Training Library
A ledger of academic papers, books, and miscellaneous resources related to negotiation, crisis response, and decision-making.
Academic Papers
An integrative suicide prevention program for visitor charcoal burning suicide and suicide pact. Suicide and life-threatening behavior, 39 (1) p. 82-90.
Authors / Publishers: Paul WC Wong, Patricia MY Liu, Wincy SC Chan, YW Law, Steven CK Law, King-Wa Fu, Hana SH Li, MK Tso, Annette L Beautrais, Paul SF Yip. (2009).
The Methodology and Research Participation Experiences of Participants in the Aborted Suicide Attempt Study. Psychology, 8, 59-76.
Authors / Publishers: Wong, P. , Kwok, N. , Michel, K. and Wong, G. (2017)
Negotiating in the skies of Hong Kong: The efficacy of the Behavioral Influence Stairway Model (BISM) in suicidal crisis situations, Aggression and Violent Behavior, 48, p.230-239
Authors / Publishers: Gregory M. Vecchi, Gilbert K.H. Wong, Paul W.C. Wong, Mary Ann Markey. (2019).
The Police Negotiation Cadre of the Hong Kong Police. In: Pompili, M. (eds) Suicide Risk Assessment and Prevention. Springer, Cham.
Authors / Publishers: Wong, P.W.C., Vecchi, G.M., Wong, G.K.H. (2022).
Books
Who Cares Wins
This book is a compilation of true life-and-death crisis negotiations told through the eyes of the negotiators. By drawing on their reflections to resolve the situation, you will not only learn something transferable, but you will be inspired to be an agent of social good for the benefit of all humanity. The experiences shared here also represent excellent case studies for mental health professionals.
These riveting cases from Hong Kong are arranged and explained through a unique eight Cs model developed by one of the authors, and are complemented by a similar story from a former unit chief of behavioral science of the FBI in the USA. Self-taught acrylics artist and trained hypnotherapist Karma Castilho endows this book with a number of artworks that personify what crisis negotiators are mentally hoping to achieve through their negotiations. - June 2022
Authors / Publishers: Dr. Gilbert Wong
Miscellaneous Resources
Policy support a must for mental health safety net
The upcoming Asian Professional Negotiators Network Conference in Hong Kong, scheduled for mid-April, marks a vital milestone for regional public safety. More than just a professional exchange, this event is a catalyst for a critical conversation about how we integrate law enforcement with academia and NGOs to protect vulnerable populations across Asia.
Across the Asia-Pacific, crisis negotiators are no longer just managing crime; they are the primary responders for mental health crises. In hyper-dense cities like Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Seoul, negotiators do not work in a vacuum. They operate alongside frontline mental health professionals, social workers and NGOs who understand local community dynamics. The regional ethos of crisis negotiation is built on saving lives with words – a mission that requires deep empathy and cultural nuance. To de-escalate these high-stakes scenarios successfully, we must move away from isolated silos towards a transdisciplinary ecosystem.
Crucially, this synergy must be anchored in rigorous, localised empirical research. By shifting towards a holistic psychological and mental health framework, we can apply evidence-based research directly to tactical communication. When law enforcement brings operational expertise, NGOs offer community agility, academics provide validation and governments support these exchanges, we create a safety net tailored to regional needs. For this collaborative model to succeed, it cannot rely solely on the grass-roots goodwill of individual practitioners. It requires high-level policy and structural support.
We hope policymakers across the region will champion this public health approach to crisis intervention by institutionalising cross-sector data sharing between hospitals, police and NGOs. Governments must also foster joint training initiatives that put academics, social workers and officers in the same room, while providing dedicated funding for action-research partnerships. Thus, Asian governments can ensure our cities meet the escalating complexities of human crises with both tactical precision and psychological depth.
Paul W.C. Wong, associate professor, department of social work and social administration, University of Hong Kong, and Neil Stapley, president, Asian Professional Negotiators Network
Authors / Publishers: Paul W.C. Wong, Neil Stapley
The Do's and Dont's
Globally each year on average 720,000 people take their own lives. A worrying high percentage is from those 10-29 years
of age
Authors / Publishers: Neil Stapley OBE, Matthias Herter & Dr. Gilbert Wong