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  1. Research Impact
  2. Promoting Positive Psychology to Increase Happiness and Enhance Wellbeing of People

Promoting Positive Psychology to Increase Happiness and Enhance Wellbeing of People

Whole School Positive Education

Target at wellbeing of students, parents, teachers from pre-schools, primary schools, secondary schools, and universities with the following process:

  1. Foster a positive school culture and environment by updating school policy.

  2. Facilitate the teachers and parents to learn and practice positive lifestyles by forming study groups, joining workshops and seminars, and cultivating a positive working environment.

  3. Strengthen positive teaching and learning in both formal and informal curricula.

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Joint University Mental Wellness Project
(Joint project with HKU, CUHK, HKBU, and EduHK)

Objectives of the project

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To nurture and enhance the development of tertiary students in the six domains of Positive Education, i.e., positive emotions,positive relationships,positive purpose, positive accomplishment,positive engagement, and positive health.

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To increase the life satisfaction of tertiary students and strengthen their resilience in the face of life difficulties.

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To enhance the understanding and support teaching of Positive Education for academic staff at the tertiary level.

Innovative Intervention: Integrating positive psychology and
elements of music therapy to alleviate adolescent anxiety

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Incorporating the resource- oriented music therapy framework, the present study aims to examine the effectiveness of a designed protocol, integrating positive psychology and elements of music therapy, in increasing the sense of hope and enhancing emotional competence, hence decreasing anxiety and increasing subjective happiness of the adolescents with anxiety symptoms.

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Adopting a two-arm randomized controlled trial, 106 Grade 8 to Grade 9 students were recruited from three secondary schools in Hong Kong and randomized into experimental groups and no- treatment control groups. Results: Students in the experimental groups had significant increases in scores of hope, emotional competence, subjective happiness, and significant decrease in anxiety symptoms. Changes in hope was a significant mediator in the relationship.

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The study provides evidence that integrating positive psychology and music therapy is effective in alleviating psychopathology and enhancing well-being of adolescents.

Feedback from principals

After launching the positive education project, we can see positive growth of the students, as well as positive improvement in student-teacher and parent-student relationship. The teachers’ training and parents’ workshops are practical and applicable. Integration of theory and practice is achieved in the curriculum design and whole- school approach consultation. Research is scientific and professional.

Our experts

Dr. KWOK LAI Yuk Ching Sylvia

Dr. KWOK LAI Yuk Ching Sylvia

scyckwok@cityu.edu.hk
+852 34428768
CityU Scholar
SS homepage

Dr. Kwok pioneered in applying positive psychology intervention (positive education) to alleviate anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation, and to increase happiness and well-being among Chinese children and adolescents. Her mission is to help people build a flourishing life and cultivate a positive culture in society. Her research has contributed to a paradigm shift from a pathological perspective to a positive orientation on mental health. From an ecological perspective, individuals are affected by the peers, school, family, social service organizations, policies, and culture in society. Hence, her research focuses on the impact of school, family, and peers on children and adolescent mental health. She launched her projects not only in schools, but also in social welfare agencies such as Mental Health Association and public corporations such as MTR Corporation Limited. The positive education research projects have increased awareness of the school personnel to adopt whole school positive education approach in their schools. Education Bureau also puts more emphasis on promoting positive education for both the students and the parents. This has indirect impact on education policy in Hong Kong.

  • Excellence in Knowledge Transfer Award presented by the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, City University of Hong Kong in 2013
  • Teaching Innovation Award (Team) presented by the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, City University of Hong Kong in 2019
  • UGC Funding Scheme for Teaching and Learning Related Proposals, Enhancing University Students’ Well-being and Positive Learning Experiences – Application of Positive Education, 2017-2020, Principal Investigator, HKD 5,700,000, On-going.
  • Mass Transit Railway Corporation Limited, Wellness project for MTR staff and passengers, Principal Investigator, 2019-2020, HKD 183,000, On-going.
  • Caritas Family Service (Hong Kong), Practice research for a suicide prevention project, 2016-2021, Principal Investigator, HKD1,500,000, On-going.
  • Bei Shan Tang Foundation (Hong Kong), The application of positive education to nurture wellbeing and promote mental health of primary school students, 2015-2018, Principal Investigator, HKD 4,200,000, Completed.
  • Wofoo Social Enterprises Fund, Whole school positive education in primary schools, 2017-2019, Principal Investigator, HKD 1,000,000, On-going.
  • Mental Health Association, Application of positive psychology to mental health setting – A holistic approach, 2018-2020, Principal Investigator, HKD 620,000, On-going.
  • Tseung Kwan O Catholic Primary School, TKOCPS Whole School Research Project, Principal Investigator, HKD 120,000, On-going.
  • KUGA Primary School, Whole school positive education project, 2018-2020. Principal Investigator, HKD 125,000, On-going.
  • The Salvation Army Lam Butt Chung Memorial School, Positive education project, 2018-2020. Principal Investigator, HKD 100,000, On-going.
  • QESOSA Branch Primary School, Positive education project, 2018-2019. Principal Investigator, HKD 75,000, On-going.
  • Sacred Heart Canossian College, Positive education project, 2018-2010. Principal Investigator, HKD 96,000, On-going.
  • We R Family Foundation, Evaluative research on 333 Learning Companion Leadership Program, 2017-2019, Principal Investigator, HKD 347,400, On-going.
  • Good Hope School, Positive Education: Positive Emotions Research, 2016-2019, Principal Investigator, HKD 190,000, On-going.
  • General Research Grant, Integrating positive psychology and elements of music therapy for treating adolescents with suicidal ideation, Principal Investigator, 2013-2016, HKD 403,800, Completed.
  • Kwok, Sylvia YCL, Gu, Minmin, Cheung, Andy (in press). A longitudinal study on the relationship among childhood emotional abuse, gratitude, and suicidal ideation of Chinese adolescents. Child Abuse & Neglect.
  • Kwok, Sylvia YCL, Gu, Minmin (in press). Parental suicidal ideation and child depressive symptoms: The roles of optimism and gratitude. Journal of Social Service Research.
  • Kwok, Sylvia YCL, Gu, Minmin (in press). Childhood neglect and adolescent suicidal ideation: A moderated mediation model of hope and depression. Prevention Science:https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-018-0962-x
  • Kwok, Sylvia YCL (in press). Integrating positive psychology and elements of music therapy to alleviate adolescent anxiety. Research on Social Work Practice : https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731518773423
  • Kwok, Sylvia YCL, Gu, Minmin, Cheung, Andy (2017). A longitudinal study on the role of children’s altruism and forgiveness in the relation between parental aggressive discipline and anxiety of Chinese pre-schoolers in China. Child Abuse & Neglect, 65, 236-247.
  • Kwok, Sylvia YCL, & Gu, Minmin (2017). The role of emotional competence in the association between optimism and depression among Chinese adolescents. Child Indicators Research, 10(1), 171-185.
  • Kwok, Sylvia YCL, Gu, Minmin, & Tong, Katrina* (2016). Positive psychology intervention to alleviate child depression and increase life satisfaction: A randomized clinical trial. Research on Social Work Practice, 26(4), 350-361.
  • Kwok, Sylvia YCL, Yeung, Jerf WF, Low, Andrew, YT, Lo, Herman, HM, Tam Cherry, HT (2015). The roles of emotional competence and social problem-solving in the relationship between physical abuse and adolescent suicidal ideation in China. Child Abuse & Neglect, 44, 117-129.
  • Kwok, Sylvia YCL (2014) The moderating role of emotional competence in suicidal ideation among Chinese university students. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 70(4), 843-854. doi: 10.1111/jan.12246
  • Kwok, Sylvia YCL, Chai, Wenyu, He, Xuesong (2013). Child abuse and suicidal ideation among adolescents in China. Child Abuse & Neglect, 37(11) 986-996.
  • Kwok Lai Yuk Ching (2019) “Enhancing university students’ well-being and positive learning experiences – Application of positive education (Phase 2)” Learning and Teaching Conference on Excellence in Learning and Teaching in the Digital Era by the Education University of Hong Kong, 24 May, 2019.
  • Kwok Lai Yuk Ching (2018) “Enhancing university students’ well-being and positive learning experiences – Application of positive education” Learning and Teaching Conference on Teaching Excellence in the Big Data Era by the Education University of Hong Kong, 25 May, 2018.
  • Kwok Lai Yuk Ching (2017). “The application of whole school positive education in Hong Kong primary schools” Positive Schools Asia 2017 Mental Health and Wellbeing Conference by the Positive Schools Initiative, 18 Nov, 2017.
  • Kwok Lai Yuk Ching (2017, June) “Integrating positive psychology and elements of music therapy to alleviate adolescent anxiety” Open Seminar on Innovations in Social Work Practice jointly organized by the University of Columbia and City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 7 June, 2017.
  • Kwok Lai Yuk Ching (2017, May) “Integrating positive psychology and elements of music therapy to alleviate adolescent anxiety” 17th World Summit on Positive Psychology, Psychotherapy and Cognitive Behavioral Sciences, Toronto, Canada,1-3 May, 2017 (Keynote presentation)
  • Kwok Lai Yuk Ching (2016, July) “A longitudinal study on the relationship between parental aggressive discipline and anxiety of Chinese preschoolers in China” The Second International Conference on Mental Health and Human Resilience, Cologne, Germany, 14-15 July, 2016. (Keynote presentation)
  • Kwok Lai Yuk Ching (2016, Nov) “The role of positive education in promoting adolescents’ mental health” BeHealth2 Conference, CUHK, Hong Kong, 13 Nov., 2016
  • Kwok Lai Yuk Ching (2016, Oct) “Positive education: Present and future” Scientific Conference: Invest in our Young for a Brighter Tomorrow, CUHK & BGCA, Hong Kong, 7-8 Oct., 2016.
  • Regional Representative Lead in the Positive Education Division of the International Positive Psychology Association