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Whistle blowing and research integrity: Potential remedy for research misconduct in Malaysian institutions of higher education

Olesen AP, Amin L, Mahadi Z, Ibrahim M

Account Res, 2019 01;26(1):17-32.
PMID: 30489163 DOI: 10.1080/08989621.2018.1554444

This study found that less than half of the respondents are willing to blow the whistle. The results reveal that a lack of protection with regard to the whistleblower's identity, the tedious investigative process, and the notion of avoiding confrontation, which is more apparent in Asian cultures as compared to the West, are among the reasons why individuals who witnessed misconduct chose to remain silent. Adhering to the Asian cultural upbringing where the young must respect the old, those of lower rank must obey those with higher authority, and subordinates do not question the actions of their superior, has become a norm even in the working environment. Therefore, emphasize the need for better protection for whistleblowers including using experienced individuals with a research ethics background to handle allegations from whistleblowers. In addition, established guidelines and procedures for whistleblowers with regard to voicing their allegations against colleagues engaged in research misconduct is still lacking or, to a certain extent, is still unknown to researchers. Thus, the concern indicates a need for institutions to create awareness among researchers regarding the existing platform for whistleblowers, or to develop a systematic and clear procedure which is reliable and independent to promote professionalism in academia.

Matched MeSH terms: Whistleblowing/psychology*
An improved light dark box test by using a real-time video tracking system

Narayanan SN, Kumar RS

Acta. Biol. Hung., 2018 Dec;69(4):371-384.
PMID: 30587025 DOI: 10.1556/018.69.2018.4.1

In the behavioral science field, many of the oldest tests have still most frequently been used almost in the same way for decades. The subjective influence of human observer and the large inter-observer and interlab differences are substantial among these tests. This necessitates the possibility of using technological innovations for behavioral science to obtain new parameters, results and insights as well. The light-dark box (LDB) test is a characteristic tool used to assess anxiety in rodents. A complete behavioral analysis (including both anxiety and locomotion parameters) is not possible by performing traditional LDB test protocol, as it lacks the usage of a real-time video recording of the test. In the current report, we describe an improved approach to conduct LDB test using a real-time video tracking system.

Matched MeSH terms: Anxiety/psychology*
Protective effect of treatment with black cumin oil on spatial cognitive functions of rats that suffered global cerebrovascular hypoperfusion

Azzubaidi MS, Saxena AK, Talib NA, Ahmed QU, Dogarai BB

Acta Neurobiol Exp (Wars), 2012;72(2):154-65.
PMID: 22810217

The fixed oil of black cumin seeds, Nigella sativa L. (NSO), has shown considerable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion has been linked to neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and its subsequent cognitive impairment in which oxidative stress and neuroinflammation are the principal culprits. Cerebrovascular hypoperfusion was experimentally achieved by bilateral common carotid arteries occlusion (2VO) in rats. Morris water maze (MWM) test was employed to assess the effects of NSO on spatial cognitive function before and after 2VO intervention. Rats were divided into long-term memory (LTM) and short-term memory (STM) groups, each was further subdivided into 3 subgroups: sham control, untreated 2VO and NSO treated 2VO group. All subgroups were tested with MWM at the tenth postoperative week. Working memory test results for both sham control and NSO treated groups showed significantly lower escape latency time and total distance travelled than untreated 2VO group. Similarly, LTM and STM MWM tests for sham control and NSO treated groups revealed significantly better maze test performance as compared to untreated 2VO group. Sham control and NSO treated 2VO groups demonstrated superior probe memory test performance as compared to untreated 2VO group. The fixed oil of Nigella sativa seeds has demonstrated noticeable spatial cognitive preservation in rats challenged with chronic cerebral hypoperfusion which indicates a promising prospective neuroprotective effect.

Matched MeSH terms: Cerebrovascular Disorders/psychology*
The QOLIBRI--towards a quality of life tool after traumatic brain injury: current developments in Asia

Truelle JL, von Wild K, Höfer S, Neugebauer E, Lischetzke T, von Steinbüchel N, et al.

Acta Neurochir. Suppl., 2008;101:125-9.
PMID: 18642646

There is no disease-specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) tool devoted to traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Matched MeSH terms: Brain Injuries/psychology*
Comparison of parenting stress between Malaysian mothers of four-year-old very low birthweight and normal birthweight children

Ong LC, Chandran V, Boo NY

Acta Paediatr, 2001 Dec;90(12):1464-9.
PMID: 11853347 DOI: 10.1080/08035250152708905

A study was carried out to compare parenting stress between 116 mothers of very low birthweight (VLBW) children and 96 mothers of normal birthweight (NBW) children at 4 y of age, using the Parenting Stress Index (PSI). Multiple regression analysis was used to determine factors associated with child-domain stress (CDS) and parent-domain stress (PDS). There was a significantly higher proportion (39.7%) of mothers of VLBW children with high CDS scores >90th percentile than mothers of NBW children (20.8%). No significant differences were observed for PDS scores. Lower intelligence quotient (IQ) scores and adverse child behaviour, as evidenced by higher Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) scores, were significantly associated with higher CDS scores (p < 0.001). Factors associated with higher PDS scores were higher CBCL scores (p < 0.001), mothers who were the primary caregivers (p < 0.001), male sex (p = 0.018) and lower level of maternal education (p = 0.048). These factors remained statistically significant even when physically and cognitively impaired children were excluded from the analysis.

CONCLUSION: Specific child characteristics and the social environment appear to have a greater impact on parenting stress than the biological risk of VLBW birth per se.

Matched MeSH terms: Child Behavior Disorders/psychology*; Stress, Psychological/psychology*; Parenting/psychology*; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight/psychology*
Fulltext Lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic

Khoo EJ, Lantos JD

Acta Paediatr, 2020 07;109(7):1323-1325.
PMID: 32289175 DOI: 10.1111/apa.15307
Matched MeSH terms: Pneumonia, Viral/psychology; Coronavirus Infections/psychology
Properties of the temperament and character inventory in a Chinese sample

Parker G, Cheah YC, Parker K

Acta Psychiatr Scand, 2003 Nov;108(5):367-73.
PMID: 14531757

OBJECTIVE: To determine the influence of language and culture on the temperament and character (TCI) measure in a Chinese sample.
METHOD: We translated the TCI into Mandarin and had a non-psychiatric sample of Malaysian Chinese subjects complete the TCI at baseline and at a 1-month retest, with subsets completing English or Mandarin versions alternatively or on both occasions. Analyses examine the TCI factor structure and any impact of language and culture on TCI scoring.
RESULTS: We identified age, gender, occupation and language effects on TCI scale scores. Test-retest reliability was high and not compromised by language. Scale internal consistency was also high. Factor analyses of separate sets of TCI scales corresponded strongly to the structure identified in the TCI development studies.
CONCLUSION: The results indicate that TCI is likely to have applicability to Chinese subjects, and argue against properties being constrained by the English language or by western culture.

Matched MeSH terms: Personality Disorders/psychology; Asian Continental Ancestry Group/psychology*
Dermatoglyphic patterns in schizophrenic patients

Varma SL, Chary TV, Singh S, Azhar MZ, Dharap AS

Acta Psychiatr Scand, 1995 Mar;91(3):213-5.
PMID: 7625199

Schizophrenics (n = 250) and normal controls (n = 90) were studied to investigate and compare their dermatoglyphic patterns. Their fingerprint patterns were studied. The frequency of arches in the patient and control groups was similar. The frequency of loops in the control group was higher than in the patient group, and the trend was consistent in all the digits. The whorls in the patient group showed an increase over the control group in all the digits, although this finding was not statistically significant.

Matched MeSH terms: Schizophrenic Psychology*
The burden of care of schizophrenia in Malay families

Salleh MR

Acta Psychiatr Scand, 1994 Mar;89(3):180-5.
PMID: 8178676 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1994.tb08089.x

Deinstitutionalization has shifted much of the burden of care of chronic schizophrenia from mental institutions to the family. The aim of this study is to asses the prevalence of mental disorders among 210 primary carers of Malay schizophrenic patients, explored the burden and hardship experienced by them. This is a two-stage psychiatric screening procedure. All the cases suspected from initial screening with WHO Self-Reporting Questionnaires (SRQ-20) were called for clinical interview. Patients' behavioural problems and the burden of relatives were assessed by the Social Behaviour Schedule and the Interview Schedule respectively. It was found that about 23% of the carers developed neurotic disorders resulting from the stress; nearly half of them had neurotic depression. Despite their burden, they do not complaint about it. Neurotic carers compared with non-neurotic carers had significantly more subjective burden and distress related to the product of active psychosis. The carers were generally able to tolerate the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. The number of problem behaviours and previous admissions were significantly correlated with the severity of burden.

Matched MeSH terms: Activities of Daily Living/psychology; Anxiety Disorders/psychology; Depressive Disorder/psychology; Family/psychology*; Neurasthenia/psychology; Neurotic Disorders/psychology; Rehabilitation, Vocational/psychology; Schizophrenic Psychology*; Caregivers/psychology*
Belief in supernatural causes of mental illness among Malay patients: impact on treatment

Razali SM, Khan UA, Hasanah CI

Acta Psychiatr Scand, 1996 Oct;94(4):229-33.
PMID: 8911557

The concept of aetiology of mental illness in 134 Malay patients was investigated by means of a 20-item checklist. About 53% of the patients attributed their illnesses to supernatural agents. Witchcraft and possession by evil spirits were regarded as common causes of illness. The number of patients who believed in supernatural causes of their mental illness was significantly higher among those who had consulted bomohs (Malay traditional healers) than among those who had not consulted them. The belief that mental illness is caused by supernatural agents is firmly held by bomohs, who reinforce this notion in those who seek their advice. Belief in supernatural causes of mental illness was not significantly associated with age, gender, level of education or occupation of the patients. Patients who believed in supernatural causes of mental illness were also found to show poor drug compliance, and the number of such patients at 6 months follow-up was significantly lower than the corresponding figure for those who did not believe in supernatural causes. The importance of understanding the patients' cultural background when treating psychiatric patients is highlighted.

Matched MeSH terms: Mental Disorders/psychology*; Ethnic Groups/psychology*; Patient Compliance/psychology; Psychotic Disorders/psychology
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: Depressive Disorder/psychology; Religion and Psychology*
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*
Compliance with treatment in schizophrenia: a drug intervention program in a developing country

Razali MS, Yahya H

Acta Psychiatr Scand, 1995 May;91(5):331-5.
PMID: 7639089

The compliance with drug regimens and follow-up visits of 225 known cases of relapsed schizophrenia was assessed. About 27% of the patients met the criteria for good compliance. The compliance was found to be significantly related to the patients' view of usefulness of the medication, treatment duration of less than 5 years, dosage schedule of once or twice per day and the supervision of medication at home. Patients with poor compliance who were prescribed drug dosage of not more than twice per day throughout follow-up and underwent counseling to enhance treatment compliance had a significantly lower relapse rate than the controlled group at the end of 1 year of follow-up. The importance of family support and understanding patients' cultural background in ensuring good compliance was highlighted.

Matched MeSH terms: Schizophrenic Psychology
Suicide in the island of Singapore

Kua EH, Tsoi WF

Acta Psychiatr Scand, 1985 Mar;71(3):227-9.
PMID: 3984765

In a study of suicide in Singapore in 1980 there were 230 cases and the suicide rate for the general population was 9.5 per 100,000. The age-specific rates increased steeply after 50 years and there was a male preponderance especially in the age group 60 years and over. Comparing the three major ethnic groups in Singapore, the highest rate was seen in the Indians and Chinese, whereas the Malays had the lowest. Amongst the suicides there were 59 (25.7%) with mental illness, mainly schizophrenia, and they were of a younger age group, 20-39 years. The commonest method of suicide was jumping from high-rise flats.

Matched MeSH terms: Schizophrenic Psychology; Suicide/psychology
A transcultural view of sibling rank and mental disorder

Hartog J

Acta Psychiatr Scand, 1974;50(1):33-49.
PMID: 4826849
Matched MeSH terms: Psychology, Social
Effects of modality and repetition in a continuous recognition memory task: Repetition has no effect on auditory recognition memory

Amir Kassim A, Rehman R, Price JM

Acta Psychol (Amst), 2018 Apr;185:72-80.
PMID: 29407247 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2018.01.012

Previous research has shown that auditory recognition memory is poorer compared to visual and cross-modal (visual and auditory) recognition memory. The effect of repetition on memory has been robust in showing improved performance. It is not clear, however, how auditory recognition memory compares to visual and cross-modal recognition memory following repetition. Participants performed a recognition memory task, making old/new discriminations to new stimuli, stimuli repeated for the first time after 4-7 intervening items (R1), or repeated for the second time after 36-39 intervening items (R2). Depending on the condition, participants were either exposed to visual stimuli (2D line drawings), auditory stimuli (spoken words), or cross-modal stimuli (pairs of images and associated spoken words). Results showed that unlike participants in the visual and cross-modal conditions, participants in the auditory recognition did not show improvements in performance on R2 trials compared to R1 trials. These findings have implications for pedagogical techniques in education, as well as for interventions and exercises aimed at boosting memory performance.
Time course of inhibition of return in a spatial cueing paradigm with distractors

Eng V, Lim A, Janssen SMJ, Satel J

Acta Psychol (Amst), 2018 Feb;183:51-57.
PMID: 29328938 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2017.12.011

Studies of endogenous and exogenous attentional orienting in spatial cueing paradigms have been used to investigate inhibition of return, a behavioral phenomenon characterized by delayed reaction time in response to recently attended locations. When eye movements are suppressed, attention is covertly oriented to central or peripheral stimuli. Overt orienting, on the other hand, requires explicit eye movements to the stimuli. The present study examined the time course of slowed reaction times to previously attended locations when distractors are introduced into overt and covert orienting tasks. In a series of experiments, manual responses were required to targets following central and peripheral cues at three different cue-target intervals, with and without activated oculomotor systems. The results demonstrate that, when eye movements are suppressed, behavioral inhibition is reduced or delayed in magnitude by the presence of a distractor relative to conditions without distractors. However, the time course of behavioral inhibition when eye movements are required remains similar with or without distractors.

Matched MeSH terms: Inhibition (Psychology)*
Volunteer motivations at a National Special Olympics event

Khoo S, Engelhorn R

Adapt Phys Activ Q, 2011 Jan;28(1):27-39.
PMID: 21282846

Understanding the motivations for people to volunteer with the management and execution of major sporting events is important for the recruitment and retention of the volunteers. This research investigated volunteer motivations at the first National Special Olympics held in Ames, Iowa, USA in July 2006. A total of 289 participants completed the 28 item Special Event Volunteer Motivation Scale. The top motivations related to the purposive incentives of wanting to help make the event a success and to do something good for the community. Factor analysis revealed a five-factor model, with the altruistic factor (purposive) being the most important. A MANCOVA was also used to compare subjects using both gender and experience as independent variables. Small but significant differences in motivation were observed.

Matched MeSH terms: Volunteers/psychology*
Socio-economic variations in tobacco consumption, intention to quit and self-efficacy to quit among male smokers in Thailand and Malaysia: results from the International Tobacco Control-South-East Asia (ITC-SEA) survey

Siahpush M, Borland R, Yong HH, Kin F, Sirirassamee B

Addiction, 2008 Mar;103(3):502-8.
PMID: 18269370 DOI: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2007.02113.x

Aim To examine the association of socio-economic position (education, income and employment status) with cigarette consumption, intention to quit and self-efficacy to quit among male smokers in Thailand and Malaysia. Design and setting The data were based on a survey of adult smokers conducted in early 2005 in Thailand and Malaysia as part of the International Tobacco Control-South-East Asia (ITC-SEA) project. Participants A total of 1846 men in Thailand and 1906 men in Malaysia. Measurement Participants were asked questions on daily cigarette consumption, intention to quit and self-efficacy to quit in face-to-face interviews. Findings Analyses were based on multivariate regression models that adjusted for all three socio-economic indicators. In Thailand, higher level of education was associated strongly with not having self-efficacy, associated weakly with having an intention to quit and was not associated with cigarette consumption. Higher income was associated strongly with having self-efficacy, associated weakly with high cigarette consumption and was not associated with having an intention to quit. Being employed was associated strongly with having an intention to quit and was not associated with cigarette consumption or self-efficacy. In Malaysia, higher level of education was not associated with any of the outcomes. Higher income was associated strongly with having self-efficacy, and was not associated with the other outcomes. Being employed was associated moderately with higher cigarette consumption and was not associated with the other outcomes. Conclusion Socio-economic and cultural conditions, as well as tobacco control policies and tobacco industry activities, shape the determinants of smoking behaviour and beliefs. Existing knowledge from high-income countries about disparities in smoking should not be generalized readily to other countries.

Matched MeSH terms: Smoking/psychology; Smoking Cessation/psychology*
HIV infection in females dependent on drugs

Wai BH, Singh S, Varma SL

Addiction, 1996 Mar;91(3):435-8.
PMID: 8867206

One hundred and seventy-one drug-dependent females in a drug rehabilitation centre were studied to estimate the prevalence of HIV infection among them. Twenty-four (14%) were positive on the Western Blot test. The presence of HIV infection was significantly correlated with syphilis (p < 0.03) and age (p < 0.001); 83% of those who were HIV positive were intravenous drug users. The need for harm reduction programmes to prevent spread of HIV infection among injecting drug users is stressed.

Matched MeSH terms: Substance Abuse, Intravenous/psychology

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