Keynote Speakers
Eddie Tong Mun Wai
Associate Professor, National University of Singapore
Speaker's Bio
Associate Professor Eddie Tong received his PhD in Psychology from the University of Michigan in 2006. He joined NUS as an Assistant Professor on the same year and was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2011. He has received numerous teaching awards including NUS’s Honour Roll of Annual Teaching Excellence (2012-2017). His main area of expertise is emotion, with special focus on positive emotions and appraisal theories; he also examines religion processes. He publishes widely in the key journals of several fields in psychology, including Emotion Science, Social Psychology, Personality Psychology, Health Psychology, and Cognitive Science. In 2011, he was named a Rising Star in Psychology by the Association for Psychological Science (APS) and subsequently, in 2023, he was elected a Fellow of APS and a Fellow of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Currently, he is an Associate Editor of Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, and he has been on the editorial board of several journals including Emotion and Motivation and Emotion. He is also the co-Director of NUS Social Service Research Centre.
Keynote Address
Title: Coming in Sep or later
Abstract: Coming in Sep or later
Wei-Jun Jean Yeung
Professor of Psychology, National University of Singapore
Speaker's Bio
Professor Wei-Jun Jean Yeung is Director of Social Sciences at the Singapore Institute of Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and Professor in the Department of Paediatrics at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore. She was a Provost-Chair Professor in the Department of Sociology from 2008-2023. She is the President of the Population Association of Singapore and the founding Director of the Center for Family and Population Research at NUS. Professor Yeung is a leading expert in social demography, family studies, population health, and social stratification, and is cited widely in high-impact academic publications and global media. She has led national surveys on family and children’s well-being in the USA, China, and Singapore. She is the Principal Investigator of the Singapore Longitudinal Early Development Study (SG LEADS).
Keynote Address
Title: Coming in Sep or later
Abstract: Coming in Sep or later
Workshop Presenters & Topics
Challenging unconscious bias in self and others
Date/Time: 13 Jan 2025 / 09:00 am to 10:00 am
Duration: approx. 45 to 60 minutes
Venue: James Cook University Singapore
Dr Tania Nagpaul, Singapore University of Social Sciences
Speaker's Bio
Dr. Tania Nagpaul is a Senior Lecturer in the S R Nathan School of Human Development at Singapore University of Social Sciences. Tania has over 15 years of teaching and research experience at premier institutes of higher learning in Singapore. She believes in using education as a tool for positive social impact. Tania holds a PhD in psychology from Nanyang Technological University and joined the Lien Centre for Social Innovation at SMU upon graduation and spearheaded the research initiatives of the centre. Tania gained rich experience in qualitative and quantitative research through her projects on socially relevant issues in Singapore. Her current research interest centers around the impact of diversity education in university settings. She is currently pursuing a graduate certificate in equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging from Harvard.
Abstract
All of us bear the responsibility to acknowledge and challenge our biases. This workshop aims to develop an understanding of how biases affect our decision-making with specific examples of some biases that manifest in social and professional settings. This session will share strategies for recognizing and disrupting unconscious biases.
Intercultural Competence in Counselling
Date/Time: 13 Jan 2025 / 10:10 am to 11:10 am
Duration: approx. 60 minutes
Venue: James Cook University Singapore
Assoc Prof Marta Milani, University of Verona
Speaker's Bio
Marta Milani is Associate Professor at the University of Verona, Italy, where she is involved in research and educational consulting at the Center for Intercultural Studies. She was visiting scholar at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) of the University of Toronto, Canada (2011) and her research interests are focused on intercultural education, especially on the development of intercultural competence at school. She is also member of the Cooperative Learning Study-Training-Research Group.
Abstract
The workshop offers an opportunity to reflect on what characterizes a proper intercultural counseling approach, starting with the clarification of the adjective "intercultural". It will then proceed with 1) the investigation on what intercultural competences may be useful for the professionals to better meet the clients' needs and 2) how services can help to foster and assess them. The workshop will end with the analysis of a critical incident.
Parenting and child development: Cultural and translational considerations
Date/Time: 13 Jan 2025 / 11:20 am to 12:20 pm
Duration: approx. 60 to 75 minutes
Venue: James Cook University Singapore
Dr Cheung Hoi Shan, Nanyang Technological University
Speaker's Bio
Assistant Professor Hoi Shan Cheung (PhD) from NTU - Dr Cheung began her research career in 2004 at the Singapore Children’s Society, a voluntary welfare organisation where she conducted research and advocacy on parenting and children’s development in Singapore. She obtained a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from the National University of Singapore (NUS) in 2014, and focused primarily on how parental sensitivity is related to children’s peer relationships in pre-school based on attachment theory. During her doctoral years, she was trained to conduct observations of caregiver sensitivity using several paradigms. She continued to develop her research in attachment theory and applying it to multiple social contexts, such as school bullying, as a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Psychology at NUS and later a visiting scholar in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at Purdue University. Her current research focuses the functional meaning of parenting practices in the Asian context, and how these may have an impact on children’s self-regulation and well-being. Dr. Cheung joined the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University in 2023.
Abstract
In this workshop, we delve into the intricate role parenting plays on child development, with a special focus on the influence of cultural factors and the practical application of research findings. Participants will gain insights into how culture shapes parenting styles, practices, and parenting cognitions, and how we can translate scientific knowledge into culturally-informed effective parenting strategies. The session will include interactive activities and a Q&A segment, tailored to the interests of researchers, practitioners, and students in the field of mental health.
Using thematic analysis to understand the lives and experiences of marginalised communities in Singapore
Date/Time: 13 Jan 2025 / 13:20 pm to 14:50 pm
Duration: approx. 60 to 75 minutes
Venue: James Cook University Singapore
Mr Mohd Alif, James Cook University, Singapore
Speaker's Bio
Alif is a final-year PhD Candidate at James Cook University, Singapore Campus. His PhD dissertation draws on the disciplines of psychology and sociology to examine the socio-political stressors experienced by and the resilience of LGBTQ couples in Singapore. His research interests include LGBTQ relationships and families, qualitative research methodologies, coping and resilience, and critical approaches to health and illness. He has extensive experience utilising qualitative research methods, particularly in developing and improving health services and interventions for healthcare workers and people from the LGBTQ community in Singapore.
Abstract
Thematic Analysis (TA) is often seen and described as a singular method with one set of procedures to understand the broad patterns of meaning within a qualitative dataset. However, TA is a diverse family of methods with differences in theoretical assumptions, conceptualisations of codes and themes, and analytic procedures. This pre-conference workshop will introduce participants to some basic principles of qualitative data analysis and three types of TA: (a) Applied Thematic Analysis, (b) Reflexive Thematic Analysis, and (c) Framework Analysis. The speaker will then showcase how these types of TA can be applied to understand the lives and experiences of various marginalised communities in Singapore.
Web Scraping Big Data in Well-being
Date/Time: 13 Jan 2025 / 15:00 pm to 16:00 pm
Duration: approx. 60 minutes
Venue: James Cook University Singapore
Dr Chan Kai Qin, James Cook University, Singapore
Speaker's Bio
Dr. Kai Qin Chan is a Senior Lecturer at James Cook University, Singapore. His primary research interest is in emotions. He was trained as an experimental social psychologist, so he believes in the value of doing careful and laborious traditional lab work. At the same time, he also appreciates the value of tech tools in answering under-explored research questions.
Abstract
Big data on well-being can be found easily on the internet, but it is not always clear how one can leverage them to yield theoretical insights and applied knowledge. This workshop will cover how to extract and clean big data from Reddit and other types of forums, followed by some possible analyses (e.g., LIWC) users can run to explore phenomena related to well-being.
Structural Equation Modelling for Beginners
Date/Time: 13 Jan 2025 / 16:10 pm to 17:40 pm
Duration: approx. 90 minutes
Venue: James Cook University Singapore
Dr Kunchana (Gi) Chouynuu, James Cook University, Singapore
Speaker's Bio
Dr Kunchana (Gi) Chouynuu is a learning advisor for Mathematics and Statistics at James Cook University, Singapore. She has several years of experience in teaching research methodologies and statistical analyses for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Gi completed a PhD in social psychology at the University of Queensland, Australia. She also holds a Master’s degree in Quantitative Methods for Science, Social Science and Medicine from Lancaster University, UK.
Abstract
The goal of this workshop is to equip attendees with the understanding of conventional Structural Equation Modelling using the AMOS software. The workshop will cover a range of necessary techniques including model specification and modification, the bootstrapping method for the estimation of indirect effects. Methodological advantages and limitations will also be discussed.
The workshop is designed to be hands-on. It is assumed that the workshop attendees will have basic knowledge of Confirmatory Factor Analysis in addition to a sound understanding of regression analysis. Attendees will complete the workshop with practical skills required to conduct their own analysis.
Attendees will need to have AMOS pre-installed on their computer.
For those who do not have AMOS, a free software trial is available here: https://www.ibm.com/sg-en/products/structural-equation-modeling-sem
Panel Discussion
Moderator
Associate Professor Denise Dillon
Acting Dean of Research, Associate Dean of Research Education, James Cook University, Singapore
Speaker's Bio
Dr Denise Dillon is the Dean of Research (acting) and Associate Dean Research Education at the Singapore campus of James Cook University (JCU). After serving as Head of Academic Group for psychology, arts and education for almost 10 years she now facilitates and promotes the strategic direction of research within JCU Singapore, improvements in the quality and impact of that research, and the growth of local, national and international research collaborations.
Dr Dillon has extensive supervisory experience in graduate and Honours research, having supervised more than 100 Honours students and more than a dozen graduate-level students to completion. Graduate students include those in the Master and Doctor of Clinical Psychology courses, and PhD.
She is a full member of the Singapore Psychological Society (SPS) and a member of the International Association of Applied Psychology (IAAP), Division 4: Environmental Psychology. She is an ARMS Accredited Research Manager (Foundation) and a certified Forest Therapy Guide (ANFT no. 1818009).
Panellists
Associate Professor Diganta Das
Nanyang Technological University
Speaker's Bio
Diganta Das is an associate professor of Human Geography at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore and also the Co-Chair of the Sustainability Learning Lab (SLL) at the university. He received his Masters in Planning and Development from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay and completed his Ph.D. in Geography from the National University of Singapore (NUS). His research interests focus on issues of liveability and sustainable urban development, the relationship between the production of smart cities and everyday urban life, and the changing dynamics of urban waterscape in Asia. His research has been published in international journals, as book chapters and as an upcoming book monograph. Both local and international newspapers interviewed Associate Professor Das, and he was also featured by Channel News Asia for his research on Johor & and Singapore’s urban and economic relationships and future.
Dr Annabelle Chow
MAPS FCCLP MSRP MSPS
DPsych (Clin)
Principal Clinical Psychologist
Founder of Annabelle Psychology & Annabelle Kids
Speaker's Bio
Dr Annabelle Chow is the principal clinical psychologist at Annabelle Psychology and Annabelle Kids. She is registered with the Singapore Register of Psychologists (SRP) and accredited by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). She is also a Fellow of the APS College of Clinical Psychologists, and is a Clinical Supervisor registered with the Psychology Board of Australia and with the Singapore Register of Psychologists.
Her interest covers those of personality disorders, trauma, and abuse. She regularly works with patients at risk of suicide and self-harm.
She strongly believes that the needs of everyone are unique and different, reflecting this philosophy in the careful selection of therapy and her relational approach tailored to each individual needs.
Dr Annabelle provides therapy in English, Mandarin, Teochew, and Hokkien.
Dr Quah Saw Han
Director/Principal Clinical Psychologist
T.A.P: The Affinity People Pte Ltd
Speaker's Bio
Dr Quah Saw Han is a Clinical Psychologist who has been active in the social services sector in Singapore since 1999. She has worked with children, young persons, and their parents in relation to child protection, juvenile crime, and family issues. Prior to private practice, Saw Han worked in a government department dealing with rehabilitation and protection cases from frontline services to implementation of programs. She has a wide range of interests: parenting, disabilities, child development and protection, mental health (especially trauma, resilience, and children of mentally ill parents), family therapy, programme implementation and evaluation, research, learning and behaviour, and issues related to burnout. Saw Han has been a trainer and involved with the implementation of TCOM tools like CANS (Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths) and FAST (Family Advocacy Support Tool - named as Family and Adult Support Tool in Singapore) since 2011. In recent years, she has developed and facilitated workshops related to trauma-informed practices in foster care and residential care settings.