2^nd International Conference on Clinical and Counseling Psychology October 16-17, 2017 Osaka, Japan

Biography:

Abstract:

Several studies have shown that emotion regulation (ER) and its relationship to well-being should be characterized by at least four parameters: first by ER-effectiveness (e.g. Sheppes and Gross, 2012); second by the frequency at which a specific ER-strategy is utilized; third by its adaptiveness, and fourth by how flexibly ER is taking place (e.g. Bonanno, & Burton, 2013). In my presentation, empirical findings with respect to the association between ER and well-being are reviewed (first part). Based on these findings, we developed the group intervention “Managing Emotions: Emotions under control” (German: “Gefühle im Griff”), which systematically teaches participants specific emotion regulation strategies. Structure and content of the intervention program as well as preliminary results of efficacy are presented in the second part of my talk.

Biography:

Teen Li seeks to understand the basic processes that underlie the therapeutic relationship. She has had teaching, research, and care experiences in hospital and school settings in both rural and urban Southeast Asia. She is keen on exploring projects that improve people’s well-being and alleviate suffering. She is currently a graduate research assistant with the National University of Singapore.

Abstract:

Empathy is the ability to understand another’s feelings, and is rooted in the overlap between Self and Other. Perspective-taking, the ability to imagine how it is like in the place of another person, underlies the workings of empathy. Researchers who study perspective-taking have done so assuming perspective-taking to be a conscious activity. When an individual does encounter someone in pain, it is nonetheless more likely that his or her response is automatic and dependent on unconscious processes. Automatic perspective-taking in one’s judgment of another’s pain in turn provides self/other information that could affect the mechanisms of pain processing. The present study sought to clarify the mechanisms relating to a differentiation of Self and Other in pain empathy. The effects of automatic perspective-taking on pain judgment were explored using images of hands and feet with or without the possibility of injury and in either a self or other-perspective. In experiment 1, participants rated the images for how much pain they felt the person depicted would feel. Ratings and reaction times were analysed to reveal a significant main effect of perspective for reaction time only.  In experiment 2, participants were first primed with the same images by presenting a mask for 120ms followed by the images for 12ms. Participants then had to rapidly categorise a word as either pain or non-pain-related. Analysis of the reaction time data revealed a marginally significant interaction between perspective and word valence but no main effect of perspective. Findings suggest that the automatic self-perspective marginally facilitates pain processing, while the use of automatic perspective-taking as self/other information provides marginal support for the threat value of pain hypothesis that when an individual perceives pain in another, a threat-detection system is activated leading to an aversive response.

Biography:

Farah Malik, the Director of Institute of Applied Psychology & Center for Clinical Psychology has wide expertise in assessment development, translation and adaptation. She has a passion in research with major interest in areas of Clinical Psychology (especially child and adolescents), family violence, child abuse and neglect, cognitive and forensic Psychology and has published a number of researches in these areas along with clinical psychology. She had supervised over 100 MPhil, MS and PhD students (combined). She is Chief Editor of Journal of Behavioral Science and had been Chief Editor of Pakistan Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology. She has been working in collaborations with eminent researchers in UK, USA, Germany, and Austria etc.; some projects are still in progress.

Abstract:

Statement of the Problem: The study was carried out to develop an indigenous measure of anger expression in children of Pakistan for providing thorough assessment of anger and its intensity in children both in children with emotional-behavioral problems as well as normal controls.

Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: It was mainly an exploratory in nature to ascertain the expression of anger especially in Pakistani cultural context though the convergent validity of the scale was determined with STAXI-2-C/A (Brunner & Speilberger, 2009). The study was carried out into 2 phases; in the first phase, a pool of 81 items was generated through 2 separate focus groups with parents and teachers, personal in-depth interviews with 21children and 4 child mental health professionals. In the second phase, psychometric properties of the scale were determined for that a sample of 405 children with the age range 9 to13 years (M =11.46, SD = 1.43) drawn from child psychiatric units of 3 hospitals (children with emotional-behavioral problem) and 2 public and 2 private schools (normal children) in Lahore.

Findings: the construct validity was determined computing principal component analysis with varimax rotation and Kaisar normalization that generated 4 factors structure for the scale. Monte-Carlo parallel analysis (Watkins, 2000) was applied for confirmation; factors were labeled as externalized anger, feeling of rejection, hostility & violence, and internalized anger for Child Anger Expression Scale (CAES). Convergent validity and Cronbach’s Alpha revealed excellent criterion related as well as internal consistency of the scale respectively.

Conclusion and Significance: Present study contributed with an indigenous tool to assess anger expression in children of Pakistan hat was dire need for unavailability of such tool in Pakistani language and cultural context for school as well as clinical child population. 

Biography:

Miss Wisamon   Srisuttinan currently studying for doctoral degree At Burapha University Faculty of Education Psychology of counseling. She undertook practical training on "Student Care Techniques"and in in psychotherapy, thought and thought for depression. (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression) Workshop on "NLP: brain development for learning and Success "(NLP: Brain training strategies for learning competencies and success"

Abstract:

The aims of the research was to study the coping of police officers under the provincial police region 5, through 8 strategies, such as, problem solving, adjustment of thought, emotional expression, social support, problem avoidance, desire to be, self-criticism and social avoidance. The questionnaire was used to collect data from 228 samples, including the police commanders and the police officers of the provincial police region 5. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics such as, frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation. The hypotheses were test was done by the statistic One-way ANOVA. The finding can be concluded that, majority of the respondents were married and worked in the crime prevention and suppression department. Problem solving strategy was mostly used by them followed by the strategies, adjustment of thought and social support, respectively. The hypothesis test revealed that the police officers with different marital status and work departments used different coping strategies.

Biography:

Gheorghe DRAGAN is Ph.D. in physics (1980, University of Bucharest, Romania) expert in material science. Author of > 200 scientific papers and >200 lectures at national and international scientific conventions. Author of original topoenergetic working principles able to define the nature and the amplitude of any material and/or system by their specific transformation processes triggered in standard experimental conditions. The central point of the practical procedure is to create data banks with topoenergetic parameters for materials and/or complicated systems considered as standards. Amorphous-crystalline coupling in a large variety of materials and its interaction with human mental field and with bio-fields generated by flora and fauna is another original and important his discovery. He is continuing researches by non-profit bases and publishes the results in GDF Databanks Bulletin (ISSN 1453-1674) and by posting them on personal website. 

Abstract:

Self-organizing systems (SOS) have specific timers governing their activities. So much these timers are well controlled so much activity goes in good conditions. For instance, all artificial SOS based on microcontrollers and microprocessors have timers with highest accuracy, so these are working perfectly. All natural SOS belonging to flora and fauna have timers coupled to the Universal Source and this defines the true LIFE. Human beings have the particular “ability” to modulate this coupling by the Free Will with negative effects in majority cases both on the individual health state and environment (including human communities). HuPoTest is a calibration procedure of individual timer of a person under test (PUT), it has been developed progressively and continuously since 1967 and applied on more than 1000 PUT.  Timer and mentality are strongly interconnected defining each other. Simply said, a good mentality is based on good timer (stable and well tuned) and both of them define the vital potential driving a good health. Method: PUT has to count periods of time of 5, 10, 15 and 20 seconds in special conditions, the measured values are retrieved statistically by a simple software and in more details by professional math softwares, so the final values are stored in a data bank in view to reveal the evolution of the PUT mental and health state according to established assignments. Four main categories of mental behaviors were established, namely: dominating, dominated, protected and unable to perform HuPoTest. The first two categories are most prevalent, they need each other, have unstable behavior, sometimes changing the role (flip-flop character), characterized by conflicts, violence up to crime and suicide. The persons with protected behavior are rare, having native and/or acquired by experience deep spiritual behavior. These individuals have a strong coupling with Universal Source, paranormal abilities, live in discrete and honest conditions not involved in any kind of conflicts. Persons not able to perform HuPoTest have temporary (reversible) or permanent (irreversible) mental diseases.

Conclusion: HuPoTest is an efficient test and training procedure in defining and improvement of mental and overall health state. It can not be tricked!

Biography:

Girija Sivakumar is currently working as a Professor of Anatomy in Karpaga Vinayaga Inst.of Med.Sci&RI, TamilNadu. She has much interest and passion towards medical education and research. She is a student counsellor and have done her Post-graduate course in Counseling Psychology. She is working in the field of medical education and research since 2009 and have carried out many research projects on various aspects of improving quality of skills training in medical education.

Abstract:

Statement of the Problem: Medical education in India is reported to be declining in its quality since 1990 as a result of which a number of medical education activities have been initiated by medical council of India in the forms of revising the curriculum, implementing new medical education technology programs, workshops to improve quality of medical teachers etc. Medical education in India is been a made as gambling for few decades since 1990’s and lost its quality in selection process after 80’s.

Objectives: The objectives are: To find out the personality traits of the participants, to categorize the participants based on the percentile scores and to classify the personality traits of the participants.

Methodology: 1^st year medical and dental students were subjected to carry out the study. Goldberg’s personality scale of 5 big factor models containing 50 item questionnaires was used to administer on the participants to screen out the personality traits of the individual. Institutional ethical clearance was obtained first. Students of first year medical and dental courses were sensitized about the project and consent was received from them. The questionnaire was administered through online. The link was provided to the students and was given 30 minutes time to complete the questionnaire. The final score sheets were received from the students through whatsapp. The results were maintained confidential. Results were tabulated, analyzed and discussed.

Results: Final score sheets were tabulated under 5 personality traits which are considered to be the basic traits of a person. The five big factors are: Extroversion, neuroticism, emotional stability, intellect and agreeableness. Participants were classified under these 5 big factors of personality characters and were discussed.

Conclusion: The students of first year, irrespective of the background and reason they entered the profession, most often they found to fall under various psychological disturbances. Many a times these psychological disturbances lead to fatal like committing suicide, self-hurting, quitting the course and so on. In order to screen the students in the first year itself to identify the negative characters, psychological counseling is utmost important. From the above study, it is concluded that the screening of students based on personality traits will majorly help the students’ counselor to screen the students and to process the counseling procedure according to the personality traits of the individual

Biography:

Lawrence Tan kok Kah MA, CGAC, SCAC, CSC, Registered Psychologist (SPS), Approved Clinical Supervisor (SPS) is a Senior Psychologist with the National Addictions Management Service (NAMS). Having worked with the department for the past 11 years, Lawrence manages patients with both substance (drugs and alcohol) and process/ behavioural (gambling, cyber-gaming, compulsive sexual behaviours) addictions. As a head of gambling treatment services and key member of the treatment evaluation work group, Lawrence plays a critical role in the organization’s treatment and research initiatives, and tracking of outcomes of interventions. Lawrence regularly conducts both public education talks and training for professionals on managing addictive behaviours. In 2009, He was awarded a Health Manpower Development Program scholarship for a two-month attachment at the Problem Gambling Services, State of Connecticut, Department of Mental Health, US, where he further enhanced his clinical expertise in gambling disorders. He was also awarded the NHG Teaching Award for Non-Physicians in 2012. He has also been in the consulting team with NAMS when the Tokyo Metropolitan government visited Singapore for a discussion on best practices in gambling treatment and social safeguards. In 2013 and 2016, he was invited to APBAM (Asia Pacific Behavioural and Addiction Medicine) conference to speak about gambling related psychosocial treatment. 

Abstract:

The aim of the above workshop is to help create a better understanding of Single Session Therapy (SST), a type of brief intervention that has been used widely to work with a range of different psychological disorders. In the realm of addictions (especially for people struggling with a gambling disorder) where the default rate of help-seekers is known to be high, SST has a special role in assessing motivation, planting seeds of change and getting help-seekers to think about utilizing resources available for them. It is also about “seizing the moment” where therapists work with the understanding that the very first contact with the help-seeker could very well be the one and only contact they would have.

In this workshop, we would attempt to give participants a brief overview by looking at the efficacy of brief interventions for gambling disorder and going through the key components of SST (which includes brief advice & assessment, paradoxical interventions, motivational enhancement therapy, solution focused brief therapy, cognitive behavioural approaches, narrative therapy and the use of metaphors and analogies). We would also attempt to give participants a sense of what goes on in a typical SST session (which includes the types of questions to ask to gather important information, ways to make these questions therapeutic in the process of gathering information, linking the information gathered to interventions and suggestions and making a closure). These mentioned sub-components of the workshop will be further enhanced by the use of video clips and real life clinical examples encountered in the process of administering SST.  

Biography:

Piyali is a Singapore Registered Psychologist (SRP) and an Approved Supervisor recognized by the Singapore Psychological Society. She is a Doctorate Candidate of Clinical Psychology, Group Psychotherapy. Professional School of Psychology, California, USA. She holds M.Phil and Masters in Clinical Psychology and Applied Psychology. Piyali is the Head of the Psychology Department at Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore and is a Consulting Clinical Psychologist at Scott Psychological Centre for ADHD & Developmental Trauma. Piyali is a Certified Choice Theory Reality Therapist (CTRT) through the William Glasser Institute of USA. She is also trained in Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy (CBT). Her clinical interests lie in managing anxiety and depression as well as issues related to lifestyle and relationship changes for both adults and children. Recognizing the effectiveness of different intervention modalities, Piyali conducts workshops and facilitates group therapy sessions to support clients in managing their challenges. 

Abstract:

With a worldwide trend of an increasing number of children identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), more families are faced with the demands of having to care for children with ASD (Lai, Goh, Oei & Sung, 2015). Parents and caregivers of children with ASD are confronted with a more diverse and complex range of challenges (Giallo, Wood, Jellett & Porter, 2013; Krast & Van Hecke, 2012; Lai et al., 2015) and face more stress (Weiss, 2002) than caregivers of typically developing children despite the severity of the ASD.

In highly stressful situations, individuals with insecure attachment were found to experience more distress and seem to be at risk of maladjustment (Mikulincer & Florian, 1998). Parents with insecure attachment styles were associated with less sensitive parenting and more negative support behaviours (Collins and Feeney, 2000; Mill-Koonce et al., 2011). Given that parenting children with ASD is associated with increased stress, it is likely that parents with insecure attachment may experience greater distress than parents with secure attachment when caring for children with ASD. Such disposition, in turn, may further limit their abilities to care for their children with ASD.

As such, an 8-week psycho-group therapy was piloted to facilitate parents’ acceptance of their children with ASD through increasing awareness of their attachment styles, their coping strategies and facts about ASD. Six participants participated in the group therapy. Preliminary analyses, based on their written and verbal responses, appear to suggest that parents with insecure attachment styles tended to use ineffective coping strategies (e.g. denial: “remain silent”) as compared to more effective coping strategies (e.g. problem-focused “explain my thoughts”). There appears to be a shift in the perspective of their children and parenting from deficit focused (e.g. “Stay in his own world”) to more acceptance statements (e.g. “Patience”).

Biography:

Geraldine Tan Twang Ling MA(Psych), Doctoral Candidate(Clinical Psychology), MSPS, Registered Psychologist (SPS), Approved Clinical Supervisor (SPS) is the Principal Psychologist with her own practice, The Therapy Room. She has been practicing for about 17 years in the profession. She has worked extensively with children one-one-one and also in group settings. In the course of her work, she has been involved in the development of programmes for children with various issues. Being trained in many different theories, she combined the different therapies and have seen a marked improvement for the children. She is currently involved with a research with a welfare organisation who work with children from underprivileged homes and have emotional issues, She was awarded a scholarship to learn Child Attachment Interview (CAI) at the Anna Freud Centre in London. In 2009, she was involved with the American of Group and Psychotherapy Association Conference in Rome where she was a co-facilitator as well as in Matsue, Japan, where she co-lead a group, too. She has been running groups for special needs children since 2014 to present. In 2016, she was commission by a treatment home for teens and a gazetted protected home that housed children who have been abused, to run Camp GlobalTM. 

Abstract:

For many children the conventional talk therapy is not the best way to access the child. There have been many different therapies that have be thus used like Play therapy, Clay therapy, Art Therapy, etc, all helping the child move into a better space.  The aim of the above workshop is to allow therapist to experience and have a better understanding of Multi-Sensorial Therapy, a combination of the use of different senses within the  course of therapy. This can be used for children with a range of different psychological disorders. As well as, use for children with emotional issues. With children and understanding that the are still developing some of the pathways in their brains, we want to use as many senses as possible to make sense of certain situations to them. This method have been used in structured learning in schools and will benefit children in therapy.

In this workshop, we would attempt to give participants a brief overview by looking at the efficacy of brief interventions for Artistic therapies , including Play, Clay, Art, Movement therapy. And discussing what  difference it makes as opposed to the conventional solution focused brief therapy, cognitive behavioural approaches, narrative therapy, choice and reality therapy, etc.  We would also attempt to give participants a sense of what goes on in a typical session. More specifically, participants will be looking at their emotions before and after the session to see how  it impacts them. Participants will have a hands-on experience and integrate learnings by this multi sensory presentation!

Biography:

Dr Melissa Harte is an experienced Psychologist and presenter, passionate about dealing with psychological issues from a whole-of-person perspective. She has a doctorate in Counselling Psychology and is undertaking a Masters in Clinical Psychology at Swinburne University of Technology in Australia. She runs a thriving private practice, and offers training, supervision and professional development within an Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) framework. She is the only Internationally Accredited Emotion Focused Therapy Trainer in Australia. She established the Harte Felt Centre to ensure a safe environment for client-centred healing practices in Australia that provides a supportive community for both practitioners and clients. She is the Training and Program Director of the newly formed Australian Institute for Emotion Focused Therapy (AIEFT).  Her current research using Task Analysis has explored the expansion of the Focusing Task to include assisting people to process unresolved painful past events.

Abstract:

Background: Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) is one of the most rigorously researched forms of humanistic practice and has been shown to be efficacious in the treatment of depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Working trauma requires careful consideration around avoiding re-traumatisation and recognising dissociation. Aim: This workshop will provide participants with introductory knowledge and theoretical understanding of the EFT model and an expanded Focusing model for trauma processing will be briefly presented.  Approach: Practical skills taught include grounding, developing dual awareness as proposed by Barbette Rothschild, developing a safe place to promote self-soothing and simple but effective methods to assist with hyperarousal.  This model proposes that if a traumatic memory is accessed via bodily felt-sense in conjunction with emotional arousal and activation of other schematic elements, it is possible to reprocess the event in such a way that the person is no longer plagued by the painful aspects of it and not re-traumatised by the re-remembering that occurs when asked to retell their story. If the person is able to express the appropriate primary emotion and articulate their needs within the remembered experience, the associated painful emotional charge is lessened. The event is remembered as having occurred but the emotional intensity is greatly reduced. This reprocessing of the traumatic event is more than a desensitising of that traumatic experience. Conclusion: Participants will be able to apply knowledge gained from this workshop and integrate into their work with their trauma and non-trauma clients immediately as no prior knowledge of EFT is required.

Biography:

Dr Melissa Harte is an experienced Psychologist and presenter, passionate about dealing with psychological issues from a whole-of-person perspective. She has a doctorate in Counselling Psychology and is undertaking a Masters in Clinical Psychology at Swinburne University of Technology in Australia. She runs a thriving private practice, and offers training, supervision and professional development within an Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) framework. She is the only Internationally Accredited Emotion Focused Therapy Trainer in Australia. She established the Harte Felt Centre to ensure a safe environment for client-centred healing practices in Australia that provides a supportive community for both practitioners and clients. She is the Training and Program Director of the newly formed Australian Institute for Emotion Focused Therapy (AIEFT).  Her current research using Task Analysis has explored the expansion of the Focusing Task to include assisting people to process unresolved painful past events.

Abstract:

Background: Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) is one of the most rigorously researched forms of humanistic practice and has been shown to be efficacious in the treatment of depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Working trauma requires careful consideration around avoiding re-traumatisation and recognising dissociation. Aim: This workshop will provide participants with introductory knowledge and theoretical understanding of the EFT model and an expanded Focusing model for trauma processing will be briefly presented.  Approach: Practical skills taught include grounding, developing dual awareness as proposed by Barbette Rothschild, developing a safe place to promote self-soothing and simple but effective methods to assist with hyperarousal.  This model proposes that if a traumatic memory is accessed via bodily felt-sense in conjunction with emotional arousal and activation of other schematic elements, it is possible to reprocess the event in such a way that the person is no longer plagued by the painful aspects of it and not re-traumatised by the re-remembering that occurs when asked to retell their story. If the person is able to express the appropriate primary emotion and articulate their needs within the remembered experience, the associated painful emotional charge is lessened. The event is remembered as having occurred but the emotional intensity is greatly reduced. This reprocessing of the traumatic event is more than a desensitising of that traumatic experience. Conclusion: Participants will be able to apply knowledge gained from this workshop and integrate into their work with their trauma and non-trauma clients immediately as no prior knowledge of EFT is required.

Biography:

Cherrie L. Ragunton, MP, RPm, is the Counseling Psychologist, Life Coach and Administrator of Interspect Training Services – A Training, Counseling, Coaching and a Psychology Review Center in Marikina, Philippines. She’s also a Training Consultant of some Coaching and BPO Company and Academic Institution. She graduated her Masters in Psychology on 2011 from Polytechnic University of the Philippines, one of the top State Universities. She worked as a Training Officer in the corporate for more than ten years, been a College Professor for five years and is now full-time in counseling and consulting business for six years. Her most favorite hat to wear is being a mom – to her 14 year old daughter. Cherrie is very passionate in developing new talents and potentials, especially the newly grad psychology students. A proud graduate of Breakthrough Coaching from Visions and Breakthroughs Inc., and an affiliate of Philippine Association for Counselor Education, Research and Supervision (PACERS) and American Psychological Association. She pioneered the Coaching Moms Community in her country – a support network for mothers, with the intention to help them (especially those stay-at-home moms) to continuously develop their skills and pursue their passions. 

Abstract:

It is often easy and quite natural for us helping professionals to be kind and compassionate towards our clients. Unfortunately, we, at some eras of our lives, may come to struggle in extending the same kindness toward ourselves. We were trained to be emphatic and sympathetic to our clients and to feel how they feel amidst life’s struggles, but also to help them to see the value of their sufferings in their lives. As we do this, we are likewise teaching them to gain resilience and confidence whenever they find themselves facing life’s adversities.

Our job is truly fulfilling and rewarding, yet, admittedly, oftentimes draining (emotionally, psychologically and physically). It is, therefore, rather essential for us to practice self-compassion such that we may continuously serve our clients and avoid burning ourselves out. Being mindful, on the other hand, aids us in sustaining and preparing ourselves for more exhausting cases. We, too, occasionally experience entertaining our negative thoughts and feelings, and sometimes even come to suppress or repress them without our knowledge. Mindfulness helps us to become more self-aware – the variety of awareness that we, even as we help other people, are not exempted from life’s challenges. It becomes all the more a reason for us to care for and be kind to ourselves.

We all have our own struggles and dilemmas, irreversible mistakes and humiliating failures. How should we treat ourselves when faced with such situations? Are we resilient in such peculiar situations? Are we teaching our clients how to be the same through our own examples? When was the last time that you genuinely stopped for a moment, and taken that time to reflect? When was the previous occasion wherein we took at least a minute or two from our busy and, oftentimes, hectic schedules to really peer deep into our minds, hearts and bodies? When was the last time we took care of our own wellness, the last time you treated yourself with much kindness, the way you have treated your client or a friend in need?

This workshop aims to assist the participants in practicing self-compassion and mindfulness; it intends to help the participants take a moment from their day to enjoy a few moments of self-love, self-affirmation and kindness. This workshop wishes and hopes to replenish the being and soul of the participants through experiential activities. After all, what can we offer to others that which we lack ourselves?

Biography:

Abstract:

When schools build partnerships with families that respond to their concerns and honor their contributions, they are successful in sustaining connections that are aimed at improving students’ academic and behavioral impairment.Children with ADHD characteristically experience noteworthy impairment at home and school, and their relationships with parents, teachers, and peers often are stressed. Psychosocial interventions for ADHD generally focus on behavior change in one environment at a time (i.e., either home or school); however, one-dimensional interventions generally are not sufficient. The purpose of this article is to describe a family–school intervention for children with ADHD because there is consistent, positive, and convincing evidence about families pronounce impact on their children’s achievement, behavior enhancement and through healthy successful life.  When schools, families, and community groups work together to support healthy learning, children tend to do better in school, stay in school longer, and like school more. In addition, program strategies and theoretical bases are also discussed for future researchers and policy makers.Objective

Biography:

Abstract:

The present research explored relationship between dysfunctional attitude and performance anxiety in Iranian and Pakistani university students. The study also explored an interesting culture and gender similarities and differences in Iranian and Pakistani university students.For this purpose, a total sample of 1500 students was taken including equal numbers from Iran and Pakistan with an age range of 20-40 years. The data were collected from Public Universities of Iran (Isfahan &Kashan) and Pakistan (University of the Punjab and Government College University). The Dysfunctional Attitude of participants was assessed through Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS; Beck &Wiessman, 1980). The performance anxiety level of participants was assessed by State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y; Spielberger, 1983). Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient was employed to assess relationship between dysfunctional attitude and anxieties. The independent t-test was employed to see culture differences and gender differences among students. The findings indicated that dysfunctional attitude had significant positive relationship with state-trait anxiety in Pakistani and Iranian samples. The findings also revealed that trait anxiety and state anxiety were significant positive relationship with each others. In terms of gender differences, the findings revealed that Pakistani men showed more dysfunctional attitude of achievement than Pakistani women. No gender differences found in dysfunctional attitude of achievement in Iranian university students. In terms of culture differences, the findings indicated that Iranian students more likely to have dysfunctional attitude of achievement and state anxiety as compared to Pakistani students. The present research strongly recommended treating performance anxiety by using cognitive -behavior therapy in which students learn to perform more effectively following prolonged exposure to an audience.

Biography:

 Maureen Onyango Ngesa is a practicing Counseling Psychologist with 8 years of counseling experience and currently pursuing her PHD studies in Clinical Psychology at Daystar University, Nairobi. She has a background in communications, media and scientific/technical writing and editing. She started her career as a newspaper writer deciphering law reports and environment reports for the public understanding. Later as a consulting editor for Intercontinental Publishers, Mrs Ngesa was focused on converting technical engineering research documents into journal articles and TV documentaries for public consumption. Her passion for counseling saw her train as a counselor and volunteer for organizations dealing with children going through trauma and other mental disorders. Mrs Ngesa holds a M.A in Counseling Psychology and a BA in Communications. Her greatest achievement would be to marry her background in Media and her passion for research in mental health to increase public knowledge and media health literacy as a way to prevent and manage mental disorders in Kenya.

Abstract:

Orphaned children in Kenya face the risk of lacking adequate care and protection. Grieving the loss of a parent and new living situation under new caregivers is associated with development of internalized mental disorders characterized by anxieties, low self- esteem and feelings of hopelessness.  These psychological problems and the vulnerability that comes with the status negatively impact the academic performance of such children. Psychosocial intervention and incentives that target the specific needs of orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC) can reduce the impact of vulnerability on academic performance or even ensure a sustained improvement in the academic development of the children. However, no studies have been carried out to investigate the influence of social geography on effectiveness of cognitive restructuring therapy in management of mental disorders to improve academic performance of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC).  In this study, we hypothesize that integrating geospatial information and cognitive restructuring therapy in psychosocial intervention programs that are tailored to appreciate the differences in the geography and socio-economic characteristics of orphaned and vulnerable children perform better in improving the academic performance of such children. Random spatial sampling will be used to identify and to group orphaned and vulnerable children into two categories of control group and the treatment group. The respondents in the treatment group will undergo cognitive restructuring therapy with a focus on improving their psychosocial health, character development and on their academic performance. Systematic home-based survey will be carried out to document the spatial and socio-economic characteristics of the homesteads of the respondents in the survey. Methods from statistics and geographic information systems (GIS) will be used to analyze and to map the data to reveal the influence of spatially informed cognitive restructuring therapy on the academic performance of OVCs.

Biography:

Nyuiemedi Agordzo Edoh-Torgah is a Counseling Psychologist with expertise in counseling contexts such as abuse, disability, trauma, family and student support services. Her passion is geared toward identifying and enhancing the positivity in individuals or the personal resources that individuals possess to contribute to their wellbeing.

Abstract:

Introduction & Aim: Individual life trajectories are determined through various paths of which the unique lived experiences and broad social changes influence individual life courses. Adults who survived child labor were exposed to traumatic experiences with some able to cope and survive; many unable to survive. Yet, those who do cope and survive mostly do so with their personal resources and social supports received. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between traumatic experiences and social supports on one hand and how these supports, nested in their experiences, served as catalysts to survivors’ positive growth and adaption to life.

Methods: This is a phenomenological study using in-depth interview and focus group schedules to gather data to interpret and describe participants’ experiences. 11 participants were recruited aged 30 to 53 years and 3 to 15 years of child labor experiences. An ecological framework was developed and thematic analysis was done.

Findings: Adults who were child laborers had experienced varied difficult childhood abuses such as sexual, verbal, emotional, physical and neglect. The study further found that significant others served as protective factors by providing practical help, advice and recognizing adult survivors’ personal resources. Though participants received social supports, supports from significant others were more helpful than institutional supports. The difficult experiences survived coupled with social supports received promoted individuals’ traumatic growth in the areas of developing positive worldview, perceived self-efficacy, resilience and forgiveness.

Conclusion & Significance: Individuals with traumatic exposure experience difficult abuses that scar them psychologically. These individuals need much attention to deal effectively with their past traumas. The findings of the study have several implications for counselors, psychologists and school management.

Biography:

Subandi is a clinical psychologist graduated from Department Psychiatry, the University of Adelaide, Australia. His focus of research is on socio cultural aspects of mental health problems. In the last five years he has been working with Byron Good, a Medical Anthropologist from Harvard Medical School, to strengthen mental health services in Indonesia. This is very important because the number of mental health professionals (psychiatrist, psychologist, mental health nurse) in Indonesia is very limited. In response to this mental health gap, we develop a community based mental health team in primary health care centers.  This team, which consists of GPs, nurses and mental health volunteers (cadres), could promote mental health services in the community.   

Abstract:

Statement of the Problem: In 2014 Indonesia launched a national health insurance scheme called Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional (National Health Protection/ Insurance). All Indonesians can expect to receive a range of medical treatment coverages under this scheme. A dramatic increase in the number of patients visiting health facilities was evident shortly after the introduction of the scheme, however mentally ill patients show a different case. This research aims to explore Indonesia’s national health protection schemes’ implementation for mentally ill patients in mental hospitals and primary health centers within the special province of Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: This study used a qualitative case study approach. We collected the necessary data through surveys, interviews, and group discussions. The sample for the survey include 237 mentally ill patients and their family members. Public health promotion theory was utilized to increase better service for mentally ill patients. Findings: Psychiatric diagnosis that the Indonesian national health protection covers to include somatoform, dementia, insomnia, anxiety, depression and psychotic disorder. The data indicated that the visit of mentally ill patients to primary health centers only slightly increase after the scheme was introduced. Several problems have been identifies on the implementation of the scheme. Conclusions: The Indonesian National and Local Health Protection scheme is beneficial for mentally ill patients, despite a number of problems facing the implementation. An improvement of the system should be done to create a better service that could support the recovery process of mentally ill patients

Biography:

Abstract:

Discussions about the impact of culture on psychological assessment have been evolving for some time. However, clinical psychologists are beginning to address how culture and other environmental factors influence the outcomes of the psychological process. Clinical psychologists ought to consider ethical and diversity factors in the process of evaluation and testing. Considerations of these factors start before, while, and after testing. In the middle east one of the greatest challenges is using measures that were typically normed to western culture. This paper presents the main challenges psychologist in the middle east face before, while, and after testing regarding the ethical practice in testing.  In addition, a discussion of some of the procedures a clinical psychologist need to follow to consider ethical and diversity issues in the evaluation process. Conclusions, recommendations and areas that should be considered for future research will be discussed.

Biography:

Geraldine Tan Twang Ling MA(Psych), Doctoral Candidate(Clinical Psychology), MSPS, Registered Psychologist (SPS), Approved Clinical Supervisor (SPS) is the Principal Psychologist with her own practice, The Therapy Room. She has been practicing for about 17 years in the profession. She has worked extensively with children one-one-one and also in group settings. In the course of her work, she has been involved in the development of programmes for children with various issues. Being trained in many different theories, she combined the different therapies and have seen a marked improvement for the children. She is currently involved with a research with a welfare organisation who work with children from underprivileged homes and have emotional issues, She was awarded a scholarship to learn Child Attachment Interview (CAI) at the Anna Freud Centre in London. In 2009, she was involved with the American of Group and Psychotherapy Association Conference in Rome where she was a co-facilitator as well as in Matsue, Japan, where she co-lead a group, too. She has been running groups for special needs children since 2014 to present. In 2016, she was commission by a treatment home for teens and a gazetted protected home that housed children who have been abused, to run Camp GlobalTM. 

Abstract:

For many children the conventional talk therapy is not the best way to access the child. There have been many different therapies that have be thus used like Play therapy, Clay therapy, Art Therapy, etc, all helping the child move into a better space.  The aim of the above workshop is to allow therapist to experience and have a better understanding of Multi-Sensorial Therapy, a combination of the use of different senses within the  course of therapy. This can be used for children with a range of different psychological disorders. As well as, use for children with emotional issues. With children and understanding that the are still developing some of the pathways in their brains, we want to use as many senses as possible to make sense of certain situations to them. This method have been used in structured learning in schools and will benefit children in therapy.

In this workshop, we would attempt to give participants a brief overview by looking at the efficacy of brief interventions for Artistic therapies , including Play, Clay, Art, Movement therapy. And discussing what  difference it makes as opposed to the conventional solution focused brief therapy, cognitive behavioural approaches, narrative therapy, choice and reality therapy, etc.  We would also attempt to give participants a sense of what goes on in a typical session. More specifically, participants will be looking at their emotions before and after the session to see how  it impacts them. Participants will have a hands-on experience and integrate learnings by this multi sensory presentation!

Biography:

Piyali is a Singapore Registered Psychologist (SRP) and an Approved Supervisor recognized by the Singapore Psychological Society. She is a Doctorate Candidate of Clinical Psychology, Group Psychotherapy. Professional School of Psychology, California, USA. She holds M.Phil and Masters in Clinical Psychology and Applied Psychology. Piyali is the Head of the Psychology Department at Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore and is a Consulting Clinical Psychologist at Scott Psychological Centre for ADHD & Developmental Trauma. Piyali is a Certified Choice Theory Reality Therapist (CTRT) through the William Glasser Institute of USA. She is also trained in Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy (CBT). Her clinical interests lie in managing anxiety and depression as well as issues related to lifestyle and relationship changes for both adults and children. Recognizing the effectiveness of different intervention modalities, Piyali conducts workshops and facilitates group therapy sessions to support clients in managing their challenges.

Abstract:

With a worldwide trend of an increasing number of children identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), more families are faced with the demands of having to care for children with ASD (Lai, Goh, Oei & Sung, 2015). Parents and caregivers of children with ASD are confronted with a more diverse and complex range of challenges (Giallo, Wood, Jellett & Porter, 2013; Krast & Van Hecke, 2012; Lai et al., 2015) and face more stress (Weiss, 2002) than caregivers of typically developing children despite the severity of the ASD.

In highly stressful situations, individuals with insecure attachment were found to experience more distress and seem to be at risk of maladjustment (Mikulincer & Florian, 1998). Parents with insecure attachment styles were associated with less sensitive parenting and more negative support behaviours (Collins and Feeney, 2000; Mill-Koonce et al., 2011). Given that parenting children with ASD is associated with increased stress, it is likely that parents with insecure attachment may experience greater distress than parents with secure attachment when caring for children with ASD. Such disposition, in turn, may further limit their abilities to care for their children with ASD.

As such, an 8-week psycho-group therapy was piloted to facilitate parents’ acceptance of their children with ASD through increasing awareness of their attachment styles, their coping strategies and facts about ASD. Six participants participated in the group therapy. Preliminary analyses, based on their written and verbal responses, appear to suggest that parents with insecure attachment styles tended to use ineffective coping strategies (e.g. denial: “remain silent”) as compared to more effective coping strategies (e.g. problem-focused “explain my thoughts”). There appears to be a shift in the perspective of their children and parenting from deficit focused (e.g. “Stay in his own world”) to more acceptance statements (e.g. “Patience”).

Biography:

Dr Melissa Harte is an experienced Psychologist and presenter, passionate about dealing with psychological issues from a whole-of-person perspective. She has a doctorate in Counselling Psychology and is undertaking a Masters in Clinical Psychology at Swinburne University of Technology in Australia. She runs a thriving private practice, and offers training, supervision and professional development within an Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) framework. She is the only Internationally Accredited Emotion Focused Therapy Trainer in Australia. She established the Harte Felt Centre to ensure a safe environment for client-centred healing practices in Australia that provides a supportive community for both practitioners and clients. She is the Training and Program Director of the newly formed Australian Institute for Emotion Focused Therapy (AIEFT).  Her current research using Task Analysis has explored the expansion of the Focusing Task to include assisting people to process unresolved painful past events.

Abstract:

Statement of the problem: The trauma researcher van der Kolk wrote that for some people traumatic experiences are encoded primarily in right-brain experiential (nonverbal) memory, in the form of emotions, images and bodily sensations and are not processed on the symbolic or verbal level thereby leaving the experiences unintegrated. The aim of the current research was to investigate a model of bringing previously suppressed or incomplete memories of painful or traumatic events back into awareness in such a way that they can be processed and integrated. The model to be tested was proposed by the author and expanded the Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) task of Focusing to include processing painful or traumatic events. Methodology and Theoretical Orientation: Task Analysis a method developed to discover and validate client processes of change was employed. EFT was developed using Task Analysis so it was considered the appropriate methodology for this investigation. Clients who had experienced painful of traumatic events of low level intensity and not at risk of destabilisation were invited by their therapists to be part of the study.  Twelve single sessions were visually recorded and transcripts produced. Rigorous observation of the recorded sessions of clients working with their therapists on resolving their painful/traumatic events using the expanded Focusing task were undertaken by the author and a second rater who was familiar to the task and EFT.  Findings: A sequential three stage empirical model emerged from the analysis. Conclusion and Significance: The implementation of Task Analysis enabled the researchers to build an empirically derived model of how therapeutic change occurred for clients who present with a felt sense of emotional pain due to an unresolved painful/traumatic event. The resultant empirical model describes a newly named EFT Task for Processing Trauma when the marker is identified as a felt sense of emotional pain.

Biography:

Lawrence Tan kok Kah MA, CGAC, SCAC, CSC, Registered Psychologist (SPS), Approved Clinical Supervisor (SPS) is a Senior Psychologist with the National Addictions Management Service (NAMS). Having worked with the department for the past 11 years, Lawrence manages patients with both substance (drugs and alcohol) and process/ behavioural (gambling, cyber-gaming, compulsive sexual behaviours) addictions. As a head of gambling treatment services and key member of the treatment evaluation work group, Lawrence plays a critical role in the organization’s treatment and research initiatives, and tracking of outcomes of interventions. Lawrence regularly conducts both public education talks and training for professionals on managing addictive behaviours. In 2009, He was awarded a Health Manpower Development Program scholarship for a two-month attachment at the Problem Gambling Services, State of Connecticut, Department of Mental Health, US, where he further enhanced his clinical expertise in gambling disorders. He was also awarded the NHG Teaching Award for Non-Physicians in 2012. He has also been in the consulting team with NAMS when the Tokyo Metropolitan government visited Singapore for a discussion on best practices in gambling treatment and social safeguards. In 2013 and 2016, he was invited to APBAM (Asia Pacific Behavioural and Addiction Medicine) conference to speak about gambling related psychosocial treatment. 

Abstract:

The aim of the above workshop is to help create a better understanding of Single Session Therapy (SST), a type of brief intervention that has been used widely to work with a range of different psychological disorders. In the realm of addictions (especially for people struggling with a gambling disorder) where the default rate of help-seekers is known to be high, SST has a special role in assessing motivation, planting seeds of change and getting help-seekers to think about utilizing resources available for them. It is also about “seizing the moment” where therapists work with the understanding that the very first contact with the help-seeker could very well be the one and only contact they would have.

In this workshop, we would attempt to give participants a brief overview by looking at the efficacy of brief interventions for gambling disorder and going through the key components of SST (which includes brief advice & assessment, paradoxical interventions, motivational enhancement therapy, solution focused brief therapy, cognitive behavioural approaches, narrative therapy and the use of metaphors and analogies). We would also attempt to give participants a sense of what goes on in a typical SST session (which includes the types of questions to ask to gather important information, ways to make these questions therapeutic in the process of gathering information, linking the information gathered to interventions and suggestions and making a closure). These mentioned sub-components of the workshop will be further enhanced by the use of video clips and real life clinical examples encountered in the process of administering SST.  

Biography:

Abstract:

The purpose of the study was to explore on the lived experiences of parents with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in order to come up with a proposed intervention program that would involve families who are in the process of adjusting and adapting to the challenging demands of having children with developmental delay. These experiences were assessed and analyzed using standardized questionnaire along with an in-depth interview. The findings suggested that reframing and seeking spiritual support make the parents resilient in coping with the demands of a member with special needs. However, suspicion and actual diagnosis of ASD led the parents toward the feeling of: (1) Loss and grief, (2) relief and acceptance and (3) self-blaming. Whereas positive impact on the family includes greater parental involvement, negative impact embraces high level of stress in meeting the demands of the special child and jealousy of siblings toward the child with ASD. These remind psychiatric professionals to pay more attention to the mental health of families with autistic member. This is as well a call for the institutions offering psychology and special education courses to get involved in providing intervention programs such as respite care services, linkage to online connections with advocacy organizations and a training on developmental, individual-difference, relationship-based approach.

Biography:

Abstract:

The present research explored dysfunctional attitude in Iranian and Pakistani university students. For this purpose, a total sample of 1500 was taken including equal number from Iran and Pakistan with an age range of 20-40 years. The data were collected from Public Universities of Iran (Isfahan & Kashan) and Pakistan (University of the Punjab and Government College University).The Dysfunctional Attitude of participants was assessed through Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS, Beck & Wiessman, 1980). A series of exploratory factor analyses was run to identify the factors underlying each dimension of the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale Form-A.  Exploratory Factor Analysis yielded four factor solution of 40 items of DAS-A, which reflected themes of Perfectionism (Fifteen items); Approval (Twelve items); Achievement (seven items) and Autonomy (six items).The findings indicated that Pakistani students showed more dysfunctional attitude of perfectionism, approval and autonomy than Iranian students, whereas, Iranian students scored high on dysfunctional attitude of achievement. Regarding gender differences, the findings revealed that Pakistani men showed more dysfunctional attitude related to achievement than Pakistani women and Iranian women showed more dysfunctional attitude of autonomy than Iranian men. It can be concluded that dysfunctional attitude of university students vary from culture to culture.

Biography:

Abstract:

Resilience and Perceived Social Support (PSS) as psychological constructs in the recovery from cancer have been studied widely. They are important predictors giving insight into how different individuals deal with stressful situations in life. Studies have reported that different gender addresses the variables differently. This study aims to find out how well PSS predicts the Psychological Resilience of cancer survivors. 120 cancer survivors, age range 30-65 years were tested with Social Support Questionnaire and Connor Davidson Resilience Scale (Indian adaptation). The result indicated a significant positive relationship between PSS and Psychological Resilience in cancer patients. In addition, PSS from family played a more important role for effective coping. It was found that PSS from the females differed significantly from males through analysis of  ‘t’ test. Significant gender differences for cancer survivors’ psychological resilience to fight against their disease was found whereby females were generally better resilient as compared to males.

Biography:

Farah Malik, the Director of Institute of Applied Psychology & Center for Clinical Psychology has wide expertise in assessment development, translation and adaptation. She has a passion in research with major interest in areas of Clinical Psychology (especially child and adolescents), family violence, child abuse and neglect, cognitive and forensic Psychology and has published a number of researches in these areas along with clinical psychology. She had supervised over 100 MPhil, MS and PhD students (combined). She is Chief Editor of Journal of Behavioral Science and had been Chief Editor of Pakistan Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology. She has been working in collaborations with eminent researchers in UK, USA, Germany, and Austria etc.; some projects are still in progress. Corresponding 

Abstract:

Statement of the Problem: the study investigated family environment, peer relations and positive development in youth taking self-regulation as a mediator. It was hypothesized that effective family environment, good peer relations, self-regulation would be positively related to positive development in youth. Further, self-regulation would mediate the relationship between family environment, peer relations, and PYD. Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: It was a correlational study with special focus on youth that considered best comprehended as a time of transition from childhood reliance to freedom of adulthood (Kail & Cavanaugh, 2016).  The clinicians and researchers, both agree based their speculations and theories on a very basic supposition that youth are integrally prone to behave in uncivilized and unsafe ways that is not true as many facots play role in their positive development. A sample of the study consisted of 344 young individuals was drawn with age of 14-24 years. Measures included Self-report Family Inventory (Beavers & Hampson, 2000), Peer Relations Scale (Petersen, Schulenberg, Abramowitz, Offer, & Jarcho, 1984), Short Self-regulation Questionnaire (Carey, Neal, & Collins, 2004), and Positive Youth Development Inventory (Arnold, Nott, & Meinhold, 2012). Findings: Results showed significantly positive relationship with family environment with good peer relations, self-regulation, and PYD. The peer relations were positively correlated with self-regulation and PYD. Mediation Analysis using SEM revealed that self-regulation was a significant mediator between family environment and PYD and it also mediated the relationship between peer relations and PYD in presence of control variables. Conclusion & Significance: Conclusively, a proficient family environment was significantly related with good peer relations and self-regulation and positive youth development; also with PYD domains of competence, confidence, character, care, connection, and contribution.  Moreover, good peer relations were key elements for self-regulation and PYD in youth. The results were discussed in Pakistani socio-cultural context.

Biography:

Ann Marie Pike has specialized in the interventions of ASD, ADHD, learning and behavior issues and educational inclusion. She has completed her BA in Behavioral Psychology, University of Wisconsin-River Falls, Post Graduate in Family and Systemic Therapy and Post Graduate Diploma in Mental Health Diagnostics and Research from Otago University, Otago New Zealand. She is the Co-Owner/Founder/Director of HWYL Associates Therapeutic Mental Health Clinic in Paraparaumu, New Zealand.

Abstract:

As a child and family therapist, the incidence of autism within a family unit can be a unique experience therapeutically. Its pervasive characteristics can create bonds and barriers between parent and child, siblings, school staff and in social frameworks. These stresses can contribute in many elements of negative family dynamics and co-morbid issues. In a multi-modal approach involving the whole family systemically, I have found an increase in the therapeutic relationship through trust building, further resilience in anxiety and depression, confidence building in parents and in children, an increase in communication through giving language to emotion. In a multi-modal therapeutic approach, the following interventions are simultaneously used: Psychoeducation-outlined for parents (can include marriage concerns), comic strip conversations-(carol gray), social stories (carol gray, re-framing), management of problem behaviors, management of rigid behaviors and special interests, management of anxiety and engagement activities (e.g. art therapy, equine therapy, special interest). The therapist must observe each individual and their family members as unique within this paradigm as a whole part-with ALL facing and working with the ASD as it relates to themselves (inside or outside the diagnosis).

Biography:

Abstract:

Many women experience psychological and/or physical abuse on a daily basis. It is part of everyday life for many women in traditional societies where it is accepted as the norm. Woman abuse can impact on the reproductive health of woman (through rape and non-use of condoms which results in woman catching Sexually Transmitted Infections STIs).

Patriarchy, which endorses the man as head of the family, is the predominant paradigm in South Africa contributes to the incidence of violence against women as they are viewed as the property of their male spouses. South Africa a conservative, traditional society which has high levels of violence against women in Gauteng Province alone one in every six women is killed by an intimate partner. Furthermore, one in every five women is physically abused by her intimate partner and one in every four is battered. The country is ranked amongst the highest countries for gender-based violence worldwide.

The investigation was a qualitative, phenomenological one in which women narrated their stories which were put in themes. The counselling therapy used in the process was ‘Narrative Therapy,’ which was used as both a methodology and an intervention.

Lobola or bride price was found to keep women in relationships where men were unfaithful and considered sex a right. It was also found a factor in keeping women in abusive relationships as they could not go ‘home’ (as they had been paid for). The impact on their psychological and reproductive health was found to be negative in the sample of women who told their stories.

Biography:

Mohd Hazim received his formal education at SMK Datok Lokman, Kuala Lumpur and continued his CCE studies at the University of Auckland, New Zealand in Psychology. Has graduated in the field of Bachelor of Teaching and Counseling from the Institute of Teacher Education Malaysia Darulaman Campus and is currently pursuing for post-graduate studies. He actively writes and presents research papers on national and international level.

Abstract:

The disparity of gender identity paraphilia and social dysfunction is divided into four sections namely transexualism, transvertism, child gender identity confusion and atypical gender identity disorder. In this study emphasis is given to gender identity confusion. Although issues related to gender identity confusion among children is a taboo issue but there are still less studies conducted by researchers to help groups of students who facing this problem especially at primary level. The confusion of the gender identity among children occurs when they are uncomfortable with the gender they own and want to be the opposite sex (opposite). The objective of this study is to assist the standard 6 (12 year old) student who is facing the issue of gender identity confusion by using the model of al-Ghazali model of Islamic counseling. This study is a case study and use a qualitative study design. A total of three (3) subjects of study consisting of standard 6 (12 years old) student were taken from a primary school in Kuala Lumpur. Three (3) male students that involved as subjects of this study were selected based on the characteristics of gender identity confusion characterized by behavior and interest of inclination. The intervention in this study used the spiritual approach (Islam) applied through the "al-Ghazali model" in the individual counseling sessions. The results of the study show that the "al-Ghazali model" intervention that have been applied in this case study had successfully helped the participants to understand himself better and know the preventive measures that can be taken to encounter this problem through spiritual approach (islam). 

Biography:

Charis Liew Siaw Min has her expertise in the research on anxiety, depression and stress under the treatment and management of traditional and complementary medicine (homeopathy) and evaluation and passion in improving the mental health and wellbeing. She is currently pursuing Master in Medical Science (MSc) on the comparison of homeopathic and conventional intervention on anxiety and stress.

Abstract:

Anxiety, phobias and stress are the main mental health problems among the Malaysian population, with global prevalence varying from 8% to 18%. Even so, less than 30% who suffer these disturbances seek treatment. The objective of this study is to evaluate and compare the anxiolytic effects of Aconitum napellus and homeopathic complex vita-C 15 in the acutely stressed C57BL6 mice by using the fecal corticoid test, open field test (OFT) and c-fos, NMDAR 2B, NPY 1R and NPY 2R activity through the hippocampus. A double blinded randomized controlled study is conducted at animal laboratory of Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences (CUCMS). All the animals are acclimatized to constant laboratory conditions for 14 days before starting the experiments. Prior to the experiment, a pilot study is performed to identify the most suitable and ideal potency for the homeopathic remedy of Aconitum napellus. The animals are tested (n=3) per group on the potency of 6 C, 30 C and 200 C. The treatments are carried out over 9 days. 48 male C57BL6 mice (n=6), 4-5 weeks of age are used. They are randomly selected and divided into two groups. Group I is the healthy control group of mice which are not exposed to acute stress. Group II (stress group) comprise of mice expose to acute restraint stress. Prior to restraint stress, the treatments given are Aconitum napellus 30 cH, homeopathic complex vita-C 15, diazepam and placebo. Then the results are evaluated by fecal CORT test and open field test by comparing the anxiolytics between pre-test and post-test. Aconitum napellus 30 cH and homeopathic complex vita-C 15 are expected to be more effective and can reduce the occurrence of anxiety in the acutely stressed C57BL6 mice. Thus research into prevention and supportive therapies is necessary and beneficial for this disorder.