Educational Qualifications

PhD, National University of Singapore

M Soc Sci, National University of Singapore

Graduate Dip Soc Studies, University of Singapore

B Soc Sci (Hons), University of Singapore

Academic and Professional Experience

2006 - 2023
Senior Lecturer/Head of Social Work Programmes Singapore University of Social Sciences

2000 - 2006
Head, Medical Social Work Department WH/IMH, NHG

1989 - 2000
Chief Medical Social Worker/Head of Department at IMH Coordinator, MSW Service MOH

Other skills and Interests

  • Master Practitioner NLP, 2014
  • Certified Hypnotherapist in Ericksonian Hypnosis 2011
  • Diploma in Clinical Hypnosis, 2009 from LCCH
  • Certificate in Hypnosis, 2008 from the London College of Clinical Hypnosis
  • Certified Reality Therapy, Glasser Institute, USA, 1996
  • Certified Gambling Addiction Counsellor by APSAC, 2005

Research

  • Completed a research on caregivers of dementia patients together with investigators from Alexandra Hospital, NUS Medical School and the Alzheimer’s Disease Association 2009
  • Completed another study on Caregiving of the Elderly: Policies and Programmes in 2010
  • Burden of Care presented at the Institute of Mental Health 1st Annual Scientific Meeting (1994) Won the Best Paper Award
  • Completed a group study on needs of Caregivers for REACH in 2010
  • Completed a research on Burden of Caregiving for dementia patients with behavioural problem with Tan Tock Seng Hospital Department of Psychological Medicine 2014
  • Completed a study on stress and burnout in social work students 2018
  • Completed a research on Resilience and stress in frontline social workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Singapore 2020

Selected Publications

  • An Evaluative Study of the applicability of a family Psycho-educational Family Treatment Programme for Singapore clients presented at the IMH 2nd Annual Scientific Meeting (1995). Won Best Paper Award
  • The role of Demographic Characteristics and Social Stability in predicting Treatment Outcome in Male Alcoholics presented at the IMH 5th Annual Scientific Meeting. Won Best Paper Award.
  • Chapter on “The Psychological Impact of Family Violence.” In Families in Conflict: theories and approaches in Mediation Counselling. (Butterworth 2000).
  • History of Psychiatric Social Work in Social Dimension, Publication of the SASW
  • Burden of Care presented at the NUS Symposium on Resilience in Family Crisis: Implications for Social Workers, May 11 – 12, 2001. Published in Asia Pacific Journal of Social Work, July 2001 Vol 11
  • Gender Difference in Alcoholism – A paper in poster presentation put up at the IMH ASM in October 2001.
  • Editor for a book for volunteers titled ‘Volunteerism’ published in 2002
  • Validation of the Experience of Caregiving Inventory and the Burden Assessment Scale – A poster put up at the NHG Annual Scientific Meeting, 2002. Won Best Poster Award.
  • Factors that influenced the Experience of Caregiving – A paper presented at the NHG-ASM, 2003. One of the 3 papers shortlisted for Best Paper Award and published in the Annals of Medicine.
  • Validation of English and Chinese versions of the SQLS, SF-36 and HUI in patients with schizophrenia in Singapore. Co-authored with Luo Nan, J Thumboo and Li SC. Paper presented at ISPOR 8th Annual  Page 3 of 3 Meeting, Arlington VA (USA) May 18 –21, 2003. (Value Health 2003; 6:360). Co-authored with Luo N, Thumboo, J and Li SC.
  • Construct Validity of the Health Utilities Index Mark 3 (HUI-3) in patients with schizophrenia. The 10th Conference of ISOQOL, Prague, Czech, November 12 – 15, 2003 (Qual Life Res 2003; 7:816). Co- authored with Luo N, J Thumboo and Li SC
  • Responsiveness of the Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale (SQLS) and the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) in patients with schizophrenia: a comparison study. Paper presented at the 10th Conference of ISOQOL, Prague, Czech, November 12 – 15, 2003 (Qual Life Res 2003; 7:753). Co-authored with Luo Nan, Thumboo, J and Li SC.
  • Health related quality of life in outpatients with schizophrenia in Singapore. The ISPOR 6th European Congress, Barcelona, Spain, November 9-11, 2003. (Health Value, 2003; 6:695. co-authored with Luo Nan, Thumboo, J and Li SC.
  • A Study of the construct validity of the health utilities index mark 3 (HUI3) in patients with schizophrenia in Quality of Life Research (2006) 15:889 – 898. co-authored with Nan, Luo, Julian Thumboo, David Feeny and Shu-Chuen Li.
  • Validation of the Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale(SQLS) in Asians with Schizophrenia in Value in Health (2007).
  • Resilience and Stress in front-line Social Workers during the Covid19 Pandemic in Singapore. Asian Social Work and Policy Review(2021) 15, 234-243 coauthored with Subramaniam, Mythily, You Jin Chung, Syed Ahmad Mahdi Syed, and Siow Ann Chong
  • Resilience and psychological distress among social workers during COVID 19 period in Singapore and South Korea (2021), coauthored with OK Yang and Chung You Jin. Cambodian Journal of Social Welfare (3) 3-22.