Research Interests

  • Mindfulness in couple relationships
  • Couples’ communication under stress
  • Innovative methods in systemic intervention research (e.g., machine learning)

Selected Conference Presentations

Machine Learning and Systemic Intervention

  • Zheng, Y., Hu, Y., Lowery, D. F., Wu, Q., McWey, L. M., & Peluso, P. R. (2026, November). Personalized optimal strategies for therapeutic alliance in couple therapy: Applying Q-learning in couple therapy process research. Paper to be presented at the annual conference of the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR), Minneapolis, MN.

  • Zheng, Y. (2026, October). Using pretrained natural language processing models in MFT research: Applied AI tools for relational and therapy process data. Workshop to be presented at the Intervention Research in Systemic Family Therapy Topical Interest Network (TIN) Annual Conference, Tucson, AZ.

  • Zheng, Y., & Peluso, P. R. (2026, October).
    Automated sentiment analysis in psychotherapy: Validation against human coding and dyadic associations with therapeutic alliance.
    North American Society for Psychotherapy Research (NASPR), New York, NY.

  • Peluso, P. R., & Zheng, Y. (2026, October).
    Beyond linear influence: Integrating automated sentiment analysis and parabolic functions into dynamical systems models of the therapeutic relationship.
    North American Society for Psychotherapy Research (NASPR), New York, NY.

Mindfulness and Relationship Processes

  • Zheng, Y., & Kimmes, J. G. (2025, November).
    Mindfulness and marital stability over time: Does general relationship quality make a difference?
    National Council on Family Relations (NCFR), Baltimore, MD.

  • Zheng, Y., Ledermann, T., & Kimmes, J. G. (2025, September).
    Closeness moderates the relationship benefits of relationship mindfulness: A common fate approach.
    Intervention Research in Systemic Family Therapy Conference, Columbus, OH.

  • Zheng, Y. (2024, November). Mindfulness-Based couple interventions: For whom and under what conditions do they have relationship benefits?
    AAMFT Intervention Research in Systemic Family Therapy Conference, Orlando, FL.

  • Zheng, Y., Smedley, D. K., & Kimmes, J. G. (2024, July).
    Translating trait mindfulness into relationships: Own and partner’s mental well-being moderate the link between trait mindfulness and relationship mindfulness.
    International Association for Relationship Research (IARR), Boston, MA.

Stress, Support, & Relational Coping

  • Zheng, Y. & Peluso, P. R. (2026, November). Tracing co-rumination in couples’ conversations through language-based models: Developing a dyadic co-rumination language index. Paper to be presented at the annual conference of the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR), Minneapolis, MN.

  • Zheng, Y., Tudder, A., DiGiovanni, A. M., Peters, B. J., & Kimmes, J. G. (2025, November).
    When talking too much about problems hurts the relationship: Mindfulness profiles and co-rumination in romantic relationships.
    NCFR, Baltimore, MD.

  • Zheng, Y., Marroquin, C. G., & Kimmes, J. G. (2024, November).
    Mindfulness and stress spillover in relationships: A moderated mediation model.
    NCFR, Bellevue, WA.

  • Zheng, Y., Williamson, H. C., & Neff, L. A. (2023, May).
    “We” are in this together: Problem severity and the benefits of we-talk among lower and higher SES couples.
    IARR Mini-Conference, Phoenix, AZ.