Phubbing behavior is pervasive but the examination of the determinants and measurement invariance remain deficient. The present study aims to investigate: (1) relationships between Big Five personality traits (i.e., open-mindedness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and negative emotionality), coping styles (i.e., problem-focused and emotional-focused), Internet addiction and phubbing behavior; (2) the mediating role of Internet addiction among these relationships; and (3) measurement invariance across sex groups. A total of 405 responses were included in the final analyses. Participants were sampled using a probability-proportionate-to-size (PPS) method. Data were collected using paper-and-pencil survey: Phubbing Scale, Internet Addiction Test, Big Five Inventory, and Simplified Coping Styles Questionnaire. Negative emotionality, open-mindedness, and Internet addiction were the significant determinants of phubbing behavior. Internet addiction partially mediates open-mindedness and phubbing behavior. As for measurement invariance across sex groups, conscientiousness, extraversion, negative emotionality, Internet addiction, and phubbing behavior constructs achieved full measurement invariance. The agreeableness construct showed partial measurement invariance. Three constructs (i.e., open-mindedness, problem-focused and emotional-focused coping) failed to achieve partial measurement invariance, signifying that male and female participants had different interpretations on the items of these constructs. This pervasive culture could be gradually weakened if in-person interaction is intensely promoted.

Insufficient attention has been given to the integration of the mediating effect of Internet gaming disorder (IGD) symptoms on loneliness and four components of aggression-physical aggression, verbal aggression, anger, and hostility-in the Malaysian context. In the present study, 410 participants with (a) at least 1 year of Internet gaming experience and (b) between ages 20-to 39 years were recruited using the probability proportional to size sampling method. Participants were undergraduate students and working adults. Selfreported questionnaires (the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale, University of California, Los Angeles Loneliness Scale, and the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire) were used. The present study found that loneliness positively predicted four components of aggression (i.e., anger, hostility, physical aggression, and verbal aggression) and symptoms of IGD. Relationships between loneliness and the four components of aggression were partially mediated by IGD symptoms. The present study enriches and consolidates existing empirical evidence, particularly in the Malaysian context. If the mediating effect is not emphasized, it may lead to spurious conclusions that can significantly diminish the effectiveness of interventions that are meant to manage aggression.

Playing mobile MOBA games has become a popular leisure activity among Malaysian youth. However, MOBA games are highly addictive and have negative impacts on adult development. Inadequate local studies investigated the risk factors of excessive MOBA gameplay. The present study examined the (1) predictive role of need frustration on Internet gaming disorder (IGD) and (2) mediating effect of gaming motives. A total of 398 mobile MOBA gamers aged 18 to 29 participated in this cross-sectional online survey study. The findings showed that need frustration positively predicted IGD. Social, escape, competition, coping, and skill motives were significant mediators for the association between need frustration and IGD. However, fantasy and recreation motives were not significant mediators. MOBA players who were frustrated while fulfilling their basic needs may succumb to uncontrollable gaming behavior. Therefore, future prevention and intervention programs should cultivate positive mental strength for youth while meeting their basic needs.

Since the pandemic outbreak, the Malaysian government has implemented Movement Control Order (MCO) in March 2020 to constrict the civilian's movements in an effort to contain the spread of the Corona Virus. Under the effect of MCO, individuals who were not working within the essential services were encouraged to remain stationary in their place of residence. Currently, multiple states in Malaysia are still under the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) effect. Therefore, most post-secondary students have not regained the complete freedom to move freely and were isolated in their respective campuses. This group of individuals have been separated from their friends and family for several months in a stretch, reducing their much-needed psychological support. During these trying times, online help-seeking becomes an essential outlet for people to cope with their daily struggles and issues. Although the Covid-19 counselling hotline was introduced to outreach the general populace, help-seeking rates remained low. This study addresses the gap mentioned above by assessing the relationships between help-seeking intention, psychological openness, indifferent to stigma, and help-seeking propensity. A correlational survey study was conducted across Malaysia. The participants are university students aged between 18 to 29 who were recruited using the purposive sampling method. A total of 303 respondents participated in this survey. 62.7% were females (n = 190), while the remaining 37.3% were males (n = 113). Surprisingly, findings revealed that help-seeking intention was negatively correlated with psychological openness and indifferent to stigma (perceived public stigma and self-stigma). However, the help-seeking intention was found to correlate positively with help-seeking propensity. Counsellors, mental health practitioners, helpline operators, and educators may utilize the exploratory data from this study to devise preventative measures in increasing the individuals' intention to seek help from professionals for their mental and psychological health. In addition, university students could be benefited by dispelling the stigma of receiving counselling and increasing their awareness in seeking help.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic affects one’s physical and mental state. Past studies reported higher levels of anxiety, distress, and depression, especially among emerging adults, indicating the need of studying how COVID-19 affects one mentally. Hence, this study looked to investigate the predictive effect of perceived risk, fear of COVID-19, and resilience on mental health among Malaysian emerging adults. 182 emerging adults were recruited in the cross-sectional study through an online survey using the purposive sampling method. Results showed that resilience significantly and positively predicted mental health while perceived risk and fear of COVID-19 were insignificant predictors of mental health. Overall, practitioners and policymakers are encouraged to focus on resilience-based interventions to improve our emerging adults' mental health. This is because emerging adults with strong mental health can serve as a strong impetus for national development.

Because Malaysia is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, the children of refugees living in Malaysia are deprived of any formal education. Children are taught mostly by the refugees themselves, many of whom are volunteers. Most of the community-based learning centers, which encounter many academic and management problems, are also sustained by the refugees. This qualitative study aims to apply the framework of resources and demands theory to explore the work demands encountered by these refugees' teachers and whether they have enough resources to meet the demands, as the learning centers are self-supported or supported by non-governmental organizations. This study collected data using the focus group method, recruiting participants through purposive sampling. Participants were organized into eight groups, each with seven volunteer participants, and open-ended questions were used for the participants to fully express their views and experiences. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The result showed that participants are burdened by academic and administrative tasks, lack of resources, poor infrastructure, and self-incompetence. The findings of the study proposed that more non-government organizations, local communities, and other stakeholders provide expertise and financial assistance to these communitybased learning centers as education is the human right of each child. Tantangan Guru-guru Pengungsi di Pusat Pembelajaran Berbasis Komunitas di Malaysia Abstrak Karena Malaysia bukan merupakan penandatangan Konvensi Pengungsi 1951, hak anak-anak pengungsi untuk mendapat pendidikan resmi telah menjadi sebuah masalah yang tidak begitu diperhatikan. Kebanyakan anak-anak ini diajar oleh guru yang terdiri dari para pengungsi yang bekerja sebagai sukarelawan. Pusat pembelajaran berbasis komunitas dikelola dan dikendalikan oleh pengungsi sering menghadapi pelbagai isu dari segi akademik dan manajemen. Studi pendekatan kualitatif ini menggunakan teori sumber daya dan permintaan sebagai kerangka kajian untuk mengetahui apa saja tuntutan pekerjaan yang dihadapi guru pengungsi dan apakah mereka memiliki sumber daya yang cukup untuk menghadapi tuntutan tersebut, karena pusat pembelajaran bersifat swadaya atau didukung oleh Lembaga Swadaya Masyarakat (LSM). Sumber pembelajaran yang tersedia perlu dikaji supaya cukup menampung serta memenuhi permintaan kerja. Pengumpulan data menggunakan metode focus group dan partisipan direkrut melalui purposive sampling. Partisipan dikumpulkan ke delapan kelompok, masing-masing kelompok terdiri dari tujuh partisipan sukarelawan. Pertanyaan terbuka (open-ended questions) digunakan untuk mendapat pandangan serta pengalaman berkaitan isu yang dikaji. Data dianalisis menggunakan teknik analisis tematik. Hasil temuan menunjukkan bahwa para guru memikul beban yang berat dalam menjalankan tugas akademik serta administrasi. Mereka juga menghadapi isu kurangnya sumber daya, keadaan infrastruktur yang serba kekurangan serta keyakinan diri dalam kompetensi mengajar. Temuan studi in...

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The outbreak of COVID-19 has been affecting the Malaysian psychological well-being, particularly among emerging adults. They have been found to have higher vulnerability during the transitional life change. Therefore, the present study aims to examine the mediating effects of resilience and coping strategies (i.e., task-oriented coping, emotion-oriented coping, avoidance-oriented coping) on perceived threat of COVID-19 and subjective well-being (SWB) among Malaysian emerging adults. A cross-sectional online survey study was conducted for recruiting 162 participants. They were emerging adults aged between 18 to 25 years old (M = 22.51). The finding revealed that only task-oriented coping mediates the association between perceived threat of COVID-19 and SWB.  However, the other hypotheses were not supported. This significant finding has widened the literature perspective of COVID-19 in the local context. Task-oriented coping is crucial to be cultivated among emerging adults for reducing the impact of the stressful situation, contributing to better psychological health.