Research Projects
Sleep and Circadian Treatment for Adolescents with ADHD


Programme(s) to which this project applies:
☑ MPhil/PhD ☒ MRes[Med] ☒ URIS

Adolescents with ADHD frequently experience severe sleep and circadian disturbances, affecting up to 85% of this population. While these sleep issues are linked to worsened behavioral and emotional symptoms, there is currently a lack of robust clinical evidence for psychological interventions tailored to this age group. Our research addresses this gap by investigating a group-based, multi-component sleep and circadian treatment specifically adapted for adolescents.

We aim to evaluate whether targeting sleep and circadian health can significantly improve both sleep quality and core ADHD symptoms. Using a randomized controlled trial (RCT), we will compare a specialized transdiagnostic intervention with standard psychoeducation. By using both subjective measures and objective actigraphy, the study seeks to determine whether sleep improvement serves as a key mediator of broader psychiatric and functional recovery. This project intends to establish sleep as a primary clinical treatment target, paving the way for more effective, scalable management of ADHD in youth.

Professor TH Lai, Department of Psychiatry

Dr. Eric Tsz-him Lai is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong (HKU), and serves as an Honorary Associate Consultant in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Queen Mary Hospital. Dr. Lai graduated from the University of Cambridge with a bachelor's degree in Physics and a master's in Computational Biology, before completing his medical degree at HKU. He became a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in 2021 and was awarded Fellowship and the President’s Prize from the Hong Kong College of Psychiatrists in 2024. Before his current appointment, he was an Associate Consultant at Kwai Chung Hospital. 

Biography
ORCID
ethlai@hku.hk

For more information or to express interest for this project, please email the supervisor or the specified contact point in the project description.  Interested candidates are advised to enclose with your email:

  1. your CV,
  2. a brief description of your research interest and experience, and
  3. two reference letters (not required for HKUMed UG students seeking MRes[Med]/URIS projects).

Information on the research programme, funding support and admission documentations could be referenced online at the Research Postgraduate Admissions website. General admission enquiries should be directed to rpgmed@hku.hk.

HKUMed MBBS students interested in the Master of Research in Medicine (MRes[Med]) programme may visit the programme website for more information.  

HKUMed UG students interested in the Undergraduate Research Internship Scheme (URIS) may visit the scheme’s website for more information. 

Research @ Department of Psychiatry