating that relational strains from adult children and spouses correspond to distinct psychological pathways, highlighting the relevance of distinguishing relationship sources in later-life family contexts.
Institutional Trust and the Domestic AI Advantage: Evidence from DeepSeek and ChatGPT Users in China
arXiv: 2606.01228
Public trust in generative artificial intelligence has become increasingly differentiated in China with the rise of domestic large language models. While existing research has largely focused on technical performance and individual factors, less attention has been paid to the broader institutional contexts that shape AI trust. Drawing on Cognitive-Affective Trust Theory, we propose an Institutional Prism framework to demonstrate how institutional trust shapes user trust in domestic (DeepSeek) and global (ChatGPT) large language models. Based on a within-subject survey of 405 Chinese users, the findings show that higher institutional trust is associated with stronger affective trust in domestic AI models and more favorable cognitive evaluations. This domestic advantage weakens among users with lower institutional trust. These findings identify institutional trust as a critical mechanism in AI-mediated communication. By linking micro-level psychological judgments with macro-level governance, this study contributes a new perspective on human-machine communication in contemporary China.
How Institutional Trust Shapes User Trust in Domestic and Global AI Models: Evidence from the Chinese Context
2026 Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Annual Conference (AEJMC)
Why do people trust some AI systems more than others? This study examines how institutional trust shapes perceptions of domestic and global AI. It shows that trust depends not only on performance, but also on governance contexts. Higher institutional trust strengthens emotional connections to domestic AI and shifts evaluations in its favor, highlighting how social environments shape trust in emerging technologies.
Digital Well-Being for Older Adults: The Impact of Family Neglect on Smartphone Dependence
2025 Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Annual Conference (AEJMC)
The excessive reliance and addiction of older adults to digital technology are increasingly evolving into a global social and public health challenge. Grounded in social support theory, this study investigates the negative family factors that contribute to compulsive smartphone use among older adults. Using a nationally representative quota sampling approach, we collected survey data from 1,497 older adults aged 60 and above in mainland China. The data were analyzed through partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings reveal that child neglect significantly fosters compulsive smartphone use among older adults, whereas partner neglect has no direct effect. Moreover, perceived family support and loneliness mediate the relationship between child neglect and compulsive smartphone use, with a sequential mediation effect observed between them. In contrast, partner neglect influences compulsive smartphone use only through increased loneliness. This study highlights the differential impacts of child neglect and partner neglect on older adults’ psychological well-being and digital consumption habits, providing theoretical and empirical support for developing targeted intervention strategies.