The Influence of Positivity on the Meaning of Life among Malaysian Frontliners during the Global COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The fight against COVID-19 is far from reaching an end. It implies Malaysian COVID-19 frontliners, unfortunately, lose their purpose to strive for a better future. Under that hypothetical situation, this study aims to scrutinize the positivity during the global pandemic with the sensibility of meaning in life among COVID-19 frontliners. The method of qualitative data collection was employed in this study. The purposive and snowball sampling techniques were in an alliance in recruiting 18 frontliners from Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using a series of open-ended questions that were based on the topics the researchers aimed to cover. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data that was gathered. Findings show that Malaysian COVID-19 frontliners’ drive to overcome adversity using their meaning in life. It gave them a sense of life satisfaction with a human connection emphasizing the need to support one another. Most frontliners in Malaysia also have a charitable nature to uphold social welfare since their dedication aids their personal development. Like all humans, frontliners occasionally experience overwhelming situations, which forces them to turn to spiritualism since their religious literacy and personal devotion give them life purpose. This study can be further enhanced by incorporating possible psychological interventions, such as psychoeducation, that can strengthen the positivity of healthcare workers. By providing self-help techniques to cultivate positivity and motivation, the meaning of life for individual healthcare workers can be increased. This would be a valuable addition to the current focus on establishing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to safeguard frontliners and flatten the curve of virus spread. While awareness among Malaysian citizens through the MySejahtera application is crucial, strengthening the positivity and resilience of healthcare workers is equally important. By implementing such interventions, healthcare workers can feel supported and empowered, ultimately improving their well-being and ability to provide quality care.