Romy RW
Assistant Professor, Intercultural/Intergroup Communication & Mental Health Loyola Marymount University
Media
Biography
Dr. Romy RW research focuses on the interrelationships among intercultural communication, health communication, and mediated technologies. She specifically addresses the power dynamics, stereotyping, and prejudice prevalent in intercultural communication that contribute to poorer health outcomes for marginalized and underserved populations. Additionally, she examines the roles and interactions of social identity and communication technologies to enhance intercultural relationships. In her dissertation, she conducted a health intervention to assess the impact of intercultural interactions and computer-mediated communication on mental health outcomes. She approaches these topics using social scientific methodologies. Her research has appeared in a variety of publications including Communication Studies, Journal of Applied Communications, Communication Teacher, and Mobile Media & Communication, among others.
Education
University of Maryland, College Park
MA
Communication
2019
University of Maryland, College Park
Ph.D.
Communication
2022
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Postdoctoral Fellow
Health Communication and Psychological Science
2023
Social
Areas of Expertise
Industry Expertise
Accomplishments
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Fellowship
Training experiences at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Affiliations
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- National Communication Association
- International Communication Association
- Eastern Communication Association
Languages
- English
- Mandarin
Articles
Mapping applications and evaluations of LLM-enabled AI chatbots for health purposes: a scoping review
Frontiers in Public HealthYuan Wang, Romy RW, Yanjiao Deng, Xingyu Chen
2026-09-21
Large Language Model (LLM)-enabled artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots are increasingly shaping health communication by mediating how patients, health professionals, researchers, and health institutions seek, interpret, produce, and act on health information. Existing reviews have largely focused on a single stakeholder group or clinical domain, leaving unclear how these systems are applied and evaluated across stakeholder groups and health purposes.Objective: This scoping review mapped empirical studies of LLM-enabled AI chatbot applications and evaluations for health purposes across four stakeholder groups: the public or patients, health professionals, health researchers and students, and health institutions. We characterized the purposes and evidence patterns associated with these applications and evaluations. We searched nine databases for peer-reviewed, English-language empirical studies available through July 2025. After screening, 286 articles were coded for study characteristics, methodology, evidence type, chatbot modality, LLM type, health topic, stakeholder group, and health purpose. The included articles were published between 2023 and 2025. Most examined general-purpose LLMs (n = 267, 93.4%). Studies were concentrated in the United States and China and primarily examined text-based chatbots. Noncommunicable or chronic diseases and general health information were the most common health topics. Ten health-related purposes were identified across four stakeholder groups and two umbrella categories. Public-facing applications involved the general public or patients and encompassed four purposes: (1) seeking health information, (2) symptom assessment and self-care management, (3) emotional support, and (4) preventive and transitional care support. Professional and organizational applications involved health professionals, health researchers and students, and health institutions, and encompassed six purposes: (5) clinical decision support, (6) improving administrative efficiency, (7) supporting patient interaction and doctor–patient communication, (8) enhancing continuing education, (9) facilitating health research, and (10) institutional workflow support and care navigation.
A content analysis of the characteristics of the popular mental health podcasts
Health Education ResearchRomy RW, Regina A A Alcántara, Malee Bedolla
2026-09-10
Mental health challenges continue to rise in the United States, yet access to treatment remains limited. Podcasts have become an important channel for disseminating mental health information and improving mental health. Despite the proliferation of mental health podcasts, little is known about the characteristics that make certain podcasts especially popular. To address this gap, the present study conducted a comprehensive content analysis of the top 100 mental health podcasts listed in the Apple Podcasts app and guided by the PodCred Framework. Three trained coders analyzed 100 mental health podcasts. Findings revealed consistent patterns among top-ranked podcasts. Most of them maintained a strong topical focus, consistent structure, and conversational delivery style, with episodes averaging 30–60 minutes. Podcasters frequently shared personal experiences, displayed emotional expressiveness, and demonstrated professional credibility through credentials and affiliations. Content typically combined recommendations, factual information, and personal discussion, supported by high production quality and predictable release schedules. Overall, the results extend the PodCred Framework to the mental health domain and highlight key features that appear to attract and sustain listeners. These insights offer practical guidance for podcast creators and contribute to emerging scholarship on digital mental health communication.
Offensiveness and virtuousness of a sports crisis: Identity, situational crisis communication theory, and social assessment.
Public Relations ReviewPage, T., Seate, A., Chatham, A., Lim, J., Shi, D., Ma, L., & RW, R.
2025-09-01
Offensiveness and virtuousness have been identified as strong predictors of post-crisis reputation in an experiment regarding a fictional organization. This study identifies how these variables reflect the types of information processing identified in the social assessment literature. Further, this study assesses the influence of virtuousness and offensiveness in a crisis facing real-world organizations with which participants have pre-existing connections. Using an experiment with 574 participants recruited from Amazon’s Mechanical Turk, the experiment examines a cheating crisis engulfing an NFL team. Utilizing the sports crisis communication literature, this research assesses the effects of SCCT’s prescribed responses and identity on reputation. Results show that identity directly influences offensiveness, virtuousness, and reputation, and has indirect effects on post-crisis reputation via the intervening variables, as proposed by REMREP. Connections between REMREP and the social assessment literature are identified and discussed.
Effects of COVID-19 E-Mental health interventions: A systematic review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
Internet InterventionRW, R. & Nan, X.
2025-03-01
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on global mental health. E-mental health has the potential to enhance the quality of care and can be swiftly implemented on a large scale. We performed a systematic review of systematic reviews, including meta-analyses, to assess the effects of COVID-19 e-mental health interventions. We followed an established search, screening, coding, and reporting protocol. Methodological quality was evaluated using the Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR-2) checklist. The searches resulted in a total of 2341 articles. Of these, twelve systematic and meta-analytic reviews were included. The findings indicated that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and psychoeducation were the most used mental health intervention types. E-mental health interventions were delivered via various communication channels including videoconferencing, telephone-based approaches, and mobile applications. E-mental health interventions have demonstrated their effectiveness in addressing prevalent mental health issues, particularly anxiety, depression, and stress. This study underscores the importance of e-mental health interventions in enhancing accessibility and efficiency to reduce mental health symptoms, providing valuable insights for policymakers and clinicians addressing mental health challenges exacerbated by global pandemics.
Impacts of racial and gender identities on individuals’ intentions to seek a counselor
Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. doi: 10.1089/cyber.2023.0521RW, R. & Joyce, N.
2024-07-04
RW, R. & Joyce, N. (2024). Impacts of racial and gender identities on individuals’ intentions to seek a counselor. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking.
Effects of intergroup communication on intergroup anxiety and prejudice through single sessions of peer counseling in online settings
International Journal of CommunicationRW, R. & Joyce, N.
2024-01-01
RW, R. & Joyce, N. (2024). Effects of intergroup communication on intergroup anxiety and prejudice through single sessions of peer counseling in online settings. International Journal of Communication, 18, 384-407.
A qualitative inquiry into the role of communication in reputation management during compounding health crises
Kaleidoscope, 21(1)Dias, S. & RW, R.
2023-12-06
Dias, S. & RW, R. (2023). A qualitative inquiry into the role of communication in reputation management during compounding health crises. Kaleidoscope, 21(1), 155-170.
Investigating the effects of message framing on college students’ risk perception and protective responses to Adenovirus
Kaleidoscope, 21(1)Dias, S. & RW, R.
2023-12-06
Dias, S. & RW, R. (2023). Investigating the effects of message framing on college students’ risk perception and protective responses to Adenovirus. Kaleidoscope, 21(1), 83-100.
A social media analysis of kratom use to discontinue stimulants
Journal of Addictive DiseasesSettle, J. R., Smith, A., Rausch, P., & RW, R.
2023-12-17
While FDA-approved treatments exist for opioid use disorder, none are available for stimulant use disorder. Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa), an unregulated plant-derived substance with known opioid- and stimulant-like effects, has been used to self-treat opioid use disorder; however, its use in relation to stimulant use disorder has not been described.
