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Recent studies showed that the ICD-11 C-PTSD is associated with considerable individual and social consequences. This study focused on the persistence and psychological predictors of C-PTSD. We analyzed longitudinal survey data from a sample of Hong Kong adults (N = 230) with an interval of approximately six months. Participants completed standardized self-report measures of C-PTSD and various psychological factors (including self-criticism, self-compassion, ruminative response, event centrality, and experiential avoidance) at both timepoints. Over 80% of participants with probable C-PTSD at baseline remained to meet the criteria for PTSD/C-PTSD at follow-up, while over 50% of participants with probable PTSD at baseline remitted at follow-up. Participants with probable C-PTSD were characterized by greater use of mental health services at both timepoints. Additionally, hierarchical multiple regression showed that, among a variety of psychological factors, experiential avoidance was the only significant predictor of PTSD (β = 0.271, p =.001) and disturbances in self-organization (DSO) (β = 0.200, p =.011) symptoms, after controlling for baseline symptom severity and treatment usage. This study shows that C-PTSD persists over time and its symptoms are predicted by experiential avoidance. More efforts are needed to prevent and address C-PTSD in the community. We also offer insights into the management of trauma-related disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of single-item measures of self-rated mental health (SRMH) has been increasingly valued in epidemiologic research. However, little is known about the reliability and mental health correlates of SRMH in Chinese populations. This study examined the reliability and mental health correlates of SRMH in three Chinese samples. We analyzed data collected from two convenience samples of Chinese adults from Hong Kong and/or Taiwan (Sample 1: N = 205; Sample 2: N = 377), and a random sample of Taiwan psychiatric inpatients (Sample 3: N = 100). Our results showed that the single-item measure of SRMH had moderate to good test–retest reliability (intraclass correlation [ICC] = 0.75) in Sample 1 and acceptable reliability between the self-report and interviewer-administered versions (ICC = 0.58) in Sample 3. It had a high positive correlation with self-esteem and a moderately high negative correlation with depression. It also had a consistently negative correlation with borderline personality disorder symptoms and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. The SRMH score was also associated with psychiatric service usage. These findings contribute to the body of knowledge regarding the use of a single-item measure of SRMH to assess overall self-perceived mental health in Chinese communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior research has documented that mindfulness is negatively associated with aggressive behaviors. Recently, studies have examined mediating psychological constructs that account for the relationships between mindfulness and cyberbullying perpetration. The purpose of the current study was to examine the longitudinal relationship between mindfulness and cyberbullying behaviors through the mediating variables of self-esteem and empathy. This study used a two-wave longitudinal design. The final sample consisted of 661 Chinese junior high school students. Participants completed four self-report questionnaires including mindfulness, self-esteem, empathy, and cyberbullying perpetration. Structural equation modeling revealed that mindfulness was significantly related to cyberbullying perpetration over time. Self-esteem and empathy significantly mediated the relationship between mindfulness and cyberbullying. Future research may focus on the potential mechanisms linking mindfulness and other protective factors with cyberbullying perpetration to facilitate the development and use of cyberbullying interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Nonviolent communication (NVC) has been increasingly recognized as a potentially beneficial approach that could promote empathy, resolve conflicts, and improve psychosocial well-being. No validated measure is available to assess or quantify NVC-specific characteristics or behaviors. This paper describes the development and pilot psychometric evaluation of a self-report measure for assessing behaviors characteristic of NVC (e.g., awareness of feelings, honest self-expression). Method: We analyzed data in an online convenience sample of young adults (N = 205). Results: The 7-item Nonviolent Communication Behaviors Scale (NVCBS) was found to have satisfactory internal consistency (α = 0.789 to 0.810), good test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.781) and a single-factor structure. The NVCBS was also positively correlated with empathy while negatively correlated with negative beliefs about emotions, demonstrating its construct validity. Discussion: The study provides a reliable and valid measure of NVC behaviors which can facilitate future studies on NVC. Directions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the great life-altering challenges brought by Coronavirus 2019, school closures and lack of access to exercise and social interactions may have increased students' negative emotions. The current research acts as a follow-up study to the development of the EXSEM-SC, using the Repeated Measures Panel Analysis Framework (RMPAF) to examine the stability of the model in revealing the relationship between physical activity, self-compassion, and mental well-being among Hong Kong adolescents. It is also aimed at examining the changes in physical activity, self-compassion, and mental well-being among Hong Kong adolescents between, before, and after the peak of COVID-19 using the EXSEM-SC Model. The RMPAF has involved 572 (60% Female, Mage = 13.63, SD =1.31) Hong Kong secondary school students. Furthermore, using the abductive qualitative approach, a total of 25 (Mage = 14.84, SD = 1.40) students were involved in the in-depth interviews to further investigate the relationships within the EXSEM-SC. The quantitative results showed that the relationship between physical activity and self-compassion could be demonstrated by the EXSEM-SC, with a satisfactory goodness-of-fit index in the SEMs, as well as satisfying model construct consistency. Moreover, it showed no significant differences in the level of physical activity, self-compassion, and mental well-being during and after the peak of COVID-19. The qualitative results demonstrated two new categories within the EXSEM-SC variables, which are personality traits and injuries experiences. With the stability of the EXSEM-SC model among adolescents, it is expected that the physical activity intervention, which is based on the EXSEM-SC model, could also aim at easing Hong Kong adolescent's mental health issues. In addition, in terms of generating a long-term impact among students, the physical activity and self-compassionate intervention should be promoted among schools. However, the quantitative properties of the two new categories in the qualitative outcomes should be involved in future investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early identification of borderline personality disorder (BPD) is important as timely interventions are beneficial and cost-effective. Unrecognized BPD not only results in suffering for individuals and their families, but also leads to considerable social costs. Although web-based measures have the potential to facilitate screening assessment of BPD for research and clinical purposes, little is known about whether the results of web-based measures of BPD are valid. This preliminary study aims to examine the validity of a web-based measure of BPD. We analyzed data from five independent samples (N = 828 in total). The web-based BPD measure had a consistent relationship with relevant variables, including trauma exposure, mental well-being, depression, post-traumatic stress, dissociation and psychotic features across samples. It was also strongly correlated with another BPD measure. The web-based BPD measure could discriminate between participants with and without BPD and the discrimination performance was excellent (area under the curve =.853). The initial findings suggest that the web-based BPD measure used in the present study is valid and may be helpful for research and screening purposes, although it should be followed up with a more comprehensive assessment in clinical settings. Implications are discussed. Given the limitations in this study, further studies are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although people with pathological dissociation (PD) can benefit from specific interventions, there are challenges in providing suitable interventions for them in the field (e.g., high cost, lack of specialized services, stigma). Many people with PD cannot receive dissociation-focused services in their current service locations. It is important to develop easily-accessible interventions that can support people with PD, especially for those who cannot access dissociation-specific treatment. The authors developed a web-based psychoeducation program to support people with PD, and examined its feasibility and acceptability. A single-group pretest-posttest pilot study was conducted. Findings showed that most of the intended psychosocial outcomes were achieved as planned, which initially proved the feasibility and acceptability of the program. This is one of the first studies that report the use of web-based interventions to support people with PD, especially those who are in the early stages of recovery. The findings suggest that information and communication technology can contribute to different aspects of clinical practice, including recruitment, engagement, assessment and interventions. Further discussion and research are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is a serious public health issue, but not all patients with depression respond well to pharmaceutical treatments. Some scholars suggested that dissociation could be a marker indicating the types of patients with depression that may benefit more from psychosocial interventions than from pharmaceutical treatments. This study explored the possibility to differentiate dissociative depression and nondissociative depression in a clinical sample (N = 68) in the Chinese context, and discusses the potential implications for treatment considerations. Compared with the nondissociative group, the dissociative group reported higher occurrences of psychosocial etiological risk factors (e.g., childhood physical abuse, lack of help from family) and psychosocial-related symptoms (e.g., unstable relations, fear of abandonment, trauma-related flashbacks, somatization symptoms). Our initial findings revealed that patients with dissociative depression appeared to have distinct clinical features and might require more psychosocial interventions. Implications for health care research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have become a major concern in the mental health field. The literature suggests that ACEs could be associated with various mental health problems. Yet, ACEs require further investigation in Chinese cultures, especially in Hong Kong. Both the frequency of ACEs and their relationships with dissociation remain unknown in clinical settings in Hong Kong. In this study, we administered the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES), the Somatoform Dissociation Questionnaire (SDQ) and the 10-item Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Questionnaire to 202 community mental health service users in Hong Kong. The frequency of ACEs and dissociation is reported and the trauma model of dissociation can be observed in this sample. Consistent with the Western literature, we found that ACEs are associated with mental health problems and that participants with childhood abuse and/or neglect report a significantly higher level of dissociation. While this study is preliminary, we suggest that ACEs and dissociation should receive more attention in the Chinese mental health field. Implications for practice are highlighted. Further studies are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Pathological dissociation (PD) is an easily overlooked phenomenon in the mental health field. Standardized assessment is important for identifying dissociative symptoms and disorders. However, the use of PD measures in Chinese cultures needs investigation. This pilot study investigated the psychometric properties of three PD measures among Hong Kong Chinese. Methods: The psychometric properties of the Dissociative Experiences Scale-Taxon, the 5-item Somatoform Dissociation Questionnaire, and the Self-Report Version of the Dissociative Disorders Interview Schedule (SR-DDIS) were evaluated using online methods in Hong Kong. Results: The PD measures exhibited adequate to excellent internal consistency. The PD measures were negatively related to family support and can discriminate between participants with and without self-reported childhood abuse. There was excellent agreement between the online SR-DDIS results and the clinical diagnoses for presence of any dissociative disorder (DD) versus no DD. The DDs group scored significantly higher on PD measures than the depression group and the college student group. Discussion: The initial findings suggest that PD can be assessed online in Hong Kong. Further investigation is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pathological dissociation is widely regarded as a cross-culturally occurring condition related to trauma and adversity and is an important construct in the mental health field. Yet, the frequency of pathological dissociation in both clinical and nonclinical populations in Hong Kong remains unknown. In addition, the relationship of pathological dissociation with aggression and delinquency requires further investigation. To investigate these relationships, we administered the Dissociative Experiences Scale-Taxon (DES-T), the 5-item Somatoform Dissociation Questionnaire (SDQ-5), selected sections from the Self-Report Version of the Dissociative Disorders Interview Schedule (SR-DDIS), the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire (RPQ), and a delinquent behaviors checklist to 177 college students in Hong Kong. The findings suggest that pathological dissociation is not as rare as it is traditionally believed to be in Hong Kong. In our sample, 4.52% of the participants may have a DSM-5 dissociative disorder (including other specified dissociative disorder) while 9.60% met the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for borderline personality disorder (BPD). Our findings indicate that the RPQ total score and delinquency may be more characteristic of BPD than of pathological dissociation. In addition, while reactive aggression was related to pathological dissociation and BPD symptoms in both genders, proactive aggression was related to pathological dissociation and BPD symptoms only in females. Although the findings of this study are preliminary and the results should be interpreted with caution, the study provides the first data regarding pathological dissociation and its relationship with aggression and delinquency in Hong Kong. Some implications for research and practice are highlighted. Further investigation of pathological dissociation in Hong Kong is necessary. In addition, more studies are essential to further examine the relationships between pathological dissociation, aggression, and delinquency in both clinical and nonclinical populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying dissociation is important for mental health services because it could fundamentally affect one’s diagnosis and treatment plan. The Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) is a widely-used self-report scale for measuring dissociative experiences. It has been translated into many languages and used in many countries. However, there is no validated Hong Kong Chinese version of the DES available in the field, and there is no other validated Hong Kong Chinese instrument for assessing dissociative disorders. This pilot study used online methods to translate the DES to Hong Kong Chinese (HKC-DES). The results indicated that the HKC-DES has excellent internal consistency (α = .953) and very good test-retest reliability (r= .797). Bilingual participants’ responses to the DES and HKC-DES indicated high similarity, and were significantly correlated (r= .960). These results initially verified the reliability and cross-language equivalence of the scale. Implications for healthcare practice and research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]