Health Ministry statistics showed mental health problems among Malaysian students increased from one in ten individuals in year 2011 to one in five in 2016. Anxiety and depression were cited as the main causes of mental health problems among students in Malaysia. However, an anxiety measure that has been validated for use with Malaysian students is still lacking. Thus, the main objective of the current study is to examine the psychometric proprieties of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Form Y) (STAI), and to assess the suitability of the factorial model in the context of Malaysia. The STAI contains separate scales for measuring state and trait anxiety. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted to test and to compare the two-factor model (State Anxiety and Trait Anxiety) and the four-factor model (State Anxiety Present, State Anxiety Absent, Trait Anxiety Present, and Trait Anxiety Absent) of STAI. In addition, the reliability and validity of the model were also tested. The sample consisted of 341 university students from one of the universities in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. The results supported a better fit to the data for the four-factor model of STAI. To improve composite reliability and the average variance extracted (AVE) of the constructs, one item was removed from each of the State Anxiety Present factor, Trait Anxiety present factor, and Trait Anxiety Absent factor. Convergent validity for the four-factor model was also improved by the removal of the three items. The findings also suggested that the STAI may have some discriminant validity issues. In the framework of psychology of sustainability and sustainable development, research and intervention regarding this topic should also be enhanced from a primary prevention perspective to improve the quality of life of every human being, fostering wellbeing at all different levels, from individuals to organizations.

Previous studies reported that university students are a population at risk of that mental health problems. The most common intervention for anxiety disorders are pharmacological and/or nonpharmacological strategies such as psychotherapies. Besides that, there is a growing interest neurofeedback training for various mental health conditions including depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), stress and anxiety. Therefore, the objective of this study is to determine the effectiveness of neurofeedback training in reducing symptoms of anxiety. A quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design was employed in this study. Thirty eight students (M= 22.47 years, SD= .69 years) with moderate and severe anxiety symptoms based on the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) were randomly assigned to either neurofeedback training or waiting list. The neurofeedback group undergone a total of 20 neurofeedback training (3 sessions per week). The post test results indicated that neurofeedback training significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety in the neurofeedback group than those of in the waiting list group in both BAI and the GAD-7 instruments with effect size ranged from .49 to .62. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was conducted to assess the statistical differences between the pre-scores and post-scores of BAI and GAD-7 measurements within the NFT group. Significant differences within the NFT group was found between the pre-test and post-test scores in the BAI and GAD-7 measurements. In general, the current study suggest that neurofeedback was an effective treatment for anxiety symptoms among university students.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact not only on healthcare systems and economic threats but also on relationships. Due to the massive measures of the Movement Control Order, such as social distancing, strictly limited physical activities, and making adjustments to working from home—merged with the pandemic’s fear—romantic partners may face challenges that affect the quality of their relationships. The purpose of this study was to (i) identify stressors experienced by participants during the COVID-19 lockdown, (ii) evaluate participants’psychological well-being before and during the lockdown, and (iii) see if participants’ perceived relationship quality differed before and during the lockdown. An online self-report questionnaire was used to recruit 334 adults (58.1 percent female, 41.9 percent male) with partners (married = 304, engaged = 12, and in committed relationships = 17). Participants were asked about stressors they encountered as a result of COVID-19 using an open-ended question. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) were used to assess mental health, and the Perceived Relationship Quality Component (PRQC) Inventory was used to assess relationship quality. According to the findings, the top three common stressors reported by participants were financial problems, restricted movement, and fear of COVID-19 infection. Participants reported significantly higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression during the lockdown than before. The findings also revealed that participants’ relationship quality improved during the lockdown compared to before the lockdown. The current study contributes by providing information on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and the quality of couples’ relationships during the pandemic.

Anxiety is a common, universal human emotion, but excessive feelings of anxiety can negatively affect one’s life satisfaction and quality of life. Psychotherapy and medication are the most common forms of intervention for anxiety disorders. In a recent development, researchers suggested that neurofeedback training (NFT) has the potential to reduce symptoms of anxiety, claiming to be less invasive while carrying fewer side effects compared to medication. Therefore, this preliminary study sought to assess whether neurofeedback training is a viable method to improve symptoms of anxiety in the nonclinical sample. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups (neurofeedback training group or a control group). Anxiety symptoms were assessed using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). The findings showed an overall improvement in all of the psychological measurements in the neurofeedback group hence provide additional evidence to the field of neurotherapy that neurofeedback training is a viable option to improve anxiety symptoms among university students.

Trust is important for the good functioning of interpersonal relations. It is a relational concept that provides security, harmony, and welfare for individuals, family members, and the whole community. This concept first develops in family atmosphere as a result of strong and intimate parent-child relationship, it is extended to other family members, close friends and later to the community .The purpose of this study was to examine trust elicited by male and female adolescents toward their mothers, and for developing a more contextualized understanding of the way trust in mother emerges when the factor of gender is considered. Data was collected from 993undergraduate students (males =222, female = 771) studying in one of the higher education institution in Malaysia. The respondents were asked to complete a set of open-ended questions to elicit information on trust. Data was analyzed using the indigenous psychology approach through categorization, open coding, and axial coding. A pattern of trust formation to the mother was proposed by comparing male and female adolescents based on their trust experience towards their mothers. Analysis on pattern of trust formation towards the mother for male and female adolescents revealed four main categories: mother-adolescents relationship, mother's role and nurturing, mother's characteristic, and mother's attitude and behavior. Mother-adolescents relationship was identified as the main source why adolescents trust their mother. Results showed that there was no significant association between gender and the trust formation to the mother. The findings indicated that the pattern of trust formation towards the mother were similar between male and female adolescents. Understandings how pattern of trust develops, will provide useful information for parents, teachers, counselors, government officers, and policy makers and can help in establishing harmonious society.