Browsing by Theses - Programme "Master of Social Sciences in Psychology"

Studies revealed big gap between high percentage of undergraduates with reported mental health difficulties (i.e. more than 20%; Wong, Cheung, Chan, Ma, & Wa Tang, 2006) and low utilization of free university counselling service (UCS) (i.e. 3.1%; Hong Kong Government, 2016). The present study measured the general mental health condition of full-time university students, their coping style, relevant stigma and help-seeking pattern within the conceptual framework of help-seeking proposed by Rickwood and Thomas (2012) and using the theory of planned behaviour (TPB; Ajzen, 1985). 110 full-time university students from 9 universities completed questionnaire during final examination period. The sample had mild depression and moderate anxiety as measured using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale; preferred selfcoping style like acceptance, planning, active coping, positive reframing, self-blame and self-distraction. Despite low stigma towards mental illness and towards seeking psychological help, the intention to seek help from UCS was still significantly lower than that from friends and other informal sources. Result from multiple linear regression revealed that attitude and subjective norm towards help-seeking as well as the stress severity significantly predicted intention to seek help from university counselling services. Promotion of mental health first-aid in campus is needed so peers know what to do and make proper referral to UCS when necessary. Future direction of research could be on the possibility to utilize peer supporters or mentors in the university’s counselling system.

59 pages

This study examined how Dark Triad traits (i.e., narcissism, Machiavellianism and psychopathy,) associated with relationship satisfaction, and the mediating effects of as well as the interplay among relationship length, positive factors (i.e., responsiveness to other’s needs, inclusion of the other, relationship growth mindset, sexual growth mindset, and sexual satisfaction), and negative factors (i.e., relationship destiny mindset, and sexual destiny mindset). Self-report data were gathered in an online survey by employing standard questionnaires from participants (N = 203) consisted of straight (n = 121) and LGBT (n = 82). Unexpectedly, results showed no correlations between Dark Triad traits and relationship satisfaction, but relationship length appeared to be associated with Dark Triad traits, as well as some positive and negative factors. This revealed the potential to further investigate in the future on the possibilities which relationship length might bring. This study also looked into the differences of gender and sexual orientation on all major variables, which showed some significant results but required further studies to prove them conclusive mainly due to the imbalance ratio of male and female in LGBT and straights in the sample.

81 pages

This is a qualitative study investigating the relationships between Deaf identities and life satisfaction in an Audsim world. This study aims at reflecting the complicated identity issues and challenges that faced by the Deaf or Hard of Hearing people in Hong Kong. There are 18 participants in two groups: nine Signing Deaf and nine Oral Deaf. This study use the thematic analysis and there are 4 main themes: 1) Audism and Deafness; 2) Identity of Signing Deaf and their coping strategies; 3) Identities of Oral Deaf and their coping strategies; and 4) A journey of Deaf identities discovery. These 4 themes are expected to reveal the impacts of Audism society to the identities, self-esteem and life satisfaction of D/HH people with Deaf different identities and how they coping with every challenges.

58 pages

Objective This study attempts to explore the mediation between perceived behaviour control (PBC) and procrastination and to develop the theoretical model of procrastination based on the extended theory of planned behaviour (TPB) (Ajzen, 1991) with depressive symptom.
Method
Participants were 383 college students and university students who were assessed individually through online perform (surf). This study used correlation study. To explore the casual relationship between the components of TPB, depressive symptoms and academic procrastination.
Results
Independent-sample t-test indicated that there was no significant gender difference in procrastination and depressive symptoms. The gender difference in depressive symptoms also not significant but the education level difference in depressive symptoms was found.
By the Pearson’s correlation test, there were different correlated between attitude and intention among college students and university students. PBC and SN were also related to intention in the model; however, attitude was not a significant predictor of intention.
By path analyst, the results supported the appropriateness of the proposed theoretical model of procrastination (RMSEA = .092, GFI = .982, CFI = .975). The mediation analyst showed that that the relationship between PBC and procrastination was mediated by depressive symptoms.
By multiple linear regression, the result pointed out that the most important factor of depressive symptom for predict procrastination was somatic symptoms in depression.
Conclusion
This study successfully developed a procrastination model to explore the nature of procrastination for future study. Also, this study provides new insights into the relationship between depression and procrastination.

47 pages

Executive functions are usually regarded as essential skills for education and training. However, there is limited research in relation to how executive functions affect career development of people with intellectual disabilities in Hong Kong. In this project, 6 vocational rehabilitation professionals ranges from teacher, nurse, social worker, vocational counsellor and manager of an integrated vocational training centre were interviewed. Then, thematic analysis, under a 6 phases framework proposed by Braun & Clarke in 2006, was used to analyze the data to find out relevant and important theme in relation to executive functions, vocational training courses and implications on job finding and keeping of trainees with intellectual disabilities of an integrated vocational training centre. The results suggested that integration of executive functions in the vocational training courses could have positive implications on their employability, relationship improvement with co-workers and family members as well.

28 pages

Exercise has been found to be important to health (Galán, Meseguer, Herruzo, & Rodríguez-Artalejo, 2010; Piko & Keresztes, 2006; Tessier et al., 20). However, fatigue is one of the main reason undermining the quality of exercise performance (van, d. W., Prins, Vercoulen, van, d. M., & Bleijenberg, 2000; Vercoulen et al., 1997). On the other hand, recent studies about self control have reached their interest to exercise. It has been tested that the failure of self-control, also known as ego-depletion, would predict worse exercise performance (Dorris et al., 2012; MacMahon, Schücker, Hagemann, & Strauss, 2014). Nonetheless, latest studies of the implicit theory about willpower was found to be determinant on the ability of self-control, which suggested that people endorsing a non-limited resource theory are less likely suffer from ego-depletion and their abilities of self-control remain intact (Job, Dweck, & Walton, 2010). The present study aims at exploring the effect of implicit theory on exercise. A correlational design was employed. Participants (N = 123) filled in questionnaires which assess their belief in willpower, exercise frequency and intensity, and chronic fatigue. Two hypotheses were tested for this purpose. First, the correlation between implicit theory and fatigue was found to be significant. This implies the more belief in limited theory is correlated with a higher level of fatigue. Second, the moderation effect of implicit theory onto the relationship between fatigue and vigorous activity frequency was found to be significant. This implies a limited theorist would conduct vigorous activity less frequently under a high level of fatigue, but a non-limited theorist would conduct vigorous activity more frequently under a high level of fatigue. The results suggest that non-limited theorists possess two advantages of exercise. They experience lower level of fatigue and tend to exercise more even under a higher level of fatigue. These findings allow us to know more about implicit theory of willpower and how it is related to exercise.

50 pages

The purpose of the research project is to examine the importance of grandparenting to their grandchildren during their infancy and early childhood, and the relationship between the three attachments (Grandparent attachment GA, parental attachment PA (Father FA and Mother MA) and adult attachment AA) in two period (grandchildren’s childhood T1 and current state T2). We hypothesized that grandparent attachment in T1 have positive correlation to both parental attachment in T1 and the grandchildren’s adult attachment when they become grown up (T2), moreover, grandparent attachment in T1 have moderating effect on parental attachment in T1 and adult attachment in T2. 125 participants were recruited by convenience sampling who had completed the online survey using standardized questionnaire for T1GA, T1FA, T1MA and T2AA separately. Only those who had been taken care by grandparents in childhood were selected (n=91), correlation test was showed that T1GA, T1FA, T1MA and the subscale of T2AA- depend are positively correlated. Furthermore, T1GA was found to be the moderator on T1FA and subscales of T2AA-close only when we filtered out very short grandparent take care time (n=65) using multiple regression. However, this speculated result was not support our hypothesis about the buffer effect of T1GA on T1PA and T2AA due the weak correlation between T1FA and T2AAclose. To conclude, grandparenting (especially companionate style) is important not only to enhance the psychological and emotional development of grandchildren, but also strengthen their resilience and copying ability to handle conflicts and challenge that may across their adulthood (T2AAdepend).

46 pages

The aim of the study was to investigate the mediation effect of mindful parenting on the relationship of parental self-efficacy and parent-child attachment of Hong Kong Chinese parents of young children who are in the range of two to six years old. 191 parents participated in the study and results supported the significance in the correlations among all variables as well as the mediator effect of mindful parenting on the relationship between parental self-efficacy and parent-child attachment. The implications of the mediating effect further shed the light on how mindful parent should move on, together with the program incorporating with parent self-efficacy in yield the best outcome in the parent-child relationship. Limitations and future research directions are discussed.

viii, 45 pages

[39] pages

There is a growing concern in setting up volunteer group and promoting volunteerism at the company level. 215 adults in a construction company of China background were invited to participate, 193 valid response was used to investigate the relationship of Light Traits Personality, Dark Traits Personality, motivations, and volunteer participation. We found that introjected regulation (a kind of external motivation) showed a signification moderation effect between people with Dark Traits Personality and volunteer participation. The presence of significant others is critical in mobilizing people with both high or low Dark Traits Personality, low in Machiavellianism and high in Narcissism to volunteer. However, the present of motivation did not moderation the relationship between people with Light Traits Personality and volunteer participation, as well as Psychopathy and volunteer participation. Introjected regulation strategies are suggested to promote volunteerism in a company level.

[34] pages

According to UNICEF Convention on the Rights of the Child Article 31, children should have their rights to play. Prior studies suggested play is an initial urge for our survival. Playfulness is essential ingredient of our creative mind and internalize to our personality trait. Playfulness believed enhance people resilience, stress coping, self-esteem, and parental ability. It determines our subjective welling-being and life-satisfaction. Under the haze of COVID19, the Stay-Home policy further decreases parent’s intention to let children play interact with others. Current study found positive correlated association between adult playfulness traits and parental style. A pair t-test indicated gender difference in Hong Kong parent’s playfulness OLIW obviously in Other-directed and Whimsical traits. Examined mediation modes indicated parental stress has mediated effect on intellectual and whimsical traits to authoritarian, permissive and uninvolved parental style tendency. Moreover, study discovered parent’s age and other-directed trait were positive associated to their children’s playtime. Finally, it investigated there was no association between existing parental style and child’s playtime. A quantitative online randomised research done by 161 Hong Kong parents, who aged 18 above, have a child age within 2 to 13 years old. Participants (N = 161) were assigned to answer the self-report survey within 3 weeks. Hyper-link had prioritized sent to parent’s chat room and Facebook group. Measure instruments were OLIW-S for Playfulness traits; Parent Stress Scale (PSI-SF) for Parenting Stress and Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire (PSDQ) for Parenting Style. This study conducted in a hope of remind parents to have a second thought on their parenting.

[56] pages

In 2019, Hong Kong had outbroken the biggest social movement in half century together with the biggest global pandemic in a century. The stress and distress of student raised to the new high, and teacher is the most reachable resource and support for student. Meanwhile, counselling training is not including in teacher registration requirements. Unequipped teacher expose to traumatized student is suspected to be suffered from vicarious traumatization. The result confirmed that the secondary trauma stress of Hong Kong teacher had reached to a worrying level. Meanwhile, the result also revealed that student trauma encountered could raise the compassion satisfaction of teacher in some of the trauma types if the teacher had received counselling training. The result suggested that counselling training and self-care could help Hong Kong teacher to gain psychological protection and get better prepared for the current and future challenges.

83 pages

Being a workaholic is detrimental by previous research. By using job-demand resources model, this research aims to investigate how three aspects of job demand (work overload, role ambiguity and role conflict) and perfectionism are inter-related to workaholism in Hong Kong context by using a questionnaire survey to 120 employees. Correlation and regression had been used to analysis the relationship between the factors. The result showed that job demand (work overload, role ambiguity and role conflict) are positively correlated with workaholism and perfectionism is also positively correlated with workaholism for Hong Kong employees.

59 pages