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Fulltext "My struggles matter": A phenomenological analysis of young adults recovering from major depression

Chan, Siaw Leng, Fonny, Dameaty Hutagalung, Lau, Poh Li

JUMMEC, 2021;24(1):1-10.
MyJurnal

An alarming increase in the prevalence of depression has been found among Malaysian young adults which necessitates responsiveness. This study sought to better understand the subjective personal growth experience in terms of the processes among young adults recovering from major depressive disorder (MDD). A qualitative, transcendental phenomenological design was adopted by collecting data through in-depth, semi-structured interviews, audio recordings, interview transcripts and documents. Nine Malaysian young adults with MDD (Mean age=28) who reported being in recovery from MDD for at least one year were recruited from local mental health settings through purposive sampling. Data analysis involved Colaizzi’s eight-step method. The findings revealed eight personal growth processes themes: revealing the struggles, self-discovery and personal strength, personal responsibility, readiness for change, hope, redefining the meaning, forgiveness, and acceptance. Noticeably, each theme was interconnected to facilitate personal growth among major depressive young adults. The implications for mental health psychotherapy practice and future research were discussed.
Fulltext Left behind Malaysian aged parents and their experiences with adult children’s migration

Teoh, Gaik Kin, Haslee Sharil Abdullah, Lau, Poh Li, Chong, Mei Chan, Tan, Maw Pin

JUMMEC, 2020;23(1):29-38.
MyJurnal

Migration is a widespread phenomenon throughout the world and it has been under way since time immemorial. While studies have focused on the causes of migration and the impact of migrants, studies focusing on the emotional experience of the left-behind older persons’ adjustments in their twilight years after the departure of their adult children, are few and far between. Thus, the perspectives of these left-behind older parents/persons are less understood. This paper aims to contribute to the literature by addressing the gap which will be filled through the experiences of left-behind Malaysian older persons. Drawing on in-depth interviews extracted from a qualitative study that focused on the strength of long-term marriages among Malaysian Chinese couples, this paper captures four older couples’ experiences that depict their feelings about their adult children’s migration. Analysis suggests that the children’s migration was induced by a lack of support and resources, followed by unequal educational opportunities. To deal with the gap left by their children, these older urban parents depend on kinship connection and community support in times of need. Government initiatives may also be able to empower the community in innovating and implementing plans which are tailored to the needs of the older parents left behind by children who have migrated. The living arrangements and recent bereavement experiences captured from the older couples can serve as cues for healthcare professionals and social support providers to assess the risks of social isolation and suicide among these left-behind older parents.
Psychometric properties of the Drive for Muscularity Scale in Malay men

Swami V, Barron D, Lau PL, Jaafar JL

Body Image, 2016 Jun;17:111-6.
PMID: 27037873 DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2016.03.004

The Drive for Muscularity Scale (DMS) is a widely used measure in studies of men's body image, but few studies have examined its psychometric properties outside English-speaking samples. Here, we assessed the factor structure of a Malay translation of the DMS. A community sample of 159 Malay men from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, completed the DMS, along with measures of self-esteem, body appreciation, and muscle discrepancy. Exploratory factor analysis led to the extraction of two factors, differentiating attitudes from behaviours, which mirrors the parent scale. Both factors also loaded on to a higher-order drive for muscularity factor. The subscales of the Malay DMS had adequate internal consistencies and good convergent validity, insofar as significant relationships were reported with self-esteem, body appreciation, muscle discrepancy, and body mass index. These results indicate that the Malay DMS has acceptable psychometric properties and can be used to assess body image concerns in Malay men.
Fulltext Athlete Identity, Resilience, Satisfaction with Life and Well-Being of Para Badminton Players: A Multinational Survey

Goh SL, Wong NL, Lau PL, Kuan G, Chongwei L, Lau EKL

Malays J Med Sci, 2024 Jun;31(3):173-184.
PMID: 38984248 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2024.31.3.13

OBJECTIVE: To explore regional differences (i.e. Europe, Asia and others) in the well-being of para-athletes and its potential psychosocial determinants, including the Athletic Identity Measure Scale (AIMS), the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS).
METHODS: The study was a cross-sectional survey using data from multinational badminton federations. The study participants were athletes registered in the Para Badminton Classification Master List of the Badminton World Federation (BWF). The main study outcome is the WHO Quality of Life-Disability Questionnaire (WHOQOL-DIS).
RESULTS: There were 1,385 (aged 36 years old, IQR 18 years old) registrants on the master list. Respondents totaled 170. Only 137 (65% were males) were included in the analysis after excluding those with missing data (Europe 40%, Asia 30%, others 30%). Following the results of factor analysis, the original Athletic Identity Measure Scale (AIMS) was separated into self-identity (SI) and AIMS-modified. SI, AIMS-modified, the BRS and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) were all scored above average. The AIMS-modified scores of Europeans were significantly lower than those of other non-Asians (U = 757.000, P < 0.05). BRS was statistically higher among those with acquired disabilities (median: 3.33) compared to those with congenital disabilities (median: 3.0) (U = 1,717.000, Z = -2.711, P < 0.05) and among Europeans (median: 3.3) compared to Asians (median: 3.0) (U = 704.500, P < 0.05). The regression model explained 32% of the variability in quality of life (QOL) with five significant predictors. The SWLS (β = 0.307, P = 0.01), BRS (β = 0.269, P = 0.01), full-time employment (β = 0.191, P = 0.05) and being female (β = 0.162, P = 0.05) all had a positive effect on QOL, but not the AIMS (-0.228, P = 0.05).
CONCLUSION: The results show that the athletes' resilience, satisfaction with life and identity vary across regions. Furthermore, satisfaction with life, employment and gender were found to be significant predictors of athletes' QOL.
Autonomy, Resilience and Life Satisfaction among Badminton Paralympians

Lau PL, Goh SL, Lau EKL, Garry K, Kueh YC, Wong NL

Malays J Med Sci, 2024 Apr;31(2):170-178.
PMID: 38694590 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2024.31.2.15

BACKGROUND: People with disabilities are marginalised in mainstream culture and they also experience increased restrictions in a variety of areas, such as sport. The barriers they encounter may adversely affect their life satisfaction, especially if they have a low perceived sense of autonomy and resilience. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between autonomy, resilience and life satisfaction in para-badminton athletes and the mediating role of resilience in the relationship between autonomy and life satisfaction.
METHODS: Data were collected from 137 para-badminton athletes (male: 65.0% and female: 35.0%). Self-reported measures were used to assess the participants' autonomy, resilience and life satisfaction levels.
RESULTS: A structural equation model analysis was performed; the model had sufficient fit indices (comparative fit index [CFI] = 0.94, root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.06, standardised root mean square residual [SRMR] = 0.07). The findings showed that autonomy had a significant effect on resilience (β = 0.32, P = 0.001). Further, resilience had a significant effect on life satisfaction (β = 0.19, P = 0.011) and significantly mediated the effect of autonomy on life satisfaction (β = 021, P = 0.033).
CONCLUSION: This study revealed that autonomy fosters resilience among athletes, in turn allowing them to achieve greater life satisfaction. Therefore, society and sport communities should actively seek ways to improve the autonomy and resilience levels of athletes with disabilities.