Symptoms of stress among student-athletes of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Malaysia

Background of the Study: Recent evidence suggests that student-athletes may experience greater levels of stress or anxiety due to the dual demands of athletics and academics expectation placed on them.A lot of pressure is placed on collegiate athletes to achieve excellence in academics and sports.The symptoms of stress are known as physiological, behavioral, cognitive and emotional.Aims: The main purpose of this study was to examine the symptoms of stress among student-athletes who compete at differing levels in Malaysia.Study Design: Comparative descriptive study design was used to compare the symptoms of stress among athletes.Place and Duration of Study: Sample: The participants of this study were recruited from student-athletes of Sport Science and Recreation Faculty, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Malaysia.Methodology: The sample consisted of 152 athletes, with national (N=41), state (N=33), district (N=37) and university (N= 41) level athletes.Based on this sample, there are 80 male and 72 female student-athletes. The student athletes voluntarily participated in the study and they were randomly selected during a sport event.The instrument used for the study comprised of a 28-item Symptoms of Stress, which include Physiological symptoms, Behavioral Symptoms, Cognitive Symptoms and Emotional Symptoms.Results: The results showed that university level athletes exhibited higher levels of physiological and cognitive stress than other categories of athletes.The result also showed that the national level athletes exhibited higher level of behavioral symptoms of stress. Conclusion: The findings of this research determined that there are differences in the symptoms of stress, showed by different categories of Malaysian athletes.Sport psychologists, sport counselors and coaches should use the present findings to recommend cognitive and physiological coping strategies to university athletes and behavioral strategies to national level athletes, while dealing with their stress

Comparing stressful factors among dental students pre and during COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction: COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected higher education due to the sudden need to shift to an online mode of teaching and learning which is new to the students and lecturers. Dental students are impacted by this type of teaching and learning as a considerable portion of their curriculum requires clinical training on real patients. This study aimed to compare the stressful factor among dental students during COVID-19 pandemic with stressors assessed before the pandemic. Methods: This study was conducted among dental students during COVID-19 Movement control order where online teaching and learning were implemented. Dental students at Kulliyyah of Dentistry, International Islamic University Malaysia were given a list of possible stressful factors and were asked to rate these stressors on a scale from 0 (I don’t consider it a stressful factor/Does not apply to me) to 4 (I consider it an extreme stressor). The results were compared to the source of stressors among dental students before COVID-19 pandemic. Results: There are consistent stressors before and during COVID-19 pandemic such as ‘lack of motivation to learn’, ‘Fear of failing or unable to catch up’, ‘feeling incompetent’, ‘Fear of unemployment after graduation’ however the ranking and mean score of these stressors increased during COVID-19 pandemic. New stressors emerged during the pandemic which were ‘Understanding lecturers during online classes’, ‘Cannot catch up with online learning’, ‘Fear of not completing clinical requirements/logbook’. Conclusion: Academic related stressors consistently exist among dental students however their severity increased during COVID-19 pandemic. Academic institutions need to adopt strategies to alleviate the newly emerging stressors related to the effect of pandemic on teaching and learnin

Effects of probiotics on anxiety, stress, mood and fitness of badminton players

Data Availability Statement: The data is available upon request from the authors.Copyright © 2021 by the authors. Background: Reports of probiotic consumption on athletes’ performance are debatable due to their equivocal results. There is a need for more evidence on the effects of probiotic intake on psychological state and fitness level. Thus, this study determined the effects of daily probiotic consumption on competitive anxiety, perceived stress and mood among university badminton players, besides their fitness like aerobic capacity, strength, speed, leg power and agility. Methods: Thirty university badminton players aged from 19 to 22 years old were randomly divided equally into two groups, where the probiotic group (PG; n = 15) received a drink that contained Lactobacillus casei Shirota (3 × 1010 CFU) and placebo group (CG; n = 15) a placebo drink for six weeks. Anxiety, stress and mood levels were determined using the CSAI-2R, PSS and BRUMS questionnaires, respectively. Fitness levels were measured using by subjecting the players to 20-m shuttle runs (aerobic capacity), handgrips (muscular strength), vertical jumps (leg power), 40-m dash (speed) and T-test (agility). The Student’s t-test (p < 0.05) was used to determine the differences between PG and CG players. Results: After six weeks, the anxiety and stress levels of PG players significantly decreased by 16% (p < 0.001) and 20% (p < 0.001), respectively, but there were no significant changes detected in CG players. Supplementation of probiotics also improved aerobic capacity in PG players by 5.9% (p < 0.001) but did not influence the speed, strength, leg power and agility. Conclusions: Probiotics supplementation showed improved aerobic capacity and relieve anxiety and stress. However, further studies need to be carried out to determine the mechanisms through which probiotic intake produces these effects.This research was funded by this research Internal Collaboration Research Grant by Universitas Negeri Semarang, Universiti Teknologi MARA (100-IRMI/INT 16/6/2 (012/2019), and Research Universiti Individual Grant, Universiti Sains, Malaysia (1001.PPSK.8012370)

Thematic Analysis to Measure Social Anxiety among Students

The occurrence of social anxiety among students in higher education has become a growing concern, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of effective assessment methods. To address this, a study was conducted utilizing thematic analysis to explain prevailing trends in the measurement of social anxiety. By analyzing ten scholarly articles sourced from the Web of Sciences (WOS) database, the research sought to identify common patterns and themes in the approaches employed to assess social anxiety. The findings of the thematic analysis highlighted several prevalent tools frequently utilized in assessing social anxiety, including the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale, the Social Anxiety Scale, the Social and Emotional Competencies Evaluation Questionnaire, and the Social Anxiety Scale. These established measurements signify essential resources for researchers and practitioners aiming to comprehensively evaluate social anxiety in university students. This comprehensive review of existing literature not only contributes to a deeper understanding of the methodologies employed in studying social anxiety but also emphasizes the importance of employing a variety of measurement techniques in future research endeavors. By incorporating these findings, scholars and mental health professionals can devise more tailored interventions and support mechanisms to address the growing concerns surrounding social anxiety within higher education settings

Aplikasi pedagogi hikmah bagi kemahiran abad ke-21 di sekolah-sekolah di Gombak: kajian bagi subjek sains dan pendidikan Islam

Pendidikan Abad ke-21 amat berbeza dengan pendidikan abad-abad sebelumnya dengan kehadiran Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi yang mengubah corak manusia berhubung. Pendidikan mengalami perubahan yang amat besar dari segi kurikulum, kaedah, pentaksiran dan juga peranan guru dan murid. Berdasarkan ini, satu kajian yang menggunakan Pedagogi Hikmah (PH) telah dilaksanakan di beberapa buah sekolah rendah dan menegah di Gombak yang melibatkan dua guru Sains di Menengah 4 dan Menengah 2 dan dua guru Pengajian Islam bagi Tahun 4 dan Menengah 2. Kajian ini meliputi latihan guru dari segi teori dan praktis, demonstrasi dan bimbingan di sekolah. Metodologi kajian mengambil kira kaedah kualitatif dan juga kuantitatif. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa guru mendapati PH membuat pelajar lebih seronok, bermotivasi, mengeratkan hubungan, dan memperbaiki kemahiran berkomunikasi, terutama berucap dan menulis, kepedulian terhadap orang lain dan meningkatkan pencapaian. Pelajar mendapati bahawa kelas PH memberi mereka peluang untuk berbincang dan mengeluarkan pandangan dalam suasana yang tidak mengancam harga diri mereka. Data kuantitatif menunjukkan peningkatan yang signifikan bagi perbandingan Ujian Pertengahan tahun dengan Ujian Akhir tahun bagi subjek Sains Menengah 2 dan subjek Pengetahuan Islam Tahun 4. Terdapat juga peningkatan bagi subjek Sains Menengah 4 dan subjek Pengetahuan Islam Menengah 2, tetapi tidak signifikan. Sementara itu, daripada ujian UPCTT yang megukur kemahiran menaakul murid-murid, analisis data menunjukkan peningkatan yang to=idak signifikan bagi subjek Sains dan Pengetahuan Islam Menengah 2. Keywords: Pedagogi Hikmah, komuniti inkuiri, kemahiran berfikir, pengajaran Sains, Pengajaran Pengetahuan Islam, kemahiran menaakul, kemahiran bekerjasam

Student Situational Interest after Following Outdoor Education

As we know that situational interest as a primary motivator for student to involve in physical activity. The Purpose of this study is to describe student situational interest such as challenge, attention demand, instant enjoyment, novelty and exploration intention who take part of outdoor education. This research was conducted in population of Student University at STKIP Pasundan who take part of outdoor education class with a total 96 people. Samplings were taken through total sampling. Data were collected through Situational interest scale. Using percentage data collection, result show that challenge has been highest percentage in a mount of 34%, novelty 21%, instant enjoyment 19%, exploration intention 16% and attention demand 10%. Keywords: Situational interest, Outdoor educatio

Smoking cessation problem-based learning: Virtual experience

Background and Objectives: Problem-based learning (PBL) is a student-centered teaching and learning methodology where students collaboratively address specific issues. Tobacco use is a major health issue globally. Health professions and students need to have knowledge and skills to facilitate smoking cessation. The objective of this study is to assess feasibility of PBL during a virtual attachment involving institutions from Malaysia and the USA. Methods: A 4-week smoking cessation virtual attachment was conducted for three third-year University of Pittsburgh, USA pharmacy students. Malaysian smoking cessation experts designed and facilitated a PBL smoking cessation module. It was split into two 2-hour sessions with 3 triggers; Trigger 1: ‘Chief Presentation’, Trigger 2: ‘History & Motivational Interview’, and Trigger 3: ‘Brief 5A’s Intervention’. Students received Trigger 1 a day earlier and discussed amongst themselves. In session 1, Triggers 1-3 were given sequentially and discussed after completing all tasks from each trigger. In session 2 one-week later, facilitators gave formative assessment and students provided reflection regarding the PBL session. Upon completing the four-week virtual attachment, students provided feedback and facilitators graded the students. Result and Discussion: A comprehensive and interactive PBL session was successfully conducted virtually. Based on the clinical practice guidelines of both countries, there were differences in terms of availability and use of cessation medications, but the general principles of smoking cessation consultation and interventions were similar. Students were able to discuss the case openly, putting forth ideas and questions in both sessions. All students provided positive feedbacks regarding the PBL. Conclusions: With the extensive development of online platforms connecting the world over, student virtual attachment and mobility programmes can be easily conducted with minimal cost. A suitable module embedding PBL can be designed and conducted to best suit the online platform and the intended students

Smoking cessation problem-based learning: Virtual experience

Background and Objectives: Problem-based learning (PBL) is a student-centered teaching and learning methodology where students collaboratively address specific issues. Tobacco use is a major health issue globally. Health professions and students need to have knowledge and skills to facilitate smoking cessation. The objective of this study is to assess feasibility of PBL during a virtual attachment involving institutions from Malaysia and the USA. Methods: A 4-week smoking cessation virtual attachment was conducted for three third-year University of Pittsburgh, USA pharmacy students. Malaysian smoking cessation experts designed and facilitated a PBL smoking cessation module. It was split into two 2-hour sessions with 3 triggers; Trigger 1: ‘Chief Presentation’, Trigger 2: ‘History & Motivational Interview’, and Trigger 3: ‘Brief 5A’s Intervention’. Students received Trigger 1 a day earlier and discussed amongst themselves. In session 1, Triggers 1-3 were given sequentially and discussed after completing all tasks from each trigger. In session 2 one-week later, facilitators gave formative assessment and students provided reflection regarding the PBL session. Upon completing the four-week virtual attachment, students provided feedback and facilitators graded the students. Result and Discussion: A comprehensive and interactive PBL session was successfully conducted virtually. Based on the clinical practice guidelines of both countries, there were differences in terms of availability and use of cessation medications, but the general principles of smoking cessation consultation and interventions were similar. Students were able to discuss the case openly, putting forth ideas and questions in both sessions. All students provided positive feedbacks regarding the PBL. Conclusions: With the extensive development of online platforms connecting the world over, student virtual attachment and mobility programmes can be easily conducted with minimal cost. A suitable module embedding PBL can be designed and conducted to best suit the online platform and the intended students

The effect of educational video intervention on the knowledge of folic acid supplementation among International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) female undergraduates

Knowledge regarding folic acid supplementation remains unsatisfactory among women of child-bearing age in Malaysia. Despite official recommendations to begin supplementation prior to conception to prevent Neural Tube Defects (NTD), many women remain unaware until the first antenatal check-up, losing the crucial time window of prevention. Educational videos could be a promising tool to address this issue. The objective of this pilot study was to assess the effectiveness of an educational video in increasing knowledge regarding folic acid supplementation among IIUM female undergraduates. This pilot intervention study was carried out in the IIUM Kuantan campus. IIUM female undergraduates (n=31) were recruited through convenient sampling. Inclusion criteria included being actively enrolled and of childbearing age. Participants were excluded if they were under the age of 18, married, pregnant, or have had experience of pregnancy. The educational video developed for the study was content validated by 6 experts (CVI > 0.83). Participants were first requested to complete a questionnaire to assess baseline knowledge, after which they were shown the educational video. Participants were then requested to complete the same questionnaire one week later to observe changes in knowledge scores post-intervention. Data was analysed in SPSS Version 12.0.1 using descriptive analysis, ANOVA, and Paired t-test (p<0.05). Mean baseline knowledge was found to be poor. Participants’ main source of knowledge was found to be the internet, and no significant difference was found in baseline knowledge between different study backgrounds. The mean knowledge scores significantly increased from 6.61 preintervention to 12.77 post-intervention (p<0.001). The educational video was found to be effective in increasing knowledge regarding folic acid supplementation among IIUM female undergraduates. Our findings point towards the need for intervention among this demography and greater investment in public education regarding folic acid supplementation through online video platforms