Being motivated is a major factor contributing to student excellence in their studies and success in life. Students face various academic pressures from the education system itself or from environmental factors that can impact their level of motivation to achieve excellence. This study explores achievement motivational levels among university students in Malaysia from the four aspects of gender, race, place of residence and academic performance (CGPA). This survey-type study uses a simple random sampling method involving research subjects comprising 200 students (n=200). The research instrument used is the Achievement Motivation Test (AMT) introduced by Abu Bakar Nordin (1995). Data was analyzed using SPSS Version 26 software. An independent sample t-test analysis was used to identify the differences in achievement motivation levels based on the four aspects mentioned. Overall, the study found no difference in the level of student motivation based on gender (t= 0.254, p> 0.05), race (t= 0.922, p> 0.05), place of residence (t= 1.836, p> 0.05), and academic performance (t=1.623, p> 0.05). However, some differences in motivation levels were found between students with low (M = 2.8) and high (M = 3.0) CGPAs. Thus, it can be concluded that motivational levels have a major role in ensuring student success and excellence. This study can form the basis for designing motivational modules or guidelines in public universities and the Ministry of Education for enhancing student achievement.

Drug abuse is considered a serious social problem, especially among youth. Those who successfully survive such behaviors, especially in high-risk locations, must have underlying factors worth learning. This research focuses on youth who can avoid using and abusing drugs in high-risk areas. The main objectives are to identify protective factors (PF) that successfully protect youth in high-risk locations and to examine the presence of risk factors (RF) in that particular community. Data were collected through ten focus group discussions (FGD) with youth participants who lived within identified hot spot high-risk areas of drug abuse. Each group contains five participants, which makes up a total of fifty youth participants. The FGDs were audio-recorded, followed by the transcribing process and the thematic data analysis. The finding shows that themes for protective and risk factors are divided into internal and external factors. Internal protective factors are represented mostly by religious knowledge and practice, followed by self-assertiveness. External protective factors are denoted by positive family influences, positive peer influence, and knowledge of drug abuse. On the other hand, internal risk factors epitomize the feeling of curiosity, lack of religious knowledge and practice to release pressure and stress, lack of effective coping skills, and seeking fun. External risk factors embody negative peer influence, lack of parenting skills, negative family influence, and negative neighborhood environment and occupation.

Internet addiction among children has become a global health problem, including Malaysia. It raised public awareness of its increasing number. Most of the internet addiction risk factors relate to parents and their awareness regarding this issue. Therefore, this study was done to explore family awareness of child’s internet addiction and to identify the role of the family in overcoming internet addiction among children. This is a qualitative study using a scoping review design. The articles were obtained from the Academic Search Premier@EBSCOhost university database published from 2015 to 2023. A total of 38 articles were selected from the EBSCO-Host together with other relevant and significant articles from earlier years. Findings revealed that family awareness in term of understanding role of family members (parent’s role, sibling’s role, child’s role) is very important in facing internet addiction among children. Besides that, there are five elements in managing child internet addiction which include controlling and monitoring children's internet use, limiting time and space in children's internet use, the concept of psychological reward and punishment in internet use, application of moral and spiritual values, and joint involvement of parents and children in social activities. In conclusion, this study can be a guidance to the involved party such as educators or community in dealing and helping the family or parents who are facing with the issue of child’s internet addiction.

This research focused on the focal aim of analysing students’ perceptions in public universities in regards to the development of leadership values through their participation as the members of students’ representative council (JAKSA) in student’s accommodation.The current study implemented a qualitative methodology via semi-structrured focus group interviews among 19 students who are in the highest committee members and executive committees (Excos) in two student colleges in Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM). The current study found that almost all of the interviewees among JAKSA agreed that their participation as a JAKSA member gave a positive impact in terms of their leadership value and skill. Several characteristics and roles of leaders which are obvious among JAKSA were also stated and debated as a valuable drivers for their capability to organize their committee. Abstrak Kajian ini memfokuskan kepada matlamat untuk menganalisis persepsi pelajar di institusi pengajian tinggi awam terhadap pembentukan nilai kepemimpinan melalui penglibatan mereka sebagai ahli Jawatankuasa Kebajikan Siswa/i Kolej Kediaman (JAKSA). Kajian ini mengaplikasikan metodologi kajian kualitatif melalui temubual separa berstruktur secara focus group dalam kalangan 19 orang pelajar yang menjadi Ahli Majlis Tertinggi dan Exco JAKSA di dua buah kolej kediaman di Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia. Hasil kajian mendapati hampir kesemua JAKSA bersetuju bahawa penyertaan mereka sebagai JAKSA di kolej kediaman memberikan impak yang positif dalam pembentukan nilai dan kemahiran kepemimpinan. Beberapa sifat dan peranan pemimpin yang terserlah dalam kalangan JAKSA juga digagaskan oleh responden kajian ini sebagai pemangkin kepada kemampuan mereka mengorganisasi persatuan mereka ini di kolej kediaman.

The current scenario revealed that many universities, both public and private, are taking various initiatives in improving the quality of academic programs offered. This is because, excellence in academic achievement is one of the determining factors for the graduate employability. However, psychological factors such as self -concept are still under -emphasized as an important aspect in determining academic achievement. Therefore, this study aims to look at the relationship between self -concept and academic achievement of students in Institutions of higher learning. The study uses a survey method in which subjects were selected through simple random sampling involving 160 students (n = 160). Descriptive statistical analysis was used to describe the level of academic achievement and the level of self -concept of the subject in the form of percentage as well as frequency. Meanwhile, regression analysis was used to see the influence of self-concept factors on academic achievement. The findings of the study can be summarized as follows; (i) the majority of subjects had academic achievement at the honors level (51.9%) (ii) the majority of subjects had a moderate level of self -concept (61.3%); and (iii) the self - concept factor which contribute to the highest percentage of changes in academic achievement is the construct of personal self -concept (17.1 percent). In conclusion, this study successfully proves that self-concept has a significant relationship with students' academic achievement and there are self-concept factors that contribute to academic achievement. Implications and recommendations for future studies are also discussed in this study