Prof Joyce L. C. Ma is Professor of the Department of Social Work. Her specialties and research interests cover the areas of family therapy and multiple family therapy, mental health with recent focuses on eating disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Teaching at the Department of Social Work, The Chinese University of Hong Kong since 1988, Prof. Ma is a Clinical Fellow and an Approved Supervisor of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), founder of the Shengang Family Treatment Center, Nanshan Hospital in Shenzhen and the Director of the Family and Group Practice Research Centre of the Department. She was appointed the Co-Clinical Director, Academy of Family Therapy, Hong Kong in January 2013, and Fellow of the Asian Academy of Family Therapy (AAFT). She is the President of the International Family Therapy Association (IFTA) from July 2019 to June 2022.

She has published seven books (five Chinese books and two English books) and 117 refereed journal articles at international, regional and local venues of significant impact and visibility. Given her ongoing efforts and remarkable performance in teaching and research, she has received Faculty Exemplary Teaching Award and Vice-Chancellor’s Exemplary Teaching Award in 2009, HKU 60th Anniversary Distinguished Alumni Award in 2010, Justice of the Peace from 2011 onwards, best paper award in the journal Youth Exploration in 2012 and Long Service Award in 2014.

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• Registered Social Worker, R. S. W. (Hong Kong)

• Clinical fellow and Approved Supervisor (present to 3/31/2025) of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, AAMFT

• President (7/2019-6/2022) of International Family Therapy Association, IFTA

• Fellow, Hong Kong Professional Counselling Association (present to 31/12/2022)

• Fellow, Asian Academy of Family Therapy

• Honorary Fellow, Hong Kong Academy of Social Work (March 2020 to life-long)

• Clinical Co-Director, Asian Academy of Family Therapy, Hong Kong

• Member of Scientific Committee, International Association for Outcome-based Evaluation and Research on Family and Children’s Services

• Lo, J. W. K., Ma, J. L. C., Wong, M. M. C., & Yau-Ng, M. (in press). Virtual care during the pandemic: Multiple family group sessions for Hong Kong Chinese families of adolescents with intellectual disability. Journal of Intellectual Disabilities. 

• Wong, M. M. C., Ma, J. L. C., Wan, P. S., Xia, L. L. L. & Fok, M. H. T. (2022).  Development and validation of a family well-being index for Chinese families in Hong Kong. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 1-15, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-022-02281-6.  

• Lo, J. W. K., & Ma, J. L. C. (2022). Use of Nature in a Multi-Family Therapy for Chinese Families of Adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Photo-elicitation Study. Journal of Family Therapy, 00: 1-16, https://doi.org/10.1111/1467.12398 

• Mustafina, A., Amitov, S., & Ma, J. L. C. (2022). Multiple Levels of Factors Protecting against Peer Rejection in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. SAGE Open, 1-13, DOI:10.1177/21582440221082147.

• Xia, L. L., Ma, J. L. C., Yau-Ng, M., & Yiu, C. (2022). An interactive process model of knowledge transfer for social work through university-agency collaboration: subjective experiences of the agency social workers in Hong Kong. British Journal of Social Work, 00, 1-22. https//doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcac023.

• Ma, J. L. C., Xia, L. L., Yau-Ng, M. & Yiu, C. (2022). Treatment efficacy of multiple family therapy in helping Chinese children of depressed parents in Hong Kong, China. Family Process, 61, 198-212, https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12736.

• Ma, J. L. C. (2021). Family-based intervention for Chinese families of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Hong Kong, China. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 42, 402-413. doi: 10.1002/anzf.1468.

• Xia, L. L. L. & Ma, J. L. C. (2021). A gendered analysis of symptom severity and perceived social support of Hong Kong Chinese parents with depression. Social Work in Mental Health, 19(4), 306-323, DOI:10.1080/15332985.2021.1917473.

• Ma, J. L. C., Xia, L. L. L., Yau-Ng, L. T., & Yiu, C. Y. Y. (2021). Treatment efficacy of multiple family therapy in helping Hong Kong Chinese parents recover from depression. Journal of Family Therapy, 0:1-2, doi:10.1111/1467-6427.12340.

• Ma, J. L. C., Wong, J. C. Y., & Xia, L. L. (2020). Resolving intergenerational conflicts for a Hong Kong Chinese couple with a wife having high functioning autism (HFA) through structural family therapy.  Asian Journal of Family Therapy, 4(27): 15-29. http://www.familytherapy.or.kr/kaft/bbs/board.php?bo_table=en_bo_07.

• Si, Y., Ma, J. L. C., & Zhang, J. (2020). Factors Influencing Parenting Stress among Chinese Families of Children with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder in Xi’an, China, Children & Youth Service Review, 116, 105148, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105148 

• Xia, L. L. L. & Ma, J. L. C. (2020). Sitting in: the experience of learning and practicing family therapy through being a co-therapist, Family Process, 59, 1914-1927, doi: 10.1111/famp.12531. 

• Ho, H. W. M., Ma, J. L. C., & Lai, K. Y. C. (2020). Power relation in a school-context: Resistance of Chinese caregivers of school-age children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, International Social Work, 1-15, DOI: 10.1177/0020872819896825.

• Ma, J. L. C., Wong, J. C. Y., Xia, L. L. L., & Lo, J. W. K. (2020). Repairing the parent-child relationship for a Hong Kong Chinese family of an adult daughter with high functioning autism (HFA) through structural family therapy and multiple family therapy. Contemporary Family Therapy, 42: 121-130. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-019-09529-2

• Ma, J. L. C., Lai, K., Xia, L. L. (2020). Perceived social support, perception of competence and hope among Chinese children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a Chinese context: Children’s perspective. Child & Family Social Work.  25: 74-82, https//doi.org/10.1111/cfs.12655. 

• Ma, J. L. C., Wong, J. C. Y., & Xia, L. L. (2020). Helping a Chinese depressed adult with high functioning autism to reconnect with his family through structural family therapy. Journal of Family Therapy, 42: 518-535. Doi: 10.1111/1467-6427.12281. 

• Ma, J. L. C. (2019). Educational poverty of children of the poor and alleviation measures of it in Hong Kong, China. Supplement to the Journal “Studi Zancan”, 3-4: 22-29. https://shop.fondazionezancan.it/media/free-content/4224/SZ3-4_2019TUTTOsito.pdf (Italian) https://shop.fondazionezancan.it/media/free-content/4227/SZ%203-4%202019%20Special%20issue.pdf (English)

• Lo, J. W. K., & Ma, J. L. C. (2019). Understanding attention deficit hyperactivity disorder from social-ecological and evolutionary perspectives: Implications for an alternative psychosocial intervention for Chinese families of adolescents with ADHD. Movement and Nutrition in Health and Disease, 3, 42-47. DOI:10.5283/mnhd.20.

• Xia, L. L. & Ma, J. L. C. (2019). Childcare polices and services in Hong Kong after the handover: Beyond a feminist critique. Asian Social Work and Policy Review, 13: 295-306, DOI: 10.1111/aswp.12182.

• Wong, M. M. C., Ma, J. L. C., & Yuan, R. (2019). Effects of mediator’s professional competence and mediation process on user satisfaction with child custody, finances, and property outcomes, Asian Social Work and Policy Review, 13: 242-251, DOI: 10.1111/aswp.12176.

• Wong, M. M. C., Ma, J. L. C., & Xia, L. L. L., (2019). A qualitative study of the parents’ and children’s view of family Mediation. Journal of Divorce and Remarriage, 60(6): 418-435. DOI: 10.1080/10502556.2018.1558857. 

• Wong, M. M. C., Ma, J. L. C. & Leung, L. (2019). Impact of Poverty on Children under Out-of-home Care Services in a Chinese Context and the Application of Multiple Family Group to enrich their Family Life. Children and Youth Service Review, 97, 76-84. https: //dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2017.06.13. 

• Cheung, D. S. T., Deng, W., Tsao, S. W., Ho, R. T. H., Chan, C. L. W., Fong, D. Y. T., Chau, P. H., Hong, A. W. L., Fung, H. Y. K., Ma, J. L. C., Agnes FY Tiwari, A. F. Y. (2019). Effects of a Qigong Intervention on Telomerase Activity and Mental Health in Chinese Women Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence: A Randomized, Wait-list–controlled Trial. Complimentary and Alternative Medicine, (2)1: e186967. Doi.10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.6967.

• Ma, J. L. C., Lai, K., Wan, E. S. F., & Xia, L. L. (2019). Multiple family therapy for Chinese families of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: treatment efficacy from the children’s perspective, and their subjective experiences. Journal of Family Therapy, 41:599-619. Doi: 10.1111/1467-6427.12240.

• Ma, J. L. C., Yuan, R., Leung, T. Y. K., & Wong, O. L. (2018). Subjective experiences of psychiatric nurses being trained in family therapy: A qualitative inquiry. Asian Journal of Family Therapy, 2(2), 27-41. http://www.familytherapy.or.kr/kaft/bbs/board.php?bo_table=en_bo_07&wr_id=20

• Ma, J. L. C., Lai, K. Y. C., & Xia, L. L. (2018) Treatment efficacy of multiple family therapy for Chinese families of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Family Process, 57(2), 399-414. Doi:10.1111/famp.12297. 

• Lai, K., Ma, J. L. C., & Xia, L. L. (2018). Multi family therapy for children with ADHD in Hong Kong: The different impact on fathers and mothers. Journal of Attention Disorders, 0 (0), 1-9, DOI: 10.1177/1087054718756195. [2016: Impact factor 3.37; 46/142 in Psychiatry (SCI); 28/139 in Psychiatry (SSCI)].

• Wan, E. S. F., Lo, J. W. K., Ma, J. L. C., Ng, M., & Lai, K. (2018). Parental experience in multi-family therapy for Chinese families of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Exploring the role of mutual aid. Asian Journal of Family Therapy, 2(1), 62-76. Journal homepage: http://www.familytherapy.or.kr/kaft/en_index.phd.

• Ma, J. L. C., Yuan, R. R., Leung, T. Y. K., & Wong, O. L. (2018). Learning outcome of a family therapy training course for psychiatric nurses in a Chinese context.  Contemporary Family Therapy, 40, 119-127. DOI 10.1007/s10591-017-9422-1.

• Ma, J. L. C., Yau, M. L. D., Yuan, R. R. (2017).  Roles and Challenges of professional supervision in social service agency development: The case of Jinan, Shandong.  Social Work Review, (1), 129-145. (In Chinese).  專業督導在機構發展中的角色與挑戰 --- 以山東濟南為例， <社會工作評論>.上海復旦大學出版。

• Ma, J. L. C., Lai, K., & Wan, E. S. F. (2017). Multi-family group intervention for Chinese families with a child suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorders in a Chinese context. Social Work with Groups, 40(3), 244-260. DOI:10.1080/01609513.2015.1132028.

• Ma, J. L. C., Lai, K., & Lo, J. W. K. (2017). Impact of Age and Symptoms Severity on Parent-Child Relationships and Self-Perception among Chinese Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Social Work in Mental Health, 15(5), 538-554. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15332985.2016.1261752.