Malaysian Parents Research Articles

Sikh parents’ perception on the practice of diverse sexual identities

ABSTRACT This article explores the perspectives of Malaysian Sikh parents on sexual identity and their interpretation of the Guru Granth Sahib. As a minority in a diverse society, their views are significant in understanding global sexual diversity. This study is based on the parental acceptance-rejection theory and utilizes a hybrid strategy to collect data, primarily through questionnaires and interviews. The findings reveal that Sikh parents have uncertainty about natural laws related to sexual orientation and hold misconceptions about non-heterosexual identification. It emphasizes the need to promote awareness, acceptance, and education within religious institutions to combat discrimination and support the well-being of the LGBTQ community.

Media Literacy and Behavioral Change on Vaccination Issue in Malaysia

Vaccination is a hotly discussed topic that has been around for a long time. Part of this is because many people, particularly parents, have false beliefs about vaccinations and avoid vaccinating their children. If this kind of speculation keeps getting worse, it could pose serious risks to public health. Assumptions about what constitutes reality and what constitutes rumor are spreading like wildfire through the media, especially the Internet, and may be to blame. Therefore, they need to have knowledge of vaccination, which can be received through numerous sources such as the internet, television, radio, newspapers, books, and others. This research aims to measure parents' familiarity with and comfort using various forms of media and their habits around their online searches for data related to childhood vaccinations. The primary tool for data collection in this study was a questionnaire, making quantitative research methodologies the backbone of this investigation. The survey used questions taken from earlier research. Parents with children aged one day to fifteen in five regions of Malaysia accounted for 396 of the study's respondents. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), used in this study, is a method for analyzing hypothesis models, testing and correlating all media literacy constructs, knowledge, and behavior change among parents in Malaysia. All correlations were statistically significant, and the results suggest that just two media literacy characteristics genuinely influence change in Malaysian parents. In sum, this research contributes to a deeper comprehension of media literacy. It may provide a tipping point for parents in Malaysia, allowing them to have a deeper awareness of a specific topic and its impact on the shift in parenting practices in that country.

Let's Think They are Safe Online!: An Asian Perspective on the Classification of Children's Cyber Risks

Children nowadays spend a substantial amount of time on the Internet and related technology. They are devoting more time to recreational activities such as socializing virtually and playing video games. Scholars are divided on whether they are benefiting from the situation or putting themselves in risk by participating in it. Although Malaysian parents are concerned about the dangers their children may encounter online, most threats remain unknown. Children are still reluctant to inform their families about their online exposure to inappropriate content such as cybersex and pornography, which are still taboo subjects in Malaysian households. To determine the risk factors associated with children's online use, a descriptive analysis is carried out. A total of 420 school-going children aged 9 to 16 around Selangor were recruited. During the previous 12 months that they interacted with the Internet, the study found that children were highly exposed to unwanted exposure to pornography (17.4 %), potentially dangerous user-generated content (9 %), sexting (8.8 %), personal data misuse (6.4 %), cyber grooming (3.3 %), and cyberbullying (1.7 % ).

Parents of children with cancer require health literacy support to meet their information needs.

Timely and relevant information helps parents to cope when a child is diagnosed with cancer. However, obtaining and understanding information is not a straightforward process for parents. This article aims to explain paediatric cancer parents' information behaviour related to the care of their child. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with fourteen Malaysian paediatric cancer parents and eight healthcare professionals who worked with paediatric cancer patients. Reflexivity and inductive approaches were used to interpret the data to identify meaningful themes and subthemes. Three themes about how paediatric cancer parents interact with information emerged: Acquiring information, internalising information, and using information. Information may be actively sought or passively acquired. Cognitive and affective aspects influence how information is internalised into meaningful knowledge. Knowledge then leads to further action including further information gathering. Paediatric cancer parents need health literacy support to meet their information needs. They require guidance in identifying and appraising suitable information resources. Development of suitable supporting materials is needed to facilitate parents' ability to comprehend information related to their child's cancer. Understanding parents' information behaviour could assist healthcare professionals in providing information support in the context of paediatric cancer.

Application of the double bounded dichotomous choice model to the estimation of parent's willingness to pay for the hand foot mouth disease vaccination: A survey in Selangor, Malaysia.

Hand foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a notifiable viral disease in Malaysia, and is transmitted primarily among young children. Although vaccines for enteroviruses 71 (EV-71) were approved in China against HFMD, the availability and the acceptance of the vaccine in the Malaysia are unknown. This study investigated and ascertained the determinants of willingness-to-pay (WTP) for HFMD vaccination in Selangor Malaysia. This study adopted a cross-sectional, contingent valuation method involving 390 parents of young children aged six and below. The double bounded dichotomous choice (DBDC) approach was employed to assess the WTP for HFMD vaccine among respondents. A bivariate probit model was used to assess the key determinants of WTP for HFMD vaccine, while the mean WTP was measured using the Krinsky and Robb procedure. We found that 279 (71.5%) of parents were willing to pay for the HFMD vaccination. The estimated single bounded mean WTP was MYR460.23 (equivalent to US$ 102.17) for two doses of HFMD vaccination. The double bounded analysis revealed that the vaccine's price, poor education background and lower income were the key factors that significantly affected the WTP, with the estimated mean WTP being MYR394.00 (US$ 87.47). In conclusion, most Malaysian parents are willing to pay for the HFMD vaccination. The estimated WTP identifies the optimal price point for HFMD vaccination in Malaysia. Furthermore, the government should focus on an awareness programme for the HFMD vaccination among parents who have lower income or education level.

THE IMPACT OF PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT AND STUDENT ENGAGEMENT ON SCHOOL DROPOUT INTENTION: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

School dropout intention among students is a serious issue as it will impact the student’s motivation to learn. Studies have found that dropout intention among students is affected by parental involvement and student engagement. Hence, this article aims to identify the impact of parental involvement and student engagement on school dropout intention based on prior empirical findings. This article featured several conclusions regarding the relationship between parental involvement and dropout intention and also the relationship between student engagement and dropout intention. Using the systematic literature review, 30 publications were analysed in preparing this article. All the conclusions from the numerous papers were discussed. Suggestions for future studies were presented, and the importance of these topics was identified. A fresh study is recommended to be carried out to determine the level of parental involvement among Malaysian parents and the extent of student involvement among Malaysian students as well as how these factors impact on school dropout intention.

A Qualitative Study on Malaysian Parents’ Perspective of Enhancing Children’s Creativity

A Qualitative Study on Malaysian Parents’ Perspective of Enhancing Children’s Creativity

Exploring Malaysian parents' and teachers' cultural conceptualization of adolescent social and emotional competencies: A qualitative formative study.

Global implementation of social and emotional learning (SEL) has been suggested to incorporate a systematic cultural adaptation process which relies on ground-up empirical data of a target cultural group in tailoring a culturally sensitive SEL intervention. Preliminary formative studies among local parents and educators were done to explore the conceptualization of social and emotional competencies (SECs) in various cultural settings, such as the continent of Africa and among the indigenous and refugee groups. Unfortunately, little scholarship has been devoted to studying the SEL adaptation process in Southeast Asian regions. This formative study aimed to explore Malaysian parents' and teachers' cultural conceptualization of adolescent SECs. This qualitative study interviewed 12 Malaysian parents and 10 Malaysian teachers comprising of Malay (82%), Chinese (9%) and Indian (9%) races in an online focus group discussion. Sampling is purposive to parents of adolescents and teachers at secondary school only. Data were analyzed thematically to determine the culturally sensitive SEL constructs for Malaysian adolescents. All themes and sub-themes of SEC regarded as crucial for Malaysian adolescents are aligned with CASEL's five domains of competencies. Our findings extended the conceptualization of subskills under CASEL's relationship skills and responsible decision-making domains, which reflect Asian cultural values. The main themes of social competency: (a) preserving interpersonal relationships, (b) utilizing intrapersonal skills, and (c) communicating effectively, are shared with the established CASEL constructs. However, the underlying subthemes denote the unique cultural manifestation of social competency in Malaysia. Two of the emotional competency themes represent the established CASEL constructs: (a) practicing self-regulation, (b) demonstrating help-seeking behavior, and the other two themes signify Asian values: (c) upholding altruism, and (d) maintaining cultural display rules. This formative study revealed the habitual use of experiential and expressive suppressions as adaptive emotion regulation strategies in Malaysian collectivist culture and offered a potential alternative emotion regulation pathway suitable for Malaysian adolescents. It also informed the feasibility of implementing SEL modules developed based on the CASEL framework in Malaysia and suggested two key lessons to enhance the cultural sensitivity of SEL in Malaysia: effective, respectful communication and expressive writing.

The implementation of polycaprolactone (PCL) as an eco-friendly material in toy design development

Due to a substantial impact of hazardous materials in toy design, numerous toy companies have opted for an eco-friendly toy by promoting a legacy of innovation rather than waste and degradation. Furthermore, one of the most significant polymers for being recognised as a safe toy material is Polycaprolactone (PCL). However, in Malaysia, the study of Malaysian parent’s level of awareness in buying eco-friendly toys, their behaviour in purchasing and managing toys at home, as well as the preferences of play type for their children, is not widely discussed. Thus, forty (40) Malaysian parents have participated in an online survey conducted by the research team. The result of the study found that most Malaysian parents has a low level of awareness in buying eco-friendly toys for their children, lack the skills needed in handling broken or unused toys, and have selected criteria to be considered when purchasing a toy. Furthermore, a set of semi-working toy design was successfully developed using PCL as a proposal for potential future development and production. It is hoped that the outcome of this study will contribute to inspire future toy designers to account for Malaysian parent’s preferences when developing eco-friendly toys.

Knowledge of the Malaysian National Immunisation Programme and its associated factors among parents in Dungun, Terengganu: A cross-sectional study.

The number of unvaccinated children and the rate of vaccination refusal among parents have recently increased despite the robust vaccination programme in Malaysia. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of knowledge of the Malaysian National Immunisation Programme among Malaysian parents as well as the variables that contribute to poor knowledge. Methods: This study used systematic random sampling to recruit 375 parents from seven health clinics in the Dungun District of Malaysia. The participants were asked to complete a selfadministered validated questionnaire that included sociodemographic and knowledge questions. A multiple logistic regression analysis was applied to determine the associated factors of poor knowledge of immunisation. P-values of <0.05 were considered statistically significant. A total of 189 (50.4%) respondents had poor knowledge of immunisation. The multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that a low educational level (adjusted odds ratio (OR): 1.92; 95% CI 1.25-2.95) was associated with poor knowledge while the age-group of 30-40 years old (adjusted OR: 0.56; 95% CI 0.34-0.93) was protected against it as compared to the age-group of <30 years old. The prevalence of poor knowledge of immunisation among parents in Dungun, Terengganu, is relatively high. The focus of health promotion and education must be switched to increasing immunisation knowledge among the public, particularly among high-risk groups.

User requirement gathering for online oral health education module development: Exploring parental perspective.

Dental caries is preventable, yet it remains a common childhood disease. As children are dependent on their parents for oral health care, oral health education for parents is essential to ensure they understand the risk factors and consequences of dental caries and their role in its prevention. This study aims to explore parents' oral health education needs to enable the development and provision of a tailored online oral health education module. Online focus group discussions were conducted among Malaysian parents to gather information about the content, layout and presentation of oral health information parents sought for the provision of oral health care for their children. Video recordings were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis was performed using an inductive approach. In total, 24 parents participated in the discussions and 4 main themes were uncovered. The first theme was perceived information needs related to dental caries, oral health care and the importance of deciduous teeth. The second theme was parents' preferred information resources which were social media, dentists, mobile phone applications and medical personnel. Thirdly, information delivery format and specific characteristics were recommended. The final theme was challenges and barriers faced in maintaining oral health due to parental constraints, child behaviour and external factors. Parents' profound feedback and experiential standpoint stipulate the need for the development and delivery of a comprehensible and visually engaging oral health education module by healthcare professionals via social media to enable access to evidence-based information consistently.

The Influence of Parental Financial Socialisation and Financial Literacy on University Student's Financial Behaviour

Children away from their parents while pursuing higher education at universities face new challenges in managing their finances and preparing to be financially independent. This study analysed and compared the effects of parental financial socialisation and financial literacy on Indonesian and Malaysian university students' financial behaviour. In total, 204 students from the Faculty of Human Ecology at IPB University and Universiti Putra Malaysia participated in the study. Data were gathered using a self-reporting questionnaire using the convenience sampling method. The independent sample t-test and multiple regression analysis were performed on the data. The results of the t-test showed that Malaysian students scored significantly higher in parental financial socialisation and financial behaviour but lower in financial literacy than Indonesian students. Moreover, the regression analyses revealed that parental financial socialisation and students' financial literacy were highly significant in influencing the sampled students' financial behaviour. However, by splitting the sample based on the student's country of origin, this study demonstrated that Malaysian students' financial behaviour was only significantly influenced by parental financial socialisation, while Indonesian students' financial behaviour was only significantly determined by financial literacy. These findings implied that Malaysian parents were more involved in shaping their children's financial behaviour or decisions. In contrast, Indonesian students were more independent from their parents, and their financial literacy level predominantly influenced their financial behaviour.

The trend of sharenting among Malaysian parents: a preliminary study of intention and motivation

Social media platforms and applications are increasing exponentially and has become a part of life. It is widely used to connect with large numbers of people without investing much time and effort. This led to the emergence of a new term, ‘sharenting’ which refers to parents sharing children’s information on social media. The trend of sharenting is predominant and has raised concerns in the western countries, but in Malaysia there is still a lack of adequate knowledge on this trend. Past research on sharenting focuses on the usage frequency, content and consequences of sharenting in Western countries. However, there is a dearth of literature on the intention and motivation of Malaysian parents to this trend. Thus, the current study employed a qualitative approach to explore Malaysian parents’ intention and motivation of sharing children’s information on social media through the framework of Bandura’s social learning theory. The sample comprising of Malaysian parents aged between 20 to 40 who share their children’s information on social media were interviewed and the findings were analyzed using a thematic approach. This research is significant as it provides knowledge on the trend of sharenting of Malaysian parents. The paper ends with recommendation for further future research.

Relationship of The Media Literacy Influence on Vaccination Knowledge among Parents in Malaysia

Relationship of The Media Literacy Influence on Vaccination Knowledge among Parents in Malaysia

Development and Validation of a Caregiving Knowledge Questionnaire for Parents of Pediatric Leukemia and Lymphoma Patients in Malaysia.

Introduction Validated tools to measure caregiving knowledge among parents of children with hematological cancers are needed to measure the clinical outcome of caregiver interventions. This study reports the development and validation of the Hematological Oncology Parents Education Caregiving Knowledge Questionnaire (HOPE-CKQ) among Malaysian parents of pediatric leukemia and lymphoma patients. Methods Initially, 60 items on caregiving knowledge were developed based on a qualitative needs assessment study. Content validity was evaluated using item content validity index (I-CVI) and scale content validity index (S-CVI/Ave). Parents of pediatric leukemia and lymphoma patients were invited to complete the 60-item version of the HOPE-CKQ. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using polychoric correlation resulted in an 18-item version of HOPE-CKQ. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to verify the factor structure. Known-group validity was tested by comparing the scores among different levels of parent education. Results The I-CVI ranged from 0.83 to 1.00 whereas the S-CVI/Ave was 0.99, indicating good content validity. A total of 167 complete responses were analyzed for factor analysis. EFA using polychoric correlations resulted in a single-factor structure consisting of 18 items. CFA confirmed that the 18-item single-factor HOPE-CKQ model had a good fit for the data. The internal consistency reliability was good (α=0.80). Parents with tertiary education level had higher caregiving knowledge (M=12.61, SD=3.37) compared to parents with secondary education and below (M=10.33, SD=3.80) (t=3.58, p<0.001). Conclusions The 18-item HOPE-CKQ is valid and reliable for use to measure caregiving knowledge among pediatric leukemia and lymphoma parents. This tool may be considered to measure caregiving knowledge in future preventive and intervention programs.

Malaysian Parents' Willingness to Vaccinate Their Children against COVID-19 Infection and Their Perception of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines.

Little was known about Malaysian parental attitudes, beliefs, and intentions surrounding coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines for children when the National COVID-19 Immunization Program for Children (PICKids) was launched in February 2021. A cross-sectional online survey-based study was carried out from 15 March 2022 to 23 July 2022 on Malaysian parents/guardians of children between ages 5 and below 12 years old. A total of 15.7% reported being extremely willing, and 38.9% were somewhat willing to vaccinate children with a COVID-19 vaccine. Perceived low susceptibility to COVID-19 infection showed the greatest significant impact on vaccine acceptance (OR 35.46, 95% CI 15.26-82.40). Parents with a lower level of concern have a higher willingness for vaccination (OR 1.25, 95% CI 0.90-1.75). Of the parents that knew of the mRNA vaccine, 46.6% reported that they prefer their children to be vaccinated with conventional vaccines over mRNA vaccines. Poor knowledge about mRNA vaccines, lack of confidence in the mRNA technology, fear of unknown side effects, and perception that the mRNA vaccines contain microchips were significantly associated with a higher level of concern about their children receiving an mRNA vaccine. Public education campaigns to promote COVID-19 vaccination for children warrant addressing the concerns and knowledge deficits among vaccine-hesitant parents.

Knowledge and Awareness of Children Eye Care Among Parents In Malaysia

Introduction: Children rarely complain about their vision, therefore rely on parents’ knowledge and awareness for early detection and management of their ocular problems. Parents’ knowledge and awareness may influence their eye-care seeking behaviour, which in turn helps to reduce the prevalence of childhood eye problems. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate knowledge and awareness about childhood eye problems and eye care seeking behaviour among parents in Malaysia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on parents with either typically developing (TD group) or special needs children (SN group) in Malaysia. Data were collected using a self-administered, validated bilingual questionnaire using Google Form distributed through social medias and associations via purposive sampling. Results: A total of 173 respondents (74 in SN group; 99 in TD group) aged between 20 to 50 years old participated in the study. Participants had the highest and the least knowledge about refractive error and strabismus respectively with social medias been the main source of information. Overall knowledge and attitude scores were significantly higher in SN group compared to TD group (p &lt; 0.05). Level of awareness was high for common symptoms and eye problems with no group differences observed. Conclusion: Misconception and low awareness are still an issue for less common eye conditions. The use of social medias in educating the public about these is recommended as this is the most preferred source of information. This study provides useful insight about parents in Malaysia with regards to children eye care including recommendations for future preventive measures.

The Malay Literacy of Suicide Scale: A Rasch Model Validation and Its Correlation with Mental Health Literacy among Malaysian Parents, Caregivers and Teachers.

The 27-item Literacy of Suicide Scale (LOSS) is a test designed to measure the respondent’s suicide knowledge. The purpose of this study is to examine the psychometric properties of the Malay-translated version of the LOSS (M-LOSS) and its association to sociodemographic factors and mental health literacy. The 27-item LOSS was forward–backward translated into Malay, and the content and face validities were assessed. The version was distributed to 750 respondents across West Malaysia. Rasch model analysis was then conducted to assess the scale’s psychometric properties. The validated M-LOSS and the Malay version of the Mental Health Knowledge Schedule (MAKS-M) were then distributed to 867 respondents to evaluate their level of suicide literacy, mental health literacy, and their correlation. Upon Rasch analysis, 26 items were retained. The scale was found to be unidimensional, with generally satisfying separation and reliability indexes. Sex, socio-economic status, and experience in mental health were found to significantly impact the mean score for mental health literacy. This study also found a significant mean difference for suicide literacy across school types. Furthermore, while this study observed a weak but significant negative correlation between age and suicide literacy, no correlation was found between mental health and suicide literacy.

USING ONE-STOP E-COMMERCE PLATFORMS FOR BABY PRODUCT PURCHASES: INSIGHTS ON GENERATION Y IN MALAYSIA

This study focuses on technological and selected psychological factors predicting the use of one-stop e-commerce platforms among Generation Y parents in Malaysia to purchase baby products. These platforms offer great convenience for parents as they can purchase almost anything at any time on one platform. Nevertheless, purchasing baby products is different because parents often prefer to physically inspect baby products and directly interact with the sales representatives for clarifications and assurance. Hence, the decision to use the one-stop e-commerce platforms rely on the parents’ confidence of the platforms. Generation Ys, now entering parenthood, has been found to be the largest contributor to the revenue of e-commerce platforms. Therefore, factors predicting their acceptance of the one-stop e-commerce platforms for baby product purchases is important for the platforms. The Technology Acceptance Model was employed in the study, incorporating the two main technology-related factors – perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use – as well as three psychological factors namely trust, perceived risk and perceived benefits in predicting the Gen Ys’ adoption of e-commerce platforms for baby product purchases. Self-administered questionnaire was employed resulting in 200 usable responses from Gen Ys, aged between 26-40. The results indicate that all factors significantly explained Gen Y’s decision to use one-stop e-commerce platforms. The perceived usefulness of the one-stop e-commerce platform technology emerged as the most predictive factor and thus should be emphasised by operators in fine-tuning their platform. Perceived risk negatively predicts purchases as hypothesized, with concerns about the inability to inspect products emerging as the key issue.

The willingness of parents to vaccinate their children younger than 12 years against COVID-19: a cross-sectional study in Malaysia

BackgroundThe initiation of a new drug, for instance, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine in children could be a source of major concern for parents. This study aims to determine the willingness of parents in Malaysia to vaccinate their children younger than 12 years against COVID-19.MethodsAn online cross-sectional survey was conducted nationwide in Malaysia from August 29, 2021, to October 17, 2021. Parents with children younger than 12 years were enrolled via the snowball sampling method.ResultsThe analysis included data from 3,528 parents (79.5%) of the 4,438 survey responses received. Of these parents, 2,598 (73.6%) were willing, 486 (13.8%) were not willing, and 444 (12.6%) were still hesitant to vaccinate their children against COVID-19. Single parents (odds ratio [OR], 2.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32–3.04; P = 0.001), parents with secondary or lower education (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.21–1.96; P < 0.001), healthcare workers (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.34–2.26; P < 0.001), parents who had significant contact with COVID-19 (OR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.09–1.63; P = 0.006), and parents who had been vaccinated against COVID-19 (OR, 15.4; 95% CI, 9.76–24.33; P < 0.001) were found more willing to immunize their children. The common reasons for vaccination given by parents who were willing to immunize their children include protection of children (99.4%), protection of other family members (99.3%), and effectiveness (98.2%). The common reasons against vaccination given by parents who were not willing to immunize their children were uncertainty about the new vaccine (96.1%), concerns about vaccine contents (93.2%), limited vaccine information from physicians (82.3%), and the belief of vaccine was unsafe (79.8%).ConclusionsIn this study, nearly three-quarters of parents were willing to vaccinate their children younger than 12 years against COVID-19. The parents’ history of COVID-19 vaccination was the strongest independent predictor of their willingness to vaccinate their children. Therefore, future health education for the COVID-19 vaccine should focus on parents who are prone to vaccine refusal or hesitation, address the common reasons for vaccine refusal, and highlight the vaccine’s benefits.