EXPLORING COPING STRATEGIES FAMILY MEMBERS OF PROBLEM GAMBLERS IN MACAU – A QUALITATIVE STUDY

ABSTRACT

ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES (ACES) ARE COMMON IN LIFE TRAJECTORIES, AND CONTINUED EXPOSURE TO CHILDHOOD ADVERSITIES HAS LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES THAT CAN LEAD TO LIFELONG PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND EMOTIONAL DEFICIENCIES. THIS STUDY AIMS TO ADDRESS THE RESEARCH GAP IN THE ACES CONTEXT IN MACAO BY ENHANCING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE CULTURAL SENSITIVITY, APPLICABILITY, AND ACCEPTABILITY ASSOCIATED WITH ASSESSING ACES AMONG CHINESE CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENTS IN MACAO. THE STUDY UTILIZED THE CHINESE VERSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL TRAUMA EXPOSURE MEASURE – CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS (ITEM-CA) TO FACILITATE THE EXPLORATION OF CULTURAL ADAPTATION NEEDS RELATED TO ACES MEASUREMENT TOOLS IN MACAO.  EMPLOYING A QUALITATIVE METHODOLOGY WITH AN EXPLANATORY AND DESCRIPTIVE DESIGN, THE STUDY COLLECTED OPINIONS AND SUGGESTIONS THROUGH AN ONLINE QUESTIONNAIRE FROM PROFESSIONALS WORKING WITH CHILDREN AGED 7-17 YEARS OLD, AS WELL AS PARENTS OR CAREGIVERS OF CHILDREN WITHIN THE SAME AGE GROUP. SEVERAL KEY FINDINGS EMERGED FROM THE STUDY. FIRSTLY, IT UNDERSCORED THE ADEQUACY AND PERTINENCE OF THE CHINESE ITEM-CA IN COVERING THE TOPICS OF TRAUMATIC EVENTS AND DEEMING IT MORE SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN AGED 12 OR ABOVE. SECONDLY, IT EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING ANONYMITY AND THE INVOLVEMENT OF DEDICATED AND TRAINED PERSONNEL THROUGHOUT THE ACES ASSESSMENT PROCESS. LASTLY, IT HIGHLIGHTED THE NEED TO INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS REGARDING TRAUMATIC EVENTS AND ACES IN MACAO SOCIETY.  THESE FINDINGS HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCHERS STUDYING THE PREVALENCE OF ACES IN MACAO AND FOR POLICYMAKERS IN MACAO IMPLEMENTING ACES SURVEILLANCE. ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS A RECOMMENDATION FOR ORGANIZATION, ESPECIALLY SCHOOLS, TO RESPOND TO ACES USING TRAUMA-INFORMED APPROACHES, SUPPORTING THE WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN, FOSTERING RESILIENCE, AND MINIMIZING THE RISK OF RE-TRAUMATIZATION