Dr Cynthia LAI Associate Professor
PDOT, MSc, PhD, OTR, HKROT

Location ST540
Phone +852 2766 6710
mail cynthia.yy.lai@polyu.edu.hk

Open Platform for University Scholars
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Biography Dr Cynthia Lai graduated with Master degree in Health Care, and PhD in Rehabilitation Medicine. She is an occupational therapist who specializes in pediatrics and people with developmental disabilities.
Before she joined the university, she had been working as pediatric occupational therapist for more than 17 years. During these years, she was also acting as chief investigator in both government and non-government funded projects to develop evaluation and rehabilitation instruments for children. She was a clinical educator in Occupational Therapy discipline in RS before. Her teaching and research interests are in the areas of sensory processing, executive functioning, physiological and behavioral responses in people with developmental disabilities.




Education and Academic Qualifications Doctor of Philosophy, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Master of Science in Health Care (Rehabilitation of People with Developmental Disabilities), The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Professional Diploma in Occupational Therapy, Hong Kong Polytechnic




Professional Qualifications Registered Occupational Therapist
Registered Occupational Therapist




Research Interests
Executive functioning and self-regulation
Sensory processing and sensory-based intervention
Autonomic dysregulation
Developmental disabilities (e.g. ADHD, ASD, SpLD)
Child development
Evaluation and rehabilitation instrument development
Community-based participatory research



Research Output

Publications
Yung, T. W. K., Lai, C. Y. Y.*, Chan, J. Y. C., Ng, S. S. M., & Chan, C. C. H. (2019). Neuro-physiological correlates of sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) symptoms in school-aged children. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. doi:10.1007/s00787-019-01353-1.
Yung, T. W. K., Lai, C. Y. Y.*, Gomez, I. N., Loh, V., Wang, J., Chan, J. Y. C., Krishnamurthy, K., Lau, B. W. M., & Ng, S. S. M. (2019). Parents’ perceptions of children’s executive functions across different cities. Child Neuropsychology, 25(2), 152-161. doi:10.1080/09297049.2017.1406075
Gomez, I. N., Lai, C. Y. Y.*, Chan, C. C. H. Chan, & Tsang, H. W. H. (2018). The role of ethnicity and environment on the regulation of response to sensory stimulus in children: protocol and pilot findings of a neurophysiological study. JMIR Research Protocols, 7(1), e7. doi:10.2196/resprot.8157
Hong, C. Y., Lee, P. Y., Lau, S. Y., Chum, W. S., Pang, T. T., Yung, W. K., & Lai, C. Y. Y.* (2018, November). Applicability of digital platform for fine motor assessment of preschool children. Paper presented at the 11th Pan-Pacific Conference on Rehabilitation, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR.
Lai, C. Y. Y., & Chiu, A. S. M. (2018). Sensory processing and self-regulation checklist (SPSRC) Second Edition (《感覺訊息處理及自我調節功能檢核表 》in Chinese) . Hong Kong: Heep Hong Society. https://www.heephong.org/eng/tools-and-resources/publications/professional-assessment-training/sensory-processing-and-self-regulation-checklist-spsrc
Lai, C. Y. Y., Ho, C. S. H., Lim, C. R., & Ho, R. C. M. (2017). Functional near-infrared spectroscopy in psychiatry. BJPsych Advances, 23(5), 324-330. doi: 10.1192/apt.bp.115.015610
Gomez, I. N., Lai, C. Y. Y.*, Morato, P. G., Chan, C. C. H. Chan, & Tsang, H. W. H. (2017). Behavioural and autonomic regulation of response to sensory stimuli among children: A systematic review of relationship and methodology. Biomedical Research International, 2017. doi:10.1155/2017/2629310
Heep Hong Society. (2017). Hong Kong Preschool Fine Motor Screening Test (HK-PFMST): Examiner's manual (《香港學前兒童小肌肉篩選測試-評估員手冊》in Chinese). Hong Kong: Heep Hong Society. https://www.heephong.org/eng/tools-and-resources/publications/professional-assessment-training/HK-PFMST-manual-and-tools
Heep Hong Society (2015). Training Apps for Attention Deficits/Hyperactivity: ADHD Warriors (《加得小勇士》 in Chinese). Hong Kong: Heep Hong Society. https://itunes.apple.com/hk/app/jia-de-xiao-yong-shi/id844756364?l=zh&mt=8
Lai, C. Y. Y.*, Chung, J. C. C., Chan, C. C. H., & Li-Tsang, C. W. P. (2011). Sensory Processing Measure- HK Chinese version: Psychometric properties and pattern of response across environments. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 32, 2636-2643. (In memory of Dr Jenny C.C. Chung)