Abner Poon is Associate Professor of Social Work at the School of Social Sciences. Abner has experience as a social worker in mental health. His research focuses on social work practice in mental health, impact of mental illness on families and caregivers, family intervention in mental health, children of parents with mental illness, health and wellbeing of migrants facing mental health problems, recovery and community mental health teams. He...view more
Abner Poon is Associate Professor of Social Work at the School of Social Sciences. Abner has experience as a social worker in mental health. His research focuses on social work practice in mental health, impact of mental illness on families and caregivers, family intervention in mental health, children of parents with mental illness, health and wellbeing of migrants facing mental health problems, recovery and community mental health teams. He has published articles in high-ranking journals focusing on Assertive Community Treatment Program, caregivers of people with psychosis, carers of people with mental illness from ethnic minority groups and parents with mental illness.
My Qualifications
BA (Singapore), MSW Mental Health (Melbourne, Australia), PhD (Melbourne, Australia)
My Awards
Bruce Lord Award for Excellence in Research Methodology, Australian Social Work (2020)
Best Oral Presentation, 8th International Conference on Social Work in Health and Mental Health (2016)
Australian Postgraduate Award (2011 – 2014)
Melbourne Abroad Travelling Scholarship (2013)
Health Manpower Development Plan Fellowship, Singapore National Healthcare Group (2005)
My Research Activities
Research Areas
Social work practice in mental health, families of people with mental illness, psychosocial rehabilitation, caregiving in culturally and linguistically diverse communities, caregiving in Chinese families, family intervention in mental health, community mental health teams and recovery
Past Research Projects
headspace Family Inclusive Practice Model
The headspace Family Inclusive Practice Model project was funded by headspace Service Innovation Project Grant (2014-2015). The service development project evaluated an innovative Single Session Family Consultation Model for families of young persons with emerging mental health problems.
Non-English Speaking Caregivers of People with Psychosis
The research project was funded by William Buckland Foundation Grant (2011-2013). The study was conducted to identify the health and wellbeing of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) caregivers of people with psychotic disorders in Australia.
Profile and perceived needs of people with mental illness who are caring for young children
The project was an exploratory study of the profile and perceived needs of people with mental illness who were caring for young children in Singapore. The study was funded by the National Medical Research Council of Singapore (2008).
My Research Supervision
Supervision keywords
Areas of supervision
Mental Health, Social Work, Culture and Diversity, Health and Well-being
Currently supervising
PhD: Mr Bani Aadam - Virtuous listening in mental health clinical practice
PhD: Ms Ziyao Guan - Social isolation and loneliness among family caregivers of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia in China
PhD: Mr Anthony Iwuagwu - Perceptions of African migrant families experience of caregiving for older people in the Australian context
PhD: Richard Knight - Men and eating disorders: An invisible and silent population
PhD: Ms Ziyan Zhou - School-Home Partnership, Supportive Training, and School Counsellors’ Self-Efficacy
My Engagement
My Teaching
My practice-based teaching focuses on social work practice in mental health and trauma, evidence-based practice, and counselling and groupwork.
SOCW2009 Social Work Counselling with Individuals, Families and Groups
SOCW4011 Evidence and Practice-based Research
SOCW4012 Social Work Practice in Mental Health and Trauma
SOCW4016 Social Work Honours Advanced Practice Portfolio
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2863-5916