1.Relationship between Knowledge, Practice of Mental Training Skill, Control and Confidence among Malaysian Sport School Students
Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences 2019;15(Supplement 1):153-159
Introduction: The objective of the study is to identify the relationship between knowledge and the practice of mental training skill during competitions which requires the athletes to gain control and boost their confidence. The study significantly states that knowledge and the practice of mental training skill during competitions are able to increase the athletes’ ability to control their state of mind and raise their confidence. Methods: 115 students of Malaysian Sport School, Pahang Malaysia participated in the study. One set of Likert scale questionnaire, which consists of five parts is used as the study instrument. The study instrument is based on the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory (CSAI2), Test of Performance Strategies (TOPS) and Mental Toughness Questionnaire (MTQ-48). Results: The research findings demonstrate an average level of knowledge on mental training skill with reference to the athletes’ control of their mental state and their confidence. However, the significant relationship between the knowledge and the practice of mental training skill with regards to the athletes’ mind control and confidence during competitions shows a highly positive and moderate relationship. Conclusion: Healthy mental training skill helps improve the athletes’ personality during competition. Apart from prioritising on the physical element in training applied in the competitions, the main elements which become the athletes’ source of mental strength, level of control and confidence are able to overcome the mental challenges.
Confidence
2.Resting State Effective Connectivity between Inferior Parietal Lobe (IPL) and Inferior Temporal Gyrus (ITG) in the Left and Right Hemispheres
Ahmad Nazlim YUSOFF ; Khairiah Abdul HAMID ; Saemah RAHMAN ; Syazarina Sharis OSMAN ; Shahlan SURAT ; Maziah Ahmad MARZUKI
Malaysian Journal of Health Sciences 2018;16(2):101-111
Inferior parietal lobule (IPL) and inferior temporal gyrus (ITG) are two important brain regions for the default modenetwork (DMN). IPL has been known to be involved in the control of attention and responding to given information whileITG is involved in the processing and perception awakened by visual stimuli. These two key DMN regions are highlyinterconnected as determined from white matter and fiber tracking studies. However, little is known about their natureof connectivity while the brain is at rest, whether it is linear, bilinear or nonlinear and whether it is of mono- or bidirection.Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) data were obtained from 7 healthy male andfemale participants (average age = 20.7 ± 4.5 years) and were concatenated. Data were analyzed using statisticalparametric mapping (SPM12). Endogenous brain signals were modelled by Fourier series at 0.01 – 0.08 Hz. IPL-ITGconnected linear, bilinear and non-linear causal models in both hemispheres were constructed and estimated by means ofstochastic dynamic causal modelling (sDCM) and were compared using Bayesian Model Selection (BMS) for group studies.Group fixed-effects results indicated that bilateral IPL and ITG exhibited high neural activity at a corrected significantlevel (pFWE < 0.05). Neural activity was centered in ITG (-32/2/-38) in the left hemisphere but shifted to IPL (32/-38/50) inthe right hemisphere indicating different control center for both hemispheres. BMS selected bilinear model as the optimalmodel for both hemispheres (model posterior probability ~ 1.0; log evidence > 1000) which has the best balance betweenmodel accuracy and difficulty. The minimum free energy (F) = -4.41 × 104 and -4.09 × 104 for left and right hemispherebilinear models respectively. From BMS and DCM results, it was found that IPL and ITG do have a dynamic collaborationbetween each other, a connectivity that belongs to a greater network when the brain is at rest. The intrinsic connectionsbetween them are negative in both directions i.e. IPL and ITG mutually inhibited each other. The effective connectivitywas modulated by the endogenous fluctuation of the brain signal.
3.The Reliability and Validity of the Malay Parent-Report Version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire
Idayu Badilla Idris ; Jane Barlow ; Alan Dolan ; Shahlan Surat
Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences 2019;26(1):125-137
Background: The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a screening
questionnaire that measures children’s emotional and behavioural problems. This study examines
the reliability and validity of the Malay parent-report version of the SDQ.
Methods: The Malay adult-report version of the SDQ was administered to 495 parents and
432 teachers, respectively. At the same time, a newly translated Malay child-report version of the
SDQ was also administered to 150 children aged 13 to 14 years old in this community study. W e
measured internal reliability using Cronbach’s Alpha for all reported data. Construct validity of
the parent-report data was assessed using factor analysis. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA)
was also subsequently perform on parent-report data to explain the model fit indices of this
questionnaire.
Result: Cronbach’s Alpha was acceptable for all parent, teacher and child-report data with
values of 0.74, 0.77 and 0.78, respectively. Factor analysis of the parent’s report showed a fivefactor
solution, which was consistent with other psychometric evaluations of the SDQ in other
languages. CFA showed good model fit of the original five factor model which consists of Emotional,
Conduct, Hyperactivity, Peer problem and Pro-social scale.
Conclusion: This study shows that the psychometric properties of the Malay
parent-report version of the SDQ were similar to other parent-report version of the SDQ
questionnaires in other languages, although cross-cultural differences may still exist.
4.Development of Dyslexia Health Education Module (DHEM) for Preschool Teachers
Shalinawati Ramli ; Idayu Badilla Idris ; Khairani Omar ; Dzalani Harun ; Shahlan Surat
Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences 2020;16(Supp 7, Aug):1-7
Introduction: Dyslexia, which is a learning disability that affects many aspects of children’s development, has a prevalence of 5 – 17%, worldwide. There are many negative perceptions towards children with dyslexia, and one of it is when there is lack of teachers’ knowledge about this problem. Aim: The objective of this study is to
develop and discuss on a newly developed module on dyslexia, i.e. Dyslexia Health Education Module (DHEM) for preschool teachers, Method: This module is developed using the ADDIE model (A-Analysis, D-De- sign,
D-Develop, I- Implement, E-Evaluate). The content of DHEM consists of general information for pre-school
teachers about dyslexia, identification and intervention for dyslexia among children as well as
its mental health implications. Results: The newly developed module was found to have a good content
validity with a score of 0.7 when evaluated by eight expert panels from respective fields. The Cronbach alpha’s value
for reliability test was 0.90. These findings suggest that this module is good, reliable and applicable.
Discussion: It is hoped that with the development of DHEM, this would increase teachers’ knowledge on
dyslexia among children in Malaysia, especially in recognizing at-risk children and consequently may
lead to early intervention in managing the problem. This study also suggests that future longitudinal
studies should be carried out using this module to ensure its effectiveness in the long run.