Pau Kee

Digital technologies are becoming increasingly integrated into mental health counselling. While expanding the boundaries of service provision, these technologies have also raised numerous ethical challenges that urgently need clarification. This study conducts a scoping review following the standardized methodology developed by Arksey and O’Malley. It identifies five core ethical challenges facing practitioners: privacy and data security; informed consent and autonomy; service accessibility and equality; algorithmic fairness and bias mitigation; and inclusiveness and equity. Existing comparative analyses show that Western countries, including the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK), have mature digital mental health regulatory frameworks. In contrast, non-Western countries generally face gaps in legal protections, which have created a global ethical divide. Artificial intelligence (AI)-related risks, such as algorithmic bias and lack of transparency, further exacerbate these problems. The study calls on policymakers to improve relevant regulatory frameworks and requires practitioners to receive specialized ethical training.

Cancer is a chronic disease that causes patients and their caregivers to face various challenges throughout treatment and care. This study aimed to develop a counselling-based self-wellbeing model for informal caregivers of childhood cancer patients in Malaysia. This study employed the design and development research (DDR). The first phase involved needs analysis using a systematic literature review and semi-structured interviews of nine caregivers of childhood cancer. The second phase involved two methods: nominal group technique (NGT) and interpretive structural modeling (ISM). The third phase involved evaluating the usability of the model through the Fuzzy Delphi method (FDM) with the agreement of seven experts. This study successfully developed a counselling-based self-wellbeing model for informal caregivers of childhood cancer patients in Malaysia. This model has 12 components consisting of: i) financial; ii) career; iii) knowledge related to management and care of child cancer patients; iv) emotional management and care; v) spiritual; vi) cognitive and rationalization; vii) social relationships; viii) roles of counsellors in helping parents; ix) spouse and family relationships; x) physical; xi) communication; and xii) facilities. This model is proposed to be used by counsellors, especially who serve in health institutions to help parents who have children with cancer.

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy integrated with Islamic values (REBT-NIS) in reducing trauma symptoms in children who have experienced sexual abuse in Aceh. This approach combines REBT techniques with Islamic values such as ridha (contentment), patience, and ikhlas (sincerity), which are expected to help children develop more rational and positive thinking in overcoming their trauma. The study used a quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test assessments to measure trauma, anxiety, depression, and stress symptoms in the children involved. The results showed a 50% reduction in trauma symptoms after the implementation of REBT-NIS, with significant improvements in all trauma dimensions measured using the Child PTSD Symptom Scale (CPSS) and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS). These findings indicate that the REBT-NIS approach, which integrates Islamic values, is effective in supporting trauma recovery in sexually abused children, particularly in Aceh. This approach contributes to trauma therapy theory and practice by demonstrating the importance of integrating religious values into evidence-based psychological therapy.

Despite the growing recognition of mental health challenges among university students, the effectiveness and adaptability of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in these settings, particularly in terms of diverse delivery methods and their impact on outcomes, remains underexplored. This Systematic Literature Review (SLR) rigorously evaluates the efficacy of CBT in reducing stress among university students, utilizing the PRISMA 2020 framework. The review analyzes 27 carefully selected articles, focusing on objective analysis, diverse delivery methods, session and treatment duration, various CBT interventions, and the applied skills and strategies. The findings confirm CBT as an exceptionally effective stress management tool, noted for its adaptability and versatility. The study underscores the importance of online CBT and emphasizes the need for interventions tailored to the diverse needs of students, enhancing their mental well-being. In light of these findings, future research should investigate the mediators and moderators that affect the effectiveness of CBT, assess the long-term impact on academic and mental health outcomes, and explore the sustainability of these interventions. This study contributes to CBT’s theoretical and practical understanding in higher education settings. It lays the groundwork for future explorations to optimize mental health interventions for university students.

The problem of discipline and moral decay nowadays in society in Malaysia is very concerning, especially among children and teenagers, as it spreads very fast and keeps being very difficult to deal with. Drug abuse is a big problem that is spreading among the world community and this will have a very bad effect especially the development of human capital. This study aimed to find out the effectiveness of Drug Prevention Programs among children at school. From this Program we want to know the level of awareness, knowledge, skills, and spirituality among children. This study has used quantitative design and is supported by qualitative data. The first phase is a case study that uses the interview with teachers and government anti-drug agency officers who are involved in the implementation of the program. For the second phase of the study, researchers have used the survey method by distributing questionnaires to the recipient subjects, who are primary school students in at-risk states who have been selected to follow the drug prevention program. The results of the survey show that all the indicators of the effectiveness of the participants, namely awareness, knowledge, skills, and spirituality, have a high percentage, with percentage values of 78.0%, 93.4%, 84.2%, and 93.4%. Overall, of the study show that the implementation of the drug prevention program in schools has achieved its objectives, in addition to paying attention to the effectiveness factors as well as the obstacles and weaknesses encountered.

Internet addiction and Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) are now global and increasingly worrying phenomena, especially among teenagers. Rural teenagers also have the potential to suffer from internet addiction and FoMO. Individuals suffering from internet addiction are associated with FoMO behavior. This study aims to identify the level of internet addiction and FoMO among secondary school students in rural areas. In addition, the study is also intended to examine the relationship between internet addiction and FoMO among students. This quantitative study involved 145 students who were 16 years old, consisting of 57 male students and 88 female students from five rural secondary schools in the State of Selangor. Data were collected through the Malay Version Internet Addiction Test (MVIAT) and Fear of Missing Out Scale (FoMOS) instruments to measure the level of internet addiction and FoMO, and distributed online through a Google Form. Descriptive and inferential analysis were conducted using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software. The results of the study showed that rural secondary schools experienced a mild level of internet addiction, which is 54.4%, while the level of FoMO showed that the respondents were at a moderate level, which is 53.1%. The Pearson correlation test results showed a significant positive relationship between internet addiction and FoMO among rural secondary school students which is (r=0.342, p<0.01). The implications of this study are important in helping stakeholders such as policymakers, governments, and professional experts plan and provide appropriate and effective interventions to treat teenagers who suffer internet addiction and FoMO.

The aging population in Malaysia faces unique mental health challenges, including depression, anxiety, loneliness, and social isolation. To improve the mental health and overall quality of life of Malaysian older adults, it is essential to identify the need and develop the necessary competencies for counselors working with older adults. This review article includes the increasing prevalence of mental disorders among older adults in Malaysia and emphasizes the need for enhanced access to effective mental health care and the gerontology counseling competencies required to address the mental health needs of the aging population. It also highlights the importance of incorporating gerontology counseling courses into the curricula of public universities, establishing competency standards, and fostering collaboration among counselors, healthcare professionals, and policymakers to improve the mental well-being and overall quality of life for older adults in Malaysia, which aligns with the National Policy of Older Persons (2011). The methodology involved conducting a literature search, screening and selecting relevant studies, and synthesizing the findings.

Adolescence is the peak period of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) behaviour, and it is also a period when the prevention and intervention in NSSI are frequently required. To explore the relationship between catastrophising and NSSI and its mechanism, the mediating effects of parental support and negative emotions on catastrophising and NSSI were analysed. A questionnaire was administered to 401 middle school students with a history of NSSI behaviour from 12 schools in Guangxi. (1) Adolescents’ catastrophising tendencies positively predicted their NSSI status through negative emotions (B = 0.274, P < 0.001). The more severe the adolescents’ catastrophising tendency, the more likely they were to have stronger negative emotions and thus show an increased NSSI level. (2) Parental support played a positive moderating role between the tendency to catastrophise and negative emotions (B = −0.101, t = −2.694, P < 0.01), and it had a protective effect on adolescents’ NSSI. Catastrophising was less likely to induce the NSSI behaviour by reducing adolescents’ negative emotions (B = −0.104, t = −2.313, P < 0.05); however, it should be noted that only parental affective support, informative support, and instrumental support played a significant mediating role. Parental support of adolescents has positive effects on the tendency to catastrophise, negative emotions, and NSSI, and it has some implications for the prevention and intervention of adolescents’ NSSI.

This study analyzed the factors influencing adolescents' non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) behavior and their interrelationships, and established a total influencing factor model. Through a literature analysis and semi-structured interviews with 87 adolescents and 27 experts in Guangxi Province, China, 13 influencing factors were identified from six aspects: physiological factors, cognitive factors, emotional factors, social support factors, social environment, and NSSI behavior. A system of factors influencing adolescents' NSSI behavior and a model of the factors influencing the comprehensive antagonism multilevel explanatory structure were obtained using a combination of Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory technique and Total Adversarial Interpretive Structural Model. In descending order, NSSI, emotional state, self-efficacy, and self-cognition influenced adolescents' NSSI behavior. Social environment, exercise, and recreation had a greater impact on other factors, while NSSI, emotional regulation ability, and emotional state were greatly affected by other factors. Emotion regulation ability, self-cognition, self-efficacy, family support, school support, social support, and sleep were found to be the core factors influencing NSSI behavior of adolescents. These factors could be used to directly intervene in adolescent NSSI behavior. Timely treatment of adolescents' negative emotional states is directly conducive to preventing NSSI behavior and alleviating its severity.

Background Coupled with the importance parents attach to education in Chinese culture, which makes adolescents bear more pressure. Academic stress has always been one of the central pressures faced by Chinese adolescents, and there is a strong link between academic stress and the non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) behavior of Chinese adolescents. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in 10 selected middle schools in Guangxi Province, China, to examine the relationship between academic stress and adolescents' NSSI behavior and further analyze the relationship between adolescents' self-efficacy and parental support in stress and NSSI. A total of 2344 children were included in the analysis, including 1142 boys (48.72%) and 1202 girls (51.28%). Results The prevalence of NSSI was not significant among adolescents of different ethnic groups (t=-1.48, p = 0.139), but academic stress had a positive effect on adolescents' NSSI behavior (R = -0. 246, p < 0.01). Self-efficacy and parental support can moderate the relationship between academic stress and NSSI behavior. The moderating effect of parental support is more robust than self-efficacy; the interaction of self-efficacy and parental support harms the relationship between adolescent stress and NSSI behavior, but for adolescents with high self-efficacy levels, the more likely it is to be is to cause adolescent NSSI behavior. Conclusion Academic stress harms adolescents' NSSI behavior, and self-efficacy and parental support can alleviate the negative effect of adolescent stress on NSSI behavior. However, it is necessary to provide appropriate parental support for adolescents with different levels of self-efficacy.