For Participants

“Your contribution is a gift for the future.”

We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude towards all families who dedicate their time and effort to our study.

“There is no health without mental health.”

Childhood and adolescence are stages crucial to development across the life span. In recent years, the local public health system observes a growing trend of children and adolescents diagnosed with mental problems.

Echoing the global trend, the increase in mental health issues may in part due to rising awareness towards mental health and more refined diagnostic tools. However, we ought not to neglect the surging challenges faced by the young people in this faster-paced, ever-changing new age. WORK HEART will be a significant beacon.

Some reasons for you not to miss out WORK HEART:

Unprecedented – As Hong Kong's largest ever child and adolescent mental health study, WORK HEART will help solve our unanswered questions.
Transcending – Researching into multi-disciplinary areas, WORK HEART will push the boundaries of mental health knowledge.
Exploratory – WORK HEART delves into everyday life factors, such as lifestyle pattern, mental strength and sleep quality, that contribute to our mental health and development.
Influential – With large-scale authentic data, WORK HEART will facilitate long-term health policy planning.

Predictive – Beyond capturing the current situation, WORK HEART will help pinpoint accessible solutions to mental well-being of the local young people.
Future shaping – WORK HEART's discoveries will perfect the developmental trajectories from youngsters to healthy, adaptive and resilient adults.
Self-rewarding – WORK HEART-ERS will be able to deepen their self-understanding in mental well-being and development.
Socially responsible – The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Joining us, WORK HEART-ERS will make a positive change to the well-being of society.

Developmental and
Socio-Economic Adversities

“It is thus never too late to realize and action. Awareness is the key to early identification.”

Human developments in mind, brain and body are continually shaped by many events right from... (continue reading)

Stress

“Knowing these key steps may offer platforms for effective interventions to offset the motions in the vicious cycle.”

The course of development is paved by different kinds of stress. Healthy brain and mind learn to adapt to stress positively but extreme or prolonged high stress at young age may... (continue reading)

Genetics

Genetics, a study of the hereditary biological mechanisms that pre-determine the structure, function and even complex behavior of living things, is a key player across the horizon of health sciences.

In some medical disciplines, the role of genes can be applied to inform the specific choice of... (continue reading)

Family and Peer Relationships

“When we heal relationships, we also heal the people!”

Social relationships provide the necessary environment for normal socio-emotional, cognitive and physical development of all children and adolescents. Aspects of healthy relationships include trust, sense of security, closeness, ability to resolve... (continue reading)

Positive Psychology

“We trust our young people are apt to learn!” 

All children are born unique and nurtured into their character style that will carry them through the developmental challenges. Psychological studies have shown a number of character traits such as self-reflection and awareness, motivation for change, empathy... (continue reading)

Internet Gaming and Digital Behaviour

“There are ways to make the digital world healthier for our young generation if we care to explore the reality of the digital ecology.”

Children and adolescents are naturally digital natives. Social life and information search on digital media are bread and butter of daily life in youths, who are novelty seeking... (continue reading)

Neuroimaging

“No one can learn without your brain. Through research, we are learning how the brain works for better brain health!” 

Brain is the most complex and mysterious organ in the body. We rely on our brain for basic vital functions from breathing, heartbeat and sleep to complex mind functions like... (continue reading)

Sleep and Lifestyle Pattern

“The small moments count! Every small step makes a better life!”

Sleep is important to both mental and physical health as well as cognitive development in children and adolescents. Sleep problems are common in children and adolescents with a prevalence of 4-10%. Puberty is a particularly significant period for... (continue reading)

Health Economics

“There is no take-two in making decisions at the critical moments in life, but everyone (including policy makers) can make a better choice next time.”

Studies on “pathways to care” tell us the ways people deal with mental health issues and the associated challenging life situations. With scientific approaches to analyze the direct... (continue reading)