Ben M. F. Law

Self-harm and suicide attempts among young Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong: prevalence, correlates, and changes

OBJECTIVEnTo examine the prevalence of and changes in self-harm and suicide attempts and to predict these behaviors in relation to family functioning and positive youth development.nnnDESIGNnWe used quantitative data based on a large sample of adolescent participants. Participants had joined this study in a previous year when they were in Grade 7 (Wave 1). The present study focused on Wave 2 data and the comparison with Wave 1 data.nnnSETTING AND PARTICIPANTSnThe participants consisted of 2,579 Grade 8 students from 28 secondary schools in Hong Kong. A multi-stage cluster random sampling was adopted.nnnMAIN OUTCOME MEASUREnSelf-harm behavior, suicide attempt, the Chinese Family Assessment Instrument, the Chinese Positive Youth Development Scale.nnnRESULTSnApproximately 23.5% of Grade 8 students had engaged in self-harm behavior in the preceding 12 months. Girls showed more self-harm behavior compared with the boys. Nearly 4.0% of adolescents attempted suicide in the preceding 12 months. Perceived family functioning and positive youth development predicted self-harm and suicidal ideation. Among the 4 second-order positive youth development qualities, the construct general positive youth development qualities was the strongest predictor of self-harm and suicide attempts. Compared with the Wave 1 data, more suicidal symptoms were observed in Wave 2, although the prevalence of self-harm behavior was similar across time.nnnCONCLUSIONSnThe prevalence of self-harm behavior among Chinese adolescents was high, but the level of suicidal behavior was low. Perceived family functioning and positive youth development can be regarded as protective factors for adolescents against self-harm and suicidal behaviors. General positive youth development quality is most important among the 4 second-order positive youth development qualities.

Beliefs about Volunteerism, Volunteering Intention, Volunteering Behavior, and Purpose in Life among Chinese Adolescents in Hong Kong

The relationships among beliefs about volunteerism, volunteering intention, volunteering behavior, and purpose in life were examined in this study. A total of 5,946 participants completed a series of scales, including the Revised Personal Functions of Volunteerism Scale, Volunteering Intention Scale, and Purpose in Life Scale. The results showed that participants whose purpose in life had different levels also had varied prosocial beliefs about volunteerism, volunteering intention, and volunteering behavior. Purpose in life was associated more strongly with prosocial value function than with other types of beliefs (except understanding function). When different beliefs are grouped, the correlation between purpose in life and other-serving beliefs was higher than that between purpose in life and self-serving beliefs. Purpose in life was also associated with volunteering intention and behavior. Path analyses showed that purpose in life predicted volunteering behavior via beliefs and intention. While other-serving beliefs predicted volunteering behavior directly, self-serving beliefs did not have such direct effect.

A 6-year Longitudinal Study of Self-harm and Suicidal Behaviors among Chinese Adolescents in Hong Kong

STUDY OBJECTIVEnTo examine the trajectories of self-harm and suicidal behaviors among Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong and to investigate the related predictors, including gender, family nonintactness, economic disadvantage, positive youth development, and family functioning.nnnDESIGNnWe used quantitative data from a large sample of adolescent participants. Participants initially joined this study when they were in grade 7 (wave 1), and they were followed from grade 8 (wave 2) to grade 12 (wave 6).nnnSETTING, PARTICIPANTS, AND INTERVENTIONSnThe participants consisted of 2023 grade 12 students from 28 secondary schools in Hong Kong. A multistage cluster random sampling method was adopted.nnnMAIN OUTCOME MEASURESnSelf-harm and suicidal behaviors.nnnRESULTSnThe trajectories of self-harm and suicidal behaviors in general declined from grade 7 to grade 12. Regarding the effect of gender, whereas adolescent girls showed a higher prevalence for self-harm and suicidal behaviors at baseline and other waves, adolescent boys showed a pronounced decline in self-harm rates. Adolescents from nonintact families were more likely to self-harm or engage in suicidal behaviors at wave 6. Economic disadvantage at wave 4 predicted higher suicidal behavior among adolescents but not self-harm at wave 6. Regarding positive youth development, several protective factors that include cognitive-behavioral competencies, prosocial attributes, general positive youth development qualities, and positive identity could help reduce self-harm and suicidal behaviors at different time points. Regarding the role of family functioning, more family conflicts predicted higher suicidality in adolescence (self-harm and suicidal behaviors), and family communication affected self-harming behaviors at wave 6.nnnCONCLUSIONnThe trajectories of self-harm and suicidal behaviors decline from early to late adolescence among Chinese adolescents. Positive youth development and constructive family functioning are critical to help reduce suicidal behaviors. Regarding increased risk, more attention should be paid to adolescent girls and adolescents from nonintact and economic disadvantaged families.

Psychometric properties of the existence subscale of the purpose in life questionnaire for Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong.

The current study aims to test the psychometric properties of the Existence Subscale of the Purpose in Life Questionnaire (EPIL) for early adolescence. The Purpose in Life Questionnaire (PIL), originally created by Craumbaugh and Maholick, is a 20-item scale measuring different dimensions of life purposes. The current study selected seven items representative of the existence dimension to form another scale, the EPIL. The analysis was based on 2842 early adolescents, ranging from 11 to 14 years old. Principal axis factoring found one factor, with 60% variance being explained. Cronbachs alpha for the EPIL was 0.89, which was high. The factor structure was stable across genders. Criterion-related validity was determined when the scale was used to differentiate volunteers and nonvolunteers. Construct validity was found when the scale was associated with life satisfaction. The results give support to the fact that the EPIL could be used alone to measure the psychological well-being of early adolescents and the appropriateness of the EPIL in adolescent research.

Process Evaluation of a Positive Youth Development Program: Project P.A.T.H.S.

There are only a few process evaluation studies on positive youth development programs, particularly in the Chinese context. Objectives: This study aims to examine the quality of implementation of a positive youth development program (Project Positive Adolescent Training through Holistic Social Programs [P.A.T.H.S.]) and investigate the relationships among program adherence, process factors, implementation quality, and success. Method: Process evaluation of 20 Secondary 3 classroom-based programs was conducted in 14 schools. Results: Overall program adherence, individual evaluation items, quality, and success had high ratings. Principal components analysis showed that two components, namely, implementation process and implementation context were extracted from 11 evaluation items. The correlational analysis indicated that program adherence, implementation process, and context were highly correlated with quality and success. Multiple regression analyses show that teaching process and program adherence predicted quality, whereas teaching process, teaching context, and program adherence predicted success. Conclusions: The implementation quality of the Tier 1 Program of Project P.A.T.H.S. was generally high.

Validation of Family, School, and Peer Influence on Volunteerism Scale Among Adolescents

Social systems, particularly family, school, and peer, are especially critical in influencing adolescents to participate in volunteer service; however, no objective measures of this construct exist. Objectives: This study examined the psychometric properties of the Family, School, and Peer Influence on Volunteerism scale (FSPV) among Chinese adolescents. The FSPV is an instrument that assesses the perceived influence of these social systems on adolescent volunteerism. There are nine identical items for each of the three systems. Method: The FSPV was administered to 2,819 early adolescents in Hong Kong. Results: Confirmatory factor analyses revealed four factors, namely, “Family,” “School,” “Peer,” and “Extrinsic influence.” The FSPV also demonstrated good internal consistency, construct validity, and criterion-related validity. Conclusion: The psychometric properties of FSPV are adequate in the assessment of the perceived influence of social systems on volunteer service participation in Chinese adolescents.

Recognition for Positive Behavior as a Critical Youth Development Construct: Conceptual Bases and Implications on Youth Service Development

Recognition for positive behavior is an appropriate response of the social environment to elicit desirable external behavior among the youth. Such positive responses, rendered from various social systems, include tangible and intangible reinforcements. The following theories are used to explain the importance of recognizing positive behavior: operational conditioning, observational learning, self-determination, and humanistic perspective. In the current work, culturally and socially desirable behaviors are discussed in detail with reference to Chinese adolescents. Positive behavior recognition is especially important to adolescent development because it promotes identity formation as well as cultivates moral reasoning and social perspective thinking from various social systems. The significance of recognizing positive behavior is illustrated through the support, tutorage, invitation, and subsidy provided by Hong Kongs social systems in recognition of adolescent volunteerism. The practical implications of positive behavior recognition on youth development programs are also discussed in this work.

A Longitudinal Study on Deliberate Self-Harm and Suicidal Behaviors Among Chinese Adolescents

This longitudinal study examined deliberate self-harm and suicidal behaviors among adolescents in junior secondary schools in Hong Kong. With specific reference to adolescents in Grade 9, the prevalence of deliberate self-harm behavior was 21.9 %, with preventing wounds from healing, self-scratching, and wrist cutting being the most prevalent self-harm behaviors; the prevalence of self-harm behavior was higher in girls than in boys. The prevalence of suicide attempts was 3.4 %, with girls manifesting more suicidal behaviors than boys. A path model with family functioning (mutuality, communication, and conflicts) at Time 1, positive youth development qualities at Time 2, and self-harm and suicidal behaviors at Time 3 was tested. The following results were obtained: (a) mutuality and communication at Time 1 predicted self-harm and suicidal behaviors at Time 3 via positive youth development at Time 2; (b) mutuality at Time 1 directly predicted self-harm behavior at Time 3; (c) family conflicts at Time 1 directly predicted suicidal behavior at Time 3. The proposed overall model was not entirely gender invariant. Although the paths were gender invariant, family conflicts at Time 1 predicted suicidal behavior at Time 3 for girls but not boys. The theoretical and applied implications of the findings are discussed in this work.

Teaching money literacy in a positive youth development program: the project P.A.T.H.S. in Hong Kong.

In view of the high impact of materialistic orientation among children and adolescents, financial educational programs are provided as preventive measures. Without a clear framework, it is impossible to evaluate these programs. The goals of this paper are threefold. Firstly, the phenomena related to adolescent materialistic orientation and its associated problems in Hong Kong are examined. Secondly, the concept of financial education as a preventive measure is reviewed. Both board and narrow definitions of money literacy are examined. A framework on money literacy for children and adolescents as a founding stone for financial education is proposed. The framework finds its support from a typology proposed by the authors and results from an integration of research findings on dimensions of the concepts of money and success. Finally, curriculum units for Grades 7 to 9 students in a positive youth development program (the Project P.A.T.H.S.) are developed using the framework.

Importance of Emotional Competence in Designing an Antidrug Education Curriculum for Junior Secondary School Students in Hong Kong

Adolescent substance abuse is a serious problem in Hong Kong. Antidrug education campaigns should aim at enhancing students understanding of the effects of illegal drugs to themselves. Moreover, life skill training is important in helping adolescents face lifes challenges without attempting to do drugs. A major component of life skill training is the promotion of emotional competence. The present study outlines the importance of emotional competence and adolescent development. For an antidrug education campaign to be effective, adolescents should be able to identify their emotions and understand their own emotion regulation mechanism. Likewise, they should be made aware of the consequences of their emotions and emotion-driven behaviors. Finally, the use of an inspirational story with a strong message against substance abuse to trigger emotions is recommended for designing an antidrug education curriculum. All these components are integrated in the newly developed curriculum of the P.A.T.H.S. Project in Hong Kong.