Basic Information

Personal Introduction

Wang Lei, a PhD in economics, is a professor and doctoral supervisor in the Department of Finance at the International Business School of Shaanxi Normal University. Her research focuses on financial development, human capital, and economic development, particularly conducting in-depth interdisciplinary empirical research in the field of early childhood development in rural areas. She leads projects funded by the National Social Sciences Fund and has conducted postdoctoral research at Stanford University in the United States. She has published numerous academic papers in authoritative journals both domestically and internationally, such as 'World Development,' 'Economic Development and Cultural Change,' and 'China Agricultural Economic Review,' and has authored several translated works. She also possesses extensive administrative and international cooperation experience.

Work Experience

2006.07-present: Professor at the Department of Finance, International Business School, Shaanxi Normal University
2009-2016: Deputy Director of the International Exchange and Cooperation Office, Shaanxi Normal University

Education Background

2010.08-2011.09: Stanford University Postdoctoral Research
2003.03-2006.06: Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Economics and Finance Doctorate
1999.09-2002.06: Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Economics and Finance Master's
1993.09-1997.06: Northwest University School of Cultural Relics and Museology Bachelor's

Awards Received

Academic achievement and mental health of left-behind children in rural China: A causal study on parental migration won the third prize of the 2021 Shaanxi Provincial Higher Education Humanities and Social Sciences Research Excellent Achievement Award

Intellectual Contribution

Journal Articles
1.Maternal Migration Patterns and Child Development from Infancy to Early Adolescence: A Longitudinal Study in Rural China, World Development,2025-06-30,196(107120):1-18
2.Comparing Primary Caregiver and Teacher Ratings of Mental Health in Preschool Children, International Journal of Behavioral Development,2025-01-30,49(5):1-16
3.Do the Pathways of Child Development before Age Three Matter for Development at Primary School? Evidence from Rural China, Humanities & Social Sciences Communications,2024-11-20,11(1):1578
4.Preschool Quality and Developmental Outcomes of Preschool Children in Rural China: Evidence from Longitudinal and Subgroup Analyses, Children and Youth Services Review,2024-11-07,166(1):107956
5.Rural–urban Differences in the Intergenerational Transmission of Cognitive Capabilities in China: Evidence from a Northwestern Province of China, China Agricultural Economic Review,2024-09-30,16(4):747-762
6.Paths of Cognitive and Social-emotional Delays Before Age Three in Rural China: Predictive Power on Skills at Preschool Age, Plos One,2024-09-06,19(9):e0310016
7.Caregivers’ Parenting Beliefs, Practices, and Child Developmental Outcomes:  Evidence from Randomized Controlled Trials in Rural China, World Development,2024-06-01,178
8.Willingness-to-pay for Early Childhood Development: A Field Experiment in Western China, China Economic Review,2024-06-01,85
9.Parenting Style and Child Mental Health at Preschool Age: Evidence from Rural China, BMC Psychiatry,2024-04-01,24(1)
10.Investing in Disadvantaged Children for Common Prosperity in China, Chinese Sociological Review,2024-03-01,56(2):129-175
11.The Medium-term Impact of A Micronutrient  Powder Intervention on Anemia among Young Children in Rural China, BMC Public Health,2024-02-01,24(1)
12.Parental Investment, School Choice, and the Persistent Benefits of an Early Childhood Intervention, Journal of Development Economics,2023-10-01,165
13.Parenting Style and the Cognitive Development of Preschool-aged Children: Evidence from Rural China, Journal of Experimental Child Psychology,2022-11-01,223
14.Does Paternal Involvement Matter for Early Childhood Development in Rural China?, Applied Developmental Science,2022-10-02,26(4):741-765
15.The Impacts of Maternal Migration on the Cognitive Development of Preschool-aged Children Left behind in Rural China, World Development,2022-10-01,158
16.Impact of Parental Beliefs on Child Developmental Outcomes: A Quasi-Experiment in Rural China, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health,2022-06-01,19(12)
17.Parental Self-Perception, Parental Investment, and Early Childhood Developmental Outcomes: Evidence From Rural China, Frontiers in Public Health,2022-03-31,10
18.Paths of Social-emotional Development before 3 Years Old and Child Development after 5 Years Old: Evidence from Rural China, Early Human Development,2022-02-01,165
19.Parenting Practices and Cognitive Development of Preschool-Aged Children: Evidence from Rural China, Journal of Child and Family Studies,2021-10-14,30(12):2980-2991
20.Early Childhood Development and Parental Training Interventions in Rural China: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, BMJ Global Health,2021-08-01,6(8)
21.Trajectories of Child Cognitive Development during Ages 0–3 in Rural Western China: Prevalence, Risk Factors and Links to Preschool-age Cognition, BMC Pediatrics,2021-04-26,21(1)
22.Trajectories of Child Cognitive Development during Ages 0-3 in Rural China: Prevalence, Risk Factors and Links to Preschool-age Cognition, BMC Pediatrics,2021-04-26,21(01)
23.Improving Learning by Improving Vision: Evidence from Two Randomized Controlled Trials of Providing Vision Care in China, Journal of Development Effectiveness,2021-02-01,13(01):1-27
24.Mental Health Issues among Caregivers of Young Children in Rural China: Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Links to Child Developmental Outcomes, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health,2021-01-01,18(01)
25.Teacher Qualifications and Development Outcomes of Preschool Children in Rural China, Early Childhood Research Quarterly,2020-06-01,53:355-369
26.Urbanization and Human Capital: Early Childhood Development in Rural China, Journal of East China Normal University(Educational Sciences),2020-06-01,38(6):102-115
27.Self-Control Levels of Rural Primary and Secondary Students in China and Their Relationship with Educational Outcomes, World Agriculture,2020-05-01,(5):12-20
28.Seeing Is Believing: Experimental Evidence on the Impact of Eyeglasses on Academic Performance, Aspirations, and Dropout among Junior High School Students in Rural China, Economic Development and Cultural Change,2020-01-01,68(2):335-355
29.Past Successes and Future Challenges in Rural China’s Human Capital, Journal of Contemporary China,2019-12-01,28(120):883-898
30.Academic Achievement and Mental Health of Left-behind Children in Rural China, China Agricultural Economic Review,2019-10-01,11(4):569-582
31.Dynamic Anemia Status from Infancy to Preschool-age: Evidence from Rural China, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health,2019-08-01,16(15)
32.Effect of Caregiver’s Mental Health on Early Childhood Development across Different Rural Communities in China, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health,2018-11-01,15(11)

Project
1.Research on the Long-Term Effects and Mechanisms of Early Human Capital Development Interventions in Rural China,2025-08-27
2.Research on Sustainable Models of Inclusive Childcare Services in Shaanxi Province under the Background of High-quality Population Development,2024-10-08
3.Study on Parenting Styles and Preschool Children’s Development in Rural Shaanxi,2023-07-01,2023-12-01

Awards
1.Academic achievement and mental health of left-behind children in rural China: A causal study on parental migration,2021 Shaanxi Higher Education Institutions Outstanding Achievement Award in Humanities and Social Sciences Research,2021-10-22

Courses Taught

Commercial Bank Management (Full English)--Undergraduate Teaching