Search

Abstract Objective The Illness Cognition Questionnaire (ICQ) was translated from its original English version to the Malay version for this research, adapted the Malay language version of the ICQ (ICQ-M) for use in cancer patients, and assessed the internal consistency, content, face, construct, convergent, discriminant and concurrent validity of the ICQ-M among a cohort of cancer patients with mixed cancer types in Malaysia. Method Initially, the ICQ was translated into Malay and back-translated, and its content and face validity were evaluated. Then, 346 cancer patients with various cancer types received the ICQ-M, and its internal consistency, convergent, discriminant, construct, and concurrent validity were evaluated. Results The ICQ-M and its domains had acceptable internal consistency with Cronbach’s α ranging from 0.742 to 0.927. Construct validity assessment demonstrated that the ICQ-M consists of 17 items designated in two domains with good convergent and discriminant validity. The ICQ-M and its domains also had moderate correlations with the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire II, which denotes that the ICQ-M had acceptable concurrent validity. Conclusion The ICQ-M had good psychometric properties and is now available to measure the illness cognition of cancer patients in Malaysia.

BackgroundBreast cancer patients face significant psychological challenges, including difficulties in accepting the diagnosis, treatment, and long-term impact of the disease. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has shown promise in enhancing acceptance and psychological flexibility in various populations. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of ACT in promoting disease acceptance among breast cancer patients through a randomized controlled trial.MethodsThis study will recruit 90 breast cancer patients and randomly allocate them to an ACT intervention or control group. The ACT intervention, focusing on acceptance, mindfulness, value clarification, and committed action, will be delivered over 4 weeks. Meanwhile, the control group will receive standard care with non-therapeutic intervention. The study's primary outcome is disease acceptance, while secondary outcomes include depression, anxiety, social support, quality of life (QoL), and psychological inflexibility. Data will be collected at three points: baseline, post-intervention, and three-month follow-up. Statistical analysis will compare outcomes between groups to evaluate the effectiveness and mechanism of this intervention using covariance and mediation analysis.DiscussionThis study evaluates the effectiveness of ACT in promoting disease acceptance among breast cancer patients. It hypothesizes that the ACT group will show higher disease acceptance and improvements in social support, QoL, and psychological flexibility compared to the control group. The findings will contribute to research on psychological interventions and demonstrate ACT's effectiveness in enhancing disease acceptance.Trial registrationThe research project is registered in the ClinicalTrials (NCT05327153).

Abstract Background Inhibitory control ability is a crucial cognitive function that enables individuals to regulate their impulses and behaviors in a goal‐directed manner. However, with the increasing prevalence of internet gaming disorder (IGD), there has been growing concern about the impact of excessive gaming on inhibitory control ability. Despite the accumulating evidence on this topic, the research conclusion on whether people with IGD have worse inhibition control ability than healthy controls remains inconsistent, and the lack of effective electroencephalography prediction indicators further complicates this issue. To address this research gap, the present study aimed to investigate whether N2 event‐related potential (ERP) and P3 ERP components could serve as reliable indicators of inhibitory control ability in individuals with IGD. Methods To achieve this goal, a systematic literature search was conducted in several databases, including Web of Science, ScienceDirect (EBSCO), SpringerLink, PubMed, and Wiley Online Library. The inclusion criteria were strictly implemented to ensure the quality of the studies included in the meta‐analysis. In the end, a total of 5 studies, with 139 participants diagnosed with IGD and 139 healthy controls, were included in the analysis. Results Meta‐analysis revealed large effect sizes of N2 and P3 amplitudes in individuals with IGD, indicating that these two ERP components could be potential indicators of inhibitory control ability. Specifically, the N2 and P3 amplitude was significantly larger in individuals with IGD than in the healthy control group, suggesting deficits in inhibitory control function and increased impulsivity in the IGD group. In the inhibition control task, the IGD group required more cognitive resources to suppress impulsive responses. Conclusion Overall, the findings of this meta‐analysis shed light on the potential use of N2 and P3 amplitudes as reliable indicators of inhibitory control ability in individuals with IGD. The results provide crucial insights into the neural mechanisms underlying inhibitory control impairment in IGD, which could inform the development of effective interventions for this condition. Further research is needed to explore the functional significance of these ERP components and their potential clinical applications in the diagnosis and treatment of IGD.

BackgroundThe well-being and adaptive functioning of patients with cancer depend on their perception of social support. To accurately assess and understand the impact of social support in a diverse population, validated measurement tools are essential. This study aimed to adapt and validate the Malay version of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS-M) among patients with cancer in Malaysia.MethodsA total of 346 cancer patients with mixed disease types were recruited and completed the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics questionnaire and the MSPSS-M. The MSPSS-M was assessed for internal consistency, construct validity, face, content, convergent, discriminant validity, and confirmatory factor analyses.ResultsThe MSPSS-M and its three domains demonstrated good internal consistency with Cronbach's α ranging from 0.900 to 0.932. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the MSPSS-M supported the three-factor model of the original English version of the MSPSS. The MSPSS-M also exhibited good convergent validity and discriminant validity.ConclusionThe MSPSS-M demonstrates favorable psychometric properties among patients with cancer in Malaysia. The validation of the MSPSS-M provides a culturally adapted and linguistically valid instrument to assess perceived social support among Malay-speaking patients with cancer in Malaysia.

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the quality of life (QoL) and determine its association with various factors and social support among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic after the end of movement lockdown.Design, setting and participants This online cross-sectional study recruited 316 participants. The inclusion criteria were students 18 years and above who were registered with the faculties of medicine at Malaysian public universities located in Klang Valley and in the states of Penang and Kelantan in Peninsular Malaysia. The exclusion criteria were those who presented with psychotic disorders, bipolar mood disorder or a history of illicit drugs.Outcome measures Participants were administered a self-reported questionnaire to gather data on demographic, personal, clinical and psychological characteristics. The questionnaire comprised of the 21-item Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the WHO Quality of Life- Brief Version (WHOQoL-BREF).Results The psychological and social QoL scores were lower than the non-pandemic norms of the general population, while the physical health and environmental QoL scores were comparable. After adjusting for relevant demographic, personal and clinical variables, religious coping, greater number of hours of online classes attended, and greater social support from family, friends and significant others were significantly associated with higher QoL among the participants. Frustration due to study disruption, living in areas with a high prevalence of COVID-19 cases, and a higher severity of depressive and stress symptoms were significantly associated with lower QoL.Conclusion COVID-19 impaired the QoL of university students even after the movement lockdown was lifted.

Although healthcare workers play a crucial role in helping curb the hazardous health impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), their lives and major functioning have been greatly affected by the pandemic. This study examined the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the quality of life (QoL) of Malaysian healthcare workers and its predictive factors. An online sample of 389 university-based healthcare workers completed questionnaires on demographics, clinical features, COVID-19-related stressors, psychological experiences, and perceived social support after the movement lockdown was lifted. All domains of QoL were within the norms of the general population except for social relationship QoL, which was lower than the norm. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that COVID-19-related stressors (e.g., stress due to annual leave being frozen, loss of daily routine, and frequent exposure to COVID-19 patients) and psychological sequelae (e.g., greater severity of depression, anxiety, and stress) predicted lower QoL. Conversely, greater perceived social support from friends and significant others predicted higher QoL. Clinical and demographic characteristics predicted QoL to a lesser extent: A history of pre-existing medical illness was associated only with lower physical health QoL, whereas older age and being single, divorced, or widowed were only predictive of higher environmental QoL. Efforts to enhance QoL among healthcare workers in response to the pandemic should focus on mitigating COVID-19-related stressors and psychological sequelae and facilitating social support.

Background and aimsThis online cross-sectional study investigated the severity of depressive, anxiety, and stress symptoms among university students and determined the association between various factors and the levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic after the movement control order (MCO) was lifted.MethodsA total of 316 participants were administered a self-report questionnaire that collected data on sociodemographic attributes, personal characteristics, COVID-19-related stressors, religious coping, and clinical characteristics. In addition, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and the 21-item Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) were administered.ResultsRegarding depression, 15.5%, 11.7%, and 9.2% of the participants reported mild, moderate, and severe to extremely severe depression, respectively. For anxiety, 7.0%, 16.5%, and 13.2% of the respondents had mild, moderate, and severe to extremely severe anxiety, respectively. Moreover, 26.3% of participants had mild stress, 9.5% had moderate stress, and 6.6% had severe to extremely severe stress. The multiple linear regression model revealed that frustration because of loss of daily routine and study disruption and having preexisting medical, depressive, and anxiety disorders were associated with elevated depressive symptoms, while a greater degree of family and friends social support was associated with less depressive symptoms after adjusting for age, gender, and marital status. It was also found that frustration because of study disruption and having preexisting medical, depressive, and anxiety disorders were associated with elevated anxiety symptoms, while being enrolled in medicine-based courses and having a greater degree of family support were factors associated with less anxiety symptoms after adjusting for age, gender, and marital status.ConclusionThere is a need to conduct a longitudinal study in the future to confirm the causal relationship between the significant predictive factors and depression and anxiety identified in this study, and maintenance of a persistent flow of academic activities and social interaction may be of utmost importance to safeguard the mental wellbeing of university students.