Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 1999

Academic and Practical Contributions Wh a t do the researchers t h i nk is the greatest c o n t r i b u t i on of thi s study? Prof . Shek said that it is the first s t u d y e x p l o r i n g m i d l i fe adults i n a Chinese c u l t u r a l environment. I t deepens understanding of the midlife adjustment of Chinese people, a nd enables social scientists to assess the applicability o f Western models to Chinese people, as w e l l as to construc t models w i t h specific relevance t o the Chinese. P r o f . Shek also believes t h at th e f i n d i n gs h a v e a p p l i e d relevance i n the p r e v e n t i o n or r e d u c t i o n of m i d l i f e ma l a d j u s t me n t , o f f e r i ng i n s i g ht i n t o v a r i o u s treatment a nd interventio n possibilities. For example, since it has been s h o w n that ma r r i e d w o m e n i n m i d l i fe are under greater pressure tha n their spouses, more w o r k can be done alon g the lines o f ma r r i a g e counselling for w o m e n ; since it has bee n s h o w n that ma r i t al a d j u s t me n t is a majo r factor i n f l u e n c i n g the me n t al healt h of m i d l i f e adults, they s h o u l d be encouraged to raise the q u a l i t y of ma r r i ed life a nd b u i l d u p a positive attitud e towards life. Last b u t not least , the instruments developed in this project can be used t o i d e n t i fy i n advance w h i c h ma r r i e d i n d i v i d u a l s are 'at risk,' alerting t h em to the nee d of p r e p a r i ng for m i d l i fe adjustment . • Prof. Daniel Shek (Ph .D.JP ) is a psychologist with special interest in human development, mental health, social science research methods and psychosocial assessment. He has published extensively on the mental health of Chinese people, parenting, an d the role of the family on adult and adolescent development. He is a consulting editor of the J o u r n a l of C l i n i c a l P s y c h o l o g yand a member of the editorial board of International J o u r n a l of A d o l e s c e n t M e d i c i n e and H e a l t h , R e s e a r c h on S o c i a l W o rk P r a c t i c e , J o u r n a l of Y o u t h S t u d i e s , and H o ng K o n g j o u r n a l of Social W o r k . He is a fellow of the Hong Kong Psychological Society. Prof. Lam Mong-chow received her undergraduate education at The Chinese University, and obtained her MSW from the University of Minnesota and her Ph.D. from the University of Southern California. In 1976 she joined the Social Work Department of The Chinese University as a field instructor, becoming lecturer in 1980, and senio r lecturer in 1989. Her research interests are mainly in clinical social work practice, families, child rearing practices, midlife adjustments, and issues related to new arrivals from the mainland. Prof. Tsoi Kcon-wah received his training in social work at The Chinese University and obtained his B.S.Sc. in 1979. After working in Caritas-Hong Kong as a social worker for three years, Prof. Tsoi went to study social planning at the London School of Economics and Political Science where h e received his M.Sc. in 1983. Prof. Tsoi joined The Chinese University as a full-time field instructor in sodal work in October 1983 and became a lecturer in social work in 1987. Prof. Tsoi's research interests are income security for seniors, the service needs of new arrivals from the mainland, and social work with drug abusers. Miss Lam Ching-man graduated from The Chinese University and furthered her training at McGill University In Canada, where she obtained her master degree in social work in 1986. Miss Lam joined The Chinese University in 1 987 as a field instructor in the Department of Social Work. Her research interests are in adolescence and family studies, process and outcome evaluation in family therapy, and the exploration of cultural issues in social work practice. From left: Prof. Tsoi Kcon-wah, Prof. Daniel Shek, Miss Lam Ching- man, Prof Lam Mong-chow. Research News