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The primary objective of this research was to validate the short version of the Perinatal Grief Scale (SVPGS) in the Chinese population. The Chinese SVPGS was administered to a sample of Chinese women who had experienced recent reproductive loss (N=3t4). The results of the confirmatory factor analysis rejected the original 3-factor model delineated by Potvin (1989). A follow-up exploratory factor analysis suggested an alternative 3-factor model, consisting of a 12-item Sense of Worthlessness subscale, a 7-item Social Detachment subscale, and a 7-item Painful Recollection subscale. Further analysis showed that both the original and Chinese SVPGS demonstrated good internal consistency. Cronbach's alpha equaled .86, .83, .90, and .95, respectively, for the three subscales of Active Grief Difficulty Coping, and Despair, and the total original SVPGS, and .85, .93, .91, and .95, respectively, for the new subscales of Sense of Worthlessness, Social Detachment, and Painful Recollection, and the total Chinese SVPGS. Both versions demonstrated satisfactory correlations with the participants' psychological distress and spousal emotional support. The authors suggest that both versions are useful in measuring the responses of Chinese women to reproductive loss; the original SVPGS should be used for cross-cultural studies, whereas the Chinese SVPGS should be used for local studies. DOI: 10.1080/07481180903492539

Chinese people are consistently reported to be less likely to commit to posthumous organ donation than the Westerners. This study aims at investigating how death anxiety may hinder them from expressing their willingness to donate organs. Among 290 Hong Kong Chinese adults (age [greater than or equal to] 25 years), a higher level of death anxiety was associated with a greater expectation of medical neglect and a lower level of self-efficacy. Moreover, a higher level of death anxiety was also correlated with a lower likelihood of donor card signing and discussion of organ donation. The results of regression analyses suggested a mediating role of self-efficacy on the relationship between death anxiety and these behaviors. That is, death anxiety, by lowering one's perceived self-efficacy, reduces his/her likelihood to sign the donor card or to tell his/her donation decision. Findings suggest that death education program should be included in promotion campaigns for Chinese adults.

This study examined how Chinese public service professionals attributed responsibility to victims and perpetrators of violence against women (VAW). A total of 2,308 Chinese public service professionals in Hong Kong completed questionnaires on attitudes toward women, VAW-related perceptions, and assignment of responsibility to actors in written VAW vignettes. Compared to agency professionals consisting of medical doctors, lawyers, and police officers, communal professionals consisting of psychologists, social workers, and nurses attributed a higher level of responsibility to VAW victims and perpetrators. For both professional groups, attitudes toward women and educational attainment were the most salient predictors of responsibility attribution to VAW victims and perpetrators. Perceived VAW effects on victims were also a robust predictor of responsibility attribution to perpetrators. With regard to group differences, gender was predictive of responsibility attribution for communal but not for agency professionals. Except for perpetrator responsibility attribution for agency professionals, age was also predictive of how professionals assigned responsibility to VAW victims and perpetrators.

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 like 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.

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 VAW 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.

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.

The present study used both exploratory and confirmatory factor analytic procedures to assess the factorial and construct validity of the MBI in Chinese human services professionals (N = 612). The classic three dimensions of burnout were supported, and the deletion of Items 12, 14, and 22 yielded a better fitting model. This new 19-item MBI for Chinese resembled the original 22-item MBI in the pattern of factor correlations and yielded satisfactory internal consistency estimates. Tests of equivalence of item measurements and theoretical structure of the revised 19-item MBI were also performed across gender. Results supported the invariance of the three-factor structure for men and women. Only items measuring the Depersonalization dimension were equivalent, whereas items of the Emotional Exhaustion and Lack of Personal Accomplishment dimensions were partially invariant across gender.

The present study explored the impact of wife abuse on the general and psychological well-being of Chinese women and their children in Hong Kong. Results indicated that both verbal and [...]

Studies on the sexual adjustment of Hong Kong Chinese women who have gynecologic cancer are reviewed. The findings suggest that sexual beliefs based on the Confucian and Taoist traditions still prevail in contemporary Chinese societies and influence Chinese sexual attitudes and behavior. Chinese women show decreased sexual activities, interest, drive, and satisfaction after gynecologic cancer and its treatment. The sexual morbidity rates are around 30-50%, but marital relationships are minimally affected. We recommend that researchers examine the impact of cultural factors to clarify how women from different cultures experience gynecologic cancer and its treatment.

The Chinese version of the WAIS-R was factor analyzed for a sample of 130 Chinese adults in Hong Kong who had low intellectual abilities. All subtests except the Vocabulary subtest were included for analyses. Results supported a three-factor solution composed of Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Organization, and Memory/Freedom from Distractibility Factors, as well as a two-factor solution of classic Verbal-Perceptual dichotomy. Comparison of present two- and three-factor structure with individuals having low or normal IQ in Mainland China and North America revealed satisfactory congruence coefficients. However, our general factor accounted for only a small portion of common and total variance (28.5% and 35.3% respectively). Error variances of our subtests were large when compared to normative samples of Mainland China and US. Results were discussed in terms of clinical interpretation of the WAIS-R subtests, danger of using short-forms to assess IQ and need for normative studies of WAIS-R in Chinese-speaking countries.

A longitudinal study investigated the prevalence and psychosocial factors of disordered eating among Chinese mothers in Hong Kong. Findings suggest that the transition to motherhood is a period of stress that might either precipitate or exacerbate disordered eating.

This study aimed to examine Chinese college students' safer sex behaviors and to explore whether or not the Theory of Reasoned Action would be useful in understanding AIDS/HIV-prevention behaviors of Chinese students. A total of 455 Chinese college students (161 males and 267 females) in Hong Kong participated in the study. Results revealed that 24% of the students were sexually active during the surveyed year, with only 38.2% of them reporting regular condom use. About one third of the students intended to experiment with casual sex in the future, but only 64% would use condoms regularly if they were to have future casual sexual encounters. Results indicated that the Theory of Reasoned Action was most applicable in understanding Chinese college students' intention to use condoms in future casual sexual encounters, rather than in current and future regular sexual activities. Specifically, students who intended to use condoms in future casual sex encounters tended to have accurate AIDS/HIV information, show little prejudice against people with AIDS/HIV demonstrate greater concern about contracting AIDS/HIV feel confident in condom use, and have positive attitudes toward safer sex behaviors. Gender disparity was also noted in the pattern of associations between safer sex behaviors and various psychological variables. Limitations of the present study and implications for future research were also discussed., Researchers have argued that college students are at a particularly high risk for AIDS/HIV infection. College students are usually between 18 and 25 years old, ages when many people feel [...]

This study aimed to explore the pattern of marital power distribution and its association with marital aggression and satisfaction in contemporary Chinese families. A randomized community sample of 1,270 (518 males and 752 females) married Chinese who were 18 years or older and who resided in Hong Kong were telephone interviewed. Approximately half of the respondents reported having egalitarian relationships with their partners regarding decision making. Women's demographic characteristics, but not men's, were related to how decision making was distributed in marital relationships. Egalitarian decision making was directly associated with marital satisfaction but inversely related to marital aggression. In particular, verbal and physical aggression was less prevalent in egalitarian marriages, and there was a trend that severe violence was more prevalent in relationships that were husband-dominant. Men tended to have higher levels of marital satisfaction than did women, and marital satisfaction was higher in egalitarian or divided power relationships.