About
Rachel graduated with a BS in Neuroscience from Michigan State University where she discovered her interest in public understanding of science, as well as health and science communication. She obtained her MA in Communication from the Ohio State University and is currently a PhD candidate in the Department of Communication at UC Davis.
Research Focus
Rachel's research investigates the impact of new communication technologies on supportive communication, with a focus on how technology reshapes interpersonal communication processes and access to high quality mental health support. In one line of research, she evaluates language use and interaction dynamics in online environments to identify techniques for effective support seeking from both formal (e.g., psychologists, physicians, therapists) and informal (e.g., friends, family, online forums) sources. Building on these insights into effective interpersonal communication in online contexts, her second line of research explores how support seeking and provision techniques can be applied to human-AI interaction.
By evaluating the quality of human-AI and human-human mediated supportive interactions, her work has implications for improving access to high quality, tailored mental health support and assessing the utility of new communication technologies in health care.
Publications
McKenzie, R., & Feng, B. (2025). The role of website interactivity in improving depression help-seeking intentions. Patient Education and Counseling.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2025.109391
Hwang, L., McKenzie, R., & Feng, B. (in press). Can you read between the lines?: A comparison of human and ChatGPT as support providers. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction.
McKenzie, R. E., Hwang, L. J., Feng, B., & Phillips, E. J. (2025). In-person therapy vs. computer-mediated therapy for college students: Single session outcomes and implications for the patient-therapist relationship. Journal of American College Health, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2025.2496979
Layug, A., Krishnamurthy, S., McKenzie, R., & Feng, B. (2022). The Impacts of Social Media Use and Online Racial Discrimination on Asian American Mental Health: Cross-sectional Survey in the United States During COVID-19. JMIR Formative Research, 6(9), e38589. https://doi.org/10.2196/38589
Cabrera, L. Y., Brandt, M., McKenzie, R., & Bluhm, R. (2019). Online comments about psychiatric neurosurgery and psychopharmacological interventions: public perceptions and concerns. Social Science & Medicine, 220, 184-192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.11.021
Teaching
TA
CMN 003V Interpersonal Communication Competence: SQ 2025
CMN 101Y Communication Theories: WQ 2024
CMN 102 Empirical Methods in Communication: FQ 2021, FQ 2022, FQ 2023, FQ 2024, WQ 2025
CMN 120 Interpersonal Communication: WQ 2022, WQ 2023, Summer Session I 2025
CNB 123 Intercultural Communication: SQ 2025
CMN 172 Interpersonal Technologies: SQ 2022
AI
CMN 123 Intercultural Communication: FQ 2025
CMN 112 Theories of Persuasion: SQ 2024
CMN 172 Interpersonal Technologies: SQ 2023
CMN 102 Empirical Methods in Communication: Summer Session I 2023