Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 31 in total

Abstract:
Sort:
  1. Zakaria H, Hussain I, Zulkifli NS, Ibrahim N, Noriza NJ, Wong M, et al.
    PLoS One, 2023;18(7):e0283862.
    PMID: 37506072 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0283862
    BACKGROUND AND AIMS: There is growing evidence on the contribution of psychological factors to internet addiction; yet it remains inconsistent and deserves further exploration. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the psychological symptoms (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms, stress, depression, anxiety and loneliness) and internet addiction (IA) among the university students in Malaysia.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 480 students from different faculties in a Malaysian public university participated in this study. They were selected by simple random sampling method. They completed self-administered questionnaires including the Malay Version of Internet Addiction Test (MVIAT)) to measure internet addiction and Adult Self-Report Scale (ASRS) Symptom Checklist, Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) and UCLA Loneliness Scale (Version 3) to assess for ADHD symptoms, depression, anxiety, stress, and loneliness respectively.

    RESULTS: The prevalence of IA among university students was 33.33% (n = 160). The respondents' mean age was 21.01 ± 1.29 years old and they were predominantly females (73.1%) and Malays (59.4%). Binary logistic regression showed that gender (p = 0.002; OR = 0.463, CI = 0.284-0.754), ADHD inattention (p = 0.003; OR = 2.063, CI = 1.273-3.345), ADHD hyperactivity (p<0.0001; OR = 2.427, CI = 1.495-3.939), stress (p = 0.048; OR = 1.795, CI = 1.004-3.210) and loneliness (p = 0.022; OR = 1.741, CI = 1.084-2.794) were significantly associated with IA.

    CONCLUSION: A third of university students had IA. In addition, we found that those who were at risk of IA were males, with ADHD symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity, who reported stress and loneliness. Preventive strategy to curb internet addiction and its negative sequelae may consider these factors in its development and implementation.

    Matched MeSH terms: Anxiety/diagnosis
  2. Yusoff N, Low WY, Yip CH
    Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2011;12(4):915-7.
    PMID: 21790225
    The main objective of this paper is to examine the psychometric properties of the Malay Version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), tested on 67 husbands of the women who were diagnosed with breast cancer. The eligible husbands were retrieved from the Clinical Oncology Clinic at three hospitals in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Data was collected at three weeks and ten weeks following surgery for breast cancer of their wives. The psychometric properties of the HADS were reported based on Cronbach' alpha, Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC), Effect Size Index (ESI), sensitivity and discriminity of the scale. Internal consistency of the scale is excellent, with Cronbach's alpha of 0.88 for Anxiety subscale and 0.79 for Depression subscale. Test-retest Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) is 0.35 and 0.42 for Anxiety and Depression Subscale, respectively. Small mean differences were observed at test-retest measurement with ESI of 0.21 for Anxiety and 0.19 for Depression. Non-significant result was revealed for the discriminant validity (mastectomy vs lumpectomy). The Malay Version of the HADS is appropriate to measure the anxiety and depression among the husbands of the women with breast cancer in Malaysia.
    Study site: Oncology clinic, University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Pusat Perubatan Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (PPUKM), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
    Matched MeSH terms: Anxiety/diagnosis*
  3. Yusof KM, Mohd Sidik S, Mahmud R, Abdullah M, Avery-Kiejda KA, Rosli R
    Breast Cancer, 2023 Sep;30(5):810-819.
    PMID: 37306933 DOI: 10.1007/s12282-023-01475-0
    BACKGROUND: Although higher survival rates of breast cancer are achieved these days, breast cancer survivors are challenged with unwanted side effects from treatment or management that affect physical, functional, and psychological well-being of an individual. This study aimed to assess psychological distress status in Malaysian breast cancer survivors and factors that affected the condition.

    METHODS: A cross-sectional study design was conducted on 162 breast cancer survivors from various breast cancer support groups in Malaysia. Psychological distress status was assessed based on depression and anxiety scores by applying the Malay version of Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and General Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7). Both instruments were self-administered along with a set of questionnaires comprising demographic, medical history, quality of life, and upper extremity function assessment. Outcomes from the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 were analyzed for severity level of psychological distress, and its association with relevant variables, arm morbidity symptoms, as well as the duration of cancer survivorship.

    RESULTS: The univariate analysis showed that breast cancer survivors with arm morbidities after breast surgery had a higher score of depression (5.0 vs 4.0, p = 0.011) and anxiety (3.0 vs 1.0, p = 0.026) than those who did not. Besides that, receiving fewer post-rehabilitation treatments (p = 0.049) and having a family history of cancer (p = 0.022) were correlated with higher anxiety level. The level of depression and anxiety was inversely proportionate with quality of life and positively correlated with greater disability of the arm function (p 

    Matched MeSH terms: Anxiety/diagnosis
  4. Yeoh CM, Thong KS, Seed HF, Nur Iwana AT, Maruzairi H
    Med J Malaysia, 2019 08;74(4):307-311.
    PMID: 31424038
    INTRODUCTION: Psychological morbidities are common amongst healthcare professionals particularly among junior house officers (HO) who are in a transitional stage from being a medical student to a doctor. They undergo many stressors during this period and hence might suffer from higher psychological morbidities such as depression, anxiety and stress.

    OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress among HO in Sarawak General Hospital (SGH), Kuching, Sarawak. The socialdemographic factors were also evaluated to identify the high-risk groups.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study involving 227 house officers in SGH over a period of three months. The social-demographic data such as age, sex, marital status, current posting, duration of posting, place of graduate and state of origin were obtained from interviews with the respondents. The Depression, Anxiety and Stress scale (DASS) questionnaire was completed to assess the psychological morbidities.

    RESULTS: HO were found to have high prevalence of psychiatric morbidities such as depression (42%), anxiety (50%) and stress (42.7%). Foreign graduates showed a significantly higher odds of depression (odds ratio, OR: 3.851; 95% confidence interval, 95%CI: 2.165, 6.851), anxiety (OR: 2.427; 95%CI: 1.394, 4.225) and stress (OR: 2.524; 95%CI: 1.439, 4.427) as compared to local graduates.. Further, non-Sarawakians were observed to have higher odds of developing anxiety (OR: 1.772; 95%CI: 1.022, 3.073) as compared to the Sarawakians.

    CONCLUSION: HO in SGH had high prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress. Therefore, psychiatric morbidities should be screened regularly amongst the HOs in Malaysia.

    Matched MeSH terms: Anxiety/diagnosis
  5. Wu Y, Levis B, Daray FM, Ioannidis JPA, Patten SB, Cuijpers P, et al.
    Psychol Assess, 2023 Feb;35(2):95-114.
    PMID: 36689386 DOI: 10.1037/pas0001181
    The seven-item Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale Depression subscale (HADS-D) and the total score of the 14-item HADS (HADS-T) are both used for major depression screening. Compared to the HADS-D, the HADS-T includes anxiety items and requires more time to complete. We compared the screening accuracy of the HADS-D and HADS-T for major depression detection. We conducted an individual participant data meta-analysis and fit bivariate random effects models to assess diagnostic accuracy among participants with both HADS-D and HADS-T scores. We identified optimal cutoffs, estimated sensitivity and specificity with 95% confidence intervals, and compared screening accuracy across paired cutoffs via two-stage and individual-level models. We used a 0.05 equivalence margin to assess equivalency in sensitivity and specificity. 20,700 participants (2,285 major depression cases) from 98 studies were included. Cutoffs of ≥7 for the HADS-D (sensitivity 0.79 [0.75, 0.83], specificity 0.78 [0.75, 0.80]) and ≥15 for the HADS-T (sensitivity 0.79 [0.76, 0.82], specificity 0.81 [0.78, 0.83]) minimized the distance to the top-left corner of the receiver operating characteristic curve. Across all sets of paired cutoffs evaluated, differences of sensitivity between HADS-T and HADS-D ranged from -0.05 to 0.01 (0.00 at paired optimal cutoffs), and differences of specificity were within 0.03 for all cutoffs (0.02-0.03). The pattern was similar among outpatients, although the HADS-T was slightly (not nonequivalently) more specific among inpatients. The accuracy of HADS-T was equivalent to the HADS-D for detecting major depression. In most settings, the shorter HADS-D would be preferred. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
    Matched MeSH terms: Anxiety/diagnosis
  6. Wasimin FS, Thum SCC, Tseu MWL, Kamu A, Ho CM, Pang NTP, et al.
    Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2022 Aug 27;19(17).
    PMID: 36078389 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191710673
    Viral epidemics have surfaced frequently over the past quarter-century, with multiple manifestations of psychological distress. This study sought to establish the psychometric properties of the Malay version of SAVE-9 among healthcare workers. A total of 203 healthcare workers across Malaysia participated in the research. The Malay version of SAVE-9 was translated and back-translated using the WHO instrument validation protocols. Classical Test Theory (CTT) and Rasch analysis were used to assess the validity and reliability of the Malay version of the SAVE-9 scale. The analysis was run using IBM SPSS 26.0 and JAPS. Cronbach's alpha was used to measure the internal consistency of SAVE-9, which was found to be satisfactory (Cronbach's α = 0.795). The correlations between the SAVE-9 and other measured scales (GAD-7 and PHQ-9) were statistically significant. A score of 22 was defined as a cut-off point with good sensitivity (0.578) and specificity (0.165). The Malay version of the Stress and Anxiety to Viral Epidemics-9 (SAVE-9) scale is valid and reliable after testing among healthcare workers. It is psychometrically suitable to be used in assessing healthcare workers' stress and anxiety specific to viral epidemics.
    Matched MeSH terms: Anxiety/diagnosis
  7. Wang C, Tee M, Roy AE, Fardin MA, Srichokchatchawan W, Habib HA, et al.
    PLoS One, 2021;16(2):e0246824.
    PMID: 33571297 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0246824
    The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted the economy, livelihood, and physical and mental well-being of people worldwide. This study aimed to compare the mental health status during the pandemic in the general population of seven middle income countries (MICs) in Asia (China, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam). All the countries used the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) to measure mental health. There were 4479 Asians completed the questionnaire with demographic characteristics, physical symptoms and health service utilization, contact history, knowledge and concern, precautionary measure, and rated their mental health with the IES-R and DASS-21. Descriptive statistics, One-Way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and linear regression were used to identify protective and risk factors associated with mental health parameters. There were significant differences in IES-R and DASS-21 scores between 7 MICs (p<0.05). Thailand had all the highest scores of IES-R, DASS-21 stress, anxiety, and depression scores whereas Vietnam had all the lowest scores. The risk factors for adverse mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic include age <30 years, high education background, single and separated status, discrimination by other countries and contact with people with COVID-19 (p<0.05). The protective factors for mental health include male gender, staying with children or more than 6 people in the same household, employment, confidence in doctors, high perceived likelihood of survival, and spending less time on health information (p<0.05). This comparative study among 7 MICs enhanced the understanding of metal health in the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Matched MeSH terms: Anxiety/diagnosis
  8. Syed Elias SM, Petriwskyj A, Scott T, Neville C
    Australas J Ageing, 2019 Mar;38(1):E25-E30.
    PMID: 30426630 DOI: 10.1111/ajag.12598
    OBJECTIVE: To explore how older people with loneliness, anxiety and depression experience a spiritual reminiscence therapy (SRT) program and to explore its acceptability within the Malaysian population.

    METHODS: Unstructured observations and a focus-group discussion were carried out with 18 participants involved in a six-week SRT program in a residential care facility in Kuala Lumpur.

    RESULTS: Analysis revealed four themes: (i) Enthusiastic participation; (ii) Connections across boundaries; (iii) Expressing and reflecting; and (iv) Successful use of triggers.

    CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that the process of reminiscence, on which the program was based, was enjoyable for the participants and created opportunities to form connections with other members of the group. The use of relevant triggers in the SRT program that related to Malaysian cultures, ethnicities and religions was helpful to engage the participants and was acceptable across the different religions and ethnicities.

    Matched MeSH terms: Anxiety/diagnosis
  9. Soleimani MA, Yaghoobzadeh A, Bahrami N, Sharif SP, Sharif Nia H
    Death Stud, 2016 10;40(9):547-557.
    PMID: 27259574 DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2016.1187688
    In this study, 398 Iranian cancer patients completed the 15-item Templer's Death Anxiety Scale (TDAS). Tests of internal consistency, principal components analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted to assess the internal consistency and factorial validity of the Persian TDAS. The construct reliability statistic and average variance extracted were also calculated to measure construct reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. Principal components analysis indicated a 3-component solution, which was generally supported in the confirmatory analysis. However, acceptable cutoffs for construct reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity were not fulfilled for the three subscales that were derived from the principal component analysis. This study demonstrated both the advantages and potential limitations of using the TDAS with Persian-speaking cancer patients.
    Matched MeSH terms: Anxiety/diagnosis*
  10. Sharif Nia H, Lehto RH, Pahlevan Sharif S, Mashrouteh M, Goudarzian AH, Rahmatpour P, et al.
    Omega (Westport), 2021 Sep;83(4):760-776.
    PMID: 31366310 DOI: 10.1177/0030222819865407
    Ensuring use of valid and reliable scales for evaluating death anxiety that are relevant to the cultural context where they are applied is essential. The purpose of the study was to conduct a systematic review of the psychometric properties of Templer's Death Anxiety Scale (DAS) across cultures. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Knowledge, SID, and Magiran databases were systematically searched for studies published between 1970 and 2017 using Mesh terms. Two independent researchers used Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies and Checklist of Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy to evaluate study quality. Included studies were conducted in Iran, United States, Italy, China, Egypt, Spain, and Australia. Overall study quality was acceptable in 15 evaluated articles. However, findings demonstrated that two (one study), three (seven studies), four (four studies), and five factors (three studies) were extracted across the respective studies. Confirmatory concurrent validity was assessed in two studies. While Templer's DAS has stood the test of time as a commonly used index of capturing the conscious experience of death anxiety, there are psychometric inconsistencies in identified factor solutions across cultures. Findings emphasize the need for continued evaluation of how the DAS is translated in specific countries with assessment in relation to other death construct tools.
    Matched MeSH terms: Anxiety/diagnosis
  11. Shamsuddin K, Fadzil F, Ismail WS, Shah SA, Omar K, Muhammad NA, et al.
    Asian J Psychiatr, 2013 Aug;6(4):318-23.
    PMID: 23810140 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajp.2013.01.014
    University students face not only challenges related with independent living, but also academic challenges. This predisposes them to depression, anxiety and stress, which are fairly common.
    Matched MeSH terms: Anxiety/diagnosis*
  12. Saravanan C, Heidhy I
    Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2014;15(18):7629-34.
    PMID: 25292039
    BACKGROUND: Cigarette smokers have their own motivation and justification to smoke. For example, smoking reduces their stress or enhances their pleasure. This study aimed to identify the (a) prevalence of cigarette smokers among undergraduates in Malaysia, (b) gender differences in nicotine dependence among current smokers, (c) differences in psychological problems (depression, anxiety and stress) based on the status of smoking cigarettes (current, former and non-smokers) and (d) extent to which precipitating factors (tension reduction, addiction, automatism, handling, social interaction, pleasure, and stimulation) predict the smoking behavior among current smokers.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study 780 undergraduate students participated from a private university in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor state in Malaysia. The Depression, Stress and Anxiety Scale, Modified Reason for Smoking Scale and Fagerstrom Nicotine Dependence Test were used to measure psychological problems, predictors of smoking behavior and nicotine dependency among current smokers.

    RESULTS: The results showed that 14.7%(n=106) of the students were smokers. Current smokers exhibited more psychological problems (depression, anxiety and stress) compared to former and non-smokers. Addiction, tension reduction, pleasure and automatism were predictors of smoking behavior among the current smoking students. Step wise regression analysis showed that smoking behavior was highly predicted by nicotine dependency or addiction. Smoking students were motivated to smoke cigarettes as they believed that it reduced their tension and enhance pleasure.

    CONCLUSIONS: Hence, there is a need for health promotion and anti-tobacco prevention as cigarette smokers experience more psychological problems. Nicotine dependency or addition was one of the major causes for smoking behavior among the student population in Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Anxiety/diagnosis*
  13. Salleh MR
    Med J Malaysia, 1989 Dec;44(4):275-82.
    PMID: 2520035
    The severity of anxiety and depression in 72 patients presenting with somatic complaints to the psychiatric clinic were assessed after excluding organic illnesses. Majority of the patients were females, between 15 to 34 years of age and came from lower socio-economic background. A high percentage of patients were brought up by dominant mothers and the married patients had passive husbands or active wives controlling the family. Generally the severity of depression was correlated with the severity of anxiety (C.C = 0.704, P less than 0.01). Majority of the patients were found to have both mixed anxiety depressive symptoms and the anxiety symptoms masking the underlying depressive symptomatology.
    Study site: Psychiatric Clinic, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM), Kelantan, Malaysia
    Matched MeSH terms: Anxiety/diagnosis
  14. Rajiah K, Saravanan C
    Am J Pharm Educ, 2014 Nov 15;78(9):163.
    PMID: 25525278 DOI: 10.5688/ajpe789163
    To analyze the effect of psychological intervention on reducing performance anxiety and the consequences of the intervention on first-year pharmacy students.
    Matched MeSH terms: Anxiety/diagnosis
  15. Quintana GR, Ponce FP, Escudero-Pastén JI, Santibáñez-Palma JF, Nagy L, Koós M, et al.
    J Affect Disord, 2024 Apr 01;350:991-1006.
    PMID: 38244805 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.01.127
    BACKGROUND: Depression and anxiety are among the most prevalent mental health issues experienced worldwide. However, whereas cross-cultural studies utilize psychometrically valid and reliable scales, fewer can meaningfully compare these conditions across different groups. To address this gap, the current study aimed to psychometrically assess the Brief Symptomatology Index (BSI) in 42 countries.

    METHODS: Using data from the International Sex Survey (N = 82,243; Mage = 32.39; SDage = 12.52; women: n = 46,874; 57 %), we examined the reliability of depression and anxiety symptom scores of the BSI-18, as well as evaluated evidence of construct, invariance, and criterion-related validity in predicting clinically relevant variables across countries, languages, genders, and sexual orientations.

    RESULTS: Results corroborated an invariant, two-factor structure across all groups tested, exhibiting excellent reliability estimates for both subscales. The 'caseness' criterion effectively discriminated among those at low and high risk of depression and anxiety, yielding differential effects on the clinical criteria examined.

    LIMITATIONS: The predictive validation was not made against a clinical diagnosis, and the full BSI-18 scale was not examined (excluding the somatization sub-dimension), limiting the validation scope of the BSI-18. Finally, the study was conducted online, mainly by advertisements through social media, ultimately skewing our sample towards women, younger, and highly educated populations.

    CONCLUSIONS: The results support that the BSI-12 is a valid and reliable assessment tool for assessing depression and anxiety symptoms across countries, languages, genders, and sexual orientations. Further, its caseness criterion can discriminate well between participants at high and low risk of depression and anxiety.

    Matched MeSH terms: Anxiety/diagnosis
  16. Quek KF, Sallam AA, Ng CH, Chua CB
    J Sex Med, 2008 Jan;5(1):70-6.
    PMID: 17362280 DOI: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2006.00423.x
    INTRODUCTION: Sexual problems are common in the general population. Studies have shown that most of these sexual problems are related to their social lives, medical illnesses, and psychological status. Among the sexual problems in men, premature ejaculation (PE) is one of the most frequent, yet it is the least well-understood of the sexual dysfunctions of men.
    AIM: To determine the prevalence of sexual problem particularly PE and erectile dysfunction (ED) among people living in urban areas and to investigate the characteristics associated with these sexual problems in a Malaysian population.
    MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The PE which is defined as an intravaginal ejaculation latency time less than 2 minutes was assessed in the ED and non-ED group.
    METHODS: The Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale is used as a measure of the psychological status [30]. The ED status was assessed using the International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire.
    RESULTS: The prevalence of self-reported sexual problems for ED and PE were 41.6% and 22.3%, respectively. In those subjects with ED, 33.5% reported to have PE. Of the total of 430 subjects, anxiety was present in 8.1%, while depression was 5.3%. The prevalence of PE accounted for 25% anxiety and 14.6% for depression respectively in the population. EDs were associated with diabetes and hypertension (OR [95% CI]: 5.33 [2.33, 10.16], 3.40 [1.76, 6.57], P < 0.05), respectively, while factors associated with PE were anxiety and depression (OR [95% CI]: 1.29 [0.68, 2.45], 1.39 [0.69, 2.78]), respectively.
    CONCLUSION: Prevalence of ED is associated with medical symptoms such as diabetes and hypertension and a rise in the prevalence of age while psychological distress such as anxiety and depression also contribute to a higher PE rate.
    Matched MeSH terms: Anxiety/diagnosis
  17. Quek KF, Low WY, Razack AH, Loh CS, Chua CB
    Med J Malaysia, 2004 Jun;59(2):258-67.
    PMID: 15559178 MyJurnal
    To validate the English version of the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) in a sample of Malaysia patients with and without urinary symptoms. Validity and reliability were studied in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and patients without LUTS. Reliability was evaluated using the test-retest method and internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Sensitivity to change was expressed as the effect size in the pre-intervention versus post-intervention score in additional patients with LUTS who underwent transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). Internal consistency was excellent. A high degree of internal consistency was observed for each of the 40 items with Cronbach's alpha value = 0.38 to 0.89 while the Cronbach's alpha for the total scores was 0.86. Test-retest correlation coefficients for the 40 items score were highly significant. Intraclass correlation coefficient was high (ICC=0.39 to 0.89). A high degree of sensitivity and specificity to the effects of treatment was observed. A high degree of significant level between baseline and post-treatment scores was observed across nearly half of the items in surgical group but not in the non-LUTS group (control subjects). The STAI is reliable, valid and sensitive to clinical change in a sample of Malaysian patients with and without urinary symptoms.
    Matched MeSH terms: Anxiety/diagnosis*
  18. Quek KF, Atiya AS, Heng NGC, Beng CC
    Int J Impot Res, 2007 May-Jun;19(3):321-5.
    PMID: 17136103 DOI: 10.1038/sj.ijir.3901528
    Premature ejaculation (PE) is a common sexual dysfunction among the general population. PE has often been associated with a psychological state of mind. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) can be used as an instrument to assess the emotional and psychological state. The present study was designed to assess the reliability and validity of the HADS in a Malaysian population. The validity and reliability were studied in subjects with and without PE. Test-retest methodology was used to assess the reliability whereas Cronbach's alpha was used to assess the internal consistency. In the control and the PE groups, the internal consistency was good and a high degree of internal consistency was observed for all 14 items. In the control group, the Cronbach's alpha values at baseline were from 0.811 to 0.834, whereas for retest, the Cronbach's alpha values were from 0.821-0.838 items. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was high for the control (0.797-0.868: baseline and 0.805-0.872: retest) and PE group (0.822-0.906: baseline and 0.785-0.887: retest). The high value of ICC and the internal consistency was due to high reliability and consistency of the items at 2-week interval. A degree of significance between the baseline and week-2 scores was observed across all items in the PE group but not in the control group. The HADS is a suitable, reliable, valid and sensitive instrument to measure the clinical change for anxiety and depression in the Malaysian population.
    Matched MeSH terms: Anxiety/diagnosis*
  19. Pheh KS, Tan CS, Lee KW, Tay KW, Ong HT, Yap SF
    PLoS One, 2023;18(5):e0285435.
    PMID: 37167230 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285435
    Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is one of the most common mental disorders in Malaysia. Psychometrically sound measurements are urgently needed to assess anxiety symptoms. The extensively used Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) is a promising candidate. However, studies on its factorial validity show mixed findings. While the one-factor solution has been replicated in different cultural contexts, some studies found different factorial structures instead. This study aimed to clarify the factorial validity of the English version of the GAD-7 in the Malaysian context. The responses collected from 1272 emerging to older adults in Malaysia were randomly divided into two halves and submitted to exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) respectively. Four acceptable models were explored in EFA ranging from unidimensional factor with 7 items to 3-factor models with 6 items. The four models revealed in EFA and the other competing models found in past studies were then examined and compared using CFA. The 6-item second-order model with a general factor of anxiety and three first-order factors with two items respectively (i.e., GAD-6) showed a more harmonic result and hence, is preferable. Moreover, the GAD-6 and its three subscales also showed satisfactory internal consistency and construct validity. This study uncovers a new and unique factorial structure of the GAD screening tool that fits in the Malaysian context. The scale may reveal GAD symptomatic dimensions that guide clinical interventions.
    Matched MeSH terms: Anxiety/diagnosis
  20. Pachaiappan S, Tee MY, Low WY
    Int J Clin Exp Hypn, 2023;71(4):338-349.
    PMID: 37611140 DOI: 10.1080/00207144.2023.2246512
    Test anxiety comprises cognitive, physiological, and behavioral reactions due to anxiety about failure or a lower academic performance score on an exam or evaluation. This study examined the effect of self-hypnosis on reducing test anxiety among upper secondary school students using a quantitative methodology with a pre-experimental design. The prevalence of test anxiety was measured using the Friedben Test Anxiety Scale (FTAS) and students' demographic data were collected. Twenty-two 16-year-old students with moderate to high test anxiety were selected for a self-hypnosis intervention over a period of 5 weeks. The FTAS questionnaire was administered 4 times: at baseline, 3rd week, 5th week, and at follow-up (3 weeks after the intervention). Students' test anxiety differences were statistically significant across 4 time points. Self-hypnosis intervention decreased students' overall test anxiety scores and in the 3 constructs: social, cognitive, and tenseness. The outcomes indicate that self-hypnosis training can help students cope with test anxiety and should be further explored for managing test anxiety in school settings.
    Matched MeSH terms: Anxiety/diagnosis
Filters
Contact Us

Please provide feedback to Administrator (afdal@afpm.org.my)

External Links