Department of Psychology’s Dr Kwan Presented a Paper at the 8th Asian Academy of Family Therapy Annual Conference
Department of Psychology's Dr Kwan Presented a Paper at the 8th Asian Academy of Family Therapy Annual Conference
28
Oct
28/10/2023
Dr. Edward Kwan from the Department of Psychology, USJ Faculty of Health Sciences, attended the 8th Asian Academy of Family Therapy (AAFT) Annual Conference and presented his paper on ‘A Grounded Theory Study on Chinese Female Spouses of Problem Gamblers in Hong Kong: Emergence of a Multiple Self and Multiple Paradigm Coping Model’.
With the support from the Department of Psychology of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Saint Joseph (USJ), Assistant Professor Dr. Edward Kwan, attended and presented at the 8th Annual Conference of the Asian Academy of Family Therapy (AAFT) and the inauguration of the Family Therapy Center in Hong Kong. The Conference, held between the 27 – 29 October 2023, featured over 60 presentations of research findings and reports by top researchers and practitioners from Asia and beyond.
The conference provided a valuable opportunity for exchange and dialogue among family therapy practitioners and researchers from Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Australia, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and China. During the 3-day conference, participants shared their clinical experiences and research findings to advance knowledge and skills related to helping children and family members in distress and challenge.
(Photo 1 – Dr Edward Kwan presenting his models at the 8th AAFT Annual Conference in Hong Kong)
Dr. Edward Kwan presented his paper on ‘A Grounded Theory Study on Chinese Female Spouses of Problem Gamblers in Hong Kong: Emergence of a Multiple Self and Multiple Paradigm Coping Model’. To contribute to the practices of family therapy, in particular for practitioners working with Chinese couples, Dr. Kwan’s new models could be of use for understanding impacts of addictive behaviours from new self-based orientations and coping behaviours from a dynamic paradigmatic framework respectively.
The Conference had provided a dynamic hub of academic exchanges as well as sources of research inspirations for all participants and presenters. Impacts on family are diverse and dynamic. Family could be subject to chronic psychosocial impacts when their children are suffering from Eczema. Emeritus Professor Ceci Chan of the HKU (see photo 2) and her team had shared their finding of encouraging results by applying the Integrative Body-Mind-Spirit (IBMS) empowerment program for parents and children with Eczema.
(Photo 2 – Emeritus Professor Ceci Chan of HKU and Dr Edward Kwan at the 8th AAFT)
One of the themes discussed in the Conference was impacts of aging on family in the Asian context. Professor Ogasawara Tomoko (see photo 3) from the Institute of International Liberal Arts and Science, Kanazawa University Japan had presented her team’s interesting finding related to experiences of Ambiguous Loss (AL) of family caregivers of dementia.
(Photo 3 – Professor Ogasawara Tomoko and Dr Edward Kwan had an exchange of views on family relations and the experience of Ambiguous Loss)
The success of the Conference was a result of the great efforts of the organising committee, in particular Dr Wai-Yung Lee (see photo 4), the founding president of the Asian Academy of Family Therapy (AAFT). Dr Lee is widely recognized as the pioneer of family therapy in the Asian region, and due to her passion and commitment, the Family Therapy Center, a pioneering initiative in Hong Kong, is made possible.
(Photo 4 – Dr Wai Yung Lee (second from the left), founding president of the AAFT attended one of the workshops)
