Ting Kin Ng

Comparing the mental health literacy of Chinese people in Australia, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan: Implications for mental health promotion.

Using data of 200, 522, 572, and 287 Chinese from Australia, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan respectively, this study aimed at comparing the mental health literacy of Chinese people from different communities, and between Chinese communities and the Australian general public. The participants were asked questions that assessed their recognition of depression and schizophrenia. Compared with the Australians, much lower percentages of Chinese in the four Chinese communities could correctly identify depression and early schizophrenia. Commonalities in the preference for psychiatrist, psychologist, Chinese medical doctor, and Chinese traditional healer, a lack of knowledge of medications, and a higher likelihood of endorsement of traditional Chinese medicines were found among the four Chinese communities. Differences in the preference for general practitioner and social worker, and a higher percentage of endorsement of herbal medicines were observed among the different Chinese communities. Cultural factors such as Chinese perceptions of mental illness, and socio-contextual factors such as differences in mental health care system in the four communities were offered to explain these commonalities and differences. Mental health promotion programmes for Chinese people may need to consider the above-mentioned cultural and socio-contextual factors so that specific promotion programmes can be developed.

Correlates and prognostic relevance of sleep irregularity in inter-episode bipolar disorder

OBJECTIVESnSleep-wake disturbances, such as sleep irregularity, are common in bipolar disorder. Early studies suggest that sleep irregularity is associated with mood symptoms in bipolar disorder, but little research has been conducted to identify other correlates of sleep irregularity. We investigated the relationship between sleep irregularity and sleep quality, social rhythms, eveningness, sleep-related cognitions and behaviors, and past and future mood episodes in 84 patients with inter-episode bipolar I or II disorder.nnnMETHODSnThis is a retrospective and prospective, naturalistic follow-up study. The Expanded Consensus Sleep Diary, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Social Rhythm Metric (SRM-II-5), Composite Scale of Morningness (CSM), Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes About Sleep Scale (DBAS-16), and Sleep Hygiene Practice Scale (SHPS) were administered. The Square Successive Difference (SSD), derived from a week-long sleep diary, was used as an index of sleep irregularity. Multilevel modeling analysis, which adjusts for biases in parameter estimates, was used to minimize the impact of missing data. Bonferroni correction was performed to account for multiple testing.nnnRESULTSnHigher SSD scores of sleep diary variables were significantly associated with higher PSQI, SRM-II-5, DBAS-16, and SHPS scores. Irregularity in total sleep time was related to more depressive episodes in the past 5years (p=.002), while irregularity in wake after sleep onset predicted the onset of depressive episodes over the next 2years (p=.002).nnnCONCLUSIONnSleep irregularity was associated with poor sleep quality, irregular social rhythms, dysfunctional sleep-related cognitions and behaviors, and greater number of depressive episodes in bipolar disorder.

Assimilation and Contrast Effects of Culture Priming Among Hong Kong Chinese The Moderating Roles of Dual Cultural Selves

Although culture priming research has established consistently that individuals from a bicultural background shift toward one or the other culture that has been primed (assimilation effect), the opposite contrast effect is less clear. We postulated a general explanation covering both effects in terms of the moderation due to the strength of dual cultural selves, and tested it on a sample of Westernized Chinese in Hong Kong (N = 416), whose Chinese and Western cultural selves varied in strength. To test the effects, we measured self-esteem as the dependent variable under three conditions: Chinese, Western, and neutral priming. The general expectation was that strong Chinese and Western selves would, respectively, engender assimilation to Chinese and Western priming, whereas weak Chinese and Western selves would engender contrast. The results showed that under Chinese priming, participants assimilated (lowered their self-esteem) or contrasted (raised their self-esteem) depending on their Chinese self as predicted. Similarly, Western self moderated the impact of Western priming, but only when Chinese self was strong. Implications of the current study and possible explanations for the unexpected findings are discussed.

Validation of the Curiosity and Exploration Inventory–II (CEI–II) Among Chinese University Students in Hong Kong

This study aimed at validating the Curiosity and Exploration Inventory–II (CEI–II; Kashdan et al., 2009) in a Chinese context. A total of 294 Chinese first-year undergraduate students in Hong Kong completed the CEI–II and measures of satisfaction with university life, the Big Five personality traits, and human values. The results of exploratory structural equation modeling, parallel analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis supported a 1-factor solution and did not replicate the original 2-factor structure. Time invariance of the 1-factor structure was obtained among 242 participants who completed the questionnaires again after 4 months. The latent means and correlation indicated that curiosity as measured by the CEI–II was quite stable over the period of investigation. The CEI–II was found to be positively correlated with satisfaction with university life, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness to experience, and openness to change values, but negatively with neuroticism and conservation values. The results of hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed that the CEI–II score had incremental validity above and beyond the Big Five personality traits in predicting human values and satisfaction with university life.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of an Integrated Cognitive-Behavioural Intervention (CBI) Model for Male Problem Gamblers in Hong Kong: A Matched-Pair Comparison Design

Very few clinical cognitive-behavioural intervention (CBI) studies were conducted with the Chinese gamblers. There is a lack of attention paid to intervening in negative emotions that may also adversely affect PGs in current CBI treatment modality. This study is the first attempt to systematically and rigorously evaluate both the short-term and longer-term effects of a culturally-attuned CBI group treatment with an emotion regulation component for a group of Chinese PGs in Hong Kong. A quasi-experimental matched-pairs design was adopted and 84 participants were allocated to the CBI (Nxa0=xa042) and social activity groups (Nxa0=xa042). There are 3 assessment points in the study: baseline at recruitment, post-intervention at the end of CBI and social activity groups, and at 6-month follow-up. When compared to the social activity group and after controlling for general group effects, there were significantly greater decreases in the severity of gambling, gambling-related cognitions (i.e. interpretive bias), negative psychological states (i.e. stress) and money spent on gambling in the past month in the CBI group between pre- and post-intervention and between pre-intervention and 6-month follow-up. Results also indicated that both reduction in gambling-related cognitions and negative psychological states could mediate the treatment effect of the CBI on the reduction of problematic gambling behaviours. The culturally attuned integrated CBI group treatment with an emotional regulation component appeared to be effective in treating Chinese problem gamblers in Hong Kong and the effects could be sustained at 6-month follow-up.

Chinese proverb scale : development and validation of an indigenous measure of Chinese traditional values

The aim of this study was to develop and validate an indigenous measure of Chinese traditional values using Chinese proverbs. A sample of 363 Mainland Chinese undergraduates participated in Study 1, in which a 26-item Chinese Proverb Scale (CPS) was developed through factor analysis on an initial pool of 118 Chinese proverbs. Four factors were clearly identified: (a) Diligence, (b) Integrity, (c) SelfPreservation, and (d) Self-Interest. The CPS showed satisfactory convergent validity with personal values (S. H. Schwartz, 1992, Advances In Experimental Social Psychology, San Diego, Academic Press) and social axioms (K. Leung et al., 2002, Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 33, p. 286). For incremental validity, the CPS predicted life satisfaction beyond the Big Five personality, personal values, and social axioms. In Study 2, a sample of 239 Mainland Chinese participants completed the CPS across two measurement occasions with an interval of 6 months. Longitudinal structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed the structure of the CPS was robust and invariant over time. In Study 3, a sample of 167 Chinese undergraduates from Hong Kong responded to an adapted version of the CPS. Multigroup SEM showed structural equivalence of the scale across the mainland and Hong Kong samples. The cultural origins of the factors in the CPS and future applications of the scale in various research areas are discussed.

Caregiving burden and psychological distress in Chinese spousal caregivers: gender difference in the moderating role of positive aspects of caregiving

ABSTRACT Objectives: This study endeavors to advance the current literature by examining the gender differences in the caregiving experiences and the stress-buffering role of positive aspects of caregiving (PAC) among Chinese spousal caregivers of frail elders in Hong Kong. Method: Forty-nine husband caregivers and 121 wife caregivers of frail elders in Hong Kong (N = 170) responded to the Positive Aspects of Caregiving (PAC) scale, the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), the 21-item Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS-21), and demographic questions. These spousal caregivers were diverse in age, and their care receivers were diverse in terms of age and health condition. Results: As predicted, there were significant gender differences in the moderating effects of PAC on the relationships of caregiving burden to depression, anxiety, and overall psychological distress. While PAC significantly buffered the effects of caregiving burden on depression, anxiety, and overall psychological distress for wife caregivers, the moderating effects of PAC were not significant for husband caregivers. Unexpectedly, wife caregivers reported lower PAC, higher caregiving burden, and higher psychological distress. Conclusion: As these findings suggest that PAC is lower but more beneficial for Chinese wife caregivers than Chinese husband caregivers, helping professionals are recommended to use strengths-based interventions that target PAC when working with Chinese wife caregivers.

Curiosity and Student Learning in General Education in Hong Kong

As an intrinsic motivation to explore new experience and knowledge, curiosity plays an essential role in learning and development. However, in Asian cultures, where tradition and authority are highly respected, people may not be encouraged to develop and utilize their curiosity, even in a learning setting where curiosity is highly valued (e.g., general education). This longitudinal study examined how curiosity affected learning outcomes in general education and how the learning outcomes, in turn, contributed to subsequent development of curiosity among a group of university students in Hong Kong. Two hundred and forty-two participants (59 males and 183 females) responded to the questionnaires at the beginning of Semesters 1 and 2. Learning outcomes were assessed by both objective and subjective measures (i.e., average grade and self-evaluation). Results show that curiosity at the beginning of Semester 1 significantly predicted self-evaluated learning outcomes in Semester 1, which further contributed significantly to curiosity in Semester 2, even when the curiosity in Semester 1 was controlled. By contrast, no significant association was found for the objective measure of learning outcome with curiosity in Semesters 1 and 2. Implications for learning and assessment in general education are discussed.