Prof. HO T.H. Rainbow

tinho@hku.hk
(852) 3917 4087
CJT-542
 HKU Research Hub
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Prof. Ho T.H. Rainbow

Professor

Working on interdisciplinary research across the fields of arts, humanities, biomedical and social sciences is always my passion. My current research works focus on understanding the psychophysiological mechanisms and effects of psychosocial interventions for improving people’s health and well-being. I am also interested in the social, humanistic and spiritual impacts of creative and expressive arts, physical activity, and traditional mind-body exercises in therapeutic and educational context for the betterment of human lives as well as serving as preventive strategy for mental and physical illnesses. My research works on developing biomarkers (salivary cortisol, telomerase, HRV etc.), and integrating expressive arts therapy and social work practices for diverse populations are recognized as highly original and cutting-edge in the areas of healthcare, psychology, social work and behavioural sciences.  My teaching and knowledge exchanges activities also build around the topics related to the sciences and arts of human services.

Publications

  • 1) Ho, R.T.H. (2021). Growing to be Independent in an Interdependent Culture: A Reflection on the Cultural Adaptation of Creative and Expressive Arts Therapy in an Asian Global City. Creative Arts Education and Therapy, 6(2): 171-178.
  • 2) Ho, R.T.H. , Lo, H.H.M., Fong, T.C.T., Choi, C.W. (2020). Effects of a Mindfulness-based Intervention on diurnal cortisol pattern in disadvantaged families: A randomized controlled trial. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 117: 104696.
  • 3) Ho, R.T.H. , Fong, T.C.T., Yau, J.C.Y., Chan, W.C., Kwan, J.S.K., Chiu, P.K.C., Lam, L.C.W. (2020). Diurnal cortisol slope mediates the association between affect and memory retrieval in older adults with mild cognitive impairment: A path-analytical study. Frontiers Aging Neuroscience, 2020, 12:35
  • 4) Ho, R.T.H. , Fong, T.C.T., Chan, W.C., Kwan, J.S.K., Chiu, P.K.C., Yau, J.C.Y., Lam, L.C.W. (2020). Psychophysiological effects of Dance Movement Therapy and physical exercise on older adults with mild dementia: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences. 75(3):560-570.
  • 5) Ho, R.T.H. , Chan C.K.P., Fong T.C.T., Lee P.H.T., Lum D.S.Y. and Suen S.H. (2020) Effects of Expressive arts–based interventions on adults with intellectual disabilities: a stratified randomized controlled trial. Frontiers in Psychology. 11:1286.

Externally funded research

Competitive Research Grants as PI:

  1. RGC/GRF/HKU/1760121: Enhancing Mother-Child Ties and Psychosocial Wellness through Arts: A Mixed Methods Study on Dyadic Expressive arts-based Intervention for Children with Intellectual Disability and their Mothers. HK$883,755. 2022.1-2025.12.
  2. RGC/CRF/HKU/C7151-20G: (Co-PI) Suicide Prevention during COVID-19 HK$2,992,917. 2021.3-2023.8.
  3. RGC/GRF/HKU/17609417: The Psycho-physiological & Social-Spiritual Effects of Expressive Arts-based Intervention on Young and Pre-elderly Stroke Survivors: A Randomized Controlled Study HK$781,300. 2017.7-2020.12.
  4. RGC/GRF/HKU/17611615: Starting from the Mind or the Body in Mind-Body Intervention? A Randomized Controlled Trial on Comparative Effectiveness of Mindfulness Meditation and Qigong on Psychophysiological Outcomes in Colorectal Cancer Patients HK$ 615,800. 2016.1-2018.12.
  5. RGC/GRF/HKU/17402714: The Psychophysiological Effects of Dance movement-based Intervention on Elderly with Early Dementia: A Randomized Controlled Trial HK$843,412, 2015.1-2017.12

 

Competitive Research Grants as Co-I:

  1. BMS Wellness Buddy (Ambassador Training) project. Robert H.N. Ho Foundation Limited. HK$505,284. 2020.5-2021.4.
  2. Program Evaluation on Arts-based Support Service for Children with Special Education Needs. The Boys’ & Girls’ Clubs Association of Hong Kong (BGCA). HK$800,000. 2019.5-2022.4.
  3. From addiction to creation: Project on using creative arts for drug use prevention and young adult drug users empowerment (Project “CAPE”), HK$2,619,778. 2019.6.1-2021.5.31
  4. Expressive Arts in Life and Death Education: Education and Innovation. The Chinese Permanent Cemeteries. 2019-2020. HK$425,000.
  5. Mindfulness for Resilience Building in Clinical and Non-Clinical Staff Program at the Hong Kong Children’s Hospital. The D.H.Chen Foundation. HK$1,348,204, 2018.7-2020.6.
  6. Expressive Arts-based Intervention for Helping Community-Dwelling Depressed Elders. Keswick Foundation, HK$2,803,938.7. 2017.5-2020.4.
  7. Art-Essence: An arts-based empowerment programme for school children with special education needs and their teachers. Collaborative work with Sovereign Art Foundation; funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club charity fund, HK$2,110,000. 2017.7-2020.8.

Honors

  • Knowledge Exchange Award, Faculty of Social Sciences, HKU, 2021
  • Outstanding Research Output Award (Applied Research), Faculty of Social Sciencs, HKU, 2020
  • Research Award, American Dance Therapy Association, US, 2019
  • Research and Development Award, Australia and New Zealand Arts Therapy Association, 2016
  • Outstanding Teaching Award, Faculty of Social Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, 2015
  • Outstanding Achievement Award, American Dance Therapy Association, US, 2015
  • Research Award, American Dance Therapy Association, US, 2015
  • Honorary Professor, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, 2017-present
  • Honorary Fellow, Sau Po Centre on Aging, 2019-present
  • CADENZA Fellow, 2009

Key Community Services

  • Academic Editor, PLOS One
  • Associate Editor, BMC Psychology
  • Associate Editor, Creative Arts Education and Therapy – Eastern and Western Perspectives
  • Chairperson, Sport for All Commission, World DanceSport Federation, 2017-present
  • Chairperson, the Advisory Committee on the rehabilitation services, Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui, 2014-present; Advisory Committee, since 2010.
  • Member, Professional Standard Committee, International Expressive Arts Therapy Association IEATA, US, 2014-present
  • Academic Advisor, School of Dance, The Hong Kong School of Performing Arts, 2008-present
  • Honorary Advisor, The Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation, 2018-present
  • Honorary Advisor, Early Education & Training Centre, The Boy’s & Girls’ Clubs Association of Hong Kong, 2014-present
  • Advisory Committee of Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Integrated Centre on Addiction Prevention and Treatment, 2013-present
  • Advisor/ Consultant, Children and Adolescent services, Tung Wah Group of Hospitals
  • Consultant, Hong Kong Dance Movement Therapy Association, 2018-present (Ex-Chairperson)
  • Member, Executive Council, HK Social Enterprise Incubation Centre
  • Grant Reviewer and Project Accessor, Hong Kong Arts Development Council (2008 –now]