Malaysian Youth Research Articles

Innovating Community Engagement: The Role of Micro-Influencers in Promoting Sustainable Behaviors among Malaysian Millennials

Social Influencers as environmental leaders utilize social media platforms to enhance community engagement in advocating sustainability. This study explores the underexplored role of micro-influencers in fostering pro-environmental behaviors among Malaysian youths and innovating community engagement by employing a qualitative approach in conducting semi-structured interviews with five micro-influencers. Our findings indicate the critical role of micro-influencers in raising awareness and actively engaging communities in adopting sustainable practices. The findings reveal three key themes: leadership qualities, pro-environmental behaviors, and persuasive narrative strategies. Through the innovative use of social media, these influencers overcome linguistic and geographical barriers, fostering enhanced community engagement in the pursuit of environmental stewardship. However, the sample size of five micro-influencers may limit the generalizability of the findings, as it may only partially represent the diverse range of micro-influencers. The result of this research can be used as recommendations for organizations, non-governmental organizations and governmental bodies that can leverage the insights from this study to strategically engage micro-influencers in environmental campaigns, recognizing their unique ability to reach and resonate with specific communities, particularly Malaysian youths. This study offers a novel perspective on digital environmental leadership by uncovering the unique role of micro-influencers in fostering community engagement and cultivating a culture of sustainability. It provides original insights into how these emerging leaders not only inspire but also empower communities to take meaningful action toward environmental preservation. The study highlights the underexamined potential of micro-influencers in exceeding traditional barriers to community engagement, offering valuable implications for future strategies in environmental advocacy.

The Effect of Empathy, Self-Efficacy, and Perceived Social Support on Social Entrepreneurial Intention among Youth in Malaysia

This study examined the effects of empathy (EM), social entrepreneurial self-efficacy (SE) and perceived social support (PS) on social entrepreneurial intention (SEI). The study employed a quantitative research survey to achieve the research objectives and answer the research questions using an online self-administered questionnaire adopted and modified from previous research. Data was collected using convenience sampling techniques from Malaysian youth between the ages of 18 and 30; 250 responses were collected. The data was then analyzed using SEM-PLS (SmartPLS 4.0). Only two out of the three hypotheses formulated were found to have significant relationships. Contrary to expectation, empathy did not affect the inclination toward social entrepreneurial intention. Meanwhile, consistent with the theory of social-cognitive theory (SCT), social entrepreneurial self-efficacy and perceived social support have a positive effect on social entrepreneurial intention. This research fills the gaps in the limited research by using the three factors in the context of youth in developing countries such as Malaysia.

From Influencers to Followers: Unpacking Credibility Dimensions on Food Sharing Intentions Among Malaysian Youth

Influencer marketing has blossomed into an increasingly prevalent method for products and brands to engage with followers, prompting interest in digital marketing and social media studies. However, due to a lack of source credibility, many social media influencers are experiencing a decline in content sharing from their followers despite investing time and money in developing engaging content. Yet, relatively little is known about influencers’ credibility in relation to food-sharing intentions among Malaysian youth. The present study addresses this gap by examining the relationship between social media influencers’ credibility and followers’ sharing intention on food content. By adopting a quantitative approach with a correlational design, this study aimed to discover the relationship between social media influencers’ perceived expertise, trustworthiness and attractiveness with followers’ sharing intention towards the food content among Malaysian youths. The researcher employed a probability sampling technique using a random selection of respondents for the sampling. The findings showed that the level of perceived source credibility dimensions and followers’ sharing intention towards the food content among Malaysian youths was mostly moderate. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant relationship between social media influencers’ source credibility dimensions and followers’ sharing intention towards the food content among Malaysian youths. The study leverages a deeper understanding of social media influencers through the dimension of credibility and food-sharing intention and thus contributes to developing a more successful social media strategy to engage with netizens. Keywords: Digital marketing, food-related content, sharing intention, social media influencers, source credibility.

Networking Your Way into Mental Illness: SLR of Social Media Usage Among Malaysian Youth

Youths are the most common group with social media utilisation as they are the biggest group of internet users. Their social media usage, however, poses a threat to them in the form of mental illness. Besides, there are still insufficient studies that systematically review existing literature on Malaysian youth groups concerning their social media usage and mental illness. Following that, this study aims to identify the forms of mental illness that are affecting Malaysian youths. It also highlights the specific areas and content of research that should be the focus of future studies. Therefore, this systematic literature review on the mental illness outcomes associated with social media usage among Malaysian youth is guided by ROSES (Reporting Standards for Systematic Evidence Syntheses). This study selected articles from reputable and widely recognised databases including Scopus and PubMed. Based on the thematic analysis, this review has four main themes focusing on the mental illness outcome from social media usage, namely 1) distress, 2) fear, 3) depression, and 4) anxiety. The identified themes contribute to a deeper understanding of the potential psychological impact of social media on this population thereby facilitating the development of targeted interventions and strategies to promote mental well-being among Malaysian youths. Keywords: Social media, mental illness, Malaysian, youths, literature review.

Managing Anxiety and Uncertainty Through Social Networking Sites, How Effectively Can Youth Communicate Online?

This study examines the usage patterns of social networking sites among Malaysian youths and their Anxiety/Uncertainty Management levels. According to the anxiety and uncertainty management theory, members of a group should be cooperative, trustworthy, tolerant of diversity, and happy in order to affect their membership attitude and behavior. These days, youth choose to spend their time on social networking sites since they provide an effective virtual community platform for communication. Malaysian youths exhibit a nuanced understanding of personal and social identity, motivation to interact, reactions to others, social categorizations, situational processes, connection to others, ethical interactions, and overall communication effectiveness. This study surveyed 600 respondents, the findings highlight a deep-rooted integration of digital communication into the daily lives of Malaysian youths, with a significant majority having extensive experience of 11 to 20 years on SNS platforms. SNS platforms significantly reduced communication uncertainty, fostering positive relationships and smoother communication through active, passive, and interactive strategies. Locality plays a crucial role in anxiety and uncertainty management, with rural youths demonstrating better management compared to their urban counterparts, attributed to stronger social cohesion, tighter networks, and communal lifestyles. The study suggests that addressing anxiety and uncertainty can improve communication quality in virtual settings, particularly in rural areas. Social media can promote cultural integration and acceptance among diverse groups. A balanced approach to communication, emphasizing ethical interactions, can maximize its benefits. The findings can be used to design targeted interventions and promote positive digital engagement practices among Malaysian youths. Keywords: Virtual community, social networking sites, anxiety and uncertainty management, effective communication, digital communication.

Self-Expression and Mental Wellbeing of Malaysian Youths on Social Media

In today's fast-changing technological era, the new generation of youths, namely Gen Z and Millennials, wholeheartedly embrace and are profoundly influenced by the rapid development of social media. It is important to recognize that the impact of VUCA on youth and social media is not solely negative. It is crucial to promote digital literacy, encourage healthy online habits, and foster open conversations and self-expression. Social media platforms provide a constant stream of information, including news, opinions, and updates from friends and peers. The volatility and uncertainty of this information can contribute to feelings of overwhelm and anxiety, especially when it involves negative or distressing content. This study focuses on the use of emoticons and symbols in self-expression as well as the emotional reaction regarding one’s own posts and others. A total of 500 participants were recruited for this study from various parts of Malaysia aged between 18 to 30 years old. Descriptive analysis of the study shows majority of the participants used emoticons and symbols for better self-expression. When it comes to emotional reactions, the Gen Z and Millennials generally show a preference for positive postings. However, they also demonstrate empathy and understanding towards those who share negative postings. This study enhances our understanding of how Malaysian youths express themselves on social media and sheds light on their emotional responses. Keywords: Self-expression, mental wellbeing, emotional responses, social media, youths.

Determinants of Circular Economy Behavioural Intentions Among Malaysian Youth: Investigating The Roles of Structural, Socio-Psychological, and Communication Factors in the Digital Marketplace

This study explores the influence of structural, socio-psychological, and communication factors on circular economy behavioural intentions among young adults in Malaysia. Employing a cross-sectional quantitative survey methodology, data were collected from 220 respondents aged 18-40. The findings reveal weak positive correlations between the examined factors and circular economy adoption intentions. Structural factors, which encompass cultural and relational aspects of social structure; socio-psychological factors, including attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived control; and communication factors, such as bi-directional communication and opinion seeking, all play a role in shaping young adults' intentions to engage in circular economy practices. However, the weak correlations indicate that a comprehensive approach targeting multiple factors may be necessary to effectively promote circular economy adoption. The study highlights the need for future research to explore the interplay between these factors and investigate potential moderators and mediators that may strengthen the relationship between the studied variables and circular economy behavioural intentions. The findings contribute to the understanding of the drivers behind circular economy behavioural intentions and provide valuable insights for policymakers and organisations aiming to foster sustainable practices among young adults in the digital marketplace. The study underscores the importance of adopting a holistic approach that addresses structural, socio-psychological, and communication factors to create an enabling environment for circular economy engagement. Keywords: Circular economy, communication, youth, Malaysia, digital marketplace.

AUTISM AWARENESS ON TIKTOK: IMPACT ON YOUTH PERCEPTIONS

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) comprise a wide range of conditions characterised by varying degrees of challenges with social interaction and communication. Meanwhile, TikTok is a social media platform that allows users to share short videos. The purpose of this study is to measure the level of youth’s awareness towards autism spectrum disorder (ASD) on TikTok and to reduce stigma towards autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among youth. The study adopted magic bullet theory as the basis for developing its model. A total of 408 respondents, comprising multi-ethnic Malaysian youth between the ages of 15-40 who have exposure to social media usage, participated through an online questionnaire distributed to them. Both convenience sampling and purposive sampling were integrated for data collection. Manual analysis was done to analyze the collected research data. The main findings of the study showed that exposure to autism awareness content on TikTok has emerged as a powerful catalyst in transforming youths’ attitudes toward autism. Overall, this study revealed that TikTok could be used as an effective tool to spread awareness and change the stigma or negative perception of youth towards ASD issues.

Political leadership and campaign strategies in determining youth behavior towards political participation

The present research aimed to further investigate and understand youth behavior in political participation, specifically examining the factors contributing to Malaysian youth's political engagement. Several factors were identified as influential in this context. The research framework was developed based on scientific papers and publications to describe these factors. A qualitative approach was employed, involving 10 focus group interviews with members from 10 youth associations. The analysis revealed key themes such as leadership and campaign strategies that shape youth perceptions and behaviors in political participation. These findings validate the research propositions regarding the factors influencing Malaysian youth's political involvement. In addition to contributing to the literature on youth political behavior, this paper reinvigorates youth expectations and provides an in-depth understanding of current Malaysian youth political participation.

Understanding the Housing Acquisition Behavior of Muslim Generation Y in Malaysia: A Conceptual Framework Based on ABC Theory

House is the most important basic need for the human survival, however many people especially those who are categorised in the category of generation Y do not acquire a house due to various factors (internal salient belief factors, personal factor, and extra factor). In accordance, the volume of residential transaction and homeownership rate among youths in Malaysia has been decreasing for the past few years. It is proven as the number of residential property transaction has dropped from 272,669 transactions in 2012 to 250,586 transactions in 2023. Thus, it is important to examine the behavior of generation Y towards house acquisition in Malaysia. This study focuses on Muslim Generation Y in West Malaysia, specifically on those who have purchased a home and those who have not. The research proposes to examine the internal salient belief factors (attitude and perceived religiosity on property), personal factors (lifestyles) as well as external factors (house features, house location, financing factors, and government support) in influencing house acquisition behavior among Muslim Generation Y in Malaysia. As such, this study proposes to adapt Attitude-Behavior-Context (ABC) theory in discovering the behavior.

Community media, digital participation and the geographical question in Malaysia: Notes and observations from the field

Tactical deployments of a variety of digital community media for fostering social change and participation in the Malaysian context have been extensively explored and continue to be explored. These include peripheral discursive influences during and beyond election periods, community-building and disaster relief amidst nationwide epidemiological and flooding disasters, and creative political socialization amongst the (eastern and peninsular) Malaysian youth forbidden from political participation by the legal state apparatus. By bringing into this scholarship a geographical perspective, this report notes down preliminary insights from the pilot phase of a study on how and why the study of community (social, digital) media in a historically habitually diverse Malaysia (and South East Asia) could and should be geographically and developmentally (de)limited.

Correction: Amran Shah et al. Emotional Intelligence as a Mediator between Parenting Style and Antisocial Behavior among Youth in Malaysia. Sustainability 2023, 15, 12811

The authors would like to make the following corrections to the published paper [1]:(1)Replacing the Author Affiliations section with a new added author: [...]

The Pedagogical Approaches to Shift Ethnic Boundaries: Exploring Pedagogical Experiences of Malaysian Youths in School and University

The Pedagogical Approaches to Shift Ethnic Boundaries: Exploring Pedagogical Experiences of Malaysian Youths in School and University

Youth participation in SDG-Oriented Volunteerism: Insights from Malaysia’s APPGM-SDG Platform

Engaging youth is paramount for progressing towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This quantitative research studies the active involvement of Malaysian youth as volunteers in initiatives centred around the SDGs, with a specific focus on the All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia on Sustainable Development Goals (APPGM-SDG) platform. Data was gathered from 323 volunteers who applied as volunteers at the Malaysian Youth SDG Summits, the Young Asian Voices for the United Nations We Need, and the Malaysian Youth SDG Agent 22/23 and 23/24 Cohort initiatives. The objective of the study is to identify the demographic involvement of youths in volunteerism through the initiatives of APPGM-SDG. This research analyses the nature of youth participation in SDG-oriented volunteerism, investigating their demographic concentration in active engagement, including engagement by gender, organisational affiliation, and prior experience in volunteerism and how these factors contribute to voluntary work related to the SDGs. Descriptive analysis was conducted to identify the demographic distribution of youths toward the involvement in SDG-oriented volunteerism. Findings indicated a moderate distribution between males and females, a greater number of participants affiliated in organisations, and a greater number of participants with prior experience in volunteerism. By examining the quantitative nature of these volunteers with the comprehensive study of literature and discussion, we gain valuable insights into the dynamics of youth engagement in localising the SDGs. These insights, rooted in the context of Malaysia, can inform strategies for fostering youth-driven progress toward the SDGs both nationally and globally, providing recommendations to parliamentarians, civil societies, and youth groups as a whole.

A Geospatial Drug Abuse Risk Assessment and Monitoring Dashboard Tailored for School Students: Development Study With Requirement Analysis and Acceptance Evaluation.

The enormous consequences of drugs include suicides, traffic accidents, and violence, affecting the individual, family, society, and country. Therefore, it is necessary to constantly identify and monitor the drug abuse rate among school-going youth. A geospatial dashboard is vital for the monitoring of drug abuse and related crime incidence in a decision support system. This paper mainly focuses on developing MyAsriGeo, a geospatial drug abuse risk assessment and monitoring dashboard tailored for school students. It introduces innovative functionality, seamlessly orchestrating the assessment of drug abuse usage patterns and risks using multivariate student data. A geospatial drug abuse dashboard for monitoring and analysis was designed and developed in this study based on agile methodology and prototyping. Using focus group and interviews, we first examined and gathered the requirements, feedback, and user approval of the MyAsriGeo dashboard. Experts and stakeholders such as the National Anti-Drugs Agency, police, the Federal Department of Town and Country Planning, school instructors, students, and researchers were among those who responded. A total of 20 specialists were involved in the requirement analysis and acceptance evaluation of the pilot and final version of the dashboard. The evaluation sought to identify various user acceptance aspects, such as ease of use and usefulness, for both the pilot and final versions, and 2 additional factors based on the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire and Task-Technology Fit models were enlisted to assess the interface quality and dashboard sufficiency for the final version. The MyAsriGeo geospatial dashboard was designed to meet the needs of all user types, as identified through a requirement gathering process. It includes several key functions, such as a geospatial map that shows the locations of high-risk areas for drug abuse, data on drug abuse among students, tools for assessing the risk of drug abuse in different areas, demographic information, and a self-problem test. It also includes the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test and its risk assessment to help users understand and interpret the results of student risk. The initial prototype and final version of the dashboard were evaluated by 20 experts, which revealed a significant improvement in the ease of use (P=.047) and usefulness (P=.02) factors and showed a high acceptance mean scores for ease of use (4.2), usefulness (4.46), interface quality (4.29), and sufficiency (4.13). The MyAsriGeo geospatial dashboard is useful for monitoring and analyzing drug abuse among school-going youth in Malaysia. It was developed based on the needs of various stakeholders and includes a range of functions. The dashboard was evaluated by a group of experts. Overall, the MyAsriGeo geospatial dashboard is a valuable resource for helping stakeholders understand and respond to the issue of drug abuse among youth.

Case Method Teaching, Strategic Storytelling, and Social Change: A Pilot Evaluation of an Online Course to Address Colourism in Malaysia

Colourism is the discriminatory practice of favoring lighter skin over darker skin. It perpetuates social disparities and drives skin-lightening products (SLP) use globally, including in Malaysia. This study presents the results of an innovative 3 week online training course designed to equip health professionals and educators who work with youth in Malaysia with the knowledge and skills to combat colourism and the use of dangerous SLPs through strategic storytelling. We recruited a diverse group of learners ( N = 19) and assessed their knowledge and attitudes of colourism and use of SLP before and after the course. We also assessed student engagement and collected qualitative acceptability data. The course incorporated case method teaching, interactive case delivery, strategic storytelling methods, and team collaboration elements through digital platforms to facilitate course engagement and learning. Our findings indicate significant improvements in learners’ knowledge and concern regarding skin-shade discrimination and SLP usage pre- to post-course. Learners reported their intention to use strategic storytelling techniques for public health advocacy around colourism and use of SLPs. Qualitative learner feedback highlighted the positive aspects of the course, including its realism and the importance of collaborative learning with professionals from diverse fields to combat prevailing sociocultural issues. While this study offers valuable insights into the effectiveness of this innovative training approach, it also identifies areas of future improvements as suggested by learners, such as the need to increase content diversity, enhance communication channels, and extend time for discussion. This course provides a promising model for addressing colourism-related issues in Malaysia.

Malaysian youth’s propensity towards ambidextrous learning: an in-depth analysis of behavioural insights dimensions

The aim of this experimental study was to compare the results before and after an intervention that included ambidextrous training to accelerate the enrolment of adolescents in technical, vocational, and educational training (TVET). In particular, the effects of an ambidextrous learning-based training programme on increasing the intention to enter TVET were examined. The independent variables constructed in this study include self-efficacy and TVET knowledge, while the dependent variable is TVET intention. The sample consisted of 480 16-year-old students from government schools in four Malaysian regions selected by cluster sampling. The study used a randomised experimental design with a no-treatment control group. The intervention included training developed as part of Behavioural Insights. Methods of analysis included descriptive and bivariate analysis of mean differences and structural equation modelling to describe the predictive model. The results showed significant differences between the actual and the control groups in terms of post-test results across all factors, including TVET intention, TVET knowledge, and self-efficacy. The structural equation modelling test found that TVET knowledge emerged as the strongest predictor of TVET intention, surpassing self-efficacy. As knowledge about TVET is the most important factor influencing a person’s intention to choose TVET, these initiatives should provide clear and comprehensive explanations of the concepts of TVET, the different TVET clusters available, and the potential career opportunities within these sectors.

The relationship between patterns of using internet, media literacy, alcohol consumption and drug abuse: a case of Malaysian youths

The concerning statistics regarding alcohol consumption and substance abuse among young individuals in Malaysia necessitate endeavors to comprehend this occurrence. The aim of the current research was to ascertain the correlations between media literacy, Internet usage patterns, alcohol intake, and drug misuse among Malaysian youths. A quantitative research approach was employed to collect data from 440 students at University Putra Malaysia through a method of stratified random sampling. The findings of the investigation indicated that the association between media literacy and alcohol consumption was statistically significant (p=0.017), whereas it was deemed insignificant for drug consumption (p=0.90). Notably, no statistically significant connections were found between the two dimension of Internet usage patterns and alcohol intake (p=0.22, p=0.54) or drug use (p=0.41, p=0.48). Nevertheless, the link between Internet usage patterns and media literacy was found to be significant (p=0.00). Additionally, outcomes from the independent t-test displayed that male participants exhibited higher levels of drug and alcohol usage compared to their female counterparts (p=0.00, p=0.045). Significant mean disparities were also observed between drug consumption and gender. The outcomes of the one-way ANOVA revealed notable mean differences between ethnic groups and alcohol consumption (p=0.00), while no mean differences were identified between ethnic groups and drug usage (p=0.82). The implications of this study are also deliberated.

Protective shielding, potential harm: a hermeneutic phenomenological study of the cyberbullying experiences of youth with visual impairment

ABSTRACT Cyberbullying was explored through the ‘lived experiences’ of youth with visual impairment (VI) and their schoolteachers in this study. A hermeneutic phenomenological design was used to reveal the rich details of how the 29 youth and five schoolteachers (n = 34) experienced cyberbullying in their different lifeworlds. Interviews and focus groups were conducted over a period of seven months. Three themes emerged: Sites of Cyberbullying, Coping Mechanisms and Sources of Help and Cybersecurity Awareness. Most youth with VI experienced traditional bullying in their school lifeworlds from school mates and teachers while in their cyber worlds, verbal bullying in the form of insults and body shaming from outsiders was common. Interestingly, most youth with VI participated in playing games on their mobile phones and in multiplayer games with sighted individuals. All 29 Malaysian youth participants demonstrated high anxiety towards cyberbullying and any potential threat, illuminating their lack of preparedness and training towards such threats. Protective policies by schools and parents designed to shield youth with VI may inadvertently yield the opposite results. Hence, this study further develops the theorisation of cyberbullying, and further research could include the perspectives of parents, police and school administrators.

Scam Awareness Gaps: A Survey on Malaysian Youth’s Digital Habits and Knowledge

Scam Awareness Gaps: A Survey on Malaysian Youth’s Digital Habits and Knowledge