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Hands Up

From Real-Life Challenges
To Real-life Success

About Dr Yu-Wei Ryan Chen

Dr Yu-Wei Ryan Chen, the leader of the Real-life Insights, Support and Empowerment (RISE) Research Lab, is a Senior Lecturer and international researcher at the University of Sydney. He has a strong belief that intervention services should be tailored to meet the real-life needs of each person. His research is dedicated to finding ways to evaluate and enhance the well-being of people with disabilities, focusing on their perspectives. His work spans two interconnected areas: understanding the real-life experiences of individuals in need and examining intervention services to better address their needs.

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As a pioneering researcher, Dr Chen uses the experience sampling methodology (ESM), an ecological momentary assessment, to explore the real-life social experiences of children and young adults, both with and without disabilities, from their own viewpoints. 

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In addition to his work on real-life experiences, Dr Chen’s research also focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of interventions in addressing real-life challenges. His current and future projects aim to provide crucial evidence on the services and supports needed to improve the daily lives of vulnerable populations.

Experience Sampling Methodoloy

The primary research approach employed in the RISE Research Lab

The Experience Sampling Method (ESM) is a cutting-edge ecological momentary assessment technique primarily employed by the RISE Research Lab to capture individuals' thoughts, feelings, and behaviours in real time as they go about daily activities. By utilising prompts sent through devices like smartphones, ESM gathers genuine, moment-to-moment data in natural environments, ensuring that the information reflects true experiences. This approach greatly reduces recall bias, enabling researchers to achieve a more accurate understanding of how context affects well-being. By offering in-depth insights into daily experiences, ESM serves as a valuable tool in psychological, social, and health research, promoting a richer understanding of the complexities of human behaviour, perceptions and emotions.

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Contact Dr Chen for research collaborations, PhD opportunities, invited talks, or inquiries.

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Discipline of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health,

The University of Sydney

Level 7, Susan Wakil Health Building

Camperdown NSW 2050,Australia

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