In 2006, alongside with scholars Emilie Tran and Gertina Van Schalkwyk, professor and psychologist Kay Chang conducted a study on the impact of Macau’s gambling industry on family life. After studying and working in the United States of America, Kay Chang has been teaching at the University of Macau, and conducts research on gambling, youth issues and the psychological well-being of Macau’s residents. She tells the Times the government is paying more attention to health problems but also points out that more psychologists are needed.
Macau Daily Times - The impact of Macau’s gambling industry on family life has always been a concern for a lot of people. Do you think the psychological well-being of residents has changed much since 2006?
Kay Chang - I think there have been quite a lot of changes. What I am sensing is that the government works better to focus on preventive work, trying to make people maintain a good psychological state. What I see is that people are starting to talk more about it, compared to the period when we conducted the study. Back then, mental health was almost a new concept; it was even hard to find the right words to talk about psychological well-being.
MDT – Two of your main research areas are youth and gambling. What are the most recent developments you’ve found in your studies?
KC – I can talk more about the gambling side. Currently, there is more recognition that casino workers are a high-risk group of people when it comes to gambling problems, as they are more exposed to gaming activities. I think the main question is: what makes the idea of gambling acceptable to begin with? Again, it´s the childhood exposure.
The idea that gambling is something accessible, that we do it, we see it all the time. If you see that as a child, then when you grow up, it’s more likely that – when you are looking for thrills and to forget troubles at work – you will consider gambling. If someone already has an addiction and if they live here, it’s not an easy place to be. Also, we found out there is a correlation between one’s sense of well-being and education. In others words, we came to the conclusion that people with a high level of education are likely to have a better sense of who they are, and this allows them to adapt to social changes.
MDT – In your opinion, what are the main consequences of gambling issues affecting families in Macau?
KC – Being a practitioner myself, I work with family cases. One side of the industry that particularly worries us is the fact that, in some cases, both parents of a child may work at casinos, especially working on shifts. How does this affect the youth? There are cases of teenagers who have been quite often left without guidance. But I believe that the government has picked up on some of these conclusions and has invested in youth programs. I can see that families are also paying more attention to this and whenever they can they try to work on separate shifts.
MDT – During the study, did you notice any cases of drug abuse by younger people, since many teenagers are left at home unattended?
KC - We didn’t focus on the drug abuse part. Colleagues who have been working on that area reported many incidents regarding drug abuse by teenagers. Macau being more accessible with gambling, tourists coming in… it became more convenient. Youth groups who have been consuming it are a concern; even the psychiatric hospital has more admissions of younger adults. So there are different factors in the increase of drug abuse.
MDT – What is your opinion regarding access to mental health and psychological treatment in Macau?
KC - It has improved. There are already three or four centers for the general public. Of course, the delivery of the service should be more diverse. I think the problem is that each center is trying to do the same and what’s best is to have more treatment options, so that the Health Care system can cover a broader spectrum.
MDT – Do you think more people are seeking psychological help than before?
KC - Yes, I believe so. I helped set up a local psychological center, as a non-profit organization. The number of people seeking help exceeded our expectations - we are helping around 200 cases - but of course not all of them are related to gambling. Macau is a small community; it is not difficult for us to see how gambling affects people. For instance, someone comes in because of depression or marital reasons and, after a few chats, you notice that gambling is somehow related, even if not directly. I do not want to portray Macau has being heavily burdened by gambling problems, but people are not very mindful about how gambling habits can affect a family.
MDT – In a place like Macau, do you think education in psychology should be further developed?
KC - I am biased, of course. Yes, because, historically, it has been an overlooked area. Yes, because our society is going through rapid changes, and these changes are faster than one generation can handle. Because of that, I think we need to make our citizens more protected, getting them better prepared.
MDT – Are there sufficient psychology degrees in Macau?
KC - Firstly, I think psychology should go beyond university level. It can be extended to high school level as well, because that’s when young people are developing their minds. If psychology can reach them at that age, it would be better. Moreover, in my opinion, the number of psychologists isn’t enough because there’s also a limit to how many cases one psychologist can handle. It would also be important to have specialized practitioners. So maybe in the future, the universities can work to address some of society’s needs, the sorts that are not so widely covered. For example, it would be better to have one or two psychologists more focused and specialized in children’s problems. Staff reporter