Taylor’s Clinical Psychology Trainees Deliver School-Based Mental Health Initiative in Penang

Six trainee Clinical Psychologists from the Master of Clinical Psychology Programme at Taylor’s University recently conducted a psychological screening and group intervention programme for primary school students at Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan (Cina) (SJK(C)) Moh Ghee (Pusat), Penang. The programme was led by Ms. Lim Hooi Shi, together with five fellow trainees Foong Kar Whey, Siow Jing Wen, Ng Ai Wei, Ong Yan Thung (Alicia), and Lim Shin Tung, as part of the Clinical Practicum and Seminars I module.

This community outreach effort was implemented under the mobile clinic framework of Healing • Educating • Assessing • Relating • Thriving (HEART) Psychological Services, with the dual objective of extending psychological support to the community while providing trainees with structured and supervised clinical exposure. It aimed to support early emotional development, enhance social skills, and reduce aggressive and bullying-related behaviours among primary school students. Through structured and developmentally appropriate activities, the trainees facilitated sessions designed to promote positive peer interaction, emotional awareness, and effective communication skills.

A key activity involved a collaborative task in which students worked in groups to construct structures using wooden sticks and clay. This exercise encouraged teamwork, turn-taking, idea-sharing, and cooperative problem-solving, while also reinforcing patience, respect, and shared responsibility among participants. In addition, the activities enabled trainee psychologists to observe children’s peer interactions and emotional responses within a natural classroom environment. These observations provided valuable insights into students’ social behaviour, emotional regulation, and group dynamics.

Overall, the programme reflects Taylor’s University’s commitment to community engagement and early mental health intervention, while also providing trainees with meaningful real-world clinical training through outreach efforts under HEART Psychological Services.