Dr WONG, Ting Yat
黃定一
博士
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Assistant Professor |
Department of Psychology |
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Co-Director & Member |
Centre for Psychosocial Health |
Contact
ORCiD
0000-0003-4356-1978
Phone
(852) 2948 8795
Email
wtingyat@eduhk.hk
Address
10 Lo Ping Road, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong
Scopus ID
57204143122
SDGs
3 - Good Health and Well-Being
11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities
11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities
Research Interests
Neurodevelopment; Mental Health; Resilience
Research Interests
Neurodevelopment; Mental Health; Resilience
Research Outputs
| Journal Publications Wong, Ting Yat; Wong, Ting Sam; Hou, Wai Kai; Leung, Angel Nga Man; Xiao, Jie; Yuen, Kenneth S L; Lui, Simon S Y; Qiu, Anqi; Moore, Tyler M; Gur, Ruben C; (2026). What makes a lonely child: environmental, health, and multimodal neuroimaging correlates of prospective loneliness in the ABCD study. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, jcpp.70178, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.70178SDGs infomation: 3 - Good Health and Well-Being, 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities Tsui, H.K.H., Wong, T.Y., Sum, M.Y., Chu, S.T., Hui, C.L.M., Chang, W.C., Lee, E.H.M., Suen, Y., Chen, E.Y.H. (2025). Comparison of Negative Symptom Network Structures Between Patients With Early and Chronic Schizophrenia: A Network and Exploratory Graph Analysis. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 51 (3), 672–683. https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbae135SDGs infomation: 3 - Good Health and Well-Being Wong, T.Y., Moore, T.M., Hillman, N., Calkins, M.E., Shahriar, S., Dietterich, T., Ruparel, K., Roalf, D.R., Wolf, D.H., Satterthwaite, T.D., Ered, A., Gur, R.E., Gur, R.C. (2025). Longitudinal Development of Neurocognitive Functioning and Gray Matter Volume in Youths With Recurrent Psychosis Spectrum Symptoms. Schizophrenia Bulletin, sbaf049, 1-10. SDGs infomation: 3 - Good Health and Well-Being Tsui, H.K.H., & Wong, T.Y., Ma, C.F., Wong, T.E., Hsiao, J., Chan, S.K.W. (2024). Reliability of theory of mind tasks in schizophrenia, ASD, and nonclinical populations: A systematic review and reliability generalization meta-analysis. Neuropsychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11065-024-09652-4 Ting Yat Wong, Hao Luo, Jennifer Tang, Tyler M. Moore, Ruben C. Gur, Yi Nam Suen, Christy Lai Ming Hui, Edwin Ho Ming Lee, Wing Chung Chang, Wai Ching Yan , Eileena Chui , Lap Tak Poon , Alison Lo , Koi-Man Cheung , Chui Kwan Kan , Eric Yu Hai Chen, Sherry Kit Wa Chan (2024). Development of an individualized risk calculator of treatment resistance in patients with first-episode psychosis (TRipCal) using automated machine learning: A 12-year follow-up study with clozapine prescription as a proxy indicator. Translational Psychiatry, 14, Article 50. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-024-02754-w Tiffanie Sze Wing Pang, Johnny Siu Wah Chun, Ting Yat Wong, Sin Ting Chu, Chak Fai Ma, William G. Honer, Sherry Kit Wa Chan (2023). A systematic review of neuroimaging studies of clozapine-resistant schizophrenia. Schizophrenia, 9, Article 65. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41537-023-00392-7 Wong, T.Y., Fang, Z., Cheung, C., Wong, C.S.M., Suen, Y.N., Hui, C.L.M., Lee., E.H.M., Lui, S.S.Y., Chan, S.K.W., Chang, W.K., Sham, P.C., & Chen, E.Y.H. (2023). Unveiling Common Psychological Characteristics of Proneness to Aggression and General Psychopathology in a Large Community Youth Cohort. Translational Psychiatry, 13(1), 255, Article 255. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-023-02538-8 Ting Yat Wong, Zhiqian Fang, Charlton Cheung, Corine S. M. Wong, Yi Nam Suen, Christy L. M. Hui, Edwin H. M. Lee, Simon S. Y. Lui, Sherry K. W. Chan, Wing Chung Chang, Pak Chung Sham, Eric Y. H. Chen (2022). Dynamic patterns of symptoms and functioning in predicting deliberate self-harm in patients with first-episode schizophrenia-spectrum disorders over 3 years. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 48(5), 1043-1052. https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbac057 |
Projects
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Psychosocial factors linked to resilience to stressors in first-episode psychosis: Towards a resilience calculator. Resilience, defined as the capacity to maintain mental health despite exposure to stressors, is highly relevant to outcomes in psychosis. Individuals with psychosis often show heightened sensitivity to daily stress, which is associated with worsening positive, negative, and mood symptoms. Poor stress coping may therefore contribute to more severe illness trajectories, highlighting the need to understand resilience mechanisms in this population. First-episode psychosis (FEP) offers a critical window for intervention. This stage often occurs during late adolescence or early adulthood, when psychological, social, and neurodevelopmental changes are still ongoing. Strengthening resilience during this period may reduce symptom progression and prevent functional decline in education, work, and social relationships. However, resilience to stress varies substantially across individuals, suggesting that identifiable protective factors may buffer against stress-related symptom worsening. This study aims to develop a Resilience Calculator, a predictive tool to quantify resilience in individuals with FEP. The primary objective is to identify factors that predict resilience to daily stress, while the secondary objective is to clarify the biological mechanisms underlying resilience in psychosis. By focusing on FEP, this study seeks to inform early, targeted interventions that may alter illness trajectories. Ultimately, the project aims to support precision psychiatry by identifying individuals at greater risk of poor stress coping and symptom exacerbation, enabling more personalized prevention and treatment strategies. Project Start Year: 2026, Principal Investigator(s): WONG, Ting Yat SDGs Information: 3 - Good Health and Well-Being |
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Identifying Latent Brain Subtypes of Adolescent Loneliness This project aims to identify latent neurobiological subtypes of adolescent loneliness using the Healthy Brain Network (HBN) dataset. Rather than treating loneliness as a single homogeneous condition, the study will examine whether adolescents with elevated loneliness show distinct patterns of brain structure and connectivity. Multimodal neuroimaging measures, including cortical and subcortical morphology and functional or structural connectivity, will be used to derive data-driven subgroups. We will then compare these brain-based subtypes in terms of emotional symptoms, social functioning, cognitive performance, and environmental risk or protective factors. The project seeks to clarify the neurobiological heterogeneity underlying adolescent loneliness and to determine whether different neural profiles are associated with distinct developmental and mental health outcomes. Project Start Year: 2026, Principal Investigator(s): WONG, Ting Yat |
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Investigating Resilient Psychosocial Functioning in Youth Using Functional Brain Connectivity and Digital Phenotyping: Are Individuals with Higher Resilience More Distinctive? Mental health problems such as depression and anxiety are highly prevalent, yet population rates have not declined despite expanded services. To progress, prevention must complement treatment by promoting resilience—the capacity to adapt and recover from stress. This project examines how resilience relates to everyday digital behavior and brain connectivity in young adults. We will recruit 129 youths (18–24 years) in Hong Kong. Participants will complete questionnaires on psychosocial functioning and retrospective early-life stress (before age 18). For two months, we will collect smartphone data—GPS mobility and screen-time metrics—to capture real-world behavior. Each participant will also undergo resting-state MRI to map functional connectivity among brain networks. An outcome-based resilience score will be computed by integrating psychosocial wellbeing with early-life stress exposure. We will use computational methods to quantify the distinctiveness of each person’s digital and neural patterns and test the hypothesis that greater individual distinctiveness is associated with higher resilience. We will then develop machine learning models to predict resilience from multimodal features, identifying digital and brain connectivity signatures most strongly linked to adaptive functioning. By bridging psychology, neuroscience, and data science, this study aims to reveal modifiable digital and biological markers of resilience. Findings could inform personalized, just-in-time supports that reduce risk during periods of heightened stress, offering a proactive, wellness-focused complement to traditional, disease-oriented care. Project Start Year: 2026, Principal Investigator(s): WONG, Ting Yat SDGs Information: 3 - Good Health and Well-Being |
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How Does Screen Time Shape the Developing Brain? A Longitudinal Study with Multimodal MRI from the ABCD Cohort This project investigates how screen time influences brain development across childhood and adolescence using longitudinal multimodal MRI data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. The study will examine whether differences in the amount and patterns of screen use are associated with developmental changes in brain structure, white matter connectivity, and functional brain networks over time. It will also assess whether these brain changes are linked to cognitive, emotional, and mental health outcomes. By leveraging repeated neuroimaging and behavioral assessments in a large population-based cohort, the project aims to clarify how digital exposure may shape neurodevelopment and identify developmental periods or individual characteristics associated with greater susceptibility or resilience. Project Start Year: 2025, Principal Investigator(s): WONG, Ting Yat |
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Deviations of Normative Gray Matter Development and Cognition in Youth At-risk for Psychosis Cognitive dysfunction is a key feature of psychosis and schizophrenia, often preceding the emergence of psychotic symptoms including hallucinations or delusions. These difficulties are particularly salient during adolescence, a critical phase characterized by substantial brain development. Recent research suggests that deviation from normative brain development may be linked to psychosis. Yet, the relationship between atypical brain development and neurocognition in youths with persistent psychosis spectrum (PS) symptoms remains poorly understood. This study will employ machine learning on an open dataset to investigate these intricate relationships. Our approach involves constructing a normative growth model for gray matter volume using typically developing (TD) youths. We will then apply this model to youths displaying PS symptoms to quantify deviations from the normative developmental trajectories. Subsequently, we will identify subgroups of individuals exhibiting similar patterns of brain development deviations and investigate how these deviations are correlated with their neurocognitive performance and their enduring risk of developing psychosis during follow-up assessments. Project Start Year: 2025, Principal Investigator(s): WONG, Ting Yat SDGs Information: 3 - Good Health and Well-Being |
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Latent dimensions between exposome and functional brain connectivity linking to psychopathology in ABCD cohort This study aims to elucidate the complex relationships between environmental exposures and brain development during childhood and adolescence by analyzing data from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) cohort. Using sparse redundancy analysis (sRDA), the research will identify latent dimensions of the exposome—encompassing factors like trauma, socioeconomic status, and pollution—and their impact on brain functional connectivity. The sRDA approach addresses multicollinearity and simplifies interpretation compared to canonical correlation analysis. Additionally, the study will investigate how these environmental influences affect the development of psychopathology, considering the potential mediating role of neurodevelopmental processes. By directly mapping broad environmental exposures to neurophysiological outcomes, this research aims to provide deeper insights into the interplay between environment and brain function, informing more effective interventions and prevention strategies for mental health disorders. Project Start Year: 2023, Principal Investigator(s): WONG, Ting Yat SDGs Information: 3 - Good Health and Well-Being, 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities |
Prizes and awards
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Best Paper Award Date of receipt: /6/2025, Conferred by: The 2025 HKCPsych International Mental Health Congress |
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Best Paper Award Date of receipt: /6/2025, Conferred by: The 2025 HKCPsych International Mental Health Congress |