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Fulltext Transformation of Children's Paintings into Public Art to Improve Public Spaces and Enhance People's Happiness

Luo N, Ibrahim R, Abidin SZ

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2022 Dec 14;19(24).
PMID: 36554658 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192416780

Characteristics of children's paintings have been suggested considered for application in public art since they are known to positively evoke a sense of well-being when people see them. This study aims to understand the impact of artistic features from children's drawings on people's well-being; then analyzing the adaptive design principles of 3D public art featuring children's paintings on people's happiness; and finally, exploring the influence of 3D public art featuring children's paintings on improving public spaces and enhancing people's well-being. The results lead to proposing a conceptual framework for public artworks in public spaces for improving people's happiness. The proposed conceptual framework recommends that, by applying the visual and thinking features of children's paintings to public art, artists can design high-quality artworks suitable for a city, which could improve people's happiness in public spaces. This study recommends further research into how public art can promote public spaces and shape the urban culture. It contributes to enhancing the quality of public art and public spaces, and inspiring a sense of well-being among citizens through the use of appropriate public art. The results are significant because they will help artists to create more high-quality public artworks for urban public spaces in order to evoke people's happiness.

Matched MeSH terms: Happiness
Fulltext Perceptions and opinion of happiness among university students in a Malaysian university

Al-Naggar RA, Al-Jashamy KA, Low WY, Mohd Isa Z, Alsaror MI, Al-Naggar AGA

ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry, 2010;11(2):198-0.
MyJurnal

Objective: This study was aimed to explore the perceptions and opinions of happiness among university students. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in January for the academic year 2010 among 33 Medical Science Students from Management and Science University (MSU), Shah Alam, Malaysia. The facilitator wrote down the conversation during the discussion. The data obtained was classified into various categories. Due to the small sample size, the data was analyzed manually. Results: All participants mentioned that the main source of happiness is money. Good relationship with friends and family is the second source of happiness among university students. Some of the students mentioned that the stability of life and good health are causes of happiness. Few participants mentioned that success in life is one of the causes of the happiness.

Matched MeSH terms: Happiness
Social skills, friendship and happiness: a cross-cultural investigation

Demir M, Jaafar J, Bilyk N, Ariff MR

J Soc Psychol, 2012 May-Jun;152(3):379-85.
PMID: 22558831 DOI: 10.1080/00224545.2011.591451

The present study investigated the associations between social skills, friendship quality, and happiness, and tested a mediational model positing that friendship quality would mediate the relationship between social skills and happiness among American and Malaysian college students. Although American students reported significantly higher levels of psychosocial well-being than Malaysian students, the study variables were positively associated with each other in both cultures. More importantly, findings supported the proposed model in both groups. Results suggest that part of the reason why social skills are associated with positive psychological well-being is because of friendship experiences. Overall, the findings of the present study reinforce, extend and cross-culturally generalize the presumed benefits of social skills in positive well-being elaborated by Segrin and Taylor (2007). The authors also provided suggestions for future research.

Matched MeSH terms: Happiness*
Fulltext Social support as a mediator of the influence of optimism towards happiness among adolescents in higher education. [Sokongan sosial sebagai pengantara pengaruh optimistik ke atas kebahagiaan remaja di pengajian tinggi]

Mahirah M, Balan R

Jurnal Psikologi Malaysia, 2018;32(1):82-96.

Happiness is the natural goal of life for every human being. Every indivdual is trying to find happiness because it describes a good life. Therefore, this study aims to examine an influence on happiness, which is optimistic, using a positive psychological strength,. Social support is utilized as an external quality as it supports the optimistic influence towards happiness. The study was conducted on 436 adolescents in higher education, aged between 18 and 25 years old. The quantitative study uses a set of questionnaires to obtain the data, Extended Life Orientation Test for optimistic measurements, Inventory of Socially Supportive Behavior Short Form measures social support, and Oxford Happiness Questionnaire measures adolescents happiness. Descriptively, adolescents in higher education showed high optimism (Min = 3.77, SP = .62), while moderate social support for the three forms of support, namely guidance support (Min = 3.07, SP = .81), emotional support (Min = 3.17, SP = .99) and tangible support (Min = 2.82, SP = .95). Adolescents in higher education reported having a moderate level of happiness (Min = 3.39, S.P = .92). The findings show that guidance and emotion support mediating the influence of optimistic towards happiness among adolescents in higher education. Tangible support does not play any role. The implication of the study is to adolescents that even the positive attitudes of optimistic can enhance their happiness, but the guidance and emotional support from significant people can further reinforce those influences.
Study site: Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS)

Matched MeSH terms: Happiness
A systematic review of the associations, mediators and moderators of life satisfaction, positive affect and happiness in near-centenarians and centenarians

Cheng A, Leung Y, Brodaty H

Aging Ment Health, 2022 Apr;26(4):651-666.
PMID: 33645362 DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2021.1891197

OBJECTIVE: Results from studies investigating life satisfaction, positive affect and happiness of near-centenarians (95+) and centenarians are inconsistent. This is the first systematic review to summarise the extant literature on the subjective well-being of this unique age group.
METHOD: Seven electronic databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science and the Cochrane database for systematic reviews) were systematically searched. Subjective well-being was defined as life satisfaction, positive affect and happiness. A narrative synthesis of relevant articles was undertaken.
RESULTS: Of 28 studies eligible for inclusion in this review, 20 predominantly examined life satisfaction, 11 positive affect and 4 happiness. Sex and other demographic variables were not significant predictors of subjective well-being. In contrast, greater perceived health was significantly associated with higher levels of life satisfaction and positive affect. Fatigue and visual impairment were significantly correlated with lower levels of life satisfaction and positive affect. However, there was considerable heterogeneity in the findings on physical, cognitive and social associations, mediators and moderators.
CONCLUSION: The large discrepancy of results in the literature may be explained by methodological differences between studies. Centenarian research needs a clearer definition of life satisfaction, positive affect and happiness as their operationalisation is inconsistent. An international consortium of centenarian studies could facilitate cross-cultural comparisons on subjective well-being. Future research should be directed towards interventions that promote subjective well-being in the oldest-old.

Matched MeSH terms: Happiness*
Fulltext Mental Health Conceptualization and Resilience Factors in the Kalasha Youth: An Indigenous Ethnic and Religious Minority Community in Pakistan

Choudhry FR, Khan TM, Park MS, Golden KJ

Front Public Health, 2018;6:187.
PMID: 30065918 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2018.00187

The Kalasha are a religious, ethnic, and linguistic minority community in Pakistan. They are indigenous people living in remote valleys of the Hindu Kush Mountains in northern Pakistan, neighboring Afghanistan. The Kalasha are pastoral, as well as agricultural people to some extent, although they are increasingly facing pressures from globalization and social change, which may be influencing youth and community development. Their traditional world view dichotomizes and emphasizes on the division of the pure (Onjeshta) and the impure (Pragata). There remains a scarcity of literature on mental health and resilience of indigenous communities in South Asia and Pakistan generally, and the polytheistic Kalasha community specifically. Thus, the current study was conducted with the aim to explore the cultural protective factors (resilience) of the Kalasha youth (adolescents and emerging adults) and to explore their perceived etiological understandings and preferred interventions for mental health support systems. The theoretical framework of Bronfenbrenner's (1, 2) ecological systems model was used. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was conducted, considering the advantage of its idiographic approach and the "double hermeneutic" analytic process. This methodology was consistent with the aim to understand and make sense of mental health and resilience from the Kalasha indigenous perspective. A total of 12 in-depth interviews were conducted with adolescents and emerging adults (5 males, 7 females), along with ethnographic observations. The analysis revealed 3 superordinate themes of mental health perceptions and interventions, each with more specific emergent themes: (1) Psychological Resilience/Cultural Protective Factors Buffering Against Mental Health Problems (Intra-Communal Bonding & Sharing; Kalasha Festivals & Traditions; Purity Concept; Behavioral Practice of Happiness and Cognitive Patterns); (2) Perceived Causes of Mental Health Issues (Biological & Psychosocial; Supernatural & Spiritual; Environmental); and (3) Preferred Interventions [Shamanic Treatment; Ta'awiz (Amulets); Communal Sharing & Problem Solving; Medical Treatment; Herbal Methods]. The overall findings point to the need for developing culturally-sensitive and indigenous measures and therapeutic interventions. The findings highlighted the Kalasha cultural practices which may promote resilience. The findings also call for indigenous sources of knowledge to be considered when collaboratively designing public health programs.

Matched MeSH terms: Happiness
Life scripts for emotionally charged autobiographical memories: A cultural explanation of the reminiscence bump

Haque S, Hasking PA

Memory, 2010 Oct;18(7):712-29.
PMID: 20803371 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2010.506442

Two studies examined the ability of the life script account to explain the reminiscence bump for emotionally charged autobiographical memories among Malaysian participants. In Study 1 volunteers, aged 50-90 years, participated in a two-phased task. In the first phase, participants estimated the timing of 11 life events (both positive and negative) that may occur in a prototypical life course within their own culture. Two weeks later the participants retrieved the same set of events from their lives and reported how old they were when those events occurred. In the second study 92 undergraduate students produced life scripts for the same 11 events. The findings revealed reminiscence bumps in both life script and retrieval curves for the memories judged happiest, most important, most in love, and most jealous. A reminiscence bump was also noted for success, although this was later in the lifespan than other reminiscence bumps. It was suggested that the life scripts can be used as an alternative account for the reminiscence bump, for highly positive and occasionally for negative autobiographical memories.

Matched MeSH terms: Happiness
Firefighter satisfaction and happiness at work: how big is the effect?

Muthukumaran M, Mohd Nadzrul Safiq AR, Rosnah I, Nor Hisham M, Ashrul Riezal A, Ismail AG

Med J Malaysia, 2023 May;78(3):287-295.
PMID: 37271837

INTRODUCTION: Firefighter satisfaction plays a crucial role in overall workplace happiness. We seek to quantify the effect size of firefighters' satisfaction with happiness at work after adjusting for socio-demographic attributes.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study used data from an online cross-sectional survey that was conducted from 24 June to 24 July 2021 in the Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia. Firefighters were approached using the saturation sampling technique. They received online surveys via email through the Director of State and follow-up reminders through the Assistant Director of State Operations. A total of two filter questionnaires were employed i.e. type and duration of service. Firefighters stating that they were volunteer/auxiliary firefighters or had been in service for 2 years or less were excluded. In this study, data from 6041 out of 8581 firefighters were included for further analysis. The survey utilised the validated staff satisfaction index (SSI) and the happy career (HC) scale for in-service firefighters. SSI was a dual-dimension index consisting of welfare and protection against hazards at work, with 16 subdimensions. The HC is a five multi-dimensional items scale. Then, we used multiple linear regression to obtain the coefficient of determination while adjusting for age groups, gender, marital status, job grade, years of service and region of service.
RESULTS: A total of 6041 eligible data points were analysed in the study. The mean (±SD) age was 38.70 (8.97) years, of which 95.9% were male. The firefighters were in service for a median of 14 years (Q1, Q3: 8, 21). The firefighter reported higher life satisfaction (mean [SD] = 78.30 [9.15]) than happiness at work (mean [SD] = 77.22 [0.20]). The mean happiness scores differed significantly between years of service groups (p<0.001), region of service (p<0.001), marital status (p=0.029) and grade (p<0.001). Firefighters' satisfaction contributed 42.7% of workplace happiness (βadj=1.096 [95% CI: 1.064, 1.128]; p<0.001) after adjusting for frontline, married, the central region of service and male gender as control variables.
CONCLUSION: Firefighter satisfaction had a large effect size on happiness at work (42.7%). However, the interpretation of this effect size should be done with caution because happiness at work is inseparable from other life dimensions such as stability in matrimonial relationships and finances, involvement in leisure and religious activities and being mentally healthy.

Matched MeSH terms: Happiness
Hardiness as a mediator between perceived stress and happiness in nurses

Abdollahi A, Abu Talib M, Yaacob SN, Ismail Z

J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs, 2014;21(9):789-96.
PMID: 24661763 DOI: 10.1111/jpm.12142

The relevance of the study of happiness and stress in nurses has been emphasized. In this sense, the intelligent use of hardiness is enable nurses to cope better with stress and contribute to being happier. This study aimed to examine the relationship among hardiness, perceived stress, and happiness in nurses. Moreover, we examined the mediator role of hardiness on the relationship between perceived stress and happiness in nurses. Our study revealed that hardi-attitude nurses evaluate situations as less stressful which results in a higher happiness. This study showed hardiness as being a protective factor against perceived stress and a facilitating factor for happiness in nurses. The findings could be important in training future nurses so that hardiness can be imparted, thereby giving them the ability to control their stress. Nursing is a stressful occupation with high levels of stress within the health professions. Given that hardiness is an important construct to enable nurses to cope better with stress and contribute to being happier; therefore, it is necessary we advance our knowledge about the aetiology of happiness, especially the role of hardiness in decreasing stress levels and increasing happiness. The present study sought to investigate the role of hardiness as a mediator between perceived stress and happiness. The participants, comprising 252 nurses from six private hospitals in Tehran, completed the Personal Views Survey, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Oxford Happiness Inventory. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used to analyse the data and answer the research hypotheses. As expected, hardiness partially mediated between perceived stress and happiness among nurses, and nurses with low levels of perceived stress were more likely to report greater hardiness and happiness. In addition, nurses with high levels of hardiness were more likely to report happiness. This study showed hardiness as being a protective factor against perceived stress and a facilitating factor for happiness in nurses. The findings could be important in training future nurses so that hardiness can be imparted, thereby giving them the ability to control their stress.

Matched MeSH terms: Happiness*
Happiness at the end of life: A qualitative study

Beng TS, Ghee WK, Hui NY, Yin OC, Kelvin KWS, Yiling ST, et al.

Palliat Support Care, 2021 Mar 15.
PMID: 33715663 DOI: 10.1017/S1478951521000262

OBJECTIVE: Dying is mostly seen as a dreadful event, never a happy experience. Yet, as palliative care physicians, we have seen so many patients who remained happy despite facing death. Hence, we conducted this qualitative study to explore happiness in palliative care patients at the University of Malaya Medical Centre.
METHOD: Twenty terminally ill patients were interviewed with semi-structured questions. The results were thematically analyzed.
RESULTS: Eight themes were generated: the meaning of happiness, connections, mindset, pleasure, health, faith, wealth, and work. Our results showed that happiness is possible at the end of life. Happiness can coexist with pain and suffering. Social connections were the most important element of happiness at the end of life. Wealth and work were given the least emphasis. From the descriptions of our patients, we recognized a tendency for the degree of importance to shift from the hedonic happiness to eudaimonic happiness as patients experienced a terminal illness.
SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: To increase the happiness of palliative care patients, it is crucial to assess the meaning of happiness for each patient and the degree of importance for each happiness domain to allow targeted interventions.

Matched MeSH terms: Happiness
Brain functional connectivity patterns for emotional state classification in Parkinson's disease patients without dementia

Yuvaraj R, Murugappan M, Acharya UR, Adeli H, Ibrahim NM, Mesquita E

Behav Brain Res, 2016 Feb 1;298(Pt B):248-60.
PMID: 26515932 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.10.036

Successful emotional communication is crucial for social interactions and social relationships. Parkinson's Disease (PD) patients have shown deficits in emotional recognition abilities although the research findings are inconclusive. This paper presents an investigation of six emotions (happiness, sadness, fear, anger, surprise, and disgust) of twenty non-demented (Mini-Mental State Examination score >24) PD patients and twenty Healthy Controls (HCs) using Electroencephalogram (EEG)-based Brain Functional Connectivity (BFC) patterns. The functional connectivity index feature in EEG signals is computed using three different methods: Correlation (COR), Coherence (COH), and Phase Synchronization Index (PSI). Further, a new functional connectivity index feature is proposed using bispectral analysis. The experimental results indicate that the BFC change is significantly different among emotional states of PD patients compared with HC. Also, the emotional connectivity pattern classified using Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier yielded the highest accuracy for the new bispectral functional connectivity index. The PD patients showed emotional impairments as demonstrated by a poor classification performance. This finding suggests that decrease in the functional connectivity indices during emotional stimulation in PD, indicating functional disconnections between cortical areas.

Matched MeSH terms: Happiness
Fulltext Contextualising facial expressions: The effect of temporal context and individual differences on classification

Irwantoro K, Nimsha Nilakshi Lennon N, Mareschal I, Miflah Hussain Ismail A

Q J Exp Psychol (Hove), 2023 Feb;76(2):450-459.
PMID: 35360991 DOI: 10.1177/17470218221094296

The influence of context on facial expression classification is most often investigated using simple cues in static faces portraying basic expressions with a fixed emotional intensity. We examined (1) whether a perceptually rich, dynamic audiovisual context, presented in the form of movie clips (to achieve closer resemblance to real life), affected the subsequent classification of dynamic basic (happy) and non-basic (sarcastic) facial expressions and (2) whether people's susceptibility to contextual cues was related to their ability to classify facial expressions viewed in isolation. Participants classified facial expressions-gradually progressing from neutral to happy/sarcastic in increasing intensity-that followed movie clips. Classification was relatively more accurate and faster when the preceding context predicted the upcoming expression, compared with when the context did not. Speeded classifications suggested that predictive contexts reduced the emotional intensity required to be accurately classified. More importantly, we show for the first time that participants' accuracy in classifying expressions without an informative context correlated with the magnitude of the contextual effects experienced by them-poor classifiers of isolated expressions were more susceptible to a predictive context. Our findings support the emerging view that contextual cues and individual differences must be considered when explaining mechanisms underlying facial expression classification.

Matched MeSH terms: Happiness
Fulltext Face-to-face or not-to-face: A technology preference for communication

Jaafar NI, Darmawan B, Mohamed Ariffin MY

Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw, 2014 Nov;17(11):702-8.
PMID: 25405782 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2014.0098

This study employed the Model of Technology Preference (MTP) to explain the relationship of the variables as the antecedents of behavioral intention to adopt a social networking site (SNS) for communication. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to SNS account users using paper-based and web-based surveys that led to 514 valid responses. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results show that two out of three attributes of the attribute-based preference (ATRP) affect attitude-based preference (ATTP). The data support the hypotheses that perceived enjoyment and social presence are predictors of ATTP. In this study, the findings further indicated that ATTP has no relationship with the behavioral intention of using SNS, but it has a relationship with the attitude of using SNS. SNS development should provide features that ensure enjoyment and social presence for users to communicate instead of using the traditional face-to-face method of communication.

Matched MeSH terms: Happiness*
Religious Commitment and its Relation to Happiness among Muslim Students: The Educational Level as Moderator

Achour M, Mohd Nor MR, Amel B, Bin Seman HM, MohdYusoff MYZ

J Relig Health, 2017 Oct;56(5):1870-1889.
PMID: 28160189 DOI: 10.1007/s10943-017-0361-9

This study examines the relationship between religiosity and level of happiness in an Islamic context among Muslim students studying at Malaysian universities. The determinants of happiness included in this research are positive attitudes, self-esteem, and other-esteem. Religiosity has long been considered as the main determinant in increasing happiness, and educational level strengthens its relationship. For this purpose, the researchers sampled 230 Muslim students aged 17-40 years studying at Malaysian universities in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The study found a positive and significant correlation between religious commitment and level of happiness. Religious commitment also shows positive and significant correlations with positive attitudes, self-esteem, and other-esteem. The study also concludes that educational attainment moderates the relationship between religious commitment and happiness. Thus, religious commitment plays a very important role in increasing levels of happiness.

Matched MeSH terms: Happiness
Fulltext Emotional Intelligence and Depressive Symptoms as Predictors of Happiness Among Adolescents

Abdollahi A, Abu Talib M, Motalebi SA

Iran J Psychiatry Behav Sci, 2015 Dec;9(4):e2268.
PMID: 26834804 DOI: 10.17795/ijpbs-2268

BACKGROUND: Given that happiness is an important construct to enable adolescents to cope better with difficulties and stress of life, it is necessary to advance our knowledge about the possible etiology of happiness in adolescents.
OBJECTIVES:The present study sought to investigate the relationships of emotional intelligence, depressive symptoms, and happiness in a sample of male students in Tehran, Iran.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of high school students in Tehran in 2012. The participants comprised of 188 male students (aged 16 to 19 years old) selected by multi-stage cluster sampling method. For gathering the data, the students filled out assessing emotions scale, Beck depression inventory-II, and Oxford happiness inventory. Data analysis was carried out using descriptive and analytical statistics in statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) software.
RESULTS: The findings showed that a significant positive association existed between high ability of emotional intelligence and happiness (P < 0.01). Conversely, the low ability of emotional intelligence was associated with unhappiness (P < 0.01), there was a positive association between non-depression symptoms and happiness (P < 0.05), and severe depressive symptoms were positively associated with unhappiness (P < 0.01). High ability of emotional intelligence (P < 0.01) and non-depression symptoms (P < 0.05) were the strongest predictors of happiness.
CONCLUSIONS: These findings reinforced the importance of emotional intelligence as a facilitating factor for happiness in adolescences. In addition, the findings suggested that depression symptoms may be harmful for happiness in adolescents.

KEYWORDS:
Depression; Emotional Intelligence; Iranian Students; Wellbeing

Matched MeSH terms: Happiness*
Happiness among dentists: a multi-scale, multi-national study from 21 countries

Alhajj MN, Omar R, Khader Y, Celebić A, El Tantawi M, Folayan MO, et al.

Int Dent J, 2020 Oct;70(5):328-339.
PMID: 32501563 DOI: 10.1111/idj.12579

OBJECTIVES: The extent to which dentists are happy with their profession and their life has not been well studied. The present study aimed to explore the level of happiness, satisfaction with life and psychological well-being among a sample of dental professionals from 21 countries.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sample comprised 2,200 dentists from 21 countries. Three scales - Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS), Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), and Affect Balance Scale (ABS) - were used to measure the subjective responses. Data related to demographic and social characteristics were recorded. Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used as appropriate. Scales were correlated, and multiple linear regression analyses were employed to identify the independent determinants of SHS, SWLS and ABS. Data were analysed using the SPSS software program; a value of P <0.05 was considered significant.
RESULTS: The overall mean scores of SHS, SWLS and ABS were 18.53 ± 5.06, 23.06 ± 6.25 and 1.26 ± 2.40, respectively, with significant differences found across countries: dentists working in Croatia, Peru and Serbia recorded the highest scores, unlike dentists practicing in Yemen, Syria, and Iraq, who recorded the lowest scores. There were significant, moderately positive correlations between the various scales: SHS and SWLS: r = 0.535, P

Matched MeSH terms: Happiness*
The Unprecedented Movement Control Order (Lockdown) and Factors Associated With the Negative Emotional Symptoms, Happiness, and Work-Life Balance of Malaysian University Students During the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic

Wan Mohd Yunus WMA, Badri SKZ, Panatik SA, Mukhtar F

Front Psychiatry, 2020;11:566221.
PMID: 33664679 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.566221

Background and Aims: Malaysia's first Movement Control Order (MCO) or "lockdown" was in place for 6 weeks to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Consequently, all universities were forced to close temporarily with abrupt changes to teaching and learning activities. However, there has been a lack of consensus regarding students' actual psychological status and mental health during the MCO implementation. This study investigates the link, state, and differences of negative emotional symptoms, happiness, and work-life balance among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methodology: This study recruited 1,005 university students across Malaysia. Data was collected online using Qualtrics to measure negative emotional symptoms (The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale), happiness (The Oxford Happiness Inventory), and work-life balance (Work-Family Conflict Scale). All data was analyzed using SPSS version 25 and AMOS version 26 using T-test, ANOVA, logistic regression analyses, and path analysis method. Findings: Findings indicated that 22, 34.3, and 37.3% of the university students scored moderate to extremely severe levels of stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms, respectively. Half scored rather happy or very happy (50%) for happiness levels. Meanwhile, 50.4 and 39.4% scored high to very high levels of work-to-family and family-to-work conflict. Significant differences in stress, anxiety, depression, happiness, work-family conflict, and family-work conflict were recorded across different demographic factors. Happiness was found to be a protective factor with a lesser likelihood of experiencing severe stress (OR = 0.240, 95% CI: 0.180, 0.321), anxiety (OR = 0.336, 95% CI: 0.273, 0.414), and depression (OR = 0.121, 95% CI: 0.088, 0.165) with higher happiness levels. Higher score of work-to-family conflict contributes to greater odds of having severe levels of anxiety (OR = 1.453, 95% CI: 1.161, 1.818). While greater likelihood of developing severe stress (OR = 1.468, 95% CI: 1.109, 1.943) and severe anxiety (OR = 1.317, 95% CI: 1.059, 1.638) under increasing score of family-to-work conflict. Besides, happiness is found to negatively linked with lower negative emotional symptoms, while work-family conflict and family-work conflict are positively linked with higher negative emotional symptoms. Conclusion: Lockdown implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic appears to have a significant impact on university students' negative emotional symptoms, happiness, and work-life balance. Happiness was found to be a protective factor while the state of work-life balance is a risk factor that can predict students' negative emotional symptoms.

Matched MeSH terms: Happiness
Fulltext FACTORS INFLUENCING CONSUMERS IN USING SHOPEE FOR ONLINE PURCHASE INTENTION IN EAST COAST MALAYSIA

KIEW CHEE CHING, ZUHA ROSUFILA ABU HASAN, NADIA ABU HASAN

UMT Journal of Undergraduate Research, 2021;3(1):45-56.
MyJurnal

Shopee online has become increasingly popular among consumers for purchasing purposes as compared to brick-and-mortar retail due to the benefits and enjoyment that come with it. However, Shopee has facing intense competitive challenges with other competitors in Malaysia. In addition, it is also difficult for Shopee to compete with major leader of online shopping portal although this platform offers the same function and usage as its contender. Hence, it is important to understand consumer perceptions on the benefit and intention of using Shopee. This study examines consumer perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived price, perceived convenience and perceived trust adapted from the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). 208 respondents who have experience online purchasing in East Cost of Malaysia were invited to participate in this study using online survey. Data were analyzed using descriptive, correlation and multiple regression analyses. The findings show that perceived convenience and perceived trust have strong influence towards consumer intention to use Shopee as platform to do online purchase. It is suggested that this study will help practitioners to understand consumer online shopping perception and intention in order to induce visitation and usage of Shopee.

Matched MeSH terms: Happiness
Fulltext Rajyoga meditation induces grey matter volume changes in regions that process reward and happiness

Babu MGR, Kadavigere R, Koteshwara P, Sathian B, Rai KS

Sci Rep, 2020 09 30;10(1):16177.
PMID: 32999361 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73221-x

Studies provide evidence that practicing meditation enhances neural plasticity in reward processing areas of brain. No studies till date, provide evidence of such changes in Rajyoga meditation (RM) practitioners. The present study aimed to identify grey matter volume (GMV) changes in reward processing areas of brain and its association with happiness scores in RM practitioners compared to non-meditators. Structural MRI of selected participants matched for age, gender and handedness (n = 40/group) were analyzed using voxel-based morphometric method and Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ) scores were correlated. Significant increase in OHQ happiness scores were observed in RM practitioners compared to non-meditators. Whereas, a trend towards significance was observed in more experienced RM practitioners, on correlating OHQ scores with hours of meditation experience. Additionally, in RM practitioners, higher GMV were observed in reward processing centers-right superior frontal gyrus, left inferior orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and bilateral precuneus. Multiple regression analysis showed significant association between OHQ scores of RM practitioners and reward processing regions right superior frontal gyrus, left middle OFC, right insula and left anterior cingulate cortex. Further, with increasing hours of RM practice, a significant positive association was observed in bilateral ventral pallidum. These findings indicate that RM practice enhances GMV in reward processing regions associated with happiness.

Matched MeSH terms: Happiness*
Fulltext Understanding of peace and peace building among young children, parents and teachers in several pre-schools in Malaysia

Ng, Soo Boon, Siew, Siew Kim, Regina Joseph Cyril

Malaysian Journal of Qualitative Research, 2019;5(2):47-58.
MyJurnal

Starting peace-building in early childhood is crucial as this is the best time to model a harmonious personality as well as exposure to value-based curriculum. Peace-building helps in preventing conflict and violence among peers, at home and in the community. In Malaysia, the elements of moral values such as tolerance, respect and unity are integrated across the National Preschool Curriculum in order to instill the awareness of maintaining peace and unity. This qualitative study aimed to explore the perspectives of the children, parents and teachers regarding peace and peace-building. Instruments in the form of questions were sent to various kindergarten teachers from public and private setting including those from urban and rural areas. Seven preschools responded. Interview of children, parents and teachers were conducted and transcribed through a focal point from each school and sent back to the researchers for analysis. Constant comparative method analysis was used where categories were created. Based on the analysis, children’s perception of peace is predominantly linked to love and orderliness and is within the environment they live in; whereas parents and teachers have more comprehensive and complicated views of peace which is related to harmony and tolerance in a bigger perspective. Children perceived peace-building pragmatically, to them peace-building just happened in everyday living. They perceived cleaning up, helping each other, sharing happiness, listening and cooperating as actions for peace-building. Parents and teachers understood their roles in creating peace for the young children; and unanimously agreed that they must be the role model for the children in creating peace. Parents and teachers believed that the immediate environment children live in must be harmonious, caring, and loving so that they can build up the character of their children who will love and practice peace in their own life. Methodology of peace building adopted by parents and children were mainly dialogue, negotiation and situational learning.

Matched MeSH terms: Happiness

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