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According to the Work/Family Border Theory, the pandemic‐induced disruptions, such as widespread teleworking adoption, have blurred work and family boundaries. Meanwhile, the Work–Home Resources Model posited that the impact of such disruptions on work–family conflicts and mental health depends on individual resources. Building on previous research, this study hypothesised that self‐compassion and self‐control mitigate pandemic burnout by reducing work–family conflicts during pandemic. In particular, we proposed that the proactive nature of self‐compassion motivates individuals to seek resources for managing work–family conflicts, while self‐control translates this motivation into action through behavioural regulation and adaptive coping. Using a three‐wave longitudinal design with 568 participants in China during heightened pandemic severity, the study revealed that both self‐compassion and self‐control were associated with lower pandemic burnout, mediated through reduced work–family conflict. The indirect effect of self‐compassion on pandemic burnout via work–family conflicts was significant only for individuals with high or average self‐control, emphasising the complementary role of both factors. Our findings underscore the protective value of self‐compassion and self‐control in navigating work–family conflicts during collective adversities, advocating for their incorporation in theoretical frameworks and practical intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two studies were conducted in Hong Kong to validate a brief measure of family resilience based on the three-factor CPR model. The CPR model stipulates that family resilience comprises three major factors: Communication and Connectedness (C), Positive Framing (P), and External Resources (R). Study 1 abbreviated the 16-item Family Resilience Scale (FRS16) into six items (FRS6) with a parent sample in the community (N = 1270). Study 2 tested the validity of the FRS6 with a single parent sample (N = 336). The result of Study 1 suggests a dominant general family resilience factor structure with three distinct subfactors. The highest factor loading items from each of the three subfactors were retained in the six-item FRS6. The resultant FRS6 was internally consistent and related to various correlates in similar or better strengths as compared to the FRS16. The results of a separate sample in Study 2 indicated that the FRS6 demonstrated satisfactory internal reliability and correlated significantly with individual resilience, quality of life, anxiety, and depression in the expected directions. Both studies supported that the FRS6 is a psychometrically sound measure of family resilience and can be used in longitudinal studies that aim to chart the trajectory of family adjustment following life adversities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exercise addiction refers to maladaptive exercise patterns involving compulsivity and addiction-like behaviors. Exercise addiction has been found to relate to negative physical and mental health outcomes such as heart abnormalities, physical injuries, and interpersonal conflicts. Based on the social cognitive theory, this study investigated the extent to which the interplay of obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) traits and self-efficacy beliefs would influence the development and maintenance of exercise addiction. A total of 1228 college students in the United States responded to an online survey. Based on cut-off scores of the Revised Exercise Addiction Inventory, the prevalence estimates of exercise addiction were 4.0% for males and 1.8% for females. Results showed that males are more prone to exercise addiction than females. Also, OCPD traits and self-efficacy significantly predicted exercise addiction after controlling for age and sex. Self-efficacy acted as a moderator in influencing the relationship between OCPD traits and exercise addiction, especially for females. At high levels of self-efficacy, more OCPD traits were significantly associated with a higher risk of exercise addiction. However, at low levels of self-efficacy, there was no association between OCPD traits and exercise addiction. The findings suggest that public education and intervention for exercise addiction should attend to the interplay between personality factors and sex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the phenomenon of sibling violence in Singapore. The underlying mechanisms through which maternal authoritativeness and maladaptive coping influenced psychological adjustment following sibling violence were also investigated. Questionnaires were administered to 287 female and 128 male Singaporean college students between the ages of 18 to 27. Results showed that lifetime and past-year prevalence estimates of sibling violence in college students in Singapore were 89.9% and 62.0%, respectively. Lifetime psychological sibling violence involvement and past-year sibling violence involvement (both physical and psychological) were significantly related to maladaptive coping and overall psychological adjustment; lifetime sibling violence involvement was significantly related to maternal authoritativeness, anxiety, and depression only. Maladaptive coping was found to be a significant mediator between past-year physical and psychological sibling violence involvement and two measures of psychological adjustment, anxiety and depression. Maternal authoritativeness functioned as a moderator only for the relationship between past-year psychological sibling violence exposure and psychological adjustment. At low but not high levels of maternal authoritativeness, past-year psychological violence involvement was significantly related to higher levels of anxiety and depression, and lower levels of self-esteem. These findings show that sibling violence is a pervasive problem in Asian countries as well, such as in Singapore. There is a need to educate both the public and the relevant authorities so that steps can be taken to protect those who have experienced or are at risk of experiencing such violence. Through elucidating the role of maternal authoritativeness and maladaptive coping, the present study also suggests new avenues for interventions to reduce the adverse effects of sibling violence. Limitations and future directions are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Addiction‐like eating (AE) is characterized by food cravings and loss of control over excessive food consumption. This study investigated the associations among emotional factors, personality traits, and AE symptoms in Asian young adults. Method: This study included 6,823 Asian university students in South Korea, China, Singapore, Hong Kong/Macao, Japan, and Taiwan. Participants completed the modified Yale Food Addiction Scale (mYFAS) and scales on the Big‐Five personality traits, impulsivity, anxiety, and depression. Results: 6.2% of the participants met the mYFAS (DSM‐IV‐TR) food addiction diagnostic threshold. Participants from South Korea (7.9%) had the highest rate of food addiction, while participants from Japan (5.1%) and Taiwan (4.1%) reported the lowest rates. Emotional factors of anxiety and depression were the most robust correlates of AE symptoms, followed by country/region and personality factors of higher impulsivity, higher extraversion, and lower agreeableness. Personality correlates were region‐specific. Higher impulsivity was a significant correlate for participants from South Korea and Taiwan, higher extraversion for participants from Singapore and Japan, and lower agreeableness for participants from China and Taiwan. Gender was also a significant correlate for participants from South Korea, Hong Kong/Macao, and Taiwan. Discussion: Emotional and personality factors are important correlates of AE symptoms among Asian young adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine psychological mechanisms underlying work stress and burnout that may increase the risk of problem gambling. A serial multiple mediation model is proposed to specify that work stress (high job demand-low job control) can deplete employee resources and lead to burnout. Employees who have emotion dysregulation may engage in gambling to escape or avoid burnout and negative emotions at work. Over time, these employees may become increasingly rely on gambling to cope with their burnout experience, leading to problem gambling. A total of 1233 full-time employees in the United States completed a web survey on work stress. Results supported the proposed serial multiple mediation model. The indirect effect of work stress on problem gambling first through burnout then through emotion dysregulation was significant. The direct effect of work stress on problem gambling was reduced to nonsignificance after controlling for the two mediators (burnout and emotion dysregulation). When the two mediators were considered together in the specified sequence, the indirect effects of work stress on problem gambling through individual mediators were also reduced to nonsignificance. Gender was a nonsignificant moderator, and pathways of the proposed serial multiple mediation model were similar for men and women. Supplementary analyses did not support an alternate sequence of mediators. The present findings suggest that prevention and treatment programs for work stress, burnout, and problem gambling should include the assessment and enhancement of emotion regulation skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we examined the relationship between emotional labor and burnout as well as job satisfaction. Besides, we also explored whether psychological capital (PsyCap) moderated the emotional labor-burnout or job satisfaction associations. In total, 264 full-time Chinese school teachers in China were recruited. Results showed that PsyCap was related to emotional labor, burnout, and job satisfaction in the hypothesized direction. Furthermore, PsyCap moderated the association between emotional labor and the outcome variables. For instance, positive association between surface acting on depersonalization as well as negative association with job satisfaction was weaker when PsyCap was high. In addition, positive association between deep acting and job satisfaction was further reinforced among participants with high PsyCap but not among participants with low PsyCap. Finally, the relationships of PsyCap with depersonalization as well as job satisfaction were more salient among employees who reported infrequent use of expression of naturally felt emotion. Limitations and implications of the study were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study extended the diathesis-stress-coping model (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984) to understand problem gambling in Chinese societies. We examined core model components of impulsivity trait (diathesis), life stress, and gambling refusal efficacy (coping efficacy) with 942 Chinese college students and 153 Chinese gamblers. Results showed that the three core model components exerted main effects on problem gambling for both samples. Among college students, refusal efficacy interacted with impulsivity to influence problem gambling in male and female students, and interacted with life stress in male students only. In particular, more severe problem gambling was associated with higher impulsivity in low- but not high-efficacy students, and with higher stress in low- but not high-efficacy male students. Among gamblers, impulsivity interacted with life stress to influence problem gambling. In the high stress condition, high- relative to low-impulsivity gamblers reported more severe problem gambling, but this pattern was not found in the low-stress condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: This longitudinal study examined the negative impact of postnatal bulimic symptoms on parenting behavior. Method: Ninety-one Chinese mothers were assessed with self-report questionnaires during pregnancy (T1) and telephone interviewed at 6 months (T2) and 1 year postnatal (T3). Results: Bivariate correlation analyses showed that parenting behavior at T3 was correlated with maternal–fetal attachment at T1 and maternal bulimic symptoms at T2. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses further demonstrated that bulimic symptoms at T2 predicted maternal concern at T3 above and beyond the effects of maternal–fetal attachment at T1. However, bulimic symptoms at T2 did not uniquely predict maternal restrictiveness at T3. Conclusion: To facilitate effective parenting, examining maternal eating disturbance alone may not be sufficient to understand fully its impact on parenting behavior. This area of research should move toward identifying how multiple risk factors work together to interfere with the functioning of the parental role. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstracts: The process of modernization and rapid economic development in China has brought changes in family structure and gender relation. We reviewed empirical literature on intimate partner violence (IPV) in China within the past 20 years to understand the magnitude and nature of the problem. Information was drawn from 19 empirical studies and a total of 49,201 adult respondents. The average lifetime and year prevalence of male-on-female IPV was respectively 19.7% and 16.8% for any type, 42.6% and 37.3% for psychological, 14.2% and 6.7% for physical, and 9.8% and 5.4% for sexual violence. Higher lifetime prevalence of any type of IPV was reported by rural respondents, by studies conducted in healthcare settings, and by studies using standardized scales to assess IPV. Women were at increased risk of IPV when they and/or their partners were of low education and socio-economic status, grew up in rural areas, and exhibited behavior problems of smoking, alcoholism, and illicit drug use. IPV was also related to long duration of marriage, poor marital quality, marital conflicts, sexual jealousy and extramarital affairs, status/power disparity between partners, inadequate social support, and extended family structure. Cultural and societal risk markers included patriarchal beliefs, wife-beating myths, and political/legal sanction of violence. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objective: This study explored psychosocial factors associated with psychological adjustment among survivors of a severe natural disaster. Methods: Two hundred sixty-seven adult Thai survivors of the 2004 Southeast Asian earthquake–tsunami were surveyed. Results: At 6 months following the disaster, percentages of survivors who reported positive and negative adjustment were 34% and 40%, respectively. For positive adjustment, best predictors were predisaster employment, increased arousal, and frequent support seeking. Support seeking also partially mediated the association between arousal and positive adjustment. For negative adjustment, infrequent support seeking and increased intrusion and arousal were the best predictors. Arousal was a partial mediator between intrusion and negative adjustment, and support seeking also partially mediated the influence of intrusion and arousal on negative adjustment. Conclusion: Mental health programs for survivors of natural disasters should focus on promoting active coping strategies such as support seeking, strengthening of support networks, and management of posttraumatic stress symptoms to facilitate adjustment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objective: This study aimed to examine rates and associated factors of parent-to-child corporal punishment and physical maltreatment in Hong Kong Chinese families. Method: Cross-sectional and randomized household interviews were conducted with 1,662 Chinese parents to collect information on demographic characteristics of parents and children, marital satisfaction, perceived social support, evaluation of child problem behaviors, and reactions to conflicts with children. Descriptive statistics, analyses of variances, and logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results: The rates of parent-to-child physical aggression were 57.5% for corporal punishment and 4.5% for physical maltreatment. Mothers as compared to fathers reported higher rates and more frequent use of corporal punishment on their children, but this parental gender effect was insignificant among older parents and those with adolescent children. Boys as compared to girls were more likely to experience higher rates and more frequent parental corporal punishment, especially in middle childhood at aged 5–12. Furthermore, parents perpetrated more frequent physical maltreatment on younger as compared to older children. Results from logistic regression analyses indicated that significant correlates of parental corporal punishment were: children''s young age, male gender, and externalizing behaviors as well as parents’ young age, non-employment, and marital dissatisfaction. For parent-to-child physical maltreatment, significant correlates were externalizing behaviors of children and parental marital dissatisfaction. Conclusions: Hong Kong Chinese parents commonly used corporal punishment on their children, which was associated with characteristics of children, parents, and family. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: The current longitudinal study explored the prevalence and psychosocial factors of disordered eating among new Chinese mothers in Hong Kong. Method: Self-report questionnaires on bulimic symptoms and pregnancy-related factors were collected at both prenatal and postnatal periods from 131 Chinese women. Results: Participants reported significantly more severe disordered eating in the postnatal than in the prenatal period, with percentages being 19.08% and 8.4%, respectively, using the Eating Disorder Inventory-2. Results revealed that prenatal disordered eating, weak maternal-fetal attachment, a low level of instrumental spousal support during pregnancy, postnatal depressive symptoms, and a poor mother-infant relationship were significantly related to disordered eating at 6 months postchildbirth. Conclusion: Findings suggested that the transition to motherhood is a period of stress that may either precipitate or exacerbate disordered eating. © 2006 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2006. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The global outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003 has been an international public health threat. Quick diagnostic tests and specific treatments for SARS are not yet available; thus, prevention is of paramount importance to contain its global spread. This study aimed to determine factors associating with individuals' practice of the target SARS preventive behavior (facemask wearing).Methods: A total of 1329 adult Chinese residing in Hong Kong were surveyed. The survey instrument included demographic data, measures on the five components of the Health Belief Model, and the practice of the target SARS preventive behavior. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine rates and predictors of facemask wearing.Results: Overall, 61.2% of the respondents reported consistent use of facemasks to prevent SARS. Women, the 50-59 age group, and married respondents were more likely to wear facemasks. Three of the five components of the Health Belief Model, namely, perceived susceptibility, cues to action, and perceived benefits, were significant predictors of facemask-wearing even after considering effects of demographic characteristics.Conclusions: The Health Belief Model is useful in identifying determinants of facemask wearing. Findings have significant implications in enhancing the effectiveness of SARS prevention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined Chinese early adolescents 'expectations and experiences of their first menstruation. It included 952 participants, 476 premenarcheal and 476 postmenarcheal girls matched by age and by grade level. Results showed that compared to experiences of postmenarcheal girls, premenarcheal girls anticipated more negative emotional responses and more severe menstrual symptoms at menarche. Premenarcheal and postmenarcheal girls did not differ in levels of self-esteem, gender-role identity, perceived physical attractiveness, and positive emotions to menarche. Compared to those who had their first menstruation on time or later, adolescent girls who reported an early onset of menarche reported more severe menstrual symptoms. However, the timing of menarche was unrelated to postmenarcheal girls 'levels of self-esteem, gender-role identity, perceived physical attractiveness, and emotional experiences of menarche. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on a study that determined the rates of proclivity to elder abuse in Hong Kong, China. Theories explaining elder abuse; Proclivity estimates of elder abuse; Predicting proclivity to elder abuse; Limitations of the study.

Presents a study that examined how Chinese public service professional trainees attribute responsibility to victims and perpetrators of violence against women. Factors associated with responsibility attribution; Methodology; Results of the study.

This study aims to explore various psychosocial correlates associated with how Chinese react to death and dying. A total of 282 Chinese college students participated in this study. They completed the Death Anxiety Scale, the Revised Death Anxiety Scale, and the Multidimensional Fear of Death Scale, as well as measures on self-efficacy and health locus of control. Results showed that younger as compared with older participants and women as compared with men tended to be more death anxious.Those with low levels of self-efficacy and external health control orientations were more likely to report a high level of death anxiety. Only a weak association was found between internal health locus of control and fear of conscious death. Limitations of the study were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore how Chinese residing in different Chinese societies defined violence against women (VAW). A total of 3,540 Chinese human service professionals residing in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the People's Republic of China participated in the study. In general, Chinese perception of VAW was best predicted by their gender, educational attainment, attitudes toward women, and the types of criteria that they used to determine VAW. Results also showed that there were regional differences in the perception of whether the depicted behaviors would constitute VAW, criteria in determining behaviors as VAW, and attitudes toward women. Compared to agency professionals, communion professionals had a broader definition of VA W and were more likely to rate the infliction of psychological harm and violation of women's rights as important determining criteria for VAW. Results and limitations of the study were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the associations between role occupancy, role quality, and psychological distress in 897 Chinese women in Hong Kong. Results showed that employed as compared to nonemployed women reported a lower level of psychological distress. Never married as compared to married women, and mothers as compared to childless women, did not differ in their levels of psychological symptoms. Correlation results indicated that a net gain of rewards over concerns about social roles was negatively related to psychological distress. The number of social roles was related to the balance between rewards and concerns between social roles, but had no significant association with mental health status of women. Results of the hierarchical regression analyses showed that good mother role quality and the occupancy of the paid worker role were significant predictors of a low level of psychological distress. Findings based on a subsample of employed mothers failed to support the compensatory and spillover hypotheses. Limitations and implications for future studies were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the prevalence of elder abuse of Chinese in Hong Kong and also assessed its impact on their psychological functioning. A total of 355 (120 males, 235 females) elderly Chinese residing in Hong Kong responded to a questionnaire administered individually. Results indicated prevalence rates of 2% for physical abuse and 20.8% for verbal abuse. These rates were higher than those reported by a telephone survey of similar respondents. Rates did not differ significantly for men and women. Data from the General Health Questionnaire showed that abused elders, as compared with nonabused elders, scored significantly higher on overall psychological distress. Abused participants were also significantly more dependent on their caregivers than nonabused participants. This difference did not, however, predict the level of psychological distress after accounting for physical abuse and verbal abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates the impact of job characteristics on psychological distress of Chinese single working women in Hong Kong. Role of job satisfaction in the job characteristic-distress relation; Emphasis on the physical job demand-control interaction effect on mental distress; Focus on job satisfaction as a mediating factor between job characteristics and mental distress.

Examines the impact of work- and academic-related sexual harassment on women in Hong Kong, China. Questionnaires assessing sexual harassment incidents experienced by self; Perceived prevalence of sexual harassment in the organization, job or study satisfaction and organizational commitment.

Assesses the burnout for Chinese human service professionals focusing on a study of factorial validity and invariance with reference to the MBI. Use of exploratory and confirmatory factor analytic procedures; Method used in study; Findings of the study.

Given that the perinatal period is a time of increased risk for pregnant women to manifest mental health problems, the identification of antenatal hypomanic symptoms is particularly important. However, data on antenatal hypomanic symptoms is lacking. The present study was aimed at filling this research gap by investigating the prevalence of hypomanic symptoms, including the "active-elated" and "irritable/risk-taking" sides of hypomanic symptoms at the first trimester, and examining their associations with anxiety and depressive symptoms at the following time points: the first trimester, the second trimester, and up to 6-week postpartum. A prospective longitudinal design with a quantitative approach was adopted. A consecutive sample of 229 pregnant Chinese women in Hong Kong was assessed. Hypomanic symptoms were assessed with the Hypomania Checklist-32 (HCL-32). Of the sample, 43.6% had elevated levels of hypomanic symptoms in the first trimester. Multiple regression analysis showed that after adjusting for potential confounding factors, irritable/risk-taking symptoms were independently associated with higher anxiety symptoms in the first and second trimesters and in the 6-week postpartum period. Primary healthcare practitioners should be made aware of antenatal hypomanic symptoms in pregnant women to facilitate early identification and intervention for anxiety and depression to improve the well-being of both mothers and infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the reliability and validity of the translated Chinese-Cantonese version of the Pregnancy-Related Anxiety Questionnaire-Revised (PRAQ-R) in a sample of pregnant women in Hong Kong, China. It also aims to determine whether pregnancy-related anxiety changes significantly across trimesters and if it is differentiated from general anxiety and depression.Method: This study adopts a prospective longitudinal design with a quantitative approach. A consecutive sample of 186 Chinese pregnant women from hospitals in Hong Kong are assessed using the translated Chinese-Cantonese version of the PRAQ-R and other standardized instruments at three time points during the first to third trimester.Results: A confirmatory factor analysis revealed a three-factor structure of the Chinese-Cantonese version of the PRAQ-R, including fear of giving birth, fear of bearing a physically or mentally handicapped child, and concern about one's appearance. The internal consistency was excellent (α = 0.88 to 0.91) for all of the items in the PRAQ-R across the three trimesters. The average variance extract (AVE) and composite reliability (CR) for each factor were greater than the recommended level of CR > 0.70 and AVE > 0.50. Multiple regression analyses showed that a combination of general anxiety and depression explained a small proportion of the variance (10-29%) in the PRAQ-R subscales during the three trimesters.Conclusions: The Chinese-Cantonese version of the PRAQ-R has good validity and reliability, and the results provide evidence of its relevance for Chinese pregnant women with pregnancy-related anxiety in Hong Kong. The finding also shows that pregnancy-related anxiety is a relatively distinctive form of anxiety that is different from general anxiety and depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pregnancy is a time of increasing vulnerability to the development of body dissatisfaction, anxiety, and depression. The present study aims to examine associations of body dissatisfaction with anxiety and depression at the following points: 6 months before pregnancy (retrospective report); in the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy; and up to 6 weeks postpartum.Methods: A prospective longitudinal design with a quantitative approach was adopted. A consecutive sample of 1,371 Chinese pregnant women in Hong Kong was assessed using standardized instruments at four time points.Results: A mixed-effects model with repeated measures revealed that body dissatisfaction and depression symptoms changed across different stages of pregnancy. Hierarchical multiple regressions showed that, after adjusting for the identified risk factors, body dissatisfaction before and during pregnancy were positively associated with antenatal anxiety and depression symptoms. Concurrent body dissatisfaction was positively associated with postpartum depression symptoms.Limitations: There was a high attrition rate in the follow-up assessments. Antenatal anxiety symptoms were assessed using the scale for general anxiety, which may not adequately capture the experience of anxiety among pregnant women.Conclusions: Primary healthcare practitioners should be made aware of body dissatisfaction among pregnant women in order to facilitate early intervention for anxiety and depression, because untreated psychological disturbance during pregnancy may persist into the postpartum period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Although eating disorders in pregnancy have been studied extensively, little research attention has been given to disordered eating. The objectives of the present study were to determine the prevalence and levels of disordered eating in the perinatal period, and to identify risk factors and adverse outcomes of disordered eating during pregnancy. Method: A prospective longitudinal design with a quantitative approach was adopted. A consecutive sample of 1,470 Chinese pregnant women from hospitals in Hong Kong was assessed using standardized instruments at five time points from the first trimester to 6 months postpartum. Results: The levels of disordered eating changed significantly across trimesters. Higher levels of disordered eating in pregnancy were significantly associated with higher levels of disordered eating at 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum, greater anxiety and depressive symptoms, lower 1‐min Apgar scores, and abnormal birth weight. Discussion: The present study pointed to the need for more research and clinical attention to antenatal disordered eating given that it is associated with anxiety, depression, postpartum disordered eating and obstetric outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current HIV prevention interventions for female sex workers (FSWs) have tended to target the cognitive factors in changing their behaviors, yet little attention has been paid to the psychological factors that influence the behavior of women in sex work. This review aimed to explore the associations between the psychological health of FSWs and HIV risk. A total of eight studies published in English before July 2013 were identified and reviewed. FSWs had reported psychological issues, including depression, suicidal thoughts as well as lower quality of life, and the pooled prevalence of probable depression was as high as 62.4%. The majority of studies showed that higher scores in psychological health problems were associated with increased HIV risk behavior, in particular inconsistent condom use, or sexually transmitted infections. Among the five studies which measured symptoms of depression, four documented that higher depression scores were significantly associated with inconsistent condom use among FSWs with their clients and/or partners. Meta-analysis using a fixed-effects model was performed to examine the association between depression and inconsistent condom use and found that higher scores in depression were significantly associated with inconsistent condom use (odds ratio = 2.57,p < .001). This review contends that future HIV preventive interventions should take psychological health of FSWs into consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Female sex workers (FSWs) are often considered as the vector, if not reservoir, of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Building upon the existing evidence on the role of psychological health in sexual health, the aim of this protocol is to describe a trial investigating the effectiveness of the Personal Resilience and Enrichment Programme (PREP), a resilience-promoting intervention that targets at psychological well-being i.e. self-esteem, self-efficacy and coping, to facilitate adaptation and ultimately safe sexual practices among FSWs, which could be an innovative strategy in controlling the spread of these infections.Methods: A total of 132 FSWs will be recruited and randomly assigned to either the intervention or usual care (control) groups in a multi-centred randomised controlled trial. Based on the resilience framework, this intervention is comprised of six weekly sessions focused on the awareness, expression and management of emotions, identifying roles and personal strengths, and effective problem-solving skills. Complex intervention assessment on both intervention process and effectiveness will be adopted when the primary outcome reduction of sexual risk behaviour and other psychological outcomes include their perceived stress, self-esteem, self-efficacy, coping overall resilience, and psychological distress will be measured at baseline, post-treatment and 3-month post-intervention and differences assessed by ANOVA. The relationship of resilience factors, psychological health and HIV preventive behaviours will be evaluated using structural equation modelling.Discussion: It is anticipated that this study will increase our understanding of the relationships between individual resilience attributes, positive adaptation, psychological health and sexual health practices. If successful, this programme will provide an innovative direction for HIV prevention by applying the personal resilience factors to promote both psychological well-being and safe sex for this high risk population.Trial Registration: ChiCTR-PRC-13003091. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Goals Of Work: The objective of the study was to examine quality of life (QOL) and its age-specific factors in cervical cancer patients at different stages of life.Materials and Methods: One hundred and seventy-three Chinese patients with cervical cancer were surveyed by telephone. QOL was assessed with the WHO Quality of Life Scale-Chinese/Hong Kong (HK) version (WHOQOL-BREF-HK) and compared across age groups. Using multiple regression analyses, demographic and medical factors that were independently associated with QOL outcomes in each age group were identified.Main Results: The age groups did not differ in the level of QOL, except for the social relationship domain. Older patients reported poorer social functioning than younger patients. Different factors were associated with QOL outcomes in different age groups. For patients in young adulthood, employment and education level were positively associated with QOL. For patients in midlife adulthood, time since diagnosis and stage of cancer were positively associated with QOL. For patients in aging adulthood, QOL was negatively associated with age, physical morbidity, and a history of termination of pregnancy. However, having a partner and possessing religious belief were positively associated with QOL.Conclusions: Patient's age had a significant impact on the experience of QOL. Older patients had poorer social relationships than younger patients. Religion seemed to have a protective effect against poor social functioning in aging patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey study conducted among 226 Chinese voluntary workers in Hong Kong showed that satisfaction with voluntary work, integration into the voluntary institution, and burnout syndromes contributed to volunteers' expected duration of service. Regression analyses also showed that different sets of variables predicted different spans of expected duration of service. Work satisfaction was the most salient predictor for expected duration of service from six months to ten years. Lack of personal accomplishment predicted expected duration of service for six to twelve months, whereas emotional exhaustion and depersonalization influenced volunteers' expectation to continue in the service for five to ten years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]