Vania Ho - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Vania Ho

Comprehensive psychiatry, 2015

BACKGROUND Stigma of mental illness is a global public health concern, but there lacks a standard... more BACKGROUND Stigma of mental illness is a global public health concern, but there lacks a standardized and cross-culturally validated instrument for assessing the complex experience of stigma among people living with mental illness (PLMI) in the Chinese context. AIM This study examines the psychometric properties of a Chinese version of the Stigma Scale (CSS), and explores the relationships between stigma, self-esteem and depression. METHODS A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a community sample of 114 Chinese PLMI in Hong Kong. Participants completed the CSS, the Chinese Self-Stigma of Mental Illness Scale, the Chinese Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Chinese Patient Health Questionnaire-9. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted to identify the underlying factors of the CSS; concurrent validity assessment was performed via correlation analysis. RESULTS The original 28-item three-factor structure of the Stigma Scale was found to be a poor fit to the data, whereas a ...

British Journal of Educational Psychology, 2022

BACKGROUND The use of mediated learning in cognitive training has been shown to be effective in e... more BACKGROUND The use of mediated learning in cognitive training has been shown to be effective in enhancing students' cognitive development. Nonetheless, its effects on language development are less explored. AIMS This study examined the effects of an early cognitive intervention (Think Bright program) in enhancing the cognitive and language development of Hong Kong preschoolers with developmental delay. METHOD Sixty-eight children (48 boys and 20 girls; mean age = 58 months) with developmental delay were recruited from preschool rehabilitation centres and randomized to two groups (Think Bright training vs. active control). Each child in the Think Bright group received 12 sessions of 1-hr individual training on thinking skills over 6 months. The control group received the same amount of training based on the regular training regimen adopted at the rehabilitation centres. RESULTS After a 6-month intervention, the Think Bright group significantly outperformed the control group in language, general cognition, analogical thinking, sequential thinking, and logical reasoning. The Think Bright teachers' mediation skills significantly improved during the course of intervention and correlated moderately with the improvement in students' language abilities. CONCLUSION This study has shown promising results on the effectiveness of using mediated learning in early cognitive intervention in enhancing both the cognitive and language development of preschoolers with developmental delay.

Social Work Research, 2018

Art exhibits are opportunities for reflecting on social issues. These encounters can promote citi... more Art exhibits are opportunities for reflecting on social issues. These encounters can promote citizenship as individuals understand more about marginalized communities and the promising effect of both personal action and social policy. While viewing art showcases personal narratives, the addition of art making as a form of reflection intensifies reflection thereby allowing for compassion to germinate and social action to grow. In this study, art exhibits and art making workshops were offered to increase understanding and support for people living with mental illness in Hong Kong. Twenty people living with mental illness who participated in a 10 week art therapy group created an art exhibit of images they wanted others to know about them. The exhibit was mounted in several locations including art galleries, shopping malls, performance venues and public transportation hubs. Viewers (n=862) selected a piece that was meaningful to them, wrote their thoughts, and posted one action they co...

Comprehensive Psychiatry, 2015

Background: Spiritual well-being has become an increasingly important issue for the elderly peopl... more Background: Spiritual well-being has become an increasingly important issue for the elderly people. The 12-item Spirituality Index of Well-Being (SIWB) is a well-validated instrument for assessing a patient's current spiritual state. However, the psychometric properties of the SIWB in the Chinese elderly populations are not known. Therefore, this study translated the SIWB into Chinese and evaluated its psychometric properties. Methods: The English version of the SIWB was first translated into Chinese based on the Brislin's translation model. The psychometric properties of the translated version of the SIWB (SIWB-C) was evaluated in 416 elderly Taiwanese recruited using a purposive sampling procedure from a medical center, a long-term care institution, and a community health center. Convergent validity was accessed using Pearson's correlation coefficients of the SIWB-C, the EQ-5D-3 L health-related quality of life scale, and the Geriatric Depression Scale-5 (GDS-5). Exploratory factor analysis with Varimax rotation was performed to determine the construct validity. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted for verification of the quality of the factor structures and demonstrating the convergent validity of the SIWB-C. An internal consistency test based on the Cronbach's alpha coefficient and a stability test based on the Guttman split-half coefficient were also performed. Test-retest reliability was evaluated with intraclass correlation coefficient. Results: Exploratory factor analysis confirmed the original two-dimensional structure of the scale. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a well-fitting model and a fine convergent validity of the SIWB-C. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient and the Guttman split-half coefficient for the SIWB-C were 0.94 and 0.84, respectively. The correlations between the SIWB-C with EQ-5D-3 L and GDS-5 were 0.22 (p < 0.01) and 0.45 (p < 0.05), respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficient of the SIWB-C over a test-retest interval of two weeks was 0.989. Conclusions: The SIWB-C was found to be a potential useful measure of subjective spiritual well-being in elderly Taiwanese. Its application in assessing the spiritual well-being in Mandarin-speaking elderly population warrants further investigation.

Social Work in Mental Health, 2016

An art therapy informed community arts project to reduce stigma towards people living with mental... more An art therapy informed community arts project to reduce stigma towards people living with mental illness in Hong Kong included three phases: 1) public exhibition to raise awareness, 2) workshop for viewers to create response art and generate approaches to alleviate stigma, and 3) forum for people living with mental illness and viewers to create art and discuss programmatic recommendations. Results suggested: 1) art exhibits paired with reflection fostered empathy; 2) creating art promoted a wider perspective and initiated dialogue; and 3) collaborative art making facilitated meaningful interaction. These findings offer promising strategies for art and social change.

Art exhibits are opportunities for reflecting on social issues. These encounters can promote citi... more Art exhibits are opportunities for reflecting on social issues. These encounters can promote citizenship as individuals understand more about marginalized communities and the promising effect of both personal action and social policy. While viewing art showcases personal narratives, the addition of art making as a form of reflection intensifies reflection thereby allowing for compassion to germinate and social action to grow. In this study, art exhibits and art making workshops were offered to increase understanding and support for people living with mental illness in Hong Kong. Twenty people living with mental illness who participated in a 10 week art therapy group created an art exhibit of images they wanted others to know about them. The exhibit was mounted in several locations including art galleries, shopping malls, performance venues and public transportation hubs. Viewers (n=862) selected a piece that was meaningful to them, wrote their thoughts, and posted one action they co...

Comprehensive psychiatry, 2015

BACKGROUND Stigma of mental illness is a global public health concern, but there lacks a standard... more BACKGROUND Stigma of mental illness is a global public health concern, but there lacks a standardized and cross-culturally validated instrument for assessing the complex experience of stigma among people living with mental illness (PLMI) in the Chinese context. AIM This study examines the psychometric properties of a Chinese version of the Stigma Scale (CSS), and explores the relationships between stigma, self-esteem and depression. METHODS A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a community sample of 114 Chinese PLMI in Hong Kong. Participants completed the CSS, the Chinese Self-Stigma of Mental Illness Scale, the Chinese Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Chinese Patient Health Questionnaire-9. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted to identify the underlying factors of the CSS; concurrent validity assessment was performed via correlation analysis. RESULTS The original 28-item three-factor structure of the Stigma Scale was found to be a poor fit to the data, whereas a ...

British Journal of Educational Psychology, 2022

BACKGROUND The use of mediated learning in cognitive training has been shown to be effective in e... more BACKGROUND The use of mediated learning in cognitive training has been shown to be effective in enhancing students' cognitive development. Nonetheless, its effects on language development are less explored. AIMS This study examined the effects of an early cognitive intervention (Think Bright program) in enhancing the cognitive and language development of Hong Kong preschoolers with developmental delay. METHOD Sixty-eight children (48 boys and 20 girls; mean age = 58 months) with developmental delay were recruited from preschool rehabilitation centres and randomized to two groups (Think Bright training vs. active control). Each child in the Think Bright group received 12 sessions of 1-hr individual training on thinking skills over 6 months. The control group received the same amount of training based on the regular training regimen adopted at the rehabilitation centres. RESULTS After a 6-month intervention, the Think Bright group significantly outperformed the control group in language, general cognition, analogical thinking, sequential thinking, and logical reasoning. The Think Bright teachers' mediation skills significantly improved during the course of intervention and correlated moderately with the improvement in students' language abilities. CONCLUSION This study has shown promising results on the effectiveness of using mediated learning in early cognitive intervention in enhancing both the cognitive and language development of preschoolers with developmental delay.

Social Work Research, 2018

Art exhibits are opportunities for reflecting on social issues. These encounters can promote citi... more Art exhibits are opportunities for reflecting on social issues. These encounters can promote citizenship as individuals understand more about marginalized communities and the promising effect of both personal action and social policy. While viewing art showcases personal narratives, the addition of art making as a form of reflection intensifies reflection thereby allowing for compassion to germinate and social action to grow. In this study, art exhibits and art making workshops were offered to increase understanding and support for people living with mental illness in Hong Kong. Twenty people living with mental illness who participated in a 10 week art therapy group created an art exhibit of images they wanted others to know about them. The exhibit was mounted in several locations including art galleries, shopping malls, performance venues and public transportation hubs. Viewers (n=862) selected a piece that was meaningful to them, wrote their thoughts, and posted one action they co...

Comprehensive Psychiatry, 2015

Background: Spiritual well-being has become an increasingly important issue for the elderly peopl... more Background: Spiritual well-being has become an increasingly important issue for the elderly people. The 12-item Spirituality Index of Well-Being (SIWB) is a well-validated instrument for assessing a patient's current spiritual state. However, the psychometric properties of the SIWB in the Chinese elderly populations are not known. Therefore, this study translated the SIWB into Chinese and evaluated its psychometric properties. Methods: The English version of the SIWB was first translated into Chinese based on the Brislin's translation model. The psychometric properties of the translated version of the SIWB (SIWB-C) was evaluated in 416 elderly Taiwanese recruited using a purposive sampling procedure from a medical center, a long-term care institution, and a community health center. Convergent validity was accessed using Pearson's correlation coefficients of the SIWB-C, the EQ-5D-3 L health-related quality of life scale, and the Geriatric Depression Scale-5 (GDS-5). Exploratory factor analysis with Varimax rotation was performed to determine the construct validity. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted for verification of the quality of the factor structures and demonstrating the convergent validity of the SIWB-C. An internal consistency test based on the Cronbach's alpha coefficient and a stability test based on the Guttman split-half coefficient were also performed. Test-retest reliability was evaluated with intraclass correlation coefficient. Results: Exploratory factor analysis confirmed the original two-dimensional structure of the scale. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a well-fitting model and a fine convergent validity of the SIWB-C. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient and the Guttman split-half coefficient for the SIWB-C were 0.94 and 0.84, respectively. The correlations between the SIWB-C with EQ-5D-3 L and GDS-5 were 0.22 (p < 0.01) and 0.45 (p < 0.05), respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficient of the SIWB-C over a test-retest interval of two weeks was 0.989. Conclusions: The SIWB-C was found to be a potential useful measure of subjective spiritual well-being in elderly Taiwanese. Its application in assessing the spiritual well-being in Mandarin-speaking elderly population warrants further investigation.

Social Work in Mental Health, 2016

An art therapy informed community arts project to reduce stigma towards people living with mental... more An art therapy informed community arts project to reduce stigma towards people living with mental illness in Hong Kong included three phases: 1) public exhibition to raise awareness, 2) workshop for viewers to create response art and generate approaches to alleviate stigma, and 3) forum for people living with mental illness and viewers to create art and discuss programmatic recommendations. Results suggested: 1) art exhibits paired with reflection fostered empathy; 2) creating art promoted a wider perspective and initiated dialogue; and 3) collaborative art making facilitated meaningful interaction. These findings offer promising strategies for art and social change.

Art exhibits are opportunities for reflecting on social issues. These encounters can promote citi... more Art exhibits are opportunities for reflecting on social issues. These encounters can promote citizenship as individuals understand more about marginalized communities and the promising effect of both personal action and social policy. While viewing art showcases personal narratives, the addition of art making as a form of reflection intensifies reflection thereby allowing for compassion to germinate and social action to grow. In this study, art exhibits and art making workshops were offered to increase understanding and support for people living with mental illness in Hong Kong. Twenty people living with mental illness who participated in a 10 week art therapy group created an art exhibit of images they wanted others to know about them. The exhibit was mounted in several locations including art galleries, shopping malls, performance venues and public transportation hubs. Viewers (n=862) selected a piece that was meaningful to them, wrote their thoughts, and posted one action they co...