Eric Chen M.D.

Eric Chen, M.D., is Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Hong Kong. He is the author of Psychopathology: An Empathic Representational Approach. He and his team have been studying how the mind can evolve into states which are distressing and depart from its usual functioning. These conditions have been considered mental disorders. They have been studying how best to understand and help individuals, particularly young people, in these states of mind.

While many people experience these disorders in very mild forms, these experiences can sometimes cascade to states that overpower the individual. They are fully aware that their understanding of these complex processes is limited not only by data but also by not having a flexible framework that can accommodate scientific and humanistic perspectives. (Their suggestion is outlined in the book Psychopathology: An Empathic Representational Approach (ERA), published in 2022 by the Hong Kong University Press).

While investigating the evolution of cognitive dysfunction in psychotic illnesses, they discovered that there is often a significant treatment delay for the condition. This led to the subsequent development of Early Psychosis and Youth Mental Health services in Hong Kong. They mapped out clinical pathways in the initial years following first episode psychosis in order to seek optimal treatment strategies. This has led to studies of interventions to improve outcomes. Their data and experiences have been published in over 400 journal papers and five books.