ORCID iD: 0000-0002-6136-7389
Scopus Author ID: 55607504300

Metrics for Academic and Research Impact

Dr. Young, PhD (Bristol University, UK, major in Social Work), Registered Social Workers (RSW), Approved Supervisor and Certified Counselor of Hong Kong Professional Counseling Association (HKPCA).

Dr Young is currently working as an Associate Professor at the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, City University of Hong Kong. Prior to joining City University of Hong Kong, Dr Young worked as an Associate / Assistant Professor at Hong Kong Baptist University for eleven years. He has developed expertise on teaching and research work on mental health counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness-based intervention and dementia care. He teaches courses in the Master of Social Work, Master of Social Science in Counselling and Bachelor of Social Work programs. Dr Young was an experienced social worker and has experience in supervising social workers and counsellors in their casework and counselling skills. He worked for community-based mental health services in Hong Kong for more than 10 years, providing care for people with severe mental health problems, ae well as providing staff training and supervision for social workers.

Over the years, Dr. Young has developed research interests and expertise on mental health counselling and dementia care (see: Research ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6136-7389).  Dr Young has published 50 articles in international journals, 4 Chinese scientific textbooks and 20 conference papers. He was the first or sole author on more than 30 journal articles. In particular, Dr. Young has received three research projects funded by GRF on psychosocial interventions for older adults with cognitive impairment i.e. GRF 2025/26 Allocation [Ref. No.: 11602025], GRF 2018/19 Allocation [Ref. No.: 12600119] and GRF 2015/2016 Allocation [Ref. No.: 12606815].

Recently, Dr Young has become interested in developing online interventions, including online cognitive behavioral therapy and online mindfulness-based intervention for people with depression and anxiety. In particular, these online projects have received research funding and have involved an international expert in online interventions, namely Prof Carlbring from the Department of Psychology at Stockholm University, Sweden, as a co-investigator.

Additionally, Dr. Young has served on the editorial boards of prestigious international journals, including Research on Social Work Practice and Digital Health, and as a reviewer for international journals such as Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, Social Work in Mental Health and BMC Health Services Research.

Serving as editorial board members / reviewer of international journals

Editorial board member of international journals including:

• Research on Social Work Practice (from Jan 2020 – now);
• Digital Health (from Jan 2025 - now)
• Frontiers in Public Health (from AY2021/22 to AY2023/24); 
• International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction (from AY2019/20 to AY2020/21).

Reviewer for the following internationals, including:

• Frontiers in Psychiatry;
• Frontiers in Public Health;
• Journal of Mental Health and Addiction;
• BMC Psychiatry;
• BMC Health Services Research.

Selected Grants / Awards

GRF

1. Principal investigator, Multi-component interventions with healthy lifestyle psychoeducation and cognitive stimulation to improve cognitive abilities in older adults with mild cognitive impairment-- A double-blind randomized control trial (Funded by GRF [11602025], HK843,520, starting from Jan 2026 to Dec 2027)
2. Principal investigator, The effects of the Holistic Brain Health Group intervention on cognitive ability for people with mild cognitive impairment: A single-blind, multicenter, randomized controlled study, (Funded by GRF [12600119], HK$776,200, starting from Jan 2020 to Dec 2022)
3. Principal investigator, Randomized control study on Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) Group for Elderly with mild neurocognitive disorder, (Funded by GRF [Ref. No.: HKBU 12606815], HK$373,100, starting from Jan 2016 to Feb 2018)
4. Co-Investigator, Evaluating the effectiveness of an enhanced WELLFOCUS Positive Psychotherapy and a Hybrid CBSST-SCIT Intervention for the people with schizophrenia in halfway houses (Funded by GRF [11609821], HK$721,733, starting from Jan 2022 to Dec 2024)
5. Co-Investigator, Brief Daily Body-Mind-Spirit Practice for Sustainable Emotional Capacity and Work Engagement for Community Mental Health Workers - A Multi-Site Randomized Controlled Trial (Funded by GRF [17610418], HK$525,228, starting from Jan 2019 to Dec 2021)
6. Co-Investigator, Cognitive behavioural stress management program for Mainland college students in Hong Kong: A randomized controlled trial (Funded by GRF [12607815], HK$418,500, starting from Jan 2016 to June 2018)
   
   Other Grants / Awards
   
   
7. Principal investigator, Promoting School-based Collaborative Care in managing students with mental health concern piolt project: WeCareSOS+ (Funded by Hong Kong Mental Wellness Assocaition, [Ref. No.: 9231622], HK$920,000, starting from April 2025 to Oct 2026)
8. Principal investigator, Development of an online program to improve self-efficacy of students on applying cognitive behavioural therapy for people with emotional problems (Funded by Teaching and Development Grant [Ref. No.: 6000904], HK$ 239,960, starting from Jan 2025 to June 2026)
9. Principal investigator, 樂活生活空間項目研究 (Funded by ELCHK Tai Wo Integrated Youth Service Centre, [Ref. No.: 9231614], HK$100,000, starting from Oct 2024 to Sept 2026)
10. Principal investigator, Internet-based Counselling (Funded by Technology Start-up Support Scheme for Universities (TSSSU) [KTP/038/FEB2015], HK$1,221,000, starting from April 2021 to March 2024)
11. Principal investigator, Internet-based Counselling (Funded by Incu-App Programme HKSTP [CDD/2021/IPL/265/KW/PL/tw[8700-2021-01]], HK$860,000 for three years, starting from Feb 2022 to Jan 2025)
12. Principal investigator, Development of an Online Counseling Platform to Enhance Students’ Learning and Practice on Internet-based Psychological Intervention for Local People in Needs (Funded by Teaching Development Grants HKBU [COP/2021/01], HK$499,260, starting from Aug 2021 to Aug 2022)
13. Principal investigator, The positive effects of an online Mindfulness-Based Intervention for people with depression (Funded by HKBU, [RC-FNRA-IG/19-20/SOSC/06], HK$996,220, starting from Aug-2019 to Dec 2022)
14. Principal investigator, Internet-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for depression-- A randomized controlled trial, (Funded by HKBU, [Ref. No.: FRG2/17-18/022], HK$150,000, starting from March 2018 to March 2020)
15. Co-Investigator, Effects of a blended indoor and outdoor physical exercise program on depressive symptoms in Hong Kong older adults: A randomized controlled trial (Funded by Health and Medical Research Fund, Food and Health Bureau, [05200098], HK$1,098,012, starting from Sept 2021 to Aug 2023)
16. Co-Investigator, Development and evaluation of an online cognitive behavioral intervention program to reduce depressive symptoms for adults with depression (Funded by Innovative Technology Fund [Ref. No.: ITB/FBL/1002/18/P], HK$4,198,105, starting from Jan 2020 to Dec 2022)
17. Principal investigator, Cognitive Behavioral Therapeutic Group in Reducing Self-stigma for People with Depression in H.K, (Funded by FRG [FRG2/16-17/031], HK$150,000, starting from June 2017 to Dec 2018)
18. Principal investigator, Randomized control study on Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) Group for Elderly with mild neurocognitive disorder, (Funded by GRF [Ref. No.: HKBU 12606815], HK$373,100, starting from Jan-2016 to Feb 2018)
19. Principal investigator, Application of Cognitive behavioural therapy for people with mental health problems (Funded by Knowledge Transfer Project Allocation [KTP/038/FEB2015], HK$100,000, starting from March 2015 to Feb 2016)
20. Principal investigator, Cognitive Behavioral Therapeutic Group in Reducing Self-stigma for People with Mental Illness in H.K, (Funded by HKBU [FRG2/14-15/019], HK$100,000, starting from March 2015 to Dec 2015)
21. Principal investigator, Randomized control study on support group for people with Early Stage Dementia, (Funded by HKBU [FRG1/14-15/050], HK$50,000, starting from March 2015 to Sept 2015)
22. Principal investigator, A single blind randomized control trial on support group for People with Early Stage Dementia in Hong Kong--A Pilot Study, (Funded by HKBU [FRG1/13-14/057], HK$49,700, starting from March 2014 to Aug 2014)