Cognitive and Neuropsychological Assessments for Co-Occurring Opioid and Amphetamine-Type stimulant (COATS) Dependent Patients

Introduction: Several studies have shown that individuals with drug dependence have poorer cognitive functioning in the domain of executive functions. Studies investigating cognitive impairments in people with poly-drug use are limited. This study is designed to assess executive functions of patients with dual drug dependence (DDD) on opioid and (Amphetamine-Type Stimulants) ATS entering medication-assisted-treatment at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia. Methodology: A total of n=96 male respondents (n=56 patients, and n=40 control group) were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Six neuropsychological tests (Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure, Trail Making Test, Raven’s Progressive Matrices, Digit Span Test, Digit Symbol Test, and Stroop Test) were administered. Findings: Results showed patients performed significantly worse in perceptual motor speed, and visual scanning measured by Trail Making Test Part A, cognitive flexibility measured by Trail Making Test Part B, mental processing speed measured by Digit Symbol Test, and response inhibition measured by Stroop Test, compared to those in the control group. Conclusion: Results suggests that perceptual motor speed, visual scanning, cognitive flexibility, mental processing speed, and response inhibition may be impaired in patients with dual drug dependence. Proper prevention and treatment interventions should consider addressing cognitive deficits for patients with dual dependenc

Factors Predicting Inter-Ethnic Friendships at the Workplace

This study explored factors that may contribute to inter-ethnic friendships, both in terms of quantity and satisfaction with those friendships. Participants were 200 working adults who were studying part-time in a long-distance program in a university in Malaysia. In general, demographic factors (gender, ethnicity, education, and income) had no significant relationships with number of inter-ethnic friends and satisfaction people had with inter-ethnic friendships. Ethnic identity and stress at work also did not have significant relationships with number of inter-ethnic friends. However, they were significantly related to satisfaction with inter-ethnic friendships. People with higher ethnic identification were more satisfied with inter-ethnic friendships whereas people with more stress at work reported lower satisfaction with inter-ethnic friendships

Crime, meaning in life and well-being in three residential areas in Penang, Malaysia

being. Crime as part of life’s negative experiences and meaning in life as part of the personal positive attributes can be related to constructs of well-being including affect, life satisfaction and subjective happiness. Semi-structured interviews assessing experience of crime, meaning in life, negative affect associated with crime, life satisfaction and subjective happiness were conducted with 240 residents from 3 urban residential areas in Penang Island, Malaysia. The three urban residential areas represented low, medium and high-cost categories. We argue that people in these different residential areas might have different experiences associated with crime. The study found some significant relationships between the constructs and evidences for specific experiences among people living in different residential areas. These findings highlight the need to understand the complex relationships between experience of crime, meaning in life and well-being among people living in different residential areas

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for type 2 diabetes in Malaysia

Diabetes is on the rise around the world and highly prevalent condition in Malaysia as well. Therefore, estimating its prevalence and finding better ways of coping with everyday demands of diabetes is crucial.Co-morbid psychological factors such as stress, and well being in diabetics is associated with level of glycemia and diabetes complications.This paper introduces a group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for better control of glycemia in people with type 2 diabetes in Malaysia.It describes the contents and structures of group CBT for diabetic people with a focus on psychological complications.Expected results will focus on the effect of this therapy on psychological complications such as, stress, and well being which can affect level of glycemia in type 2 diabetes. Therefore, by implying this technique on diabetics, this study will attempt to shed further light on the effectiveness of group CBT as the complimentary methods to regular medication treatment for better control of blood sugar, and bridge the gape in the investigation into the effectiveness of group CBT by linking psychological facts to diabetes

Self-efficacy of Malay children in coping with everyday stress

Ph.DDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPH

Attachment Styles, Perceived Stress and Social Support in a Malaysian Young Adults Sample

The purpose of this research was to examine the validity of an adult attachment style questionnaire, to understand the relationships between the type of attachment style in relation to self-perceived stress and social support, and to investigate the influence of gender, ethnicity and religion on the above constructs. The participants were 308 university students from Malaysia. A demographic questionnaire and three self-report inventories were administrated in this study. The data indicated that the Relationship Scales Questionnaire (RSQ) is a multidimensional construct with nine factors: “dismissing,” “preoccupied with romance,” “preoccupied with close relationships,” “fearful,” “preoccupied with dependency,” “secure emotional,” ”comfortable depending,” “preoccupied with mistrust” and “mutual secure.” Different attachment styles were positively or negatively correlated at a significant level with perceived stress and social support. Attachment styles were explained by 20 and 33% of the total variance in self-perceived stress and perceived social support, respectively. There were significant gender, ethnic and religious differences in attachment styles, perceived stress and social support

Learning from student expectations of higher education: a study in a public university in Malaysia

This study looks at the expectations of undergraduate students in one public university in Malaysia with regard to the introduction of the Accelerated Program for Excellence (APEX). The university has undergone major transformations, which consequently influence the expectations of students. This paper uses two sets of data: data collected through six focus group interviews and data from responses to a series of open-ended questions. These open-ended questions were part of a bigger survey consisting of 275 undergraduates, but only responses related to the open-ended section were included in this analysis. Student expectations can be categorized into expectations related to educational qualification and their projected future; teaching, learning and assessment; and information technology and communication. We suggest that universities need to take into consideration students’ realistic expectations and manage unrealistic expectations. We also argue that universities need to be cautious in viewing students as consumers in order to function as institutions that generate and disseminate knowledge to students

Factors Predicting Inter-Ethnic Friendships at the Workplace

This study explored factors that may contribute to inter-ethnic friendships, both in terms of quantity and satisfaction with those friendships. Participants were 200 working adults who were studying part-time in a long-distance program in a university in Malaysia. In general, demographic factors (gender, ethnicity, education, and income) had no significant relationships with number of inter-ethnic friends and satisfaction people had with inter-ethnic friendships. Ethnic identity and stress at work also did not have significant relationships with number of inter-ethnic friends. However, they were significantly related to satisfaction with inter-ethnic friendships. People with higher ethnic identification were more satisfied with inter-ethnic friendships whereas people with more stress at work reported lower satisfaction with inter-ethnic friendships

A comparison of same-ethnicity and cross-ethnicity friendship quality of adolescents in Vietnam

The present study explored the differences of same-ethnicity and cross-ethnicity friendship quality of adolescents in Vietnam.Participants were 200 ethnic majority students and 200 ethnic minority students from two public high schools in DakLak, Vietnam.The participants answered the McGill Friendship Questionnaire-Respondent's Affection (MFQRA).Adolescents from ethnic majority and minority groups did not show any significant differences for same-ethnicity friendship quality, but for the cross-ethnicity friendship quality, adolescents from ethnic minority groups reported significantly higher “positive feelings for a friend” than adolescents from the ethnic majority group.In contrast, there were significant differences between genders in same-ethnicity friendship quality but not in cross-ethnicity friendship quality with girls reporting significantly higher “positive feelings for a friend” and overall same-ethnicity friendship quality than boys.These findings are discussed vis-à-vis past research on intra- and inter-ethnic friendship and gender comparison in friendship