No abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore students’ knowledge, resources and experiences of sexuality; and to examine whether there were differences of the students’ knowledge, resources and experiences of sexuality based on the demographic factors. This study was conducted in a school in the northern region of Malaysia, involving 414 students, using a cross-sectional survey technique. The results indicate that the students’ level of knowledge is at a moderate level. There was no significant difference of knowledge level between male and female students. Among the sources that the students refer to for sexuality information were majorly friends, television/movies and the internet. The most frequently reported sexual experiences were watching pornographic movies or videos, dating and reading pornographic materials. The findings of this study have identified the issues and the needs of Malaysian youngsters regarding sexuality, as well as inputs regarding the role of the family and to the related agencies to improve policies regarding the family and the implementation of educational programs on sexuality and preventive programs for social problems among students and adolescents.

The study focuses on the empowerment of disabled children at the Community-Based Rehabilitation Center (CBR) in Kubang Pasu, Kedah, Malaysia. The objective of the study is to examine the communication and social skills of children with disabilities attending CBR based on parents' perspective. This study is quantitative in nature where data collection is done using the survey method involving parents/guardians who send their children/wards to CBR. A total of 95 respondents were involved in this study from the 137 trainee population. Findings show that the number of disabled children with a good, moderate and low levels of communication and social skills is almost the same at 35.79%, 32.63%, and 30.53% respectively. It is found that the relationship between age, and communication and social skills of children with disabilities have a moderately positive relationship, where the improvement of skills is aligned with the increment in age. Further, communication and social skills are different for all categories of PWD. Overall, this study found that CBRs are effective in empowering disabled children to participate in formal education.

The purpose of this study was to assess primary school children’s knowledge of sexual abuse. This research sought to identify the children’s level of knowledge regarding sexual abuse, and to examine whether there were differences in their levels of knowledge based upon year of study and gender. Two hundred and thirty-nine participants from Year Two, Year Four, and Year Six classes were recruited from a primary school in the northern region of Malaysia. The Children’s Knowledge of Abuse (CKAQ) – Revision III was utilized as 84 Jurnal Pembangunan Sosial Jilid 16 the research instrument. The results indicate that levels of knowledge were not affected by year of study or gender. However, knowledge did differ based upon year of study when analysis was conducted on the Inappropriate Touch subscale, where Year Four students were found to have poorer knowledge of abuse than their Year Six counterparts. Signifcant results were also obtained for gender in the Appropriate Touch subscale. Girls were found to score less than boys in this subscale.

In Malaysia, inclusiveness for people with disabilities in higher education remains a challenge. This study addresses the perception of 52 students with disabilities of their campuses’ physical accessibility. The survey shows partial dissatisfaction with facilities, with seniors displaying the highest discontent. In addition, interviews with 14 students reveal opinion discrepancies between students with visual impairments and those with other physical disabilities. The overall findings imply that inclusive education for students with disabilities is far from achieved. Thus, Malaysian social work has a critical role in intervening and advocating for inclusiveness in higher education.