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This qualitative study explored the experiences of 15 Mental Health Professionals in Macau who interact with adults with intellectual disabilities (ID), aiming to understand how these interactions shape perceptions, relationships, and service practices. Using a phenomenological approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with professionals from government-funded NGOs, including social workers, therapists, and healthcare providers. Data were analysed through thematic analysis, yielding seven key themes: (1) New perception of Service Users with ID (e.g., shifting from deficit-based to strength-based perceptions), (2) bidirectional personal transformations in professionals (e.g., increased patience, resilience, irritable), (3) Relationship Dynamics and Emotional Connections (e.g., familial, collegial, or mentor-like relationships), (4) A professional core service share by the perceived role (5) development of best practices emphasizing rapport and knee observations, (6) creation of safe worry-free spaces fostering mutual emotional support, (7) and Needs to be fulfilled in aging services, learning and community integration. Practical implications highlight the need for the addition of course structures related to people with intellectual disabilities in relevant occupational college courses, expanded staffing ratios, and policy reforms to address care gaps related to aging. By revealing the mutual influence of professional service-user relationships, where interactions foster staff growth and client empowerment, this study contributes to the global discussion on disability support, while providing actionable recommendations for Macau’s upcoming Ten-Year Rehabilitation Plan in 2026-2036. The findings hold value for policymakers, service providers, and educators seeking strategies to enhance workforce well-being and service quality in intellectual disability service.

Inclusiveness has become a critical topic nowadays, serving as a benchmark of a nation and community’s level of civilization. As a core component of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), inclusiveness underscores its global significance in fostering equitable and justice societies. The changing dynamics of Macao households, characterized by both parents working or engaging in shift work, along with an increasingly aging population, have led to a growing reliance on domestic workers. As a result, these domestic workers often develop deep relationships with the children under their care, becoming integral members of the households. According to statistics from the Labour Affairs Bureau in Macao (2024), Filipino non-resident workers comprise the second-largest ethnic group, totaling 30,267 individuals. Of this group, 48% (14,604 individuals) are engaged in domestic work, highlighting their substantial presence in the sector. This study aims to investigate the experiences of the largest migrant working group in the region—female Filipino domestic workers—focusing on their experiences of inclusiveness within both the workplace and the Macao community. Utilizing a quantitative research methodology, the study conducts interviews with 10 female Filipino domestic workers in Macao. These interviews provide valuable insights into their lived experiences, illuminating their perceptions of inclusion within their employed families and society. Additionally, the research examines whether existing laws and regulations facilitate their inclusion in Macao. The results of this study revealed eight key themes and two new models of Perceived Inclusiveness in Domestic Workplace and Community , contributing to a deeper understanding of the inclusiveness experience of Filipino domestic workers in Macao.

The present research aimed to assess and compare the perspectives of teachers, parents, and youth regarding the main positive aspects and concerns they have about youth in Macao, namely: (1 and 2) What are the main positive aspects/concerns Macao teachers, parents, and youth focus on? And (2 and 3) How aligned are teachers, parents, and youth in Macao regarding the positive aspects/concerns? We applied a quantitative methodology based on a quantitative content analysis of open-ended questions included in the Macao validation (Simões et al., Unpublished report) of the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (Achenbach, 1991; “what are your concerns regarding your child/your student/yourself”, and “what are the most positive aspects about your child/your student/yourself”). We found alignment regarding positive aspects, with youth, parents and teachers focusing on personality, abilities, and attitudes, and parents additionally on independence. Regarding concerns, there was less alignment. All mentioned academic performance and interpersonal relationships, but parents and teachers also mentioned health, morality, attitudes, and teachers’ class engagement concerns. Teachers and youths mentioned future planning, while only the youth mentioned school activities and facilities, their abilities and character and class rules and assignments. These categories are aligned with development models, including ecological systems theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1994), social learning theory and social cognitive learning theory (Bandura, 1977, 1986), moral development perspectives (Mead, 1928; Gilligan 1933), self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000) and positive youth development perspectives (e.g., Lerner, 2005). The main practical implications are that (1) youth should have a greater awareness of their physical and mental health; (2) parents should build up a support system to enhance autonomy (3) schools play a crucial role in promoting students’ health by creating a supportive environment; (4) counsellors should promote re-connection between youth and their parents or teachers; and (5) decision-makers should invest in mental health education awareness to diminish the stigma, de-emphasise education strategies based on standardised testing, and address broader social and economic inequalities to reduce disparities and academic pressure among youths, parents and teachers.

As suicide and medical consultation rates among local adolescents in Macau rise, their mental health becomes increasingly concerning, highlighting a lack of relevant local research. This qualitative study examines the perspectives of adult helping professionals in Macau regarding adolescents' mental health. It involved semi-structured interviews with 12 professionals, including social workers, teachers, counselors, and psychotherapists. The analysis of the interview data revealed six significant themes impacting the mental health of young people: adult sensitivity to adolescents, excessive online information, the influence of peers or significant others, negative self-image and life experiences, and family and socio-cultural factors. The study's findings highlight the protective role of adult sensitivity to adolescents, the prevalence of excessive online information, the influence of peers and significant others, negative self-image and life experiences, and negative socio-cultural factors in Macau. The study underscores the societal demand for success, the need for family-friendly policies, limited public knowledge about mental health, and the protective impact of adult sensitivity on adolescents' mental health. Recommendations include that the government prioritize adolescents' needs, foster multiple abilities, enhance teachers' understanding of mental health and treatment methods, strengthen the workforce, optimize family-friendly policies, value parent-child time, and integrate emotional education courses into the educational system to boost public awareness of mental health. This study provides valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners committed to improving the mental health of Macau's youth.

Spiritual beliefs enhance work engagement because religious and spiritual perspectives influence how individuals perceive their daily circumstances and organize their activities, impacting their overall happiness and satisfaction with life and reinforcing their meaning in the workplace. This study examines the impact of spirituality on work engagement and wellbeing among religious sisters, focusing on their unique workplace dynamics and coping strategies. Recognizing that work serves not only as a means of survival but also as a source of social, organizational, and spiritual experiences that create meaning, happiness, and a sense of purpose. Moreover, research indicates that spirituality plays a significant role in enhancing well-being, leading to higher levels of work engagement, life satisfaction, and flourishing. This research aims to fill a gap in existing literature about the well-being of religious workers and offer insights that benefit both individuals and organizations. Understanding how spirituality, work engagement, and well-being interact can help organizations and contribute to personal overall well-being. This study has adopted qualitative research as the research as methodology. Semi-structured interviews allow for an in-depth exploration of personal experiences and perceptions, providing flexibility for participants to elaborate on their thoughts. Thematic analysis was then applied to each interview to identify and interpret key themes emerging from the data, facilitating a comprehensive analysis of the participants’ insights (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Thematic analysis revealed several key findings: spirituality serves as a source of resilience, provides a sense of purpose, and fosters strong community ties, all of V which significantly enhance subjective well-being. The findings highlight that high levels of subjective well-being are linked to active engagement in spiritual practices and supportive community relationships. The findings suggest that religious organizations should create tailored support programs that address the specific needs of individual religious sisters, including mental health resources, opportunities for spiritual growth, peer support groups, and regular retreats. This research contributes to the understanding of the unique challenges faced by religious sisters and underscores the importance of integrating spirituality into workplace practices, offering valuable insights for religious communities and policymakers.

The suicide rate has been increasing these decades. A good mental health could prevent people from committing suicide. Parents are the ones whom we spend most of the time with. How parents treat us does have an impact on both our development and mental health. However, some people can always see the positive side of things and expect things to turn out well. Therefore, the present study aims to examine if resilience would mediate the relationship between parenting styles and mental health in bachelor students. A cross-sectional research method was used in this study. Data were collected through Google Forms. The sample consists of 110 Bachelor students in Macau, with 46 males (42%) and 64 females (58%). According to the findings of the study, the mediating role of resilience in the relationships between parenting styles and mental health were found to be not significant. However, bachelor students who perceived their mothers as authoritative parenting style were found to have better mental health. While higher resilience was found to have less impact on the mental health of bachelor students. This study has pointed out the importance of different parenting styles on bachelor students' mental health and further proves the positive influence of resilience towards mental health. There is a need to cultivate the resilience of bachelor students to help them better equip themselves for stressful situations and cope with crises. Workshops or interventions are also needed for parents to teach them better parenting skills and knowledge, so that the mental health of their children could be enhanced by that.

Foul language is a common phenomenon in our daily lives. In the modern time, it is no longer a novelty in using foul language. However, the subjective impression of foul language as uncultured or rude is no longer rare. With the popularity of people speaking foul language in their daily life, especially we are witnessing more and more young people in Macau using foul language to communicate in different context. This study aims to explore the experiences of Macau youth in using foul language. This study adopts semi-structured interviews with study participants, and analyze what they understand and perceive as foul language in different certain situations in the context of Macau. Findings of this study indicate that foul language plays a role in emotional expression and relationship building, which are essential element of counselling service. Even with this factor, participants still felt that the use of foul language was more effective only when the client used than in other situations.

This dissertation investigated the impact of nature exposure, namely access to green elements, and time spent outdoors on well-being, specifically experiences of positive and negative affect and flourishing, in Macao. Drawing on existing literature, the study proposes the following hypotheses: H1: Access to green elements has a positive relationship with positive affect. H2: Time spent outdoors moderates the relationship between access to green elements and positive affect, in that more time spent outdoors will strengthen the relationship. H3: Access to green elements has a negative relationship with negative affect. H4: Time spent outdoors moderates the relationship between access to green elements and negative affect, in that more time spent outdoors will weaken the relationship. A quantitative methodology utilising cross-sectional self-response questionnaires was employed for data collection. The measures used were pre-validated and translated into Chinese through a rigorous translation and back translation process. The final sample consisted of 740 participants from different industries in Macao. The results highlight the significance of integrating natural elements in daily life to promote flourishing and positive affect. The implications of these findings, both in theoretical and practical terms, are thoroughly discussed. The findings offer valuable insights for the implementation of the biophilic practices by counsellors, educators, health professionals, urban planners, employers and other decision makers.

Legalizing gambling has brought numerous advantages to Macau, including employment opportunities, economic growth, improved quality of life, and accelerated urban development. While these macro-level benefits are evident, the industry has also significantly impacted local families and communities. In particular, the initial discovery of a family member's gambling problem inflicts immeasurable harm on the household, and the coping strategies adopted by affected family members critically influence their relationships with the gambler and the overall trajectory of the family unit. This qualitative study, conducted in collaboration between the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) and SKH 24-hour online gambling counseling service (SKH-24H), employed semi-structured interviews to explore the coping strategies of family members of problem gamblers. Nine participants were interviewed, and thematic analysis revealed eight key coping strategies: (1) Bailing out The Problem Gambler, (2) Maintaining Status Quo of the Family, (3) Help Seeking in Macau Community, (4) Coping by Self-Regulation, (5) Coping by Engagement, (6) Coping by Withdrawal, (7) Tolerance and (8) Seeking Psychiatric Consultations. The study aims to enhance the understanding of local gambling counseling professionals regarding the coping strategy employed by Macau families dealing with problem gamblers. By aligning intervention strategies with the lived experiences of these families, the findings can inform more effective, family-focused approaches to service delivery. Furthermore, the research provides insights for government agencies into the real-world challenges faced by families affected by problem gambling, offering evidence-based recommendations for evaluating and revising existing regulations to mitigate the adverse effects of the gambling industry on Macau's households. "

The rising number of students working in different fields after graduation has prompted the Ministry of Education and Training in Vietnam to emphasize the establishment of school counselling focused on career orientation to help students make a right career choice and to enhance workforce quality in response to the labor market. Career orientation is crucial for providing guidance, information, and clarity to assist individuals in career decision-making. This research aims to identify factors influencing career decision-making among high school students in Vietnam. This qualitative study uses semi-structured interviews with a convenience sample of grade 12 students from a public high school in Nghe An Province and a private high school in Dak Nong Province, Vietnam, to explore the factors influencing their career decision-making. This study identified how different factors influence the career choice of students, including individual, family, school, peers, and social trends. Two major influencing factors in career decision-making among the grade 12 students are: 1) academic performance and 2) family socioeconomic status. The results also show the differences among the factors between the public and private schooling, in which students in private school tend to have greater autonomy in their career decision-making, influenced by family aspirations, supportive educational resources and share openly with peers about career choices, while in public school students often prioritize job security and financial concerns due to limited exposure and guidance. This study contributed important information for students to make their career decisions seriously, stressing the role of school in career orientation in providing career information, career programs, and school counselling services to avoid the common situation of “too many chiefs, not enough Indians.

This study amid rising academic pressures and youth mental health concerns, this study investigates how extracurricular activities (PECA) shape academic and psychological outcomes in Macau—a high-stakes educational context. Focusing on 6–18-year-olds, it examines two dimensions: activity type (sports, academic, cultural and artistic) and number of activities, addressing gaps in age-specific and cross- informant analyses within East Asian settings. Using the Achenbach System (ASEBA) in Macau, data from parents and adolescents were analyzed via ANOVA and independent t-tests. ANOVA revealed optimal academic performance (F[3, 456] = 12.34, p < 0.001) and fewer behavioral issues in students with 3 PECA. T-tests showed sports reduced adolescent self- reported depression (t[210] = -3.21, p = 0.002), while academic activities boosted parent-reported grades (t[198] = 4.57, p < 0.001). Cultural activities had limited mental health impacts but enhanced language/math skills. This study underscores the importance of extracurricular activities (PECA) in Macau’s unique cultural and academic context, by validating the ""optimal balance"" hypothesis, it suggests that participating in three well-chosen activities—spanning sports, arts, and academics—yields the best outcomes. The findings emphasize the need for culturally sensitive and developmentally appropriate PECA programs tailored to Macau’s students. This research provides valuable insights into optimizing PECA types and quantities, fostering academic success, emotional resilience, and personal growth, while supporting the holistic development of well-rounded young citizens.

Vietnamese migrant workers in Macao encounter numerous difficulties that significantly impact both their mental well-being and overall health. Daily life can be challenging due to language barriers, cultural differences, workplace stress, and financial hardships. Through an exploratory quantitative approach, this study examines these challenges in greater detail, collecting data from 268 participants, the majority of whom—93.7%—are women. Psychological assessment tools were employed to evaluate resilience, coping strategies, coping mechanisms, and levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. The findings indicate that despite working full-time, many participants receive low wages, live in inadequate conditions, and have limited access to healthcare services. A significant portion of Vietnamese migrant workers send money home to support their families, creating substantial financial pressure. Long working hours, difficulties in communication, and job-related insecurities contribute to mental distress. However, rather than seeking professional counselling, most individuals rely on informal social networks for emotional support. In conclusion, the study emphasizes the pressing need for more robust support systems, enhanced mental health resources, and improved workplace policies to aid in the social integration and well-being maintenance of these workers. Furthermore, it encourages future research to incorporate a greater number of male participants and qualitative data in order to gain a more thorough understanding of their experiences.

Dementia is a progressive cognitive disease affecting 55 million people worldwide. Each of these 55 million people needs at least one caregiver to support them as dementia progresses. By exploring home-based caregiving as a process, I attempt to highlight how a bioecological approach to study caregivers could shed some light on issues currently unidentified by extant caregiving studies. A bioecological approach also shows the systemic implications to caregivers’ human development due to the proximal processes between the care recipient and the caregiver. Nine Singaporean Chinese caregivers with at least three years of dementia caregiving experience were interviewed and analysed using thematic analysis. Research findings reveal three major themes of (a) human development with subthemes of self-growth and self-preservation, (b) proximal processes between caregiver and care recipient with subthemes of rollercoaster of emotions, meaning-making and adaptive behaviours and (c) bioecological effects of dementia caregiving with subthemes of role engulfment and support from others. By using a bioecological approach, this study moves beyond conventional themes frequently explored in extant caregiver literature, such as caregiver burdens and gains. The findings from these studies extend beyond Singaporean and Asian caregivers with relevance to caregivers worldwide, as dementia is a global healthcare condition with common challenges faced by caregivers worldwide. My research findings shed light on how the caregiver’s systemic interactions with principal persons such as the care recipient’s spouse, siblings and helpers play crucial roles in sustaining the caregiver’s wellbeing and enable them to carry on caregiving. This study advocates that caregivers continue their caregiving journey because of systemic support from principal persons and the relationship with the care recipient. The implications of these research findings are discussed from a microsystemic perspective, focusing on the individual caregiver, and mesosystemic, exosystemic and macrosystemic perspectives, focusing on society, community and government policies. Taking a systemic approach, practical suggestions include counselling support and psychotherapeutic interventions for caregivers throughout their caregiving journey to improve personal happiness, more proactive and microsystemic support from grassroots and public agencies focusing on the early days of a caregiver’s journey to improve caregiver visibility, reduce feelings of isolation and provide support. Increasing the profile of caregivers in the public domain could also promote a sense of visibility and recognition of individual caregivers. By helping caregivers, society could keep people living with dementia in family-level care and reduce public healthcare costs and reliance on formal institutions.

This study aims to become a conduit of a missing conversation wherein our front line help-givers can express their experiences. Through a series of semi-structured questions, and theoretical analyses, the themes regarding the Experience and Perception of Helping Relationships in Macau. Findings include difficulties and challenges that the helping profession in Macau encounters in different settings related to role ambiguity and public understanding of the profession. Stigma around a person considered to be a “problem” as well as stigma related to nomenclature of mental illnesses. Factors that enable and facilitate a helping relationship were identified. Trust, sincerity, listening and positive regard were mentioned. Due to Macau’s multi-cultural background, an enabling agent to facilitate a helping relationship was identified – language. As a qualitative enquiry medium for reflection and discovery, this study hopes to bring forward the unique experiences of eleven helping professionals with a spectrum of background to provide richness and newness to the current body of literature.

By discussing various aspects of family functioning, including the intricate nature of family functioning, family dynamics’ impact on adolescent growth and lifelong development, and the COVID-19’s effects on family relationships, it reveals the importance and necessity of assessment instruments in the field of family counselling. And concerning the gap between family research and clinical practice as well as the absence of a singular tool capable of evaluating various family functions comprehensively in the Macao context, the study introduced the Basic Family Relations Inventory (BFRI; or ‘Cuestionario de Evaluación de las Relaciones Familiares Básicas’, CERFB), a self-reported questionnaire based on Linares’ Basic Family Relations Theory. This valuable tool consists of 25 items, assessing simultaneously the quality of family relationships in two basic dimensions—marital and parental functioning. This study aimed to develop the Chinese version of the BFRI and investigate its psychometric properties in the context of Macao. By employing a quantitative research approach, it evaluated the normal distribution, exploratory factor analysis and reliability of the BFRI in a non-clinical snowball and convenience sample of 165 participants with at least one biological child from 12 to 18 years old. In the exploratory factor analysis, the initial factor extraction resulted in four components, reflecting both marital and parental items. This suggested potential overlap and interconnectedness between the marital and parental subsystems. Subsequent analysis identified a three-factor solution, separating marital, negative parental, and positive parental components. This aligned with the factor structure of the original Spanish version of the BFRI. A two-factor solution was also explored, replicating findings from the previous Italian and Portuguese validation of the BFRI despite some inconsistencies in item alignment. The EFA results revealed that the three-factor structure of the Chinese version of the BFRI was the best fitting model for the Macao population. Reliability analysis, assessed through Cronbach’s alpha, indicated satisfactory internal consistency of the scales. The results of the analyses demonstrate promising psychometric properties, supporting the tool’s effectiveness in assessing marital and parental relationships in a Macao population. The study contributed to the development of the valuable family assessment instrument. It suggested that the Chinese version of the BFRI could serve as a useful instrument to concurrently assess the quality of marital and parental relationships and systematically collect the data of family functioning in both dimensions. It’s also believed that this instrument could benefit the evaluation of family dynamics and comprehension of family relations not only in family research studies, but also in counselling intervention and clinical therapy, preventing risks to the health of children as well as promoting healthy family contexts in Macao

Macau is often affected by typhoons and rainstorms, especially during summer and autumn, there are also an increasing number of natural disasters due to the current climate change. On top of that, in 2017, tremendous devastation was caused by Typhoon Hato. However, there is only limited research on the psychological impact of natural disasters on Macau residents. This study aims to develop culturally appropriate psychometric instruments to assess fears and emergency reaction in children and adolescents from Macau. By applying this instruments to Macau children and adolescents, the study aims to assess the level of preparedness of children and adolescents in emergencies, fill the research gap, and contribute to future development of courses and training programmes to prepare them for future natural disasters. Specifically, this study aims to adopt the Emergency Reaction Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents (ERQ-CA) and the Short Form of the Fear Survey Schedule for Children-Revised (FSSC-R-SF) and to examine their psychometric properties with a sample of children and adolescents in Macau. Firstly, the ERQ-CA and FSSC-R-SF were translated into Chinese, and 6 children aged 8-9 were invited to take the Think-Aloud-Protocols (TAP). The content of the questionnaires was suitable for children and adolescents. Secondly, the ERQ-CA and FSSC-R-SF were administered to 262 children and adolescents aged 9-15 who were studying in non-higher education institutions in Macau. The questionnaires were analysed for their reliability and validity. With some adjustments, the two Macau versions of the instruments showed satisfactory psychometric properties regarding construct validity, reliability, and convergent validity. Recommendations for the practical use of the ERQ-CA and the FSSC-R-SF in Macau and future directions are presented

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of parents engaging in dialogic reading with their children while reading picture books on children's emotional understanding and parent-child relationships. The study also attempted to investigate the potential of picture books as useful instruments for parent-child communication, fostering meaningful parent-child connection and augmenting children's emotional comprehension. The study lasted for 11 weeks. The initial three weeks were focused on a parent-child reading session specifically designed for mothers, and the next eight weeks consisted of a picture book reading program in the participants' homes. Convenience sampling was employed to choose 11 families for participation in the study. Throughout the 8-week reading program, families actively participated in parent-child picture book reading sessions at home, ensuring a minimum frequency of once per week. The study used a combination of multiple case studies and a case study-mixed methods design. The data collection process involved gathering quantitative data through various means, including administering primary background surveys, utilizing the Child-Parent Relationship Scale (CPRS), and employing the Children’s Emotional Development Scale. The qualitative data consisted of interviews conducted before the intervention and records documenting parental reading observations. The analysis methodologies used in this study encompassed thematic and content analysis, which involved combining qualitative and quantitative findings to facilitate comparison. The quantitative data analysis of the Child Emotional Development Scale revealed notable disparities in emotional cognition, comprehension, expression, and overall emotional competence scores between the initial and final examinations. Although the CPRS results did not reveal any notable disparities in family intimacy and conflict; it is worth noting that seven families had higher post-test scores in family intimacy, indicating that mothers perceived an improved level of closeness with their children. Qualitative data analysis revealed that through shared reading of picture books on various emotional themes, children learned more emotional vocabulary and engaged in deeper parent-child conversations beyond daily interactions. This increased children's opportunities for emotional expression and helped mothers better understand their children's emotional needs, reflect on their parenting skills, and foster parent-child interaction and communication. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the significant impact of engaging in dialogic parent-child picture book reading on emotional understanding in preschool children. Furthermore, it is believed to be a valuable parent-child interaction strategy for dual-income families in Macau, enhancing parent-child relationships.

The researcher aims to understand how Christian and Muslim communities in East Timor cope with and recover from trauma arising from war, violence, and conflict. The research seeks to identify critical spiritual and religious coping mechanisms as present in East Timor (Timor Leste) that could help victims heal and reconstruct their lives after a war trauma experience. The study uses a mixed method, first deploying a quantitative investigation of Christian and Muslim communities in East Timor. The questionnaire aimsto understand how religion and spirituality feature in individuals' coping with trauma and the healing practices prescribed or encouraged by religious institutions and practices. In addition, a qualitative research and thematic analyses have been conducted and added with the facilitation of 6 Interviewees, 3 Muslims, and 3 Christians. This study aimed to investigate trauma levels and religious coping strategies among participants from East Timor. The quantitative findings indicated that the participants experienced a moderate level of trauma, with trouble sleeping being the most significant symptom. The qualitative findings revealed in some participants a high level of traumatic experiences. Recurrent thoughts of traumatic events and feeling jumpy were also prevalent. However, feeling strange around people or objects and feeling personally damaged by the trauma were less common. Regarding coping strategies, participants tended to rely on positive religious coping, seeking a stronger viii connection with God, finding comfort in religious communities and beliefs, and using spiritual interventions to manage emotions and worries, finding healing and a path toward the future. Both Catholics and Muslims employed positive religious coping strategies, with Catholics showing a slightly higher level in their utilization. However, the difference between the two groups was minimal. Positive coping strategies were more frequently used by participants from both religious backgrounds, highlighting their importance in dealing with trauma. Positive religious coping did not significantly impact trauma symptoms, showing no decrease or increase. However, a notable positive correlation existed between negative religious coping and more severe trauma symptoms. Individuals relying on negative coping strategies were more likely to experience heightened trauma symptoms. These findings align with previous research, emphasizing the positive association between Islamic appraisals and religious coping with better post-traumatic adjustment, while trauma-related appraisals are linked to worse adjustment. The study underscores the need to respect individual coping variations and recognizes the impact of negative religious coping on trauma experiences

The adverse impact of sleep problems on children and adolescents’ health and development raises concern in the community. Although some studies have examined the association of sleep problems with behavioural problems and academic performance, few have been done in Macau, especially for the children population and regarding academic performance. Hence, the primary purpose of the present study was to identify sleep problems of children and adolescents in Macau and explore its relationship with behavioural problems and academic performance. 948 participants (466 children and 482 adolescents) from Macau were included in the study. Data was collected using the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA) forms: CBCL, TRF and YSR. Children sleep problems were assessed by the reports of mother and father, in addition self-report was also included to measure adolescents sleep problems. Behavioural problems were reported by mother, father and teacher for children, as well as self-report for adolescents. Academic performance was the average of teacher’s rating of all academic subjects. The prevalence of sleep problems was 10.1% in children and 17.4% in adolescents. The results showed significant difference between children’s sleep problems and their mother and father-reported total behavioural problems, but not with teacher-reported total behavioural problems. However, whereas the t-test found that adolescent’s sleep problems significantly predicted all informants reported total behavioural problems, the chi-square test found no significant relationship between the two factors in teacher’s ratings, suggesting that while adolescents who had more sleep problems did show a higher frequency of total behavioural problems in the teacher’s perspective, but they may not be severe enough to be considered clinical. In addition, significant association between academic performance and sleep problems were only observed in children but not in adolescents; and no significant relationship was found between sleep problems and grade retention. Findings provided further support for some associations of sleep problems with behavioural problems and academic performance. In general, the findings of Macau were similar to those in other countries. Given that chronic sleep problems create multiple negative consequences to students’ lives, practical implications are provided to help lower it through the collaboration between parties, education about sleep hygiene and the development of healthy sleeping habits. Keywords: sleep problems; behavioural problems; academic performance; children; adolescents