Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 51 in total

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  1. Religious psychotherapy as management of bereavement
    Azhar MZ, Varma SL
    Acta Psychiatr Scand, 1995 Apr;91(4):233-5.
    PMID: 7625203
    This study was aimed at determining the effect of psychotherapy in patients in bereavement. Fifteen patients in a control group were given brief psychotherapy and 15 study group patients received psychotherapy with a religious perspective. The patients in the study group showed consistently significant improvements as compared with the control group at the end of 6 months. The results indicate that highly religious patients with grief and bereavement tend to improve faster when a religious psychotherapy is added to a cognitive-behaviour approach.
    Matched MeSH terms: Religion and Psychology*
  2. Religious psychotherapy in anxiety disorder patients
    Azhar MZ, Varma SL, Dharap AS
    Acta Psychiatr Scand, 1994 Jul;90(1):1-3.
    PMID: 7976440
    Religious patients with generalized anxiety disorder were given religious psychotherapy in addition to supportive psychotherapy anxiolytic drugs. Those receiving religious psychotherapy showed significantly more rapid improvement in anxiety symptoms than those who received supportive psychotherapy and drugs only. Thus, religious patients may require a different form of psychotherapy.
    Matched MeSH terms: Religion and Psychology*
  3. Moderating effect of intrinsic religiosity on the relationship between depression and cognitive function among community-dwelling older adults
    Foong HF, Hamid TA, Ibrahim R, Haron SA
    Aging Ment Health, 2018 04;22(4):483-488.
    PMID: 28060527 DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2016.1274376
    OBJECTIVES: Research has found that depression in later life is associated with cognitive impairment. Thus, the mechanism to reduce the effect of depression on cognitive function is warranted. In this paper, we intend to examine whether intrinsic religiosity mediates the association between depression and cognitive function.

    METHOD: The study included 2322 nationally representative community-dwelling elderly in Malaysia, randomly selected through a multi-stage proportional cluster random sampling from Peninsular Malaysia. The elderly were surveyed on socio-demographic information, cognitive function, depression and intrinsic religiosity. A four-step moderated hierarchical regression analysis was employed to test the moderating effect. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS (version 15.0).

    RESULTS: Bivariate analyses showed that both depression and intrinsic religiosity had significant relationships with cognitive function. In addition, four-step moderated hierarchical regression analysis revealed that the intrinsic religiosity moderated the association between depression and cognitive function, after controlling for selected socio-demographic characteristics.

    CONCLUSION: Intrinsic religiosity might reduce the negative effect of depression on cognitive function. Professionals who are working with depressed older adults should seek ways to improve their intrinsic religiosity as one of the strategies to prevent cognitive impairment.

    Matched MeSH terms: Religion and Psychology*
  4. Human milk donation is an alternative to human milk bank
    Hsu HT, Fong TV, Hassan NM, Wong HL, Rai JK, Khalid Z
    Breastfeed Med, 2012 Apr;7(2):118-22.
    PMID: 22011131 DOI: 10.1089/bfm.2011.0006
    Human milk bank is a source of human milk supply in many neonatal intensive care units. However, there are some hospitals without this facility because of financial or religious impediments, such as the Muslim community.
    Matched MeSH terms: Religion and Psychology
  5. Lay perceptions of current and future health, the causes of illness, and the nature of recovery: explaining health and illness in Malaysia
    Swami V, Arteche A, Chamorro-Premuzic T, Maakip I, Stanistreet D, Furnham A
    Br J Health Psychol, 2009 Sep;14(Pt 3):519-40.
    PMID: 18922210 DOI: 10.1348/135910708X370781
    This study examined beliefs about the causes and determinants of health, illness, and recovery in an opportunistic sample from Malaysia. In all, 371 women and 350 men completed the Health and Illness Scale, a 124-item scale that examined beliefs about current and future health, and beliefs about the causes of illness and recovery. Each of the four subscales of the Health Illness Scale were factor analysed to reveal the underlying structure. Results showed the emergence of a number of distinct factors in the case of each subscale, of which environmental, life-style, psychological, religious, and fate-related factors were fairly stable across subscales. Results also showed a number of differences in beliefs between religious groups, and that religiosity and sex were the strongest predictors of beliefs across the four subscales. The results are discussed in terms of the available cross-cultural literature on lay beliefs about health.
    Matched MeSH terms: Religion and Psychology
  6. Is the hijab protective? An investigation of body image and related constructs among British Muslim women
    Swami V, Miah J, Noorani N, Taylor D
    Br J Psychol, 2014 Aug;105(3):352-63.
    PMID: 25040005 DOI: 10.1111/bjop.12045
    Previous studies have reported equivocal findings concerning the impact of wearing a hijab, or Islamic head- and body-cover, on Muslim women's body image. Here, we sought to examine that impact using a larger sample of Muslim women than has been relied upon and a wider range of body image measures. A total of 587 British Muslim women completed a battery of scales assessing their frequency and conservativeness of hijab use, body image variables, attitudes towards the media and beauty ideals, importance of appearance, and religiosity. Preliminary results indicated that 218 women never used the hijab and 369 women used some form of the hijab at least rarely. Controlling for religiosity, women who wore the hijab had more positive body image, lower internalization of media messages about beauty standards, and placed less importance on appearance than women who did not wear the hijab. Among women who wore the hijab, hijab use significantly predicted weight discrepancy and body appreciation over and above religiosity. These results are discussed in terms of the possible protective impact among British Muslim women of wearing the hijab.
    Matched MeSH terms: Religion and Psychology*
  7. Administrative Stressors and Islamic Coping Strategies Among Muslim Primary Principals in Malaysia: A Mixed Method Study
    Tahir LM, Khan A, Musah MB, Ahmad R, Daud K, Al-Hudawi SHV, et al.
    Community Ment Health J, 2018 07;54(5):649-663.
    PMID: 29151201 DOI: 10.1007/s10597-017-0206-8
    Principals are school leaders who experienced stress while leading their schools towards excellence. However, principals stress experiences are always ignored and least studied. This mixed-methods study investigates primary principals' stress experiences and their Islamic coping strategies used in incapacitating the stress experiences. A total of 216 Muslim primary principals across different gender, types of schools and years of experiences as school leaders responded to the administrative stress and the Islamic coping strategies items. In addition, seven primary principals were purposefully selected and interviewed in exploring their reasons of using Islamic coping strategies for their relieving process. Results discovered that primary principals experienced fairly stress level and they perceived managing students' academic achievement was the most stressor followed by managing teachers' capabilities. Although findings revealed that no significant differences in terms primary principals' demographics; male primary principals, and experienced between 6 and 10 years and positioned in schools with least students (SLS) category have slightly higher level of stress. In terms of Islamic coping strategies used by primary principals, saying dhua to Allah, performing dhikir and reciting the Yassen are selected coping approaches employed in handling their stress. From interviews, primary principals also revealed that they used Islamic religious approaches as part of meaningful activities not just to overcoming their stress but also as part of religious approaches in remembering Allah, thinking back their past mistakes as part of the Muhasabah process. Therefore, we believed that religious approaches should be taken into consideration in principals' training as it provides peaceful and treatment in managing principals' stress issue.
    Matched MeSH terms: Religion and Psychology*
  8. Malaysian Moslem mothers' experience of depression and service use
    Abdul Kadir NB, Bifulco A
    Cult Med Psychiatry, 2010 Sep;34(3):443-67.
    PMID: 20549550 DOI: 10.1007/s11013-010-9183-x
    Standard psychiatric criteria for depression developed in the United States and United Kingdom are increasingly used worldwide to establish the prevalence of clinical disorders and to help develop services. However, these approaches are rarely sensitive to local and cultural expressions of symptoms or beliefs about treatment. Mismatch between diagnostic criteria and local understanding may result in underreporting of depression and underutilization of services. Little such research has been conducted in Malaysia, despite the acknowledged high rate of depression and low access to services. This study examines depression in Moslem Malay women living in Johor Bahru, Southern Peninsular Malaysia, to explore depression symptoms using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. The 61 women interviewed were selected on the basis of high General Health Questionnaire scores from a large questionnaire survey of 1,002 mothers. The illustrative analysis looks at descriptions of depressed mood, self-depreciation and suicidal ideation, as well as attitudes toward service use. The women gave full and open descriptions of their emotional symptoms, easily recognizable by standard symptom categories, although somatic symptoms were commonly included, and the spiritual context to understanding depression was also prevalent. However, few women had knowledge about treatment or sought medical services, although some sought help from local spiritual healers. Attending to such views of depression can help develop services in Malaysia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Religion and Psychology*
  9. Fulltext Secular versus religious norms against smoking: which is more important as a driver of quitting behaviour among Muslim Malaysian and Buddhist Thai smokers?
    Yong HH, Savvas S, Borland R, Thrasher J, Sirirassamee B, Omar M
    Int J Behav Med, 2013 Jun;20(2):252-8.
    PMID: 22302214
    BACKGROUND: This paper prospectively examined two kinds of social normative beliefs about smoking, secular versus religious norms.
    PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to determine the relative importance of these beliefs in influencing quitting behaviour among Muslim Malaysian and Buddhist Thai smokers.
    METHODS: Data come from 2,166 Muslim Malaysian and 2,463 Buddhist Thai adult smokers who participated in the first three waves of the International Tobacco Control Southeast Asia project. Respondents were followed up about 18 months later with replenishment. Respondents were asked at baseline about whether their society disapproved of smoking and whether their religion discouraged smoking, and those recontacted at follow-up were asked about their quitting activity.
    RESULTS: Majority of both religious groups perceived that their religion discouraged smoking (78% Muslim Malaysians and 86% Buddhist Thais) but considerably more Buddhist Thais than Muslim Malaysians perceived that their society disapproved of smoking (80% versus 25%). Among Muslim Malaysians, religious, but not societal, norms had an independent effect on quit attempts. By contrast, among the Buddhist Thais, while both normative beliefs had an independent positive effect on quit attempts, the effect was greater for societal norms. The two kinds of normative beliefs, however, were unrelated to quit success among those who tried.
    CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that religious norms about smoking may play a greater role than secular norms in driving behaviour change in an environment, like Malaysia where tobacco control has been relatively weak until more recently, but, in the context of a strong tobacco control environment like Thailand, secular norms about smoking become the dominant force.
    Matched MeSH terms: Religion and Psychology
  10. Handling spiritual questions of terminally ill patients
    Loh KY
    Int J Palliat Nurs, 2004 Nov;10(11):550-1; discussion 552-3.
    PMID: 15580111
    Matched MeSH terms: Religion and Psychology
  11. Spiritual distress in a terminally ill patient with breast cancer
    Loh KY
    Int J Palliat Nurs, 2004 Mar;10(3):131-2.
    PMID: 15126957
    Matched MeSH terms: Religion and Psychology
  12. Predictors of sociocultural adjustment among sojourning Malaysian students in Britain
    Swami V
    Int J Psychol, 2009 Aug;44(4):266-73.
    PMID: 22029555 DOI: 10.1080/00207590801888745
    The process of cross-cultural migration may be particularly difficult for students travelling overseas for further or higher education, especially where qualitative differences exist between the home and host nations. The present study examined the sociocultural adjustment of sojourning Malaysian students in Britain. Eighty-one Malay and 110 Chinese students enrolled in various courses answered a self-report questionnaire that examined various aspects of sociocultural adjustment. A series of one-way analyses of variance showed that Malay participants experienced poorer sociocultural adjustment in comparison with their Chinese counterparts. They were also less likely than Chinese students to have contact with co-nationals and host nationals, more likely to perceive their actual experience in Britain as worse than they had expected, and more likely to perceive greater cultural distance and greater discrimination. The results of regression analyses showed that, for Malay participants, perceived discrimination accounted for the greatest proportion of variance in sociocultural adjustment (73%), followed by English language proficiency (10%) and contact with host nationals (4%). For Chinese participants, English language proficiency was the strongest predictor of sociocultural adjustment (54%), followed by expectations of life in Britain (18%) and contact with host nationals (3%). By contrast, participants' sex, age, and length of residence failed to emerge as significant predictors for either ethnic group. Possible explanations for this pattern of findings are discussed, including the effects of Islamophobia on Malay-Muslims in Britain, possible socioeconomic differences between Malay and Chinese students, and personality differences between the two ethnic groups. The results are further discussed in relation to practical steps that can be taken to improve the sociocultural adjustment of sojourning students in Britain.
    Matched MeSH terms: Religion and Psychology*
  13. On the links between positive religious coping, satisfaction with life and depressive symptoms among a multinational sample of Muslims
    Abu-Raiya H, Ayten A, Tekke M, Agbaria Q
    Int J Psychol, 2019 Oct;54(5):678-686.
    PMID: 30338852 DOI: 10.1002/ijop.12521
    This study tested the levels and consequences of positive religious coping among a multinational sample of Muslims. The sample consisted of 706 university students recruited in three Muslim countries: Israel/Palestine, Turkey and Malaysia. Participants' average age was 22.61, and 65% of them were females. This investigation applied a cross-sectional comparative methodology. Measures used: demographics, positive religious coping, satisfaction with life and depressive symptoms. The findings indicated that (a) participants reported high levels of positive religious coping usage, and Malaysians scored significantly higher in this regard than both Palestinians and Turks; (b) positive religious coping correlated positively with satisfaction with life but was not linked to depressive symptoms and (c) the magnitude of correlation between positive and satisfaction with life was significantly higher among Malaysians than among both Palestinians and Turks. The findings suggest that to understand the implications of positive religious coping for the health and well-being of Muslims, a detailed and nuanced analysis is needed.
    Matched MeSH terms: Religion and Psychology*
  14. Suicidal ideation among single, pregnant adolescents: The role of sexual and religious knowledge, attitudes and practices
    Chan LF, Mohamad Adam B, Norazlin KN, Siti Haida MI, Lee VY, Norazura AW, et al.
    J Adolesc, 2016 10;52:162-9.
    PMID: 27572955 DOI: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2016.08.006
    Pregnant adolescents are a high-risk population for suicide. However, a knowledge gap still exists on how sexual and religious knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) influence suicidal ideation (SI) in teenage pregnancy. We aim to explore the interplay between psychiatric diagnoses, sociodemographic factors and KAP of sexual and religious issues as risk factors of SI among 114 pregnant Malaysian adolescents from 6 rehabilitation centers and a tertiary hospital. Single sexual partner was an independent predictor of SI, suggesting the role of less sexual experience as a risk factor for SI after controlling for major depression. Participants who were unsure versus those who agreed with the statement that most religions' viewed sex outside marriage as wrong had a lower risk of SI after controlling for major depression. Pregnant adolescents with a single sexual partner were significantly associated with current SI. Ambivalence towards religious prohibitions on premarital sex may protect against suicidal ideation.
    Matched MeSH terms: Religion and Psychology
  15. Reasons on the similarity of objections with regards to gambling and speculation in Islamic finance and conventional finance
    Kunhibava S
    J Gambl Stud, 2011 Mar;27(1):1-13.
    PMID: 20514512 DOI: 10.1007/s10899-010-9201-5
    Gambling and speculation which leads to zero-sum outcomes are prohibited in Islamic finance and condemned in conventional finance. This article explores the reasons for the similarity of objections towards gambling and speculation. Three probable reasons are explored namely the concept of stewardship in conventional thought and the concept of khalifa in Islam, Christianity and morality's influence on conventional law and finance and the concept of ethics of sacrifice and ethics of tolerance.
    Matched MeSH terms: Religion and Psychology*
  16. The Relationship Between Psychological Distress and Religious Practices and Coping in Malaysian Parents of Children with Thalassemia
    Chong LT, Chong MC, Tang LY, Ramoo V, Chui PL, Hmwe NTT
    J Pediatr Nurs, 2019 06 15;48:e15-e20.
    PMID: 31213340 DOI: 10.1016/j.pedn.2019.05.016
    STUDY PURPOSE: This study was conducted to examine the relationship between religious practice, religious coping methods and psychological distress among parents caring for children with transfusion-dependent thalassemia.

    DESIGN AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional survey. Data were collected on 162 parents of children diagnosed with thalassemia aged 12 years and younger in thalassemia day care centers of three public hospitals in Sabah, Malaysia. Data were collected using questionnaires, including General Health Questionaire-12 (GHQ-12), Duke University Religion Index (DUREL) and Brief RCOPE.

    RESULTS: Forty-two percent of parents had psychological distress with GHQ score ≥ 3 (mean score of 2.85 ± 3.17). Ninety-five percent of parents used positive religious coping methods (mean P-COPE score 22.35 ± 2.33) more than negative religious coping methods (mean N-COPE score was 12.19 ± 5.23). They used Organized Religious Activities (mean ORA score of 4.20 ± 1.27), and Non-Organized Religious Activities (NORA, the mean was 4.17 ± 1.37). Positive and negative religious coping methods were significantly related to parents' psychological distress (P-COPE and GHQ-12 scores (rs (df) = 0.19, p 

    Matched MeSH terms: Religion and Psychology*
  17. For God (or) country: the hydraulic relation between government instability and belief in religious sources of control
    Kay AC, Shepherd S, Blatz CW, Chua SN, Galinsky AD
    J Pers Soc Psychol, 2010 Nov;99(5):725-39.
    PMID: 20954784 DOI: 10.1037/a0021140
    It has been recently proposed that people can flexibly rely on sources of control that are both internal and external to the self to satisfy the need to believe that their world is under control (i.e., that events do not unfold randomly or haphazardly). Consistent with this, past research demonstrates that, when personal control is threatened, people defend external systems of control, such as God and government. This theoretical perspective also suggests that belief in God and support for governmental systems, although seemingly disparate, will exhibit a hydraulic relationship with one another. Using both experimental and longitudinal designs in Eastern and Western cultures, the authors demonstrate that experimental manipulations or naturally occurring events (e.g., electoral instability) that lower faith in one of these external systems (e.g., the government) lead to subsequent increases in faith in the other (e.g., God). In addition, mediation and moderation analyses suggest that specific concerns with order and structure underlie these hydraulic effects. Implications for the psychological, sociocultural, and sociopolitical underpinnings of religious faith, as well as system justification theory, are discussed.
    Matched MeSH terms: Religion and Psychology
  18. Stress Symptoms Among Adolescent: A Study from Islamic Perspective
    Sham FM
    J Relig Health, 2015 Aug;54(4):1278-85.
    PMID: 24807209 DOI: 10.1007/s10943-014-9866-7
    Rapid social changes in current times which can be quite abrupt present a challenge to adolescent life. Adolescents who are unable to adapt themselves experience stress which may affect their health. Psychological issues of adolescents require attention because the long-term consequence is worse than the short-term effects, namely, there will be a group of people within society who live under stress. Stressed people show symptoms such as being aggressive, prone to rebel, uncontrollable anger, depression, mental disorders and health problems. Early recognition of adolescent stress symptoms is vital. Pursuant to this, a study is conducted among adolescents in Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia for the purpose of determining whether they experience stress or otherwise, based on stress symptoms in terms of psychology, physiology and social behaviour. An analysis is conducted on 403 respondents who comprise of male and female adolescents aged 16-17 years. The required data are gathered through questionnaire and structured interview. Analysis is based on descriptive statistical method and is explained in a table in terms of frequency, percentage and mode. Research results show that adolescents do experience stress and that the majority of them exhibit psychological stress symptoms.
    Matched MeSH terms: Religion and Psychology*
  19. Measuring religiosity and its effects on personal well-being: a case study of Muslim female academicians in Malaysia
    Achour M, Grine F, Mohd Nor MR, MohdYusoff MY
    J Relig Health, 2015 Jun;54(3):984-97.
    PMID: 24770892 DOI: 10.1007/s10943-014-9852-0
    This study seeks to measure religiosity in an Islamic context and to assess its effects on the personal well-being of Muslims. The determinants of religiosity included under this research are prayer, beliefs, and worship. This research also attempts to examine the coping strategies Muslims use to deal with life problems and changes such as prayer, supplication, trust and reliance on God, remembrance of death, and concept of life after death. Today, many scales of religiosity are being put into use among Muslims. This study measures religiosity and its effects on the well-being of Muslim academicians. The researchers used 315 Muslim female of academic staff as respondents, working in Research Universities in the Klang Valley such as University of Malaya, National University and Putra University area of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Their ages ranged from 30 to 60 years. The results of this study show that there exists a positive yet significant correlation between personal well-being and religiosity. The well-being also shows significant positive correlations with beliefs and worship and prayer.
    Matched MeSH terms: Religion and Psychology*
  20. Islamic approach in counseling
    Hanin Hamjah S, Mat Akhir NS
    J Relig Health, 2014 Feb;53(1):279-89.
    PMID: 23563898 DOI: 10.1007/s10943-013-9703-4
    A religious approach is one of the matters emphasized in counseling today. Many researchers find that there is a need to apply the religious element in counseling because religion is important in a client's life. The purpose of this research is to identify aspects of the Islamic approach applied in counseling clients by counselors at Pusat Kaunseling Majlis Agama Islam Negeri Sembilan (PKMAINS). In addition, this research also analyses the Islamic approach applied in counseling at PKMAINS with reference to al-Quran and al-Sunnah. This is a qualitative research in the form of case study at PKMAINS. The main method used in this research is interview. The research instrument used is interview protocol. The respondents in this study include 9 counselors who serve in one of the counseling centers in Malaysia. This study also uses questionnaire as an additional instrument, distributed to 36 clients who receive counseling service at the center. The findings of the study show that the Islamic approach applied in counseling at PKMAINS may be categorized into three main aspects: aqidah (faith), ibadah (worship/ultimate devotion and love for God) and akhlaq (moral conduct). Findings also show that the counseling in these aspects is in line with Islamic teachings as contained in al-Quran and al-Sunnah.
    Matched MeSH terms: Religion and Psychology*
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