Profile of Dr KWAN, Lok Yin Joyce 關樂言 - The Education University of Hong Kong


Associate Head (Learning & Teaching) / Associate Professor	Department of Psychology
Associate Director	Analytics\Assessment Research Centre
Member	Centre for Psychosocial Health

Contact

ORCiD

0000-0001-5857-6828

Phone

(852) 2948 7787

Fax

(852) 2948 8744

jlykwan@eduhk.hk

Address

10 Lo Ping Road, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong

Website

https://pappl.eduhk.hk/rich/web/person.xhtml?pid=167735&name=KWAN, Lok Yin Joyce

Scopus ID

52164108200

Research Interests

Joyce's research centers on quantitative research methodology. Her current research interests focus on structural equation modeling, mediation and moderation analysis.

Personal Profile

Dr Joyce Kwan obtained her doctoral degree from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Prior to joining the Hong Kong Institute of Education, she had worked at the Chinese University of Hong Kong as a lecturer and had taught various courses in psychology, quantitative research methods, and educational testing and assessment.

Research Interests

Joyce's research centers on quantitative research methodology. Her current research interests focus on structural equation modeling, mediation and moderation analysis.

Research Outputs


Scholarly Books, Monographs and Chapters Lai, F. T. T., & Kwan, J. L. Y. (2018). Socioeconomic Determinants of Internet Addiction in Adolescents: A Scoping Review. In B. Bozoglan (Eds), Psychological, Social, and Cultural Aspects of Internet Addiction (127-145). Hershey PA, USA: IGI Global.
Journal Publications Pan, J., McBride, C., Kwan, J. L. Y., & Shu, H. (2024). Longitudinal effects of socioeconomic status on first and second language reading development: evidence from Chinese children learning English. Reading and Writing, NA, NA. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-024-10542-7 Leung, A. N. M., Ho, H. C. Y., Hou, W. K., Poon, K. T., Kwan, J. L. Y., & Chan, Y. C. (2024). A 1-year longitudinal study on experiencing workplace cyberbullying, affective well-being and work engagement of teachers: The mediating effect of cognitive reappraisal. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, x, x-xx. https://doi.org/10.1111/aphw.12546 Cheung, S. K., Chan, W. W. L., & Kwan, J. L. Y. (2023). An investigation into the concreteness of manipulatives in mathematical instruction: Do the object and its label matter?. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 65, 275-283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2023.07.005 Cheung, S. K. , Kwan, J. L. Y., Li, Z. Y. , Chan, Y. Y., & Kwan, K. T. (2023). Parents’ epistemological beliefs to children's early numeracy abilities: Pathways through parents’ home practices and children's numeracy interest. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 65, 13-22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2023.05.005 Ng, J. C. K., Kwan, J. L. Y., & Chan, W. (2023). A Note on Evaluating the Moderated Mediation Effect. Structural Equation Modeling. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/10705511.2023.2201396 Zhang, C., Kwan, J. L. Y., & Leung, B. W. (2023). Adaptation of a Self-Regulated Practice Behavior scale for Chinese music majors. Journal of Research in Music Education https://doi.org/10.1177/00224294221147008 Ho, H. C. Y., Hou, W. K., Poon, K. T., Leung, A. N. M., & Kwan, J. L. Y. (2022). Being virtuous together: A one-year prospective study on organizational virtuousness, well-being, and organizational commitment. Applied Research in Quality of Life https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-022-10094-4 Liang, Y., Lai, F. T. T., Kwan, J. L. Y., Chan, W., & Yeoh, E. K. (2022). Sport and recreational physical activities attenuate the predictive association of multimorbidity with increased geriatric depressive symptoms: A 14-year follow-up study of community-dwelling older adults. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 30(2), 252-260. https://doi.org/10.1123/japa.2021-0070 Chan, W. W. L., & Kwan, J. L. Y. (2021). Pathways to word problem solving: the mediating roles of schema construction. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 65, 101963. Cheung, S. K., & Kwan, J. L. Y. (2021). Parents’ perceived goals for early mathematics learning and their relations with children’s motivation to learn mathematics. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 56, 90-102. Tong, X., Kwan, J. L. Y., Tong, S. X., & Deacon, S. H. (2021). How Chinese–English bilingual fourth graders draw on syntactic awareness in reading comprehension: Within‐ and cross‐language effects. Reading Research Quarterly, 57(2), 409-429. Cheung, S. K., Kwan, J. L. Y., & Yim, K. Y. K. (2021). Pre-service early childhood teachers’ perceptions about sexuality education and behavioural intentions towards children’s curiosity about sexuality. Journal of Education for Teaching, 47, 89-103. Chiu, H. T., Yee, L. T. S., Kwan, J. L. Y., Cheung, R. Y. M., & Hou, W. K. (2020). Interactive association between negative emotion regulation and savoring is linked to anxiety symptoms among college students. Journal of American College Health, 68(5), 494-501. Cheung, R. Y. M., Leung, M. C., Chiu, H. T., Kwan, J. L. Y., Yee, T. S., & Hou, W. K. (2019). Family functioning and psychological outcomes at emerging adulthood: Savoring positive experiences as a mediating mechanism. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 36(9), 2693-2713. Tong, X., Wong, R. W. Y., Kwan, J. L. K., & Arciuli, J. (2019). Theory of mind as a mediator of reading comprehension differences between Chinese school-age children with autism and typically developing peers. Scientific Studies of Reading, 24(4), 292-306. Ng, J. C. K., Chan, W., Kwan, J. L. Y., & Chen, S. X. (2019). Unpacking structure-oriented cultural differences through a mediated moderation model: A tutorial with an empirical illustration. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 50(3), 358-380. Kwan, J. L. Y., & Chan, W. (2018). Variable system: An alternative approach for the analysis of mediated moderation.. Psychological Methods, 23(2), 262-277. Lai, F. T. T., Wong, W. W. K., & Kwan, J. L. Y. (2017). Socioeconomic moderators of the relationship between different quitting motives and smoking cessation in Hong Kong men. Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health, 29(6), 516-525. Lai, F.T. T., & Kwan J. L. Y. (2017). Socioeconomic influence on adolescent problematic Internet use through school-related psychosocial factors and pattern of Internet use. Computers in Human Behavior, 68, 121-136. Lai, F. T. T., & Kwan, J. L. Y. (2017). The presence of heavy Internet using peers is protective of the risk of problematic Internet use (PIU) in adolescents when the amount of use increases. Children and Youth Services Review, 73, 74-78. Tong, X., Kwan, J. L. Y., Wong, D. W. M., Lee, S. M. K., & Yip, J. H. Y. (2015). Toward a Dynamic Interactive Model of Non-Native Chinese Character Processing. Journal of Educational Psychology, 108(5), 680-693. Kwan, L. Y. J., & Chan, W. (2014). Comparing squared multiple correlation coefficients using structural equation modeling: a model reparameterization approach. Structural Equation Modeling, 21, 225-238. Kwan, J. L. Y. & Chan, W. (2011). Comparing standardized coefficients in structural equation modeling: a model reparameterization approach. Behavior Research Methods, 43(3), 730-745.
Conference Papers Kwan, J. L. Y., Chan, W., Ng, J. C. K., & Choi, C. Y. T. (2024, May). VS: A R package for Conditional Path Analysis. Paper presented at The 15th Asian Conference on the Social Sciences, Tokyo, Japan. Kwan, J. L. Y., Chan, W., Ng, J. C. K., Choi, C. Y. T., & Kwan, K. T. (2023, May). Conditional Path Analysis: The Analytical Framework of Mediated Moderation. Paper presented at The 14th Asian Conference on the Social Sciences, Tokyo, Japan. Ho, H. C. Y., Hou, W. K., Poon, K. T., Chan, Y. C., Leung, A. N. M., & Kwan, J. L. Y. (2021, August). Effects of Positive Organizational Practices on Well-being: Mediating Role of Psychological Capital. APA Convention 2021, Virtual Conference. Kwan, J. L.-Y., Chan, W., & Ng, J. C.-K. (2021, 7). A Simulation Study Comparing Different Statistical Models of Mediated Moderation. Poster presented at the 32nd International Congress of Psychology, Prague, Czech Republic (Virtual). Cheung, S. K., Kwan, J. L.Y., Li, Z. Y., & Kwan, K. T. (2020, October). Relationships between home numeracy activities, parental numeracy guidance, and young children’s numeracy interest and competence.. Poster presented at the Home Math Environment Virtual Conference., Online. Kwan, J. L.Y., Cheung, R. Y. H., & Cheung, S. K. (2020, July). Interaction between parental beliefs about the nature of mathematics on children’s motivation to learn mathematics.. Poster presented at the 2020 Mathematical Cognition and Learning Society Virtual Conference., Online. Chan, W. W. L., Kwan, J. L. Y., & Ma, J. S. L. (2019, March). Children Solving Arithmetic Word Problems. Poster presented at the 3rd Biennial International Convention of Psychological Science, Paris, France. Kwan, J. L. Y. & Chan, W. (2019, March). A Variable System Approach for the Analysis of Latent Mediated Moderation. Poster presented at the 3rd Biennial International Convention of Psychological Science, Paris, France. Kwan, J. L. Y., & Chan, W. (2017, May). An alternative latent growth curve model for the analysis of longitudinal data with time-dependent observations: A simulation study. Poster presented at the 29th Association for Psychological Science Annual Convention, Boston, US. Yee, T.S.L., Chiu, H.T., Tsang, H.F., Kwan, L.Y.J., Cheung, Y.M.R.,& Hou, W.K. (2017, May). Regulation of Positive and Negative Emotional Experiences Mediate the Relationship between Dispositional Mindfulness and Anxiety Symptoms in Young Adults. 29th Association for Psychological Science (APS) Annual Convention, Boston, USA. Kwan, J. L. Y. (2016, July). An alternative structural equation modeling approach for the analysis of longitudinal data with time-dependent observations. Poster presented at the 31st International Congress of Psychology, Yokohama, Japan. Kwan, J. L. Y., Chan, W., Ng, J. C. K., & Choi, C. Y. T. (2016, July). VS: A R-based program for the analysis of conditional path models. Paper presented at the 31st International Congress of Psychology, Yokohama, Japan. Chan, W., Kwan, J. L.-Y., & Choi, C. Y.-T. (2015, July). The analysis of mediated moderation using VS. Paper presented at the 80th Annual Meeting of the Psychometric Society, Beijing, China. Kwan, J. L.-Y., Chan, W., & Choi, C. Y.-T. (2015, July). VS: A new statistical tool for the analysis of conditional path models. Paper presented at he 3rd European Conference on the Social Sciences, Brighton, UK. Chan, W., Kwan, J. L.-Y., & Choi, C. Y.-T. (2015, June). A new structural equation modeling based method for conditional process analysis.. Paper presented at the 7th International Conference on Probability and Statistics, Smolenice Castle, Slovak Republic. Chan, W., Kwan, J. L. Y., & Zhao, Y. (2014, July). Estimating and comparing scale reliabilities using bootstrap bias-corrected Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Paper presented at the 2014 Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) – Venice International Multidisciplinary Academic Summit, Venice, Italy. Kwan, J. L. Y. & Chan, W. (2014, May). A simulation study on the analysis of conditional indirect effects with latent variables.. Poster presented at the 26th Annual Convention of the Association for Psychological Science, San Francisco, U.S.A..
Creative and Literary Works, Consulting Reports and Case Studies Chan, W., Kwan, J. L.-Y., Choi, Y.-T., & Ng, J. C.-K. (2024). Variable System (VS). R package version 0.1.1. [Computer Software]. Hong Kong, China https:// https://vsquanpsy.wixsite.com/home Chan, W., Kwan, J. L. Y., & Choi, C. Y. T. (2016). VS for Windows [Computer software]. Hong Kong, China: The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Retrieved from http://www.psy.cuhk.edu.hk/vs.

Projects


A Longitudinal Investigation on the Relation Between Logical Reasoning and Mathematical Competence A relation between logic and mathematics has long been hypothesized, and is a matter of interest to mathematicians, psychologists, and educators (e.g., Piaget, 1952; Russell, 1919; Smith, 2004). Given the long-standing presumption of such a relation, it is surprising that very few studies have investigated whether logical reasoning is indeed related to mathematical competence, and even fewer have looked into why such a relation might exist. The aim of the proposed study is therefore to investigate the nature of the logic-math relation. Three hypotheses regarding the relation will be tested. The first hypothesis is that logical reasoning and mathematical problem-solving involve shared general cognitive factors, such as intelligence, working memory, and inhibition skills. The second hypothesis is that logical reasoning predicts mathematical problem-solving because the former is inherently involved in the latter. For instance, perhaps to solve more abstract mathematics problems, the reasoner needs to identify the underlying logical structure of the problem before applying the relevant logical rules. The third hypothesis is that we learn to think logically through the mathematics education we receive. If that is the case, then mathematical competence, as a proxy for mastery of the mathematics curriculum, should predict people’s future logical reasoning performance. To tease apart these different theoretical possibilities, a longitudinal study is proposed. Three-hundred-and-sixty seventh graders (i.e., 12-13-year-olds) will be recruited and assessed yearly over a three-year period. The assessments will include tests of logical reasoning skills, mathematical problem-solving, basic cognitive skills (i.e., intelligence, working memory, inhibition), as well as potential mediators of the logic-math relation (i.e., the ability to extract problem structures from word problems, number ordering, number line estimation, and fraction relations).Such a design will enable us to tease apart the different theoretical possibilities outlined above. Employing a longitudinal design targeting early adolescence, when both logical reasoning and mathematical problem-solving skills are rapidly developing, will allow a clearer picture of the developmental relation between logic and math to be obtained, and the inclusion of multiple logical reasoning measures, as well as potential confounding factors and mediators, will allow us to learn more about the specificity and nature of that relation. This knowledge will, in turn, inform the future development of educational interventions, and have implications for curriculum design (e.g., including logic instruction in the mathematics curriculum) and educational policy (e.g., increasing the resources devoted to mathematics education). Project Start Year: 2024, Principal Investigator(s): WONG, Tin Yau, Terry 王天佑 (KWAN, Lok Yin, Joyce as Co-Investigator)
Effect Size Measures and Sample Size Determination in Multilevel Mediation Analysis within the Structural Equation Modeling Framework This study aims to investigate the sample size requirement for the multilevel mediation model. The study is divided into three parts. Part I will investigate the effect size measures for multilevel mediation effect, benchmarking other existing measures for multilevel modeling. Effect size is one factor that affects the adequacy of sample size. The results of Part I will enhance researchers’ understanding of the effect size and help to anticipate the effect size of the study prior to data collection. In Part II, simulation studies will be conducted to systematically evaluate the performance of the multilevel mediation model at varying sample sizes within the multilevel structural equation modeling framework and formulate some rules governing sample size determination in the multilevel mediation context. In Part III, a R-based program for sample size and effect size computation for multilevel mediation analysis will be developed based on the results of Parts I and II. This study will help researchers to determine an optimal sample size for multilevel mediation analysis in face of resource limitation and will contribute to improving the study design for mediation with multilevel data and enhancing the methodological rigor of research studies. Project Start Year: 2024, Principal Investigator(s): KWAN, Lok Yin, Joyce
How Social-emotional Skills Affect Children’s Reading Comprehension: A Cross-Lagged Longitudinal Study This study will make several novel contributions to the literature. Most significantly, it will employ a longitudinal design to systematically examine the bidirectional relation between social-emotional skills and reading comprehension, resulting in a more comprehensive picture of how social-emotional skills affect child reading comprehension and vice versa. Our results will also shed light on the mechanisms linking social-emotional skills and reading comprehension by testing the mediating roles of cognitive and oral language skills and word reading on the association between social-emotional skills and reading comprehension。 Given the fundamental role of reading comprehension in successful academic learning, and professional and personal opportunities, documenting these mechanisms is critical for informing policies and interventions designed to reduce reading comprehension disparities among children. Furthermore, this study’s findings will 1) inform parents, educators, and policymakers about ways to promote reading comprehension and social-emotional skill intervention programs that benefit child development; 2) enhance these intervention programs by incorporating socialemotional skills with other language- and cognitive-related skills to screen for at-risk readers; and 3) inform policies and programs that provide support to children with social-emotional problems and poor comprehension skills. Project Start Year: 2024, Principal Investigator(s): TONG, Xiuhong (KWAN, Lok Yin, Joyce as Co-Investigator)
One stone, three birds? Effects of joint play of digital versus non-digital number board games on young children, parents and their relationship Parent-child joint play of number board games has been found to promote numeracy competence and interest in young children. However, it is uncertain whether those benefits exist when the games are played in a virtual format. In addition, most previous studies have neglected to study competence in numeracy guidance of parents and the relationship between parents and their children as a result of the home numeracy activities. In view of the above, the proposed project aims to compare the effects of parent-child joint play of traditional (non-digital) and digital number board games on children, parents and the parent-child relationship. To achieve these aims, 320 parent-child dyads will be randomly assigned into one of the four conditions for a six-week period: playing with traditional number board games, playing with digital number board games, playing with dough and clay (serving as active control), and business-as-usual (serving as passive control). Pre-tests and immediate post-tests will be administered to assess the numeracy outcomes of children (including numeracy competence and interest), competence in numeracy guidance of parents, and the parent-child relationship. The score changes of these variables over time across the four conditions will be compared. A three-month delayed post-test on numeracy outcomes of children will also be conducted, and the effects of different games on the later numeracy outcomes of children, as well as the relationships between competence in numeracy guidance of parents, parent-child relationship, and the later numeracy outcomes of children will be evaluated. Findings of the proposed project will not only enhance our understanding of the benefits of traditional and digital number board games, but also provide parents with insights on how to create a more stimulating home learning environment. As a result, short-term and long-term mathematical achievement of children can be enhanced. Project Start Year: 2024, Principal Investigator(s): CHEUNG, Sum Kwing (KWAN, Lok Yin, Joyce as Co-Investigator)
VS: A R Program for Conditional Path Analysis .. Project Start Year: 2023, Principal Investigator(s): KWAN, Lok Yin, Joyce
Pursuing Pleasure and/or Growth? Developmental Changes in Happiness Orientations and The Role of Parental Socialization During Early Adolescence This project aims to uncover what makes young adolescents endorse which happiness orientation from the perspectives of adolescent development and parental socialization. First, we will examine the developmental changes of the hedonic and eudaimonic orientations over early adolescence. Second, as suggested by multiple socialization theories (Bandura, 1977; Deci & Ryan, 2008; van Gelder et al., 2017), we will examine three pathways in which parents influence the development of adolescent happiness orientations: parental modeling, parental encouragement, and general parental control. Finally, to uncover the developmental origins of happiness orientation, we will further examine the process of how parents transmit their happiness orientations to their adolescents through the three pathways. This three-year project will adopt a three-wave longitudinal design. Three consecutive annual assessments will be conducted in a sample of 860 two-parent families of seventh-graders comprised of adolescents, fathers, and mothers. By integrating theories of adolescent development, parental socialization and positive psychology, this study will provide a new perspective to address the hedonia-eudaimonia distinction in well-being, explicate the mechanisms underlying the development of happiness orientations, and offer an innovative account (i.e., parental happiness orientations) to explain parenting behavior. Findings will contribute to developing evidence-based programs and campaigns for parents and adolescents that focus on happiness orientations, ultimately helping promote adolescents’ flourishing locally and globally. Project Start Year: 2023, Principal Investigator(s): Lin, Li (KWAN, Lok Yin Joyce 關樂言 as Co-Investigator)
The Intriguing Role of Syntactic Awareness in One Language and Reading Comprehension and Reading Comprehension Difficulty in Another Language in Chinese-English Bilingual Children: A Longitudinal Study The proposed study aims to examine: 1) the within- and across-language relationships between syntactic awareness and reading comprehension in Chinese-English bilingual children, 2) whether the similarities and differences in syntactic structures between L1 and L2 lead to different contributions of each to reading comprehension, and 3) whether the growth/failure of syntactic awareness causes the growth/failure of reading comprehension either in L1, L2, or both. Project Start Year: 2021, Principal Investigator(s): TONG, Xiuhong (KWAN, Lok Yin, Joyce as Co-Investigator)
Comparing Mediated Moderation Effects Using Structural Equation Modeling This project will develop a theoretical framework that clarifies the existing ambiguity in distinguishing between mediated moderating (meMO) psychological processes from moderated mediating (moME) processes and develop the statistical procedures and a software package to test meMO. There is always some confusion between meMO and moME in the existing literature. Whereas some researchers have proposed that meMO and moME share the same statistical model, others have advocated that the study of meMO is meaningless, as the process is defined as the mediation of an interaction term, which does not carry any substantial meaning. The controversy about the meaning of meMO has led to a misinterpretation of the psychological processes in the applied literature. The proposed work will solve this controversy and overcome the limitations of the existing theoretical framework for distinguishing between meMO and moME. In this proposed study, I will first introduce a new theoretical framework for the analysis of meMO. Second, I will propose a unified analytical procedure for studying the meMO process under different model conditions (including multi-group comparison) by using structural equation modeling (SEM). Third, a series of simulation studies will then be conducted to test the performance of the proposed statistical method as compared with the existing method for estimating and testing the meMO effects. Finally, I will develop Variable System, an add-on package in R system for statistical computing to aid applied researchers to implement the proposed statistical procedure in SEM. The results of this project will provide an important and robust statistical paradigm for understanding human processing of learning and social behaviours. Since many psychological processes can be modelled by meMO, a clear statistical procedure such as the one proposed in this study is necessary to advance psychological research. Project Start Year: 2020, Principal Investigator(s): KWAN, Lok Yin Joyce 關樂言
Relationships among Parental Beliefs, Home Numeracy Activities, Young Children’s Numeracy Skills and Interest This project aims to examine whether parents’ beliefs about learning and frequency of home numeracy activities are associated with their young children’s numeracy skills and interest. Project Start Year: 2020, Principal Investigator(s): CHEUNG, Sum Kwing 張森烱 (KWAN, Lok Yin Joyce 關樂言 as Co-Investigator)
Behavioral and Emotional Coregulation among Colleagues: A Longitudinal Study of Primary and Secondary School Teachers in Hong Kong This proposed study aims to identify the well-being and health outcomes of coregulation between colleagues by examining the influence of intra- and interpersonal regulation in dyadic work relationships. Project Start Year: 2019, Principal Investigator(s): HO, Chun Yip Henry 何振業 (KWAN, Lok Yin Joyce 關樂言 as Co-Investigator)
Automatic Assessment Score Analysis The project creates Automatic Assessment Score Analysis (AASA) software to analyze properly scores of test questions, essays, etc. AASA requires zero statistics/computer knowledge and uses teachers’ existing data on their students’ scores. AASA applies cutting-edge statistics to assess students accurately and produce an easy-to-understand report that (a) sorts students (lowest to highest learning outcomes), (b) sorts questions from easiest to hardest (poorly- to well-understood ideas), and (c) suggests removal of poor questions (easily guessed, misleading, etc.). Project Start Year: 2019, Principal Investigator(s): CHIU, Ming Ming (KWAN, Lok Yin Joyce 關樂言 as Co-Investigator)
Comparing Mediated Moderation Effects Using Structural Equation Modeling: A Pilot Study .. Project Start Year: 2018, Principal Investigator(s): KWAN, Lok Yin Joyce 關樂言
Personal, Social, and Community Well-Being Cluster .. Project Start Year: 2018, Principal Investigator(s): POON, Kai Tak 潘啟德 (KWAN, Lok Yin Joyce 關樂言 as Team Member)
Is Mathematics for Young Children about Counting 123s? Hong Kong Parents’ Beliefs about Early Mathematics Learning The project examines Hong Kong parents’ beliefs about early mathematics learning. Project Start Year: 2017, Principal Investigator(s): CHEUNG, Sum Kwing 張森烱 (KWAN, Lok Yin Joyce 關樂言 as Co-Investigator)
Latent Mediated Moderation Analysis in Structural Equation Modeling This study aims to propose a method for the analysis of mediated moderation with latent variables in structural equation modeling. Project Start Year: 2017, Principal Investigator(s): KWAN, Lok Yin Joyce 關樂言
Children Solving Arithmetic Word Problems Understanding mathematics is critical for survival in today’s world. It helps us to make sense of and solve problems in everyday life, such as paying at the checkout counter, deciding how much food is sufficient for a party, and budgeting for a trip. Indeed, children start learning how to solve practical problems mathematically in the elementary schools. In particular, they have to learn how to transform word problems into algorithms to obtain a solution. It is common that children find solving arithmetic word problems very challenging, and that teachers and parents find it hard to understand where the children’s difficulties are and how to help them. In a series of two studies, we aim at understanding the process of solving arithmetic word problems, and exploring how we can enhance children’s arithmetic problem-solving. In particular, we ask two important questions: (1) what are the crucial cognitive steps in solving arithmetic word problems? and (2) what kinds of illustrations can enhance children’s performance in arithmetic word problem-solving? Project Start Year: 2016, Principal Investigator(s): CHAN, Wai Lan Winnie (KWAN, Lok Yin Joyce 關樂言 as Co-Investigator)
A comparison between mindfulness training and relaxation training on memory, physical and psychosocial wellbeing This study compares between mindfulness training and relaxation training on memory, physical and psychosocial wellbeing Project Start Year: 2016, Principal Investigator(s): YEE, Ting Sum Lydia 余婷琛 (KWAN, Lok Yin Joyce 關樂言 as Co-Investigator)
Ingratiation Tendency after Rejecting Others This project aims to test whether people are more likely to ingratiate after rejecting another people Project Start Year: 2016, Principal Investigator(s): POON, Kai Tak 潘啟德 (KWAN, Lok Yin Joyce 關樂言 as Co-Investigator)
Latent Growth Curve Analysis with Time-dependent Observations This project aims to develop a better and more flexible program-general SEM method within the traditional SEM framework to analyze longitudinal data when individuals have their own unique metrics of time of observation. The results will not only provide useful information for researchers to select an appropriate statistical method for studying growth over time, but will also demonstrate the situations when the proposed method works best in studying individual growth. Project Start Year: 2015, Principal Investigator(s): KWAN, Lok Yin Joyce 關樂言
The relationships among Statistics Anxiety, Self-efficacy to Learn Statistics, and Performance during the Course of Statistics Learning Statistics competence is an important component in the study of psychology However, many studies consistently demonstrated that many students experience high level of statistics anxiety, which are detrimental to their learning. This project aims to examine how statistics anxiety and self-efficacy to learn statistics are related to each other and interact to influence performance in statistics during the course of statistics learning. Project Start Year: 2014, Principal Investigator(s): KWAN, Lok Yin Joyce 關樂言
A Meta-analysis on Statistics Anxiety: Antecedents and Effects This project consists of a meta-analytical study to systematically review the results from past studies about statistics anxiety. It aims to examine and evaluate the findings in the extant literature on statistics anxiety and provide an overview of different antecedents including situational, dispositional, and environmental factors contributing to statistics anxiety. Project Start Year: 2014, Principal Investigator(s): KWAN, Lok Yin Joyce 關樂言
The Analysis of Mediated Moderation and Moderated Mediation with Latent Variables This project aims to propose a SEM-based method for the analysis of moderated mediation (moME) and mediated moderation (meMO) effects with latent variables and to develop a user-friendly computer program for analyzing moME and meMO models. Practically, this project will facilitate the application of the method and advance the development of psychological theories. Project Start Year: 2013, Principal Investigator(s): CHAN, Wai (KWAN, Lok Yin Joyce 關樂言 as Co-Investigator)