The Pre- and Post-1997 Well-Being of Hong Kong Residents

In Hong Kong, social distancing has been adopted in order to minimise the spread of COVID-19. This study aims to examine the changes in physical health, mental health, and social well-being experienced by local residents who were homebound during the pandemic. An online questionnaire in both Chinese and English versions was completed by 590 eligible participants from 24 April to 13 May 2020. The questionnaire found that individuals aged 18 to 25 years spent more time resting and relaxing but experienced more physical strain. Working status was associated with social contact, with participants working full-time jobs scoring higher in “maintaining social communication via electronic means” and “avoiding social activities outside the home”. Additionally, approximately one third of the participants (29.7%) had moderate to severe depression, and participants aged 18 to 25 were found to have higher scores in PHQ-9. Changes in physical health and social contact were significantly associated with developing depressive symptoms. From the results, it is clear that the COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to exert a negative impact on the mental health status of individuals.

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De-Sexualizing Partner Notification: A Qualitative Study on Chinese Young Adults with Chlamydia

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18084032 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (8) ◽

pp. 4032

Author(s):

Bobo H. P. Lau ◽

Lucia Liu ◽

Celia H. Y. Chan ◽

Cecilia L. W. Chan ◽

Jason J. Ong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hong Kong ◽

Sexual Partner ◽

Social Acceptance ◽

Public Awareness ◽

Partner Notification ◽

Well Being ◽

Transmitted Infection ◽

Sexually Transmitted ◽

Active Population ◽

Chinese Young Adults

Background: Chlamydia is common amongst the sexually active population in Hong Kong. As most cases are asymptomatic, partner notification may be helpful in controlling chlamydia. This study examined attitudes towards partner notification for chlamydia among Hong Kong Chinese youths in order to inform a culturally appropriate, patient-empowering sexual health service. Methods: Sixteen individuals (aged 20 to 31) who received a confirmed diagnosis of chlamydia within the previous twelve months of data collection were recruited from two community-based organizations between June and December 2017. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted by a health psychologist. Results: Nine participants notified a total of eleven current and ex-partners. Seven participants did not notify their sexual partner(s). Our findings revealed how participants struggled with the discrediting sexual aspect of their infection, and how de-sexualizing the infection and selected disclosure facilitated partner notification and social acceptance. Perceived stigma regarding chlamydia however did not dissipate with their disclosure. Participants did not perceive lasting impact of chlamydia on their well-being as they thought they have much control over whether and how to disclose to their (future) partners. All participants agreed there was a pressing need to raise public awareness on this silent but highly prevalent sexually transmitted infection. Conclusions: Our findings illustrate the complex struggle behind communicating about chlamydia to one’s sexual partner and how strategizing the disclosure process served to circumvent embarrassment and foster testing of sexual partners.

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The Mediating Role of Social Capital in the Relationship Between Hong Kong Children’s Socioeconomic Status and Subjective Well-Being

Child Indicators Research ◽

10.1007/s12187-021-09831-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Stefan Kühner ◽

Maggie Lau ◽

Evelyn Aboagye Addae

Keyword(s):

Social Capital ◽

Socioeconomic Status ◽

Hong Kong ◽

Well Being ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Mediating Role ◽

The Relationship

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Psychological Morbidity among University Students in Hong Kong (2014–2018): Psychometric Properties of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) and Related Correlates

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18168305 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (16) ◽

pp. 8305

Author(s):

Xiang Li ◽

Daniel T. L. Shek ◽

Esther Y. W. Shek

Keyword(s):

Life Satisfaction ◽

Hong Kong ◽

University Students ◽

Psychometric Properties ◽

Youth Development ◽

Positive Youth Development ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Factor Model ◽

Well Being ◽

Psychological Morbidity

Although mental health problems among Hong Kong university students are serious, there is a lack of studies examining the psychometric properties of related assessment scales and correlates. This study attempted to validate the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) in Hong Kong university students and examine the demographic (gender), time (cohort), and well-being correlates (positive youth development attributes and life satisfaction) of psychological morbidity. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to examine the factor structure of the DASS (n = 6704). Gender and cohort invariance were further established using a multigroup CFA. The three-factor model of the DASS showed a superior fit and factorial invariance across gender and five different cohorts. Regarding gender and cohort correlates of psychological morbidity, males exhibited more depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms than their female counterparts. The intensity of psychological distress also escalated after the Umbrella Movement in 2014. Furthermore, well-being measures (positive youth development and life satisfaction) were negatively associated with depression, anxiety, and stress. In short, the Chinese DASS demonstrated good psychometric properties. This study also showed that gender, cohort (occurrence of political events), and well-being were associated with psychological morbidity indexed by the DASS measures.

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Cultural Differences in the Hedonic Rewards of Recalling Kindness: Priming Cultural Identity with Language

Affective Science ◽

10.1007/s42761-020-00029-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 80-90

Author(s):

Lilian J. Shin ◽

Seth M. Margolis ◽

Lisa C. Walsh ◽

Sylvia Y. C. L. Kwok ◽

Xiaodong Yue ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hong Kong ◽

Cultural Identity ◽

Emotional Experience ◽

Chinese Language ◽

Well Being ◽

Cultural Identities ◽

Weak Ties ◽

Recent Theory ◽

Emotional Experiences ◽

The Usa

AbstractRecent theory suggests that members of interdependent (collectivist) cultures prioritize in-group happiness, whereas members of independent (individualist) cultures prioritize personal happiness (Uchida et al. Journal of Happiness Studies, 5(3), 223–239 Uchida et al., 2004). Thus, the well-being of friends and family may contribute more to the emotional experience of individuals with collectivist rather than individualist identities. We tested this hypothesis by asking participants to recall a kind act they had done to benefit either close others (e.g., family members) or distant others (e.g., strangers). Study 1 primed collectivist and individualist cultural identities by asking bicultural undergraduates (N = 357) from Hong Kong to recall kindnesses towards close versus distant others in both English and Chinese, while Study 2 compared university students in the USA (n = 106) and Hong Kong (n = 93). In Study 1, after being primed with the Chinese language (but not after being primed with English), participants reported significantly improved affect valence after recalling kind acts towards friends and family than after recalling kind acts towards strangers. Extending this result, in Study 2, respondents from Hong Kong (but not the USA) who recalled kind acts towards friends and family showed higher positive affect than those who recalled kind acts towards strangers. These findings suggest that people with collectivist cultural identities may have relatively more positive and less negative emotional experiences when they focus on prosocial interactions with close rather than weak ties.

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