http://dspace.cityu.edu.hk:80/handle/2031/3597 2013-04-30T10:24:51Z http://dspace.cityu.edu.hk:80/handle/2031/3758 Title: The effect of cognitive behavioral therapy in reducing psychotic symptoms and enhancing functions in schizophrenic patients Authors: Mann, Ka Fai (萬家輝) Abstract: Objectives: This study tried to develop a treatment group based on the cognitive behavioral approach, to help schizophrenic patients to cope with their psychiatric symptoms. The effectiveness of the treatment group in reducing psychotic symptoms and the functional improvement resulted among schizophrenic patients were assessed. Methods: A total of 50 psychiatric in-patients who were diagnosed to be suffering from schizophrenia with active positive psychotic symptoms for more than one year (i.e., treatment resistant) were recruited from Kwai Chung Hospital. The experimental group received cognitive behavioral therapy group, whereas the control group received a series of educational groups. A pretest and two posttests (immediately after the treatment and at one-month follow-up) were conducted to assess patients’ schizophrenic symptoms and functional abilities. Two trained occupational therapists who were blinded to the hypothesis rated the participants in both conditions. Results: Both measurement of symptom areas and functional abilities had a moderate to high internal consistency and inter-rater reliability. Patients who stayed longer in the hospital tend to have poorer self-care, more disturbing behavior, and lower social and general function. Social, affect, and thought process symptom categories were strongly negatively correlated with patients’ self-care, social contact, and communication skills. No significant difference was found between the experimental and control group in their functional abilities after the treatments. Significant difference was found between the two groups in the symptom hallucinations when tested immediately after the treatments, but not on the one-month follow-up test. Discussion: The fading of the improvement in the present study may be due to the lack of practice and environmental constraint. After the treatment phase, participants will have to resume to their previous daily routines in the hospital, which are not favorable to the practice of the cognitive behavioral coping method. Notes: Nominated as OAPS (Outstanding Academic Papers by Students) paper by Department in 2006-07. 2000-01-01T00:00:00Z http://dspace.cityu.edu.hk:80/handle/2031/3647 Title: Comparing the big five and indigenous dimensions of personality in Hong Kong Chinese Authors: Lo, Rebecca Chui Wan (盧翠芸) Abstract: Objectives: The present study aimed to (i) identify personality dimensions that are salient to the Hong Kong Chinese context on the basis of a taxonomy developed by Lai, Luk, and Wan (2002) using the approach of Implicit Personality Theory (IPT), and (2) to examine the congruence between the structure of the identified indigenous dimensions and that of the well established Big Five Personality Factors. Methods: A total of 212 participants were requested to rate each trait on a 9-point scale according to how accurate each trait describes themselves (self rating). They were also asked to nominate a peer to complete the same questionnaire. The selected peers were asked to rate each trait according to their knowledge of the participant on how accurate each trait describes him or her (peer rating). Results: Results indicated that 3 emic personality factors were salient to the Hong Kong Chinese, which exhibited a clear social and relationship orientation. Although substantial overlap was observed between these emic factors and the five-factor solutions as derived from the Western Big Five markers, one-to-one correspondence between the two sets of factors was not identified. Notes: Nominated as OAPS (Outstanding Academic Papers by Students) paper by Department in 2006-07. 2004-01-01T00:00:00Z http://dspace.cityu.edu.hk:80/handle/2031/3619 Title: The effect of individual feedback and group feedback on achievement motivation of Chinese children Authors: Wong, Wing Sze Abstract: Objectives: This study examined the effects of cultural orientation (individualism vs. collectivism) and positive performance feedback type (individual vs. group) on achievement motivation and attributional beliefs (internal vs. external). Methods: The participants were eighty 10-year-olds to 12-year-olds Hong Kong Chinese children. They completed a questionnaire that assesses their cultural orientation, attributional beliefs, and perceived causes of achievement. Then, they were assigned into 4 groups with different combinations of positive performance feedback type. Half-way through a perceptual task, participants received positive performance feedback according to their experimental condition. After the perceptual task, participants completed a questionnaire regarding their attributional belief. Children’s achievement motivation was measured by the choice of task and the accuracy of work throughout the perceptual task. Results: The results revealed that both individual and group positive performance feedback, compared to no feedback, increased achievement motivation. Also, it was found that positive performance feedback was associated with internal attribution (i.e., attributing success or failure to effort and ability). Contrary to the expectation, group feedback did not enhance collectivists’ achievement motivation. The individual feedback was found to be the most effective in enhancing achievement motivation for both individualists and collectivists. In addition, collectivists were found to have higher achievement motivation than individualists, and they attributed more success or failure to internal causes. Discussion: The findings suggest that the nature and the availability of feedback can directly influence or enhance Hong Kong Chinese children’s achievement motivation. 2000-01-01T00:00:00Z http://dspace.cityu.edu.hk:80/handle/2031/3618 Title: Predicting job performance of customer service representatives at offshore call centers with the big five personality inventory Authors: Lee, Sandy Mun Kay Abstract: Objectives: This study examined whether the Big Five Personality Inventory, currently used in many organizations’ selection batteries, is as capable of predicting job performance of Customer Service Representatives (CSR) in offshore call centers as it is of other people-oriented occupations. Methods: Survey questionnaires were distributed by two administrative assistants to CSRs with at least one year of tenure as performance appraisal was conducted on an annual basis. A total of 101 questionnaires were completed. The survey assessed their personality by the Big Five Personality Inventory, their job performance by subjective measurements (i.e., evaluations by their team leaders and supervisors), and their job performance by objective measurements (i.e., the average number of calls handled per hour, the number of compliments, and the number of complaints received). Results: Consistent with the hypothesis, Extraversion, Conscientious, and Openness to Experience were associated with job performance judged by supervisors. Agreeableness and Neuroticism did not yield any statistical significant effect on any of the performance dimensions. None of the Big Five personality dimensions yielded any correlations with the objective measures of job performance. Discussion: This analysis shed light on the use of personality measures for personnel decisions in large organizations, particularly with CSRs. By selecting and hiring those who possess personality characteristics that are related to quality service and employee performance, level of customer satisfaction can be enhanced. 2006-01-01T00:00:00Z