Academic stressors and anxiety in children: the role of parental support

The Conference program's website is located at http://www.schoolbasedfamilycounseling.com/2011_symposium.htmlPresentatio

The adaptation of solution-focused therapy in Chinese culture: A linguistic perspective

Using solution-focused therapy as an example, this article discusses linguistic considerations in the cross-cultural adaptation of psychotherapy to Chinese-speaking clients. As the primary medium through which a client's story is presented and transformed, language plays a crucial role in therapeutic conversation. Some differences between the Chinese and English languages, such as the construction of words and grammatical structure, are introduced. An examination of three linguistic dimensions - lexical usage, syntax and intonation and rhythm - illustrate the important role of language in the cross-cultural adaptation of psychotherapeutic techniques.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Path models of quality of life among people with schizophrenia living in the community in Hong Kong

The utilization of quality of life (QOL) in psychiatric community rehabilitation could be enhanced by developing an appropriate conceptual model of QOL. The focus of this study was to construct and test, using path analytic techniques, a pertinent conceptual model of QOL among people with schizophrenia living in the community. A total of 201 participants with schizophrenia living in the community were assessed with regard to their clinical characteristics and QOL. Findings largely supported the proposed model in which community/social functioning was the strongest predictor of QOL, followed by symptom levels. Important implications for the design and implementation of appropriate services in functioning augmentation that resulted in QOL enhancement were highlighted. Further recommendations on both clinical and environmental interventions to promote QOL were suggested. © 2007 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Clinical characteristics and objective living conditions in relation to quality of life among community-based individuals of schizophrenia in Hong Kong

Quality of life (QOL) has gained importance as an outcome measure for people with schizophrenia living in the community following deinstitutionalization. This study aims at exploring the effects of clinical characteristics and objective living conditions on QOL. In this study, 201 community-based individuals with schizophrenia were recruited from five different types of objective living conditions comprising long stay care home, halfway house, supported hostel/housing, living with family, and living alone. Clinical characteristics including cognitive abilities, symptom levels, and community/social functioning were assessed by the Allen Cognitive Level Screen, the Scales for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms and Positive Symptoms, and the Chinese version of the Multnomah Community Ability Scale respectively. The outcome measure of QOL was measured by the Chinese version of the WHO Quality of Life Measure. Analysis of covariance showed significant differences in community/social functioning, cognitive abilities, and negative symptoms; but not in QOL under different objective living conditions. Further simultaneous multiple regressions found out that community/social functioning was the robust significant predictor of QOL. Yet caution should be noted in making the conclusion with the objective living condition of long stay care home, as it provides a protective element for the perseverance of QOL. © 2006 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Uncle Long Legs' Letter Box; a letter counseling service for children in Hong Kong

During the growing up process, children face many challenges. They need support and guidance from adults whom they can trust. "Uncle Long Legs' Letter Box" provides a letter counseling service for children aged from around 10 to 14 years, who are mainly studying in primary four to junior secondary school. Using letters as the medium, children are encouraged to seek help from "Uncle Long Legs" when they are facing problems related to family, friendship, and study. In letters, children are often more willing to disclose their personal feelings and problems than they are in face-to-face contacts. The project was started in 1994 in a children and youth center. Up to July 2001, more than fifteen thousand letters have been received from about eight thousand children. Now the service has expanded to five centers and about 120 volunteer counselors are involved. This article summarizes the working experience of Uncle Long Legs' Letter Box and discusses the strengths and limitations of letter counseling to children.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Characteristics associated with fear of falling in Hong Kong Chinese elderly residing in care and attention homes

Recent studies have revealed that fear of falling is common amongst older adults, especially those who are living in nursing homes, and that it occurs both in those who have experienced a fall and those who have not. Moreover, fear of falling has a deleterious effect on physical and psychological well-being among the aged population. The objective of this study was to identify characteristics associated with fear of falling among Hong Kong Chinese older adults residing in care and attention homes. One hundred elderly residents were interviewed using a face-to-face format. Based on bivariate analysis, fear of falling was found to be significantly associated with self-rated health, sight, orthopedic injury, chronic illness, neurological disease, balance, number of falls in the preceding six months, sustaining an injury during the most recent fall, and level of activity. Multiple regression analyses showed that age, sight, history of fall-related injury, and level of activity were correlates of fear of falling. These findings confirm that effective interventions to reduce fear of falling must be multi-dimensional in approach. © 2006 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Fear of falling and depressive symptoms in Chinese elderly living in nursing homes: Fall efficacy and activity level as mediator or moderator?

Depression is a common problem for many Hong Kong Chinese elderly, especially those living in nursing homes. This study examines the relationship between fear of falling and depressive symptoms as well as the role of participation in physical activity and fall efficacy in the linkage between the fear of falling and depression. A sample of 100 residents living in nursing homes were interviewed. Using multiple regression models, we found that elderly persons who had greater fear of falling tended to report depressive symptoms more frequently after controlling socio-demographic and physical health status variables. In addition, activity involvement and fall efficacy acted as mediators and moderators in the link between the fear of falling and depression. Policy makers and aged care professional practitioners should find these findings valuable in promoting activity to aid in the prevention of depression amongst the elderly population. © 2005 Taylor & Francis Group Ltd.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Characterization of a Karenia papilionacea-like dinoflagellate from the South China Sea

The morphological characteristics of a new isolate of a dorso-ventrally flattened athecate dinoflagellate obtained from Hong Kong (HK) waters is described. Partial sequences of the large subunit ribosomal RNA gene were obtained and a high degree of similarity was observed with various species within the genus Karenia. Phylogenetic comparison suggested the Karenia sp. HK forms a clade with the newly described species K. papffionacea from New Zealand but not with authentic K brevis from North America. Karenia sp. HK is the first K. brevis-like dinoflagellate characterized by molecular cladistics from the South China Sea and the results call for re-examination of the status of other K brevis-like morphotypes described from the region

Association of hepatitis B virus Pre-S mutations with the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma development

Introduction: Recent studies suggest that hepatitis B virus (HBV) Pre-S/S mutations are associated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, in these case-control studies, the patients were not matched for age, gender and hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg) status. We aimed to investigate the association between PreS deletions and HCC using (1) a matched case-control approach and (2) a longitudinal approach. Methods: HBV PreS deletions were determined by DNA sequencing in sera collected from 105 HCC and 105 non-HCC patients matched with age, gender and HBeAg status, as well as in sera collected before the development of HCC. Results: PreS deletions were detected in 27 of 105 HCC cases (25.7%). At the time of writing, nucleotide sequence analysis in 68 HCC/non-HCC­–matched pairs showed that 20 HCC (29.4%) and 9 non-HCC (13.2%) patients acquired PreS2 deletions (P=0.035). In the longitudinal study, serum samples collected 1 to 7 years before HCC development were assessed in 12 HCC cases with PreS deletions. PreS deletions were absent in seven cases before HCC development (58.3%). Conclusion: The findings from this preliminary study suggested that PreS deletions, especially PreS2 deletions, were associated with HCC development. These results are being validated by our on-going studies with a larger number of patients

Association of hepatitis B virus pre-S deletions with the risk of development of hepatocellular carcinoma

Background and Aims: Recent studies suggest that hepatitis B virus (HBV) pre-S/S mutations are associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development [1, 2]. However, in these case-control studies, patients were not matched for age, gender and hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg) status. We aimed to investigate the association between pre-S deletions and HCC using 1) a matched case-control approach and 2) a longitudinal approach. In addition, the association between pre-S deletions and HBeAg seroconversion was investigated. Methods: HBV pre-S deletions were determined by DNA sequencing in sera collected from 117 HCC and 117 non-HCC chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients matched with age, gender and HBeAg status, as well as in sera collected before the development of HCC. HBV pre-S deletions were also determined in 76 non-HCC CHB patients before and after HBeAg seroconversion. Results: Pre-S deletions were detected in 33 out of 117 HCC cases (28.2%). At the time of writing, nucleotide sequence analysis in 78 HCC/non-HCC-matched pairs showed that 26 HCC (33.3%) and 15 nonHCC (19.2%) patients acquired pre-S deletions (P = 0.045). In the longitudinal study, serum samples collected 1−7 years before HCC development were assessed in 16 HCC cases with pre-S deletions. Pre-S deletions were absent in 4 cases before HCC development (25.0%). Pre-S deletions were also assessed in serum samples collected from 76 non-HCC CHB patients 1.4−8.3 months (median 5.6 months) before HBeAg seroconversion and 1.7−7.6 months (median 5.6 months) after seroconversion. Seven patients had newly emerged pre-S deletions after HBeAg seroconversion (9.2%) while 5 had pre-S deletions before HBeAg seroconversion (6.6%). Conclusions: These findings suggested that pre-S deletions were associated with HCC development. 25% of HCC patients had developed pre-S deletions within 1 year before the occurrence of HCC. However its association with HBeAg seroconversion was not clear. These results are being validated by our on-going studies with a larger number of patients. References [1] Choi M.S., Kim D.Y., Lee D.H., et al. (2007) J Viral Hepat. 14:161−8. [2] Lin C.L., Liu C.H., Chen W., et al. (2007) J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 22:1098– 103.link_to_subscribed_fulltex