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Weili Lu, Ph.D.

Weili Lu, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling
Program: Psychiatric Rehabilitation
Phone: (908) 889-9245
Email: luwe1@shp.rutgers.edu
Office location:
Research Tower-Busch Campus
675 Hoes Lane West, 8th Floor
Piscataway, NJ 08854

About

Weili Lu, Ph.D., CRC, is a licensed clinical psychologist and an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions at Rutgers University. Dr. Lu was a co-investigator, project manager, and assessment supervisor for a randomized controlled trial (RCT) funded by the National Institute of Mental Health on Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in People with Severe Mental Illness: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy versus a Brief Intervention (R01 MH064662).
She was the principal investigator for a RCT funded by National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), Treating Hidden Barriers to Employment: Integrated Treatment for PTSD in Supported Employment (NIDILRR Grant # H133G140040; 2014-2018). Dr. Lu is also the principal investigator for an RCT funded by NIDILRR, CBT for PTSD to Enhance Educational Outcomes among Transition-Aged Youth and Young Adults with psychiatric disabilities in Post-Secondary Education (NIDILRR Grant #90IFRE0038, 2020-2023).
She has published extensively on the topic of PTSD among persons with psychiatric disabilities and employment-related soft skills training for individuals with disabilities. Dr. Lu enjoys mentoring undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral-level students in the field of clinical research.

Education

Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, University of Tulsa
Postdoctoral Fellowship, Rutgers, New Jersey Medical School
Postdoctoral Fellowship, Dartmouth Medical School

Professional Achievements

2022 RBHS Chancellor Award, Clinical or Health Sciences Investigator Award, 2022
Excellence for Research Award, 2010
New Jersey Behavioral HealthCare Quality Improvement Award (2nd place), 2010

Research

Disability issues, employment related soft skills, psychological assessment of trauma and PTSD, PTSD treatment, psychiatric rehabilitation, rehabilitation services, mental health services utilization, diversity

Title
Sponsor
Effective Dates
Role
Internet Assisted Career-Oriented Soft-Skills Training for Transition Age Youth: A Randomized Controlled Trial
National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research ($600,000)
September 2022 – September 2025
 PI
CBT for PTSD to Enhance Educational Outcomes among Students with Psychiatric Disabilities in Post-Secondary Education; https://sites.rutgers.edu/cbt-ptsd-sed/
National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research ($600,000)
September 2020 – September 2023
 PI
Comparison of Treatments for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
New Jersey Health Foundation Grant ($35,000)
January 2020 – January 2021
 PI
PTSD Screening in urban primary care
Rutgers University’s Research Council Grant ($1,600)
May 2019 to June 2021
 PI
Soft Skills Training for People with Disabilities
Research Rutgers SHP Dean’s Intramural Grant ($34,000)
July 2017 – April 2020
 PI
Treating hidden barriers to employment: Integrated treatment for PTSD in Supported Employment
National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research ($600,000)
October 2014 – October 2018
 PI
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in Severe Mental Illnesses: A Randomized Clinical Trial
National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Health ($2,600,000)
2007 – 2011
C0-Investigator
Dr. Lu’s Research Profile

Publications

Title Authors Where and When
Exposure to trauma and the experience of PTSD for people living with serious mental illness and experienced homelessness
William Waynor, Weili Lu, Carolyn Bazan, Giovanna Giacobbe, Zakia Clay, Ariella Silberman, Jiwoo Choi
Journal of Rehabilitation, In Press. (2023)
Employment-Related Soft Skills Training for Young Adults with Disabilities
Weili Lu, Janice Oursler, Ni Gao, John Beninato, Samantha Herrick, Alison Durante, Carolyn Bazan, Crystal Socha, Sharon Gbadamosi, Elizabeth Meyers, Kendall Hill
Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, In Press. (2023)
Comparing Telehealth-based vs. In-Person Soft Skills Training for Persons with Disabilities During COVID-19: A Pilot Study
Weili Lu, Janice Oursler, Samantha Herrick, Ni Gao, Jason Diviney, John Beninato, Tameika Minor, Ke Wang, Gabriela Santiago, James Scott Parrott
Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 48, 57-77. (2023)
Diagnostic profiles and trauma history among treatment-seeking young adults with positive post-traumatic stress disorder screens: Findings and implications for public mental health care
Weili Lu, Jeganee Srijeyanthan, Amanda Siriram, Steven M. Silverstein, Philip T. Yanos, Kim T. Mueser, Jennifer D. Gottlieb, Stephanie Marcello, Min J. Kim, Melissa Zeiss
Early Intervention in Psychiatry, Advance online publication. (2023)
Positive PTSD Screening and Its Health Correlates in Patients With HIV in Urban Primary Care Settings
Weili Lu, Deanna Bullock, Lee Ruszczyk, Shannon Ettinger, Jeganee Srijeyanthan, Barbara Caldwell, Janice Oursler, Tameika Minor, John Beninato, Emmaleigh Hauck
Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 1–12. Advance online publication. (2023)
Healing Trauma While Staying at Home: Using Telehealth to Conduct a Brief Treatment Program for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Weili Lu, Barbara Caldwell, Ni Gao, Janice Oursler, Ke Wang, John Beninato, Jeganee Srijeyanthan, Cindy Kumi, Jeremy Sawyer, Giovanna Giacobbe, Yubi Chen, Karen Wei-Ru Lin, Kim T. Mueser
Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 1–11. Advance online publication. (2023)
Conversational skills at work: Teaching small talk via telehealth to individuals with disabilities
Weili Lu, Janice Oursler, Samantha J. Herrick, Ni Gao, John Beninato, Tameika Minor, Sunhee Eissenstat, Ariella Silberman Harosh, Ke Wang, Jason Diviney, Emily Schultz, Janaina Silva, Dawoon Lee
Journal of Employment Counseling, 60 (4), 260-281. (2023)
Responding to Feedback: Employment-Related Soft Skills Training for Persons With Disabilities
Weili Lu, Janice Oursler, Samantha J. Herrick, Ni Gao, Ke Wang, John Beninato, Tameika Minor, Samantha Franco, Salisa Jackson
Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling, 54(3). (2023)
Focus Groups on Employment-Related Soft Skills for Transition Age Youth with Disabilities
Weili Lu, Janice Oursler, Ni Gao, Samantha Herrick, Jake Mariani, Jason Diviney, Crystal Socha, John Beninato
Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 59, 123-137. (2023)
Post-Traumatic Cognitions Inventory (PTCI): Psychometric Properties in Clients with Serious Mental Illness and Co-Occurring PTSD
Weili Lu, Kim T. Mueser, Philip T. Yanos, Amanda Siriram, Yuane Jia, Alyssa Leong, Steven M. Silverstein, Jennifer Gottlieb, Mary K. Jankowski
Behavioral and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 51(5), 459-474. (2023)
Predictors of Undocumented PTSD in Persons Using Public Mental Health Services
Weili Lu, Jeganee Srijeyanthan, Kim T. Mueser, Philip T. Yanos, J. Scott Parrott, Amanda Siriram, Jennifer D. Gottlieb, Stephanie Marcello, Steven M. Silverstein
Psychiatry Research, 317, 114892. (2022)
Factors Affecting Retention Plan Among Faculty of Color in Rehabilitation Counselor Education Programs
Tameika Minor, Weili Lu, Priyanka Yalmanchili, Cindy Kumi
Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, (2022).
Interview skills training for people with Neurodevelopmental Disorders receiving vocational services: A pilot study.
Weili Lu, Janice Oursler, Samantha Herrick, Ni Gao, John Beninato, Tameika Minor, Samantha Franco, Gabriela Santiago, Tatiana Mihana, and Emmaleigh Hauck
Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 57, 197-206. (2022)
Feasibility of Work-Related Interviewing and Conversational Skills Trainings for individuals with Psychiatric Disabilities
Weili Lu, Janice Oursler, Samantha Herrick, Ni Gao, John Beninato, Carolyn Bazan, Kendall Hill, and Tameika Minor
Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, (2022).
Illness Management and Recovery (IMR) Fidelity and Inter-rater Reliability in state psychiatric hospitals
Kenneth Kinter, Ruth Cook, Angela Pereira, Weili Lu, and Amanda Siriram
American Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, 23, 16-18. (2022).
Soft skills for success for job seekers with autism spectrum disorder
Samantha Herrick, Weili Lu, Janice Oursler,John Beninato, Sharon Gbadamosi, Alison Durante, and Elizabeth Myers
Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 57, 113-126. (2022).
Undocumented PTSD among African American clients with serious mental illness in a statewide mental health system
Weili Lu, Steven M Silverstein, Kim T Mueser, Shula Minsky, Deanna Bullock, Shelley Buchbinder, Qiang Chen, Robin Eubanks, Ashanté Guillaume-Salvant
Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice and Policy, 15(5), 781–790. (2022).
Asking for Help: Employment-Related Soft Skills Training for Persons with Disabilities.
Weili Lu, Janice Oursler, Samantha Herrick, Ni Gao, John Beninato, Alison Durante, Sharon Gbadamosi and Tameika Minor
Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling, 53(4), 266-278. (2022).
A Study of Work-Related interview skills training for people with visual impairments
Weili Lu, Janice Oursler, Samantha Herrick, Crystal Socha, Adam Zaher, Kevin Harris and John Beninato
Journal for Applied Rehabilitation Counseling, 53(2). (2022).

Title Authors Where and When
Psychometric properties of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) checklist for DSM-5 in persons with serious mental illness
Weili Lu, Philip T. Yanos, William Waynor, Yuane Jia, Amanda Siriram, Alyssa Leong, Kenneth Gill and Kim T. Mueser
European journal of psychotraumatology (2022), 13(1), 2038924. https://doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2022.2038924
I feel frozen: Client perceptions of how posttraumatic stress disorder impacts employment
Weili Lu, Francine M. Bates, William R. Waynor, Carolyn Bazan, Carol E. Gao, and Philip T. Yanos
Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal (2021). Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/prj0000477; 2021
Service needs assessment of employment-related soft skills for transition age youth with disabilities
Weili Lu, Janice Oursler, Ni Gao, Samantha Herrick, Jake Mariani, Crystal Socha and John Beninato
Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 56, 69-79 (2022). Doi: 10.3233/JVR-211173.
Work-Related interview skills training for persons served by Vocational Rehabilitation agencies in four states
Weili Lu, Janice Oursler, Ni Gao, Samantha Herrick, John Beninato, Kendall Hill, and Alison Durante
Rehabilitation Research, Policy, and Education. 36(1). (2022).
Traumatic stress in special populations
Kim T. Mueser and Weili Lu
The Oxford Handbook of Traumatic Stress Disorders, 2nd edition. New York: Oxford University Press ISBN: 9780190088224 Published online: May 2020 DOI: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190088224.001.0001
Trauma Exposure and Prolonged Grief Disorder Among Persons Receiving Community Mental Health Services: Rates and Correlates
Weili Lu, Philip T. Yanos, William Waynor, Yuane Jia, Amanda Siriram, Alyssa Leong, Kenneth Gill, and Kim T. Mueser
Frontiers in Psychiatry, published on February 4, 2022. For fulll-text, see https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.760837
Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale: A psychometric examination in Chinese youth
Weili Lu, Daleiden Eric, Charmaine Higa-McMillan, Shuyun Liu, Alyssa Leong, Angela Almeida, and Kerri Kelleher
Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 43, 707–716 (2021)
Work-related interview skills training for persons with Substance Use Disorders
Weili Lu, Janice Oursler, Samantha Herrick, John Beninato, Ni Gao, Lucille Brown and Alison Durante
The Journal for Specialists in Group Work (2021), 46, 146-160, DOI: 10.1080/01933922.2021.1900959
“Don’t ask. Don’t tell.” — Don’t ask. Don’t tell — Reactions of clinicians and clients towards Trauma Interventions
Lue Ann Librera, Weili Lu, William Waynor, Philip Yanos, Carolyn Bazan, Giovanna Giacobbe, Amy Balazse
American Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation University of Nebraska Press Volume 23, Numbers 1-2, Spring-Summer 2020 pp. 25-52
Post-secondary students with disabilities: Predictors of adaptation to college
Samantha Herrick, Weili Lu, and Deanna Bullock
Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice (2020), https://doi.org/10.1177/1521025120941011
Direct skills teaching of work-related conversational skills for individuals with disabilities
Weili Lu, Janice D. Oursler, Samantha J. Herrick, Alison C. Durante, Crystal V. Socha, and Gabrielle M. Crisafulli
Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 63(4), 235–244. (2020)
The role of illness identity in Assertive Community Treatment
William R. Waynor, SunHee J. Eissenstat, Phillip T. Yanos, Dawn Reinhardt-Wood, Ellen Taylor, Sean Karyczak, and Weili Lu
Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 63(4), 216-223 (2020)
Effects of Electro-Acupuncture in reducing depression and anxiety during heroin withdrawal: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Yan Liang, Weili Lu, Zong Lei, Lai Zhen, Ni Gao, and Suchismita Ray
Journal of Complementary Medicine and Alternative Healthcare, 8(5), 555747. (2019)
Using Direct Skills Teaching to improve job skills for persons with disabilities
Janice Oursler, Weili Lu, Samantha Herrick, and Kevin Harris
Journal of Employment Counseling, 56 (2), 69-84. (2019)
Neuropsychological predictors of response to cognitive behavioral therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder in persons with severe mental illness
Kim T. Mueser, Susan R. McGurk, Haiyi Xie, Elisa E. Bolton, M. Kay Jankowski, Weili Lu, Stanley D. Rosenberg, and Rosemarie Wolfe
Psychiatry Research, 259, 110-116. (2018)
The hidden barrier to employment: Untreated and undiagnosed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Weili Lu, Philip T. Yanos, Brittany Stone, Giovanna R. Giocobbe, William Waynor, Ann Reilly, and Carolyn Bazan
Journal of Rehabilitation, 83, 11-16. (2017)
Cost-effective dissemination of PTSD interventions tailored for individuals with severe mental illness
Eric P. Slade, Jennifer D. Gottlieb, Weili Lu, Philip T. Yanos, Stanley Rosenberg, Steven M. Silverstein, Shula K. Minsky, and Kim T. Mueser
Psychiatric Services, 68, 1225-1231. (2017)
Post-Traumatic Reactions to Psychosis: A Qualitative Analysis
Weili Lu, Kim T. Mueser, Stanley D. Rosenberg, Philip T. Yanos, and Neisrein Mahmoud
Frontiers in Psychiatry, 8, 129. (2017)
Service use and self-reported symptoms among persons with positive PTSD screens and serious mental illness
Shula K. Minsky, Weili Lu, Steven M. Silverstein, Michael Gara, Jennifer D. Gottlieb, and Kim T. Mueser
Psychiatric Services, 66, 845-850. (2015)
Evaluation of cognitive restructuring for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in people with severe mental illness
Kim T. Mueser, Jennifer D. Gottlieb, Haiyi Xie, Weili Lu, Philip T. Yanos, Stanley D. Rosenberg, Steven M. Silverstein, Stephanie Marcello Duva, Shula Minsky, Rosemarie S. Wolfe, and Gregory J. McHugo
British Journal of Psychiatry, 201(6), 501-508 (2015)
Life events and internalizing problems among Chinese school children: An examination of the Cognitive Diathesis model
Weili Lu, Eric Daleiden, Sarah Pratt, Alexander Shay, Brittany Stone, and Michael Asaku-Yeboah
Asian Journal of Social Psychology, 16, 307–319. (2013)
Public mental health clients with severe mental illness and probable posttraumatic stress disorder: Trauma exposure and correlates of symptom severity
Weili Lu, Philip T. Yanos, Steven M. Silverstein, Kim T. Mueser, Stanley D. Rosenberg, Jennifer D. Gottlieb, Stephanie Marcello Duva, Thanuja Kularatne, Stephanie Dove-Williams, Danielle Paterno, Danielle Hawthorne, and Giovanna Giacobbe
Journal of Traumatic Stress, 26, 266-273. (2013)
Using fidelity assessment to train frontline clinicians in the delivery of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for PTSD in persons with serious mental illness
Weili Lu, Philip T. Yanos, Jennifer D. Gottlieb, Stephanie Marcello Duva, Steven M. Silverstein, Haiyi Xie, Stanley D. Rosenberg, and Kim T. Mueser
Psychiatric Services, 63, 785-792. (2012)
Traumatic stress in special populations
Kim T. Mueser and Weili Lu
The Oxford Handbook of Traumatic Stress Disorders. New York: Oxford University Press, 128-140 (2012)
Selective provision of Illness Management and Recovery modules
Carlos W. Pratt, Weili Lu, Margaret Swarbrick, and Ann Murphy
American Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, 14, 245-258.(2011)
Post-Traumatic reactions to psychosis in people with multiple psychotic episodes
Weili Lu, Kim T. Mueser, Aysha Shami, Michael Siglag, Georgios Petrides, Elyse Schoepp, Matthew Putts, and Juliette Saltz
Schizophrenia Research, 127, 66-75. (2011)
A study of the perceived barriers to the implementation of circles of support
Amy B. Spagnolo, Joni N. Dolce, Melissa M. Roberts, Ann A. Murphy, Kenneth J. Gill, Lue Ann Librera, and Weili Lu
Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 34, 233-242. (2011)
Examination of the Tripartite Model of Emotion in Four Ethnic Groups of Children
Weili Lu, Eric Daleiden, Bruce F. Chorpita, Charmaine K. Higa-McMillan, Thanuja Kularatne, and Rafal Kabat
Journal of Psychology in Chinese Societies, 11, 147-172. (2010)
A study of the impact of social support development on job acquisition and retention among people with psychiatric disabilities
Melissa M. Roberts, Ann Murphy, Joni Dolce, Amy Spagnolo, Kenneth Gill, Weili Lu, and Lue Ann Librera
Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 33, 203-207. (2010)
The trauma of psychosis: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and recent onset psychosis
Kim T. Mueser, Weili Lu, Stanley D. Rosenberg, and Rosemarie Wolfe
Schizophrenia Research, 116, 217-227. (2010)
Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of PTSD in Severe Mental Illness: A pilot study replication in an ethnically diverse population
Weili Lu, Rachael Fite, Edward Kim, Leon Hyer, Philip T. Yanos, Kim T. Mueser, and Stanley D. Rosenberg
American Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, 12, 73-91. (2009)
Correlates of adverse childhood events in adults with severe mood disorders
Weili Lu, Kim T. Mueser, Stanley D. Rosenberg, and Mary Kay Jankowski
Psychiatric Services, 59, 1018-1026. (2008)
Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in severe mental illness: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Kim T. Mueser, Stanley D. Rosenberg, Haiyi Xie, M. Kay Jankowski, Elisa E. Bolton, Weili Lu, Jessica L. Hamblen, Harriet J. Rosenberg, Gregory J. McHugo, and Rosemarie Wolfe
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 76, 259-271. (2008)
Correlates of Adverse Childhood Events among adults with schizophrenia spectrum disorders
Stanley D. Rosenberg, Weili Lu, Kim T. Mueser, Mary Kay Jankowski, and Francine Cournos
Psychiatric Services, 58, 245-253. (2007)
Threat perception bias and anxiety among Chinese school children and adolescents.
Weili Lu, Eric Daleiden, and Shou-En Lu
Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 36, 568-580. (2007)
Ethnicity and clinical psychiatric diagnosis in childhood
Shula Minsky, Theodore Petti, Michael Gara, William Vega, Weili Lu, and Gerard Kiely
Administrative Policy on Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 33, 558-567. (2006)
Self-efficacy and psychosocial functioning in schizophrenia: A meditational analysis.
Sarah I. Pratt, Kim T. Mueser, Thomas E. Smith, and Weili Lu
Schizophrenia Research, 78, 187-197. (2005)
Aging and outpatient service use among persons with Schizophrenia-Spectrum Disorders in a statewide behavioral healthcare system
Weili Lu, Philip T. Yanos, Shula Minsky, and Gerard L. Kiely
Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research, 31, 450-457. (2004)
Demographic and service use correlates of health insurance among persons diagnosed with schizophrenia in a statewide behavioral healthcare system
Philip T. Yanos, Weili Lu, Shula Minsky, and Gerard L. Kiely
Psychiatric Services, 55, 79-82. (2004)
Assessment of tripartite factors of emotion in children and adolescents II: Concurrent validity of the Affect and Arousal Scales for Children
Eric Daleiden, Bruce F. Chorpita, and Weili Lu
Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 22, 161-181. (2000)
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