Efficacy of body-mind-spirit oriented psychosocial programme in promoting holistic well-being of students in late adolescence

ABSTRACT

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a series of seven psychosocial programmes in promoting holistic well-being of students in late adolescence. The psychosocial programme was held on two days, with two 3-hour sessions (morning and afternoon) scheduled for each day. Based on the body-mind-spirit model, the psychosocial programme involved bodily exercises, meditation, relaxation, singing, drawing, letter writing, sharing of experience, etc. As compared with the comparison group (N = 64), participants (N = 98) showed enhancement of equanimity in terms of nonattachment, general vitality, mindful awareness, and spiritual self-care. They also exhibited reduction in emotional affliction, declined emotional vulnerability, reduced bodily irritability, and lowered spiritual disorientation.

KEYWORDS:

• Body-mind-spirit
• late adolescence
• psychosocial programme
• holistic well-being

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hoi Nga Ng

NG Hoi Nga Anna is Director of Student Affairs cum Assistant Professor of Humanities and Languages of Caritas Institute of Higher Education. She is a registered social worker, certified sex therapist, a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, certified Integrative Body-Mind-Spirit practitioner, and a Senior Counseling and Training consultant of Caritas Human Empowerment and Achievement Training.  She is the Founder and Coordinator of Research Unit on Love, Marriage and Family.  Besides, she is also a magazine and newspaper columnist who has been interviewed by radio and TV programmes in promoting sexuality education. She has been guest speaker for various public sexuality education seminars. She serves as the Chairperson of the Hong Kong Association of Sexuality Educators, Researchers and Therapists.  Her research interest includes outcome evaluation of holistic care intervention workshops and marital counselling, sexual health and sexuality education, female penetrative intercourse difficulty, related factors of female sexual dysfunction, sexual self-concept of female adult survivors of child sexual abuse.

Kam Weng Boey

BOEY Kam Weng is Research Professor of Humanities and Languages, Caritas Institute of Higher Education, Honorary Professor of Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong. He serves as Research Consultant of Hong Kong Association of Sexuality Educators, Researchers and Therapists. He is a clinical psychologist with research interested in mental health of late adolescents and older adults. He is also interested in studying shingles, pebbles, and deciduous leaves.