Ageing, Behavioural and Mental Wellness
Research Highlights
Mission
The mission of the Ageing, Behavioural and Mental Wellness Group is to conduct high-quality research on mental and behavioural health promotion and intervention strategies, aimed at facilitating the adoption of healthy lifestyles to maintain wellness across the lifespan.
Its main research priorities include:
- Improving mental health and well-being across lifespan, particularly in adults and older people;
- Development and evaluation of innovative psychosocial and family interventions for people with chronic physical/mental illnesses; and
- Community-based rehabilitation for disabling physical and mental illnesses.
Key Researchers
Assistant Professor
Prof. Connie Chong has strong research interest in the applications of contextual behavioural psychotherapies, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), compassion-based and mindfulness-based interventions, in families of individuals with chronic health conditions. Prof. Chong has received trainings on ACT organised by the Association for Contextual Behavioural Science (ACBS) and ACT internship training in Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network. Her clinical trial has supported the noticeable benefits of an ACT-based parental asthma management programme on parental psychological well-being and childhood asthma outcomes.
Director and Professor
Prof. Chien Wai Tong has established and tested the effects of psycho-education, motivational interviewing, mindfulness-based, mutual support, and other psychosocial intervention programmes for community-residing people with mental health problems, and their family members in Chinese communities. Recently, Prof. Chien’s controlled trials have evidenced and supported very noticeable benefits of a mindfulness-based psycho-education programme to people with psychotic disorders, and of a problem-solving based self-help programme to their family caregivers.
Professor
Prof. Helen Chan is a pioneer in promoting end-of-life care and advance care planning in Hong Kong. Her studies have identified and evaluated innovative yet culturally sensitive ways to improve end-of-life care and communication in people with advanced illness and frail older people and their family carers. She has also explored means to improve organisational culture for supporting advance care planning in the community, hospital and long-term care settings.
Professor (Practice in Child Health)
Prof. Regina Lee’s research focuses on the mental health needs of children and youth, especially those with special health needs. She has been working with local and international experts to address the health needs of children and youth with developmental disabilities. Her research interests lie in implementing SWELE school playground programme and laughter yoga programme, along with mindfulness-based interventions on children’s play to promote physical and psychosocial well-being during times of transition in early childhood. She also evaluates the effectiveness of a cognitive mindfulness programme on building resilience in youth with smartphone addiction symptoms and behaviours.
Associate Professor
Prof. Cheng Ho Yu focuses on the care of stroke survivors’ family health. Her randomised controlled trial of the effectiveness of a strength-oriented programme for these family caregivers demonstrated benefits to their psychological well-being. Her systematic review of psychosocial intervention for these caregivers has provided evidence for the development of local and international practice protocols.
Assistant Professor
Prof. Laurie Ho’s research focuses on eliminating addictive behaviours, such as alcohol drinking and tobacco use, as well as preventing non-communicable diseases. She received training in dialectical behaviour therapy at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto. Her recent study investigates the effectiveness of Internet-based dialectical behaviour therapy-informed skills training (DBT-ST) in treating alcohol problems alongside underlying co-occurring psychological distress, which has laid the foundation for the application of DBT-ST in curbing alcohol use.
Research Assistant Professor
Prof. Stanley Lam’s current research focuses on promoting mental health well-being and mental health literacy in young adults. He has received training on Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy and Mental Health First Aid. He is also interested in understanding healthcare workers’ behaviours and practices in health emergencies. His recent studies revealed the elements that constitute healthcare workers’ preparedness for emerging infectious disease outbreaks.
Research Assistant Professor
Prof. Sarah Xiao’s research focuses on improving the quality of care and health outcomes of vulnerable and disadvantaged communities. Her previous work includes developing a theoretical framework to understand the psychosocial factors influencing weight management among persons prescribed atypical antipsychotic medications. She has also completed a research fellowship with the Museum of Health Care at Kingston, Canada to examine the historical evolution of electroconvulsive therapy. Prof. Xiao’s most recent projects involve developing an instrument to measure and evaluate the quality of discharge planning processes in mental health care, as well as patient-reported experience measures (PREMs) to evaluate the impact of integrated care programmes for people experiencing homelessness and individuals with depression and anxiety.
Selected Research Projects
| Project Title | Funding Source | Principal Investigator | Project Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| A realist evaluation of advance care planning in Chinese communities | Humanities and Social Sciences Prestigious Fellowship Scheme | CHAN Yue Lai, Helen | 2025 |
| FoStering psychosOcial weLl-being of family caregivers of stroke surVivors using Emotion-centred, problem-solving approach (SoLVE): A randomised controlled trial | General Research Fund (GRF) | CHENG Ho Yu | 2022 – 2024 |
| Effectiveness of a peer-facilitated, recovery-focused self-illness-management programme for adults with first-episode psychosis: A randomised controlled trial with an 18-month follow-up | General Research Fund (GRF) | CHIEN Wai Tong | 2023 – 2025 |
| Pai.ACT®: A Deep-Learning Mental Health Advisory System Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Parents of Children with Special Needs | Innovation and Technology for Better Living, CUHK IdeaBooster Fund, General Research Fund, Research Grant Council | CHONG Yuen Yu, Connie | 2022 – 2027 |
| Effect of an internet-based dialectical behaviour therapy-informed skills training for reducing alcohol consumption and improving psychological distress of adult drinkers: A pilot randomised controlled trial | Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF) Research Fellowship Scheme | HO Long Kwan, Laurie | 2022 – 2024 |
| An integrated online programme using psychoeducation and expressive writing for people with probable post-traumatic stress disorder and coexisting dissociative symptoms: A pilot randomised controlled trial | Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF) | LAM Kam Ki, Stanley | 2024 – 2026 |
| SWELE programme: An unstructured outdoor play with mindfulness-based interventions to promote mental health in SEN children and adolescents | Health Bureau - Advisory Committee on Mental Health | LEE Lai Tong, Regina | 2023 – 2024 |
International Research Collaborations
| International collaboration on family bibliotherapy and (medication) adherence therapy in schizophrenia and psychotic disorders with psychiatrists, clinicians, medical and nursing researchers, social workers, and psychologists in Australia, Hong Kong, Thailand, United Kingdom, and United States |
| A cross-regional collaboration with researchers and clinicians in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore to explore and delineate the concepts of advance care planning |
| An international study (COVID-IMPACT) in collaboration with university institutions from 21 countries and/or regions to examine the psychological impact of COVID-19 among individuals worldwide |