The effects of co-occurring personal and population-level stressors on mental health in the community: findings from a series of studies conducted amid ongoing social unrest and COVID-19 in 2020

Mental disorders are traditionally conceptualised as largely caused by intrinsic factors. While it is increasingly acknowledged that psychiatric conditions are multi-faceted, the roles played by external factors in psychopathology remains to be understudied. Particularly in a world of ongoing large-scale crises, how population-level stressors such as social unrest and COVID-19 could additionally contribute to symptoms of not only depression and PTSD but also ideas of reference, as a form of psychotic-like experiences, remains to be explored. The current presentation shares findings gathered from a series of studies conducted during the period of social unrest and COVID-19 in Hong Kong. The relevance of the findings to psychopathology and implications are discussed.

Format: Face-to-face and Zoom

Venue: J2 Seminar Room, 2/F Block J, QMH

Registration Link: Please click into the below link for registration (face-to-face or zoom)

https://hku.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYsdOqvrD0tHd1oabbZDNrhvOe3GR0Y5iyI