The Effects of COVID-19 and Movement Control Order on Psychological Health

Background Information on How Malaysian Cope with Depression, Anxiety, and Stress

- General overview of challenges during MCO.

- Define and describe symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.

- How MCO can lead to the above conditions

2. Background Information on How Malaysian Cope with Depression, Anxiety, and Stress

Summarise the content of the article.

 Describe the objectives, methods, and findings of the study.

2.2 Explain/describe on the statements (in the article) highlighted in green

3. Relate a personal experience (can be your own or of someone close to you) on how you/someone you know cope with MCO related depression, anxiety, stress.

3.1 Comment on how you/your close had come to realise that you are experiencing depression/anxiety/ stress. Professional opinion? Identify the symptoms through reading? Someone close took notice and inform? Others?

3.2 How do you/your close one cope? What strategies (minimum 3 strategies)? Comment whether your technique is the same/different from the strategies listed by the findings of the research article?

3.3 Is/Are the coping techniques working? Explain how?

Abstract

Covid-19, pandemic effected the global health, physically, socially and mentally. Currently the pandemic in Malaysia observed to be in control with movement strict precaution and preventions. This study is cross-sectional survey study to evaluate the responses of Malaysian Adults during the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia. To evaluate the Malaysian responses and effects on their psychological health and coping response, a cross sectional online survey was conduct on (N=716) adult participants age range 20 to 75 years (Mean 33.34), male (193) female (523) from various background and all district of Malaysia. Questionnaire Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS), and Brief Coping Response Inventory (BCRI) was administer to evaluate the response through online Google form. Results revealed that there is significant gender differences in the score of psychological health related to, depression, anxiety and stress with coping response. Results, A Mann-Whitney U analysis indicated that there was a difference (Z = -2.013, p < .05) indicated that male stress score higher than female during the COVID-19 movement control period. Coping response showed higher significance with male as compared to females. Our findings revealed high levels of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms among both gender, with the differences in coping response towards the pandemic phase of COVID-19, during movement control period. As Mental health practitioner, there is great needs to address the mental health status and coping responses, for the wellbeing of adults during the unprecedented phase of COVID-19 pandemic.
Keywords: Depression, Gender, COVID-19, Pandemic, Coping.

Hypothesis

There is no difference in the stress, anxiety and depression rank of Malaysian male and female during the pandemic of COVID-19.

Method

The cross-section survey design(1) through online Google form was conduct on (n=716) adult’s participants with convenient sampling. The online survey design was chosen based on the COVID-19 movement control order situation. As survey design is commonly used to collect data from wide range of participants. The participants were from the (n=15) states of Malaysia. The target population(2) as the chosen sample to be participants with an above 18 years old from all states of Malaysia. Online sample size calculator in context to population estimation, with a margin of error of 5% and sample population(3) of 21,238,874, with the Confidence Level 95%, the estimated 700 participants. The sample of study was 716 participants. The online links to the Google Form which contains the questionnaires was distributed through social media, whatsapp and emails during the 1st and 2nd phase of COVID-19 pandemic movement control order. Once the link was opened, the consent form included the objective, significance, the importance of confidentiality of each participants was provided. Participants were required to answer three sections demographic, (4) Depression, anxiety and stress scale DASS-21(5) (Coker, Coker, and Sanni 2018) and Brief Coping Response inventory(6) (Yusoff, Low, and Yip 2010). Upon completion, participants submitted the answers which were anonymous and kept confidential except the researchers. Ethical approval(7) of the human survey online research was obtained from Research Management and Innovation Center Data was analyzed to study variables descriptive analysis