Roles of social media and counselling support in reducing anxiety among Malaysian during Covid-19 pandemic.

Covid-19 pandemic has created crises among some Malaysians. The crises have both opportunity and threat impacts. Without proper intervention, some people will develop stress, anxiety, and depression. This study aims to explore the emotional anxiety that exists in the society due to Covid-19 pandemic and the roles of social media and counselling support in reducing anxiety among Malaysians. This quantitative research involved online survey throughout the country. The online survey is administered during the First Phase and the Second Phase of Movement Control Order (MCO). The survey contains 13 items which cover three domain: i) anxiety, ii) roles of social media, and iii) roles of counselling support in reducing anxiety among members of the society. There were 8375 respondents from various age groups, locations, as well as economic and educational statuses involved in the study. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential analysis. Majority of 7233 (86.6%) respondents felt anxious due to Covid-19 pandemic. A total of 7871 respondents (94%) followed the latest updates on Covid-19 to reduce their anxiety. They used social media such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to gather information and follow the updates through television and press conference. A total of 5251 respondents (62.7%) were aware of the counselling support provided during the MCO, and 4603 respondents (55%) felt comfortable to have counselling support by phone. The findings will contribute to knowledge on the society's emotional anxiety in facing Covid-19. It reflects the actual situation happened in Malaysia during Covid-19 and MCO.

Measuring Anger Types among Malaysian Adolescents using the Rasch Model.

Adolescences is an important transitional phase in human development where they experience physiological as well as psychological changes. Nevertheless, these changes are often understood by teachers, parents, and even the adolescents themselves. Thus, conflicts exist and adolescents are affected from the conflict physically and emotionally. An important state of emotions that result from this conflict is anger. This article describes the development and validation of the 34-item Adolescent Anger Inventory (AAI) to measure types of anger among Malaysian adolescents. A sample of 2,834 adolescents in secondary school who provide responses that were analyzed using Rasch model measurement framework. The 4 response category worked satisfactorily for the scale developed. A total of 11 items did not fit to the model's expectations, and thus dropped from the final scale. The scale also demonstrated satisfactory reliability and separation evidence. Also, items in the AAI depicted no evidence of DIF between 14- and 16-year-old adolescents. Nevertheless, the AAI did not have sufficient items to target adolescents with a high level of physical aggressive anger.