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Purpose: This research study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a psychoeducation group, which is founded on an Eastern approach to health care, in improving the quality of life of Chinese people with mild cognitive impairment (PwMCI). Method: In a randomized controlled trial (RCT), 40 Chinese PwMCI were randomly assigned to either a 10-session psychoeducation group or the control group. Results: A paired sample t test indicated that the treatment group (n = 18) showed significant improvement in their World Health Organization Quality of Life Measure (WHOQOL) score, while the control group (n = 22) did not. Moreover, an independent t test showed that the treatment group was more effective than the control group to improve their WHOQOL score. A reduction in the depressive symptoms was related to the improvement in WHOQOL score. Conclusions: This RCT provides evidence to support the feasibility and effectiveness of psychoeducation groups for improving the overall quality of life of PwMCI.

Purpose: This study developed a culturally appropriate cognitive behavioral group prevention program for Mainland Chinese university students in Hong Kong and tested its effectiveness. Method: A total of 74 Chinese students were recruited and randomly assigned to an 8-week cognitive behavior prevention program (experimental group) or a waiting list control (WLC) group. Results: Compared with the WLC group, participants in the experimental group significantly reduced psychological distress, acculturative stress, negative emotions, and negative thoughts and increased positive emotions, positive thoughts, and postmigration growth, with medium to large effect sizes. Upon immediate completion of the program, about 46% and 30% of the participants in the experimental group and WLC group, respectively, were classified as non-at-risk cases for developing mental health problems. Discussion: The positive intervention effects and clinical implication of cultural adaptation of cognitive behavioral group therapy to Chinese students are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purposes: This research aims to report the results of a 4-month follow-up study of an expanded cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) group that combines CST and Tai Chi on improving the cognitive abilities of community-dwelling Chinese elderly with mild-stage dementia (EwMD). Methods: Two-group pretest–posttest design was adopted in this study, involving 101 Chinese community-dwelling EwMD who had completed an expanded CST group conducted at a local elderly center. Cognitive abilities of the EwMD were assessed by standardized assessment tools at pretreatment (T1), posttreatment (T2), and the 4-month point after completion of treatment (T3). Results: The repeated-measures analysis of variance showed that after completing the expanded CST group, the improved cognitive abilities of participants could be maintained up to 4 months after the completion of treatment. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that treatment effects of the expanded CST group could be maintained up to 4 months after completion of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This research project aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a physical activity (PA) intervention model for people with severe mental illness in a Chinese society. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was adopted in this study. In addition to treatment-as-usual (TAU), the treatment group (n = 52) participated in a supervised jogging activity twice a week for a total of eight sessions, followed by four sessions of psychoeducation on nutrition and personal appearance. The control group (n = 42) received TAU. Standardized assessment tools were used for the outcomes assessment at pre- and posttreatment. Results: 2 × 2 repeated measures analysis of covariance demonstrated that the treatment group was significantly more effective than the control group in reducing depressive symptoms and increasing self-esteem and social support. Conclusions: This study supports the effectiveness of a PA intervention model in a Chinese society, suggesting the importance of incorporating regular physical exercises into community-based mental health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This research study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an expanded cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) model that combines a CST group and tai chi on improving the cognitive ability of community-dwelling Chinese elderly with mild stage dementia (EwMD). Method: A randomized waitlist controlled trial design was adopted in this study. The treatment group participated in a structured CST group followed by tai chi twice a week, with a total of 14 sessions throughout the study period. The waitlist control group received treatment as usual at the initial stage and expanded CST model at a later stage. The Chinese Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (DRS) and the Chinese Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) were used to assess the cognitive ability of EwMD in the pre- and post- treatment periods. Results: At baseline, the treatment group (n = 51) and control group (n = 50) did not differ significantly in any demographic or clinical variables. Overall, the participants had a mean baseline MMSE score of 20.67 (SD = 2.30). The 2 × 2 repeated measures ANCOVA demonstrated that the treatment group was significantly more effective than the control group in improving the MMSE score (F = 12.31, p<.01) with a moderate effect size (partial eta square =.11) after controlling for group difference in age, gender, education, and having a diagnosis of dementia. Conclusion: The present study demonstrates the effectiveness of the expanded CST model on the improvement of cognitive ability of community-dwelling EwMD. More research is needed to further investigate this intervention model across cultures and societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This research study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a psychoeducation group, which is founded on an Eastern approach to health care, in improving the quality of life of Chinese people with mild cognitive impairment (PwMCI). Method: In a randomized controlled trial (RCT), 40 Chinese PwMCI were randomly assigned to either a 10-session psychoeducation group or the control group. Results: A paired sample t test indicated that the treatment group (n = 18) showed significant improvement in their World Health Organization Quality of Life Measure (WHOQOL) score, while the control group (n = 22) did not. Moreover, an independent t test showed that the treatment group was more effective than the control group to improve their WHOQOL score. A reduction in the depressive symptoms was related to the improvement in WHOQOL score. Conclusions: This RCT provides evidence to support the feasibility and effectiveness of psychoeducation groups for improving the overall quality of life of PwMCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although self-stigma is found to have adverse effects on the lives of persons with mental illness, little is known on the self-stigma of these individuals in Chinese societies. Objective: This research study explores the prevalence rate and predicting factors of self-stigma of consumers in two Chinese cities, Hong Kong and Guangzhou. Methods: A cross-sectional research design is adopted which involves a random sample of 266 consumers from Hong Kong and a convenient sample of 208 consumers from Guangzhou. These individuals have been assessed in terms of their self-stigma, recovery, self-esteem and quality of life by using standardized assessment scales. Results: In all, 38.3% of the Hong Kong participants and 49.5% of the Guangzhou participants report to have self-stigma. Also, self-stigma is found to be negatively related to self-esteem and quality of life. A logistic regression analysis shows that hope and well-being are predicting factors of self-stigma. Conclusion: Self-stigma is found to be higher in Guangzhou, probably due to the influence of traditional cultural values. Also, as hope and well-being are found to be predicting factors of self-stigma, suitable recovery-orientated interventions that facilitate hope and well-being should be developed so as to reduce self-stigma of consumers in Chinese societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]