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Background: Inquiring conservative Asian women about their menopausal symptoms is often challenging in crowded primary healthcare clinics. Furthermore, the subject matter is culturally sensitive to most Malaysian women. Hence, the translation of the MQ6 into Malay is crucial to enable self-administration, eliminating the necessity for interviewers and mitigating potential respondent shyness. Methods: The Menopause Quick 6 (MQ6) questionnaire was translated into the Malay language with an addition of an item, henceforth termed MQ6 (M). Forward and backward translation was performed. Face and content validity were conducted. MQ6 (M) was self-administered to 400 women aged between 40 and 60 attending six primary healthcare clinics in Malaysia. To ascertain the reliability for MQ6 (M), corrected Item-Total Correlation, Squared Multiple Correlation, Cronbach's Alpha if the Item is Deleted, and Kuder-Richardson Reliability Coefficients (KR20). Exploratory factor analysis was done to determine its' construct validity. Results: The outcome of the validation was satisfactory. By the Lawshe method, the content validity ratios ranged from 0.6 to 1.0 and the content validity index was 0.914. The Internal consistency for the MQ6(M) Cronbach's alpha was 0.711 while Kuder-Richardson Reliability Coefficients KR20 was 0.676. Factor loading of all four items is above 0.70, indicating a well-defined structure. Whereas factor loading for three items fell within the range of 0.50–0.69 indicating a practically significant threshold for a new questionnaire. Conclusion: The MQ6 (M) has acceptable reliability and construct validity to be considered as a self-administered screening tool in primary care clinics in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The implementation outcomes determine the success and progress of a community-based intervention programme. The community is an important stakeholder whose effects should be assessed. Nevertheless, Malaysia has limited instruments for determining outcome measurements. This research aimed to develop Malay versions of the Acceptability, Appropriateness, and Feasibility Intervention Measures (AIM-IAM-FIM) questionnaire, which evaluates the implementation outcome of the programme. Methods: A methodological study of the translation and validation of the implementation outcome measures was conducted from March 2022 until December 2022. Three key analyses were conducted: (1) translation and validation; (2) factor investigation and extraction (n = 170); and (3) scale evaluation (n = 235). Result: The Malay version measuring the implementation outcome measures of a community-based intervention programme was produced after extensive translation and modification, and it consisted of a single dimension with seven items. The content validity index was 0.9, the exploratory factor analysis showed that the KMO measure of sample adequacy was 0.9277, and Bartlett's sphericity test was statistically significant. Cronbach's alpha was good, with a level of 0.938. The single factor structure fitted the data satisfactorily [χ2 (p-value of 0.002), SRMR = 0.030, CFI = 0.999, RMSEA = 0.079, TLI = 0.998]. Factor loading for all items was > 0.7. Conclusion: The 7-item Malay version of the AIM-IAM-FIM survey instrument is valid and reliable for assessing the acceptability of a community-based intervention study and is applicable to other fields. Future studies in psychometric evaluation are recommended in other states due to the variety of Malay dialects spoken across Asia. The scale may also benefit other areas where the language is spoken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Domestic violence has a significant impact on growing children. However, existing evidence is limited and often under reported. Consequently, the Child Exposure to Domestic Violence (CEDV) scale has been developed for global use. This study aims to provide a cross-cultural translation, adaptation and validation of the CEDV based on Malay language. Methods: CEDV scale was translated from the original English version to Malay. Content and face validity were examined before field-testing. The study comprised a cross sectional study using the Malay version of the CEDV (CEDV-M) scale conducted at a secondary school in Perlis, Malaysia and investigated 235 children aged 13 years old--16 years old using an online platform. The construct validity, internal consistency and stability of the tool were assessed. Results: The CEDV-M scale's content and face validity both yielded a value exceeding 0.80. Furthermore, the tool demonstrated has good stability reliability, using the intra-class correlation value for all items ranging from 0.659 to 1.00. The exploratory factor analysis of the 36 items of the CEDV scale revealed possibilities of five or six factor domains. However, the five factor domains were most conceptually equivalent. Consequently, this study found that the CEDV-M scale is reliable with a total Cronbach's alpha of 0.87. Conclusion: CEDV-M scale is a valid and reliable tool for measuring a child's experience of domestic violence. Future studies recommend confirmatory factor analysis and standard settings for scoring systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Specific phobia is a subcategory of anxiety disorders that remains poor understanding due to inadequate screening tools. This study aimed to develop and validate a new Specific Phobia Questionnaire (SPQ). This SPQ was developed based on literature reviews and inputs from related experts for content validity. The SPQ questionnaire consisted of 14 items and after content validity and face validity testing procedure, 12 items were chosen for the final questionnaire. The questionnaire was then distributed via Google form to university students in Klang Valley. A total of 267 students participated in this study with 70.8% were female with mean age of 23.28 (Standard deviation of 4.98) years. Validity analysis using exploratory factor analysis from the final study indicated that the Kaiser-Meyer- Olkin value was 0.77 and extracted three domains; animals, blood injection injury and situational-environment. Reliability analysis showed that Cronbach's α values were 0.84, 0.86, 0.78 and 0.72 for the total items, animal, blood injection injury and situational-environment domains, respectively. The newly developed SPQ showed good reliability and validity for evaluating specific phobia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children in school settings are at risk of contracting food poisoning due to inadequate food safety practices and safe eating behaviors. This research aimed to develop a valid and reliable questionnaire on the knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, and practices (KAP2) toward food poisoning and its prevention among secondary school students. The questionnaire was developed by considering the Health Belief Model (HBM). A pilot study using a cross-sectional survey was conducted in Tangkak, Johor, among 30 selected students using a convenience sampling method. A pre-test was conducted on 15 secondary school students aged 13–17 years old prior to the pilot study, and they were excluded from the pilot study. The constructed knowledge was assessed using the difficulty and discrimination indices. Meanwhile, the reliability of the attitude, practice, and perception components in the questionnaire were assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Regarding knowledge (34 items), the difficulty index showed that most items (n = 28) were easy, while one was difficult, and the remaining five were within an acceptable range. In addition, the discrimination index of the knowledge component (34 items) showed that twenty-two, three, and one had good, acceptable, and excellent ranges, respectively. Only eight items had a low discrimination power. All items of the attitude and practice components (10 items for each) showed a corrected item-total correlation value of >0.30. Only four out of twenty-one items of the perception component showed an unacceptable range of <0.30. However, following a discussion with the experts, all items were retained. With the incorporation of the HBM, the 75-item adapted food poisoning KAP2 questionnaire is valid and reliable. It can be utilized to measure and generate food poisoning KAP2 among secondary school students in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Academic stress is part of a student's life. Chronic stress may result in mental health problems, affecting the adolescent's well-being in adulthood. However, not all types of stress result in a negative effect. Therefore, understanding how adolescents adapt to academic stress can lay the groundwork for preventive interventions. The Response to Stress Questionnaire (RSQ) for academic problems centred on a multidimensional model of responses to stress. However, it has not been tested among Malaysians. Thus, this study aimed to validate the questionnaire among Malaysians. Methods: The questionnaire was translated into the Malay language using forward and backward translation. Data were collected via self-administered questionnaires at a secondary school in Kuching. A validity test was conducted using face and content validation by subject matter experts, and construct validation was performed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). A reliability test was conducted by checking Cronbach's alpha. Results: Results showed that the questionnaire has good validity and reliability. The EFA resulted in only three dimensions of responses to stress among Malaysian adolescents in contrast to the five dimensions in the original RSQ for academic problems. The Cronbach's alpha showed good reliability of the questionnaire. Conclusion: The questionnaire measuring responses to stress was valid and reliable in assessing the responses of adolescents to academic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Occupational therapists have a significant role in driving rehabilitation by helping clients with disabilities to return to driving. To date, the services for driving rehabilitation are still limited in Malaysia. Furthermore, the current practice of driving rehabilitation in Malaysia is still underreported. Therefore, this study aims to assess occupational therapists' challenges, attitudes, and skills towards driving rehabilitation, the sociodemographic differences, and associations between the developed constructs. A cross-sectional study was conducted from June to September 2020. A convenience sampling method was used to recruit 177 occupational therapists with at least one year of working experience in Malaysia. The questionnaire consists of three constructs: the challenges, attitudes, and skills related to driving rehabilitation. The content validity of the questionnaire was good (S-CVI/Ave= 0.992; S-CVI/UA= 0.950; modified kappa= 0.812 to 1.000). Based on the Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), three items had been deleted due to low communalities. The Cronbach's alpha for all constructs was acceptable (Cronbach's alpha > 0.7). Experience in practicing driving rehabilitation, workplace settings, and educational level had significant differences in at least one of the constructs. Age and years graduated had a significant positive correlation with skills. This questionnaire proved to be a tool with good content validity and reliability to assess occupational therapists' challenges, attitudes, and skills related to driving rehabilitation. In the future, qualitative studies are recommended to better understand the occupational therapists towards driving rehabilitation, especially from their personal experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Food insecurity is a major concern in low-income homes, and often leads to health issues. It arises when people do not have consistent access to adequate food to live an active and healthy life. A variety of measures are available to measure food insecurity, each with its own sets of advantages and disadvantages. The Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) is the most recent tool designed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to assess experiences associated with food insecurity. The tool has cross-cultural equivalence, validity, and reliability. The purpose of this study is to determine the Malay version of FIES's validity (content and construct) and reliability. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 124 participants aged 15 and up from the Felda Bukit Cherakah, Puncak Alam, Selangor community (n=124). A panel of experts examined the questionnaire, followed by a field-test for clarity conducted among 20 selected subjects. The construct's validity was determined using the exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and the internal consistency was determined using the Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Results: Content validity was expressed in interrater agreement (IRA) with 100% agreement. The content validity index (CVI) had a value of 100%, and factorial validity index (FVI) showed that majority of the experts allocated the domain for the correct items. Face validity proved that the Malay version of FIES was relatively understandable, simple and answerable. Factor analysis of the FIES questions revealed two underlying structures; Factor 1 (food uncertainty) and Factor 2 (quantity). Meanwhile, Cronbach's alpha coefficient indicates that FIES had acceptable internal consistency (0.759). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the adapted FIES measure may have some utility in assessing food insecurity in sub-urban settings. In conclusion, FIES is a valid and reliable tool to measure food insecurity among the Malaysian population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Postpartum mothers in Malaysia are prevalent in adhering to traditional confinement practices after giving birth. Nevertheless, there is no standardized questionnaire used in assessing confinement practice among postpartum mothers in Malaysia. This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of translated Malay version of Confinement Practice (CP) questionnaire among Malaysian postpartum mothers. Methods: The recommended forward and backwards translation method was used. Content validation was assessed by 10 experts and the value was calculated through content validity index. Test-retest reliability was performed on 20 postpartum mothers, using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. The internal consistency was assessed through Chronbach's alpha analysis on 308 postpartum mothers. Results: The Malay version of CP questionnaire (CP-M) showed satisfactory validation of Content Validity Index (CVI), with the value of .99 for average score of content validity index by scale (S-CVI/Ave) and .90 for universal agreement of content validity index by scale (S-CVI/UA). Test-retest reliability was established through Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, obtained an average value of .769. Chronbach's alpha coefficient yield a value of .793, which indicated that this questionnaire is adequate for research purposes. Conclusion: In conclusion, the evidence on the questionnaire's validity and reliability in assessing confinement practices among postpartum mothers has been obtained. Thus, we recommend the use of CP-M among postpartum mothers in the Malaysian population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Malaysians are disillusioned with the increased number of COVID-19 infection cases and the prolonged lockdown period. As a result of COVID-19 mitigation measurements, Malaysians are experiencing emotional and psychological consequences such as anxiety. Thus, there is an urgent need to have an instrument that could serve as a tool to assess the psychological impact of COVID-19 among Malaysians rapidly. Methods: This study aimed to adapt and validate the Malay version of the COVID-19 Anxiety Scale (M-CAS) among Malaysian adults. The back-to-back translation was done to produce a M-CAS. Following face validation, M-CAS was self-administered to 225 participants from Malaysia via an online survey. The participants also completed the Generalised Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale (GAD-7), World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale, Abbreviated Version (WHOQOL-BREF) and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S). Data analysis was conducted using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences and Analysis of a Moment Structures. The psychometric properties of the M-CAS were examined via Cronbach alpha and confirmatory factor analysis. M-CAS scores were compared with the other tools to provide external validity. Results: The statistical analysis revealed that the M-CAS demonstrated adequate internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.890) and presented with a unidimensional factor structure. M-CAS scores were strongly correlated with GAD-7 (r = 0.511, P < 0.001) and FCV-19S (r = 0.652, P < 0.001). Lack of correlation between M-CAS and WHOQOL-BREF showed that M-CAS scores did not reflect perceived quality of life. Conclusion: The M-CAS is a valid and reliable tool in the Malay language that can be selfadministered among Malaysians to assess anxiety levels induced by COVID-19. The M-CAS has only 7 items and utilised little time in real-life clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Multitude studies have demonstrated that perception is an integral factor associated with smoking. However, no such tool was available in the Malay language. In this study, we established a Bahasa Malaysia version of PTSQ (BMPTSQ) and tested the validity and reliability among secondary school adolescents. Methods The English version of PTSQ originally consists of 12 items. It was translated into Bahasa Malaysia and back-translated again into English to check for consistency. After face validity (face-to-face query) was determined among 20 secondary school adolescents, only 10 items were included in the survey. Construct validity was established from 407 school adolescents through random selection in the same locality. More than 60% of the respondents were female, while the majority of them (67.3%) were schooling in rural areas. Then, the reliability of the questionnaire was determined with Cronbach's alpha. Results The Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) has grouped PTSQ into two components associated with either knowledge or attitude towards smoking. The variance and Cronbach's alpha for the first and second components were 38.24% and 0.861 (7 items), 21.62% and 0.661 (3 items), respectively. Conclusions The PTSQ showed good validity and reliability for measuring perception of smoking among secondary school-going adolescents in Malaysia. Hence, this is a viable measurement tool. But, more importantly, this study showed an urgent need to improve smoking education among adolescents in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects and aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing Movement Control Order (MCO) will be felt for a long while, even after the MCO period ends. It is imperative to determine and measure the level of knowledge and readiness among Safety and Health Competent Persons (SHCPs) and Training Providers (TPs) in handling issues relating to COVID-19 during the MCO in Malaysia. A survey instrument was developed and validated by expert panels from academia and enforcement agency. A pilot study involving 40 respondents showed high reliability, with a Cronbach's alpha score of 0.95 and 0.96 for SHCP and TP. A fullblown research was carried out for two weeks from the 14th to 28th of April 2020. This cross-sectional study covers all states in Malaysia and has been distributed to approximately 3,000 respondents with a response rate of 10.6 % from respondents employed in various sectors. The construction sectors recorded the highest percentage of responses as compared to other sectors at 37 % followed by manufacturing sectors at 23 % and public services and statutory authorities at 18 %. The companies are a mix of small, medium-sized enterprises (47 %), and large establishments (53 %), which altogether have a wide range of turnover rates. This study highlights that SHCPs and TPs in Malaysia have moderate post-MCO awareness and readiness in terms of knowledge, skills, standard operating procedure, social distancing, and basic equipment to control and curb workplace contagion after the MCO is lifted. There are uncertainties regarding the TP's willingness to budget for and bear the daily costs of the decontamination procedure, personal protective equipment usage, space availability, and the COVID-19 screening process. The readiness of SHCPs and TPs have been measured and identified. SHCPs and TPs need more knowledge in post-MCO COVID-19 management, especially in terms of the capacity of the trained staff to adequately screen workers for COVID-19 symptoms after the MCO is lifted. SHCPs and TPs believe they are underprepared, but they are willing to learn more about pandemic preparedness if training options are provided. A plan of action to address these issues has been proposed to DOSH Malaysia for guidance on formulating the next step forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most food poisoning outbreaks are caused by consumers' poor knowledge, attitude, perception, and behaviour in relation to food safety. A valid and reliable tool is thus needed to measure these factors among the consumers. A total of 79 respondents participated in this pilot survey using convenient sampling, and participants self-completed the questionnaire given. Item analysis was conducted to determine the difficulty and discrimination indices of 40 items involved in knowledge construction. Construct validity and reliability were performed on 33 items which measured attitudes, preventive practices, and perceptions. Item analysis showed that more than 80% of respondents answered 19 items correctly. The discrimination index revealed that 16 items scored below 0.20. The Average Variance Extraction for all latent constructs, namely attitude, practice, and perception met acceptable threshold values of 0.527, 0.517, and 0.535, respectively. The Fornell-Larcker criterion suggested that three latent constructs were acceptable for discriminant validity. The internal consistency and reliability for all scaled items in each construct were good, with Cronbach's alpha values of more than 0.7 (0.820, 0.809, and 0.799 for attitude, practice, and perception, respectively). In conclusion, the present work indicated that the knowledge, attitude, practice, and perception (KAP2) questionnaire used could be a valid and reliable measure to evaluate consumer's knowledge, attitude, preventive practice, and perception on food poisoning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computational thinking (CT) is a new competence of digital thinking in education ahead of industrial revolution 4.0 (IR 4.0). In order to test the level students’ computational thinking disposition, an IDPeK instrument with a 4- point Likert scale containing 55 items was produced. This survey study aims to test the validity and reliability of the IDPeK instrument based on the Rasch measurement model and involved 535 Form Four Computer Science students. Findings show that for the aspect of item compatibility, the recorded MNSQ infit and outfit values are within the set range (between 0.81-1.31 logits). The item polarity test showed that PTMEA correlation values met the basic conditions (between 0.43-0.68). The condition of local independence is also met, where the 10 matching items have standardized residual correlation values between 0.29-0.47. Unidimensional analysis of the instrument meets all four criteria set with a variance value of 40.7%. The overall reliability index of the item shows a value of 0.98 and a Cronbach's Alpha value of 0.97 which is considered excellent. The result of the analysis of the item separation index for the entire construct is 6.88, while the separation index of each construct is between 5.65-8.70. Overall, the psychometric characteristics of the IDPeK instrument complies with the requirements of the Rasch measurement model. This study contributes an instrument for measuring the level of computational thinking disposition with item response theory characteristics that is suitable for use in the context of high school Computer Science students in Malaysia. This instrument plays a role in determining the success of CT intervention either formally or informally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food allergy has a significant impact on the quality of life (QoL) of children and can be measured using The Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Parent Form (FAQLQ-PF). This study aimed to adapt, translate the FAQLQ-PF into Malay and determine the validity and reliability of the translated version. This cross-sectional questionnaire validation study was conducted among parents of children (0 to 12 years old) with food allergies across five sites in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The FAQLQ-PF-Malay underwent cross-cultural adaptation, translation, validation (content, face and construct) and reliability assessment. Exploratory factor analysis, internal consistency and test-retest reliability analyses were used to examine its construct validity and reliability. Out of 150 children, the majority were between the age of 7 to 12 years old (41%) and were female (81%). Three subscales were identified, which were: (i) social and dietary implication, (ii) food anxiety and (iii) emotional and physical impact. Four items were eliminated because of weak factor loadings. The Cronbach’s alpha for each subscale ranged from 0.88 to 0.94, with an overall Cronbach’s alpha of 0.95. The intra-class correlation coefficient ranged from 0.54 (95% CI: 0.10–0.77) to 0.97 (95% CI: 0.90–0.99). The 26-item FAQLQ-PF-Malay retained the three-factor structure of the original FAQLQ-PF. The FAQLQ-PF-Malay is a valid and reliable tool to assess the QoL of Malaysian children with food allergies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to determine the validity and reliability of the Career Thought Inventory (CTI) instrument among Undergraduate Students in Public Universities. The CTI test was developed based on Cognitive Information Processing (CIP) theory which measures constructs of career thinking dysfunction, decision-making confusion subscales, commitment anxiety subscales and external conflicts. A total of 42 undergraduate students were involved as study subjects. Study data were analyzed using SPSS version 22 software to determine construct validity and reliability coefficient values (Cronbach's Alpha). The results of the study found that, the validity of the CTI test construct and the decision-making confusion subscale, commitment anxiety subscale and external conflict were above values > .25. While the value of Cronbach's Alpha coefficient is .946 and the subscale value is .623 to .874. This study, tests showed the original CTI (English version) and CTI test version of Malay has good validity and reliability. CTI test the Malay version suitable for use on university student population for the purpose of identifying the malfunction of career thinking. Recommendations and follow -up studies are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have linked Grit, which is perseverance and interest for the long term, as a predictor to achievement. The Grit-S scale was developed to measure the characteristics of Grit, however, this scale is not available in a Malay Language version. The present scale development study is aimed at assessing the psychometric properties of Malay Language Grit-S scale, which contains 8 items. A total of 180 undergraduates were involved in this study using convenience sampling. The internal consistency of the scale was determined via Cronbach's Alpha, while both the exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were employed to determine the construct validity of the instrument. The scale was also correlated against another exterior scale so as to assess its discriminant validity. Findings indicate that the scale meets good psychometric characteristics. Reliability test shows acceptable coeffcient, while the confirmatory factor analysis managed to show that the first order model consisting of two factors (as hypothesised) provided the best fit against the other models. The discriminant validity found a negative correlation between Grit and the Procrastination scale thus leading to a more comprehensive study between the two variables by adopting samples from HEIs and schools. In conclusion, the usability scale Grit S in the Malay language version has been proved. This study implicates that more studies can be conducted using this scale, especially in the context of education in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to validate a Malaysian version of a revised learning space questionnaire, as well as to test the utility of the revised questionnaire as a tool to investigate learning space preferences in a Malaysian medical school. Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey. A convenient sample of 310 preclinical students of a public medical school in Malaysia were invited to participate. Validation data were collected using a revised 40-item, 5-point Likert scale learning space questionnaire. The questionnaires were administered online via a student e-learning platform. Data analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS version 24. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to examine the factor structure of the revised questionnaire to provide evidence for construct validity. To assess the internal consistency of the revised questionnaire, Cronbach's alpha coefficients (α) were computed across all the items as well as for items within each of the factor. Results: A total of 223 (71.94%) preclinical students completed and returned the questionnaire. In the final analysis, exploratory factor analysis with principal axis factoring and an oblimin rotation identified a six-factor, 20-item factor solution. Reliability analysis reported good internal consistency for the revised questionnaire, with an overall Cronbach's alpha of 0.845, and Cronbach's alpha ranging from 0.800 to 0.925 for the six factors. Conclusions: This study established evidence for the construct validity and internal consistency of the revised questionnaire. The revised questionnaire appears to have utility as an instrument to investigate learning space preferences in Malaysian medical schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]