Very little thought or research has been directed to the topic of adolescents and sex addiction. Adolescents who use the Internet regularly present a new set of challenges for therapists. This article examines (a) the basic concepts and unique psychological characteristics of the Internet that relates to adolescents’ online sexual behaviors, (b) the etiology of adolescents’ Internet sex addiction, and (c) treatment and prevention when dealing with problematic online sexual behavior in adolescents. It is concluded that therapists cannot ignore the role that the media, particularly the Internet, plays in adolescents’ life and its impact on the family and society.

This article discusses the concept of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), dimensions, and longterm impacts experienced by survivors of adverse childhood experiences. ACEs as traumatic and potentially dangerous experiences that occur intensively and frequently in the 0-17 years or before age 18 years. Traumatic experiences or stressful experiences that are classified under ACE include (but are not limited to) abuse (emotional, physical, sexual abuse); abandonment (emotional, physical neglect); and growing up in a dysfunctional household. These dysfunctions include being a witness to violence in another household, a family member engaging in alcohol or drug abuse, the family suffering from mental illness or being involved in suicide, there being relational stress (such as separation or divorce), or a family member exhibiting criminal behavior. Studies have proven that ACEs have long-lasting impacts on survivors. Among these impacts are emotional, social-behavioral, cognitive, neurodevelopmental, mental health, and disease. A basic understanding of the definition, dimensions, and long-term impact of ACEs has the potential to open up broader research and exploration in various fields as a main step in making prevention policies in the future.

Kesihatan reproduktif dan seksualiti adalah penting dalam kehidupan seseorang individu. Pendidikan tentang kesihatan reproduktif dan seksualiti yang berkesan dapat membantu mengurangkan gejala sosial seperti zina, hamil luar nikah, pembuangan bayi, dan seks songsang (LGBT) dalam kalangan orang Islam. Kurang kefahaman dan stigma dalam kalangan masyarakat membawa kepada kesukaran berbincang tentang isu kesihatan reproduktif dan seksualiti ini. Sebaliknya, Al-Quran telah memaparkan ayat-ayat berkaitan aspek reproduktif dan seksualiti ini dan menunjukkan pengiktirafan terhadap fitrah kejadian manusia yang berkeperluan kepada pasangan. Kertas ini bertujuan untuk mengenalpasti tema-tema aspek reproduktif dan seksualiti dalam Al-Quran, di samping menganalisis ayat-ayat tersebut secara ringkas. Kaedah analisis dokumen digunakan iaitu daripada Al-Quran sendiri, tafsir dan sumber-sumber kajian kepustakaan. Hasil kajian mendapati terdapat kepelbagaian sub-tema tentang aspek reproduktif dan seksualiti yang dinyatakan dalam Al-Quran. Tema terhasil adalah selari dengan perkembangan manusia dalam kitaran kehidupannya. Tema-tema ini dapat menjadi panduan untuk pendidikan kesihatan reproduktif dan seksualiti individu Muslim.

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.

Dampak buruk tersebut diantaranya adalah kecemasan yang disebabkan perasaan terancam baik bagi penyintas (pernah terinfeksi), keluarga penyintas bahkan masyarakat yang sama sekali belum pernah terinfeksi. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui intensitas kecemasan yang diakibatkan oleh pandemic ini, serta bagaimana efektifitas konseling islami dengan Teknik Desensitisasi sistematis sebagai integrase teknik yang relatife baru untuk mengatasi kecemasan akibat pandemic. Penelitian dirancang dengan metode single subject pre-post test design dengan melibatkan 3 muslimah yang mengalami kecemasan berat akibat pandemic COVID-19. Instrumen yang digunakan adalah skala kecemasan diri yang disusun dengan skala linkert sebagai alat pretest dan posttest. Data yang diperloeh kemudia diuji dengan analisis statistic non parametric wilcoxon test. Konseli diajak untuk melakukan relfeksi serta secara bertahap mengurangi sensitifitas pada dampak pandemic melalui narasi-narasi berbasis agama yang pada akhirnya membuat ketenangan pada diri konseli. Meskipun begitu tetap ditemukan resistensi pada diri konseli terutama disebabkan oleh dorongan pikiran rasional mereka yang selalu mempertentangkan narasi agama dengan kondisi factual di masyarakat. Hasilnya diketahui bahwa pendekatanan keislaman cukup efektif untuk mengatasi kecemasan tersebut. Hal ini dibuktikan dengan Asymp. Sig (2-tailed) diperoleh 0,010 < 0.05 yang berarti terjadi penurunan secara signifikan.

Isu pembuangan bayi yang berlaku di Malaysia kebelakangan ini amat membimbangkan. Ini berdasarkan kepada statistik pembuangan bayi di Malaysia yang dikeluarkan oleh Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM) yang mana dianggarkan bagi tempoh 2011 hingga 2012, terdapat sebanyak 187 kes pembuangan bayi dilaporkan di Malaysia manakala 89 kes direkodkan pada tahun 2012. Artikel ini akan meneliti hak dan kedudukan anak-anak yang dibuang berdasarkan kepada undang-undang. Metodologi kajian adalah melalui analisa dokumen iaitu dengan menganalisa peruntukan-peruntukan akta yang berkaitan selain daripada merujuk data PDRM dan konvensyen perjanjian dan keratin akhbar. Hasil dapatan kajian ini diharap dapat membantu dalam pengurusan bayi yang dibuang khususnya dalam aspek undang-undang.

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affects mental health in communities all over the world. Thus, this paper aims to see the potential of gardening as a therapy for mental health during this COVID-19 pandemic. Through the content analysis method, library research was conducted to examine this intervention. Findings show that gardening can be an alternative approach to prevention and healing in regards to mental health issues. Nature-based intervention such as gardening helps bring the feeling of peace and closeness to Allah which also allows for mental health issues to be curbed and health be restored, which ensures the overall well-being of those affected by COVID-19.

Selaras dengan polisi kerajaan untuk menjadikan Malaysia sebuah negara maju menjelang 2020 yang menumpukan kepada aspek ekonomi dan sosial,institusi perkahwinan dan keluarga perlu diperkukuhkan. Proses pembangunan yang pantas memberi tekanan dan cabaran kepada institusi kekeluargaan. Walaupun banyak usaha telah dilaksanakan bagi memperkukuhkan institusi kekeluargaan, masih kurang bukti yang menunjukkan keberkesanan usaha sedia ada. Kertas kerja ini bertujuan untuk menerangkan satu model yang berasaskan integrasi kaunseling konvensional dan pendekatan Islam untuk membantu pasangan Islam dalam kaunseling. Kajian ini akan melibatkan analisis teks Qut al Qulb karangan Abu Talib al-Makki dan kajian lepas tentang bahan-bahan daripada kedua-dua kaunseling konvensional dan Islam. Model ini menekankan tentang kepentingan intervensi kaunseling yang menggabungkan kedua dua elemen naqli dan aqli bagi menyokong klien orang Islam. Model ini berpotensi untuk menjadi panduan apabila berhadapan dengan pasangan beragama Islam. Adalah diharapkan kajian ini meningkatkan kesedaran untuk menambahbaik perkhidmatan kaunseling kepada pasangan Islam. Selain daripada itu, kajian ini juga diharap dapat meningkatkan kesejahteraan institusi kekeluargaan dan masyarakat amnya.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is defined as a lifetime developmental disorder usually identified by social interaction impairment, communication deficits, and repetitive behavior. The cases of children detected with ASD are rising globally, including Malaysia. Parents, as the prime caregiver to these children, face numerous challenges due to what is entailed in taking care of their children. This paper describes a case study where we examined the views and experience of three mothers, each of whom has an ASD child. Data were gathered through face-to-face semi-structured interviews, after which they were transcribed and analyzed using the thematic analysis method. The mothers narrated that the challenges they encountered include the difficulty they had in initially accepting their child’s diagnosis; labelling and discrimination; phase-based temporal challenges; endless physical, emotional, and mental sacrifices; finding the strength and patience to deal with the situation; academic vs. non-academic struggles, as well as their own coping mechanisms. This paper concludes with the need to provide support for parents-especially mothers-to enable them to overcome their challenges and focus on the development of their autistic children.

Throughout the history of mental health and well-being research, the pre-dominant focus of study has been pathological in nature. However, a trend toward the study of positive well-being has taken hold in the mental health field recently and one such concept is forgiveness. Forgiveness is considered a human strength and an important factor that influences human development. Based on previous research, in general, both lay person and therapists consider forgiveness to be beneficial and therapeutic. This paper tries to look at the conceptualization of forgiveness, models of forgiveness and factors that affects forgiving. Counseling implications and future research directions are also discussed.

Disaster survivors are individuals who are literally survived in the aftermath of disaster situations. They are dislocated from their affected homes to evacuation centers; and forced to leave behind all belongings. Due to the characteristics of disasters that are sudden and catastrophic, disaster survivors often experience substantial symptoms of distress and respond with psychological and psychosocial reactions. This qualitative research was conducted using a descriptive phenomenological study approach to explore, understand, and describe the experience of counselors during natural disasters in Malaysian. The authors were the primary instrument for data collection and analysis. Data included field notes and individual semi-structured in-depth interviews. The authors developed coding categories using ATLAS.ti. The themes that emerged were refined, and became the major and sub-themes for this research. This research found that the experience gained from the disaster survivors during the disaster situations has developed the understanding and addressing the complexity of satisfying disaster survivors’ critical needs during natural disasters. It was also informed that providing crisis support during natural disaster has brought plethora of experiences and knowledge that should be shared with other counselors in Malaysia.

Syukur adalah salah satu daripada amalan sifat mulia dalam Islam yang amat digalakkan. Dalam bidang psikologi positif, syukur atau gratitude dikaji sebagai satu perasaan atau emosi yang menyenangkan terhadap manfaat yang diperoleh. Namun, bersyukur juga dapat diintegrasikan dengan bidang kaunseling sebagai salah satu intervensi yang dapat membantu meningkatkan kesejahteraan seseorang individu klien. Banyak kajian lepas berkenaan sifat bersyukur ini menunjukkan kesan yang positif kepada kesejahteraan diri. Justeru, kajian ini bertujuan untuk: (1) meneroka pengalaman pelajar kaunseling yang telah menjalani intervensi diari syukur; dan (2) menilai pandangan pelajar tentang diari syukur sebagai satu intervensi yang boleh digunakan dalam kaunseling. Kajian ini menjalankan intervensi diari syukur selama empat minggu dengan pelajar kaunseling Tahun 3 dalam kursus yang diambil di salah sebuah universiti awam. Setelah tamat empat minggu, pelajar membuat refleksi tentang pengalaman mereka. Dengan menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif, 59 diari syukur dianalisis menggunakan kaedah analisis kandungan. Tiga tema utama dikenal pasti bagi pengalaman yang dilalui seperti berikut: permulaan baru, perkongsian syukur, dan perubahan diri. Manakala dua tema bagi pandangan sebagai intervensi iaitu manfaat kepada klien dan kepada kaunselor. Hasil kajian mendapati bahawa berdasarkan pengalaman mereka, pelajar kaunseling melihat kepentingan komitmen berterusan apabila mengintegrasikan diari syukur dalam amalan seharian dan kaunseling. Sehubungan itu, kajian ini mencadangkan diari syukur bukan sahaja membantu pelajar kaunseling lebih sejahtera tetapi juga menukar pandangan mereka tentang potensi intervensi yang menggabungkan pendekatan Islami dengan kaunseling.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of sound therapy in increasing calmness and reducing stress on working Muslim women in Malaysia. The design of this study was experimental using single group pretest-posttest. Eighty-eight Muslim women who are married and employed, participated in this study and their level of calmness and stress were measured before and after they were given two types of sound therapy intervention, the first being sounds of nature and the second, a recitation of Quranic verse. Both types of sound therapy shows significant increase in participants' calmness and reduction of their stress level but the second type of sound therapy (i.e. recitation of Quranic verse) shows better results than the first type (sounds of nature). These findings demonstrate that an intervention using sound therapy produces positive effects on the body. The result suggests that the use of sound therapy for working Muslim women in Malaysia may improve their calmness and reduce their stress level thus, underscore the need for additional research.

Group counselling is widely known in the field of counselling. This systematic review explores on the benefits of group counselling on group members who had undergone group counselling sessions. This systematic review is conducted following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Electronic databases are used, namely Cambridge University Press, Emerald and ProQuest. Furthermore, Google Scholar website is utilised. The search term used is “Effect”, “Group Counselling” and other relevant derivations, focusing on the benefits of group counselling. Only research articles in the form of quantitative research are included. The countries of the articles in this systematic review were from various countries namely Turkey, Jordan, Netherlands, Iran and United States. 10 journal articles extracted were reviewed. Results showed positive effects of group counselling on group members based on six major aspects. Social aspect includes increase in communication skills. Physiological aspect depicts decrease in Premenstrual Syndrome symptoms. Emotional aspect shows decrease in trait anger and anger repression. Psychological aspect depicts increase in mental health and decrease in anxiety. Cognitive aspect includes increase in knowledge and decrease in automatic thoughts. Behaviour aspect includes decrease in problematic Internet use and increase in positive attitude. In conclusion, it is proven that group counselling benefits the society in various aspects. Key words: Effect, group counselling, quantitative, systematic review

In adult refugees’ context, functional literacy is the biggest barrier for the refugees to socially navigate in the host community. Functional literacy is ‘the level of skill in listening, speaking, reading and writing that any individual needs in order to cope with adult life.’ Without functional literacy abilities in the language/s of the host country and uncertainties in the journey to resettlement, the refugees tend to become very vulnerable and traumatized. Thus, social navigation for survival becomes an issue not only because they have language barriers but also internal conflicts on the terrains of the imagined (the hopes) and the unexpected (the difficulties) they encounter in the host country. Employing both qualitative and quantitative data collection tools, this study explored the current English language literacy ability of the Rohingya youth refugees and related challenges. Findings revealed that despite the keen interests the participants have in acquiring English language proficiency, the different alphabetical systems pose problems for them. Despite the challenges in language, the participants exhibited strong sense of brotherhood with other fellow refugees and willingness to extend assistance. Religion developed the powerful bond. Based on the empirical data gathered, a Functional Literacy Course was developed to address language issues embedded with Leadership as well as Islamic Psycho-spiritual elements.

Recovery from drug addiction is a life-long process. The aim of this preliminary study was looking at the experiences of family support by people in recovery from drug addiction. This study employs a qualitative format using semi-structured interviews with four recovering drug users. Several themes were identified and discussed in relation to the literature on family support of people in recovery. The results highlight the importance of family support in the recovery of drug addiction. Suggestions and recommendations are also included.

Introduction: The advancement of technology and an ecological shift in the creative media industry requires managers and TV production workers to adapt to changes to ensure their well-being. Recent development shows a growing concern for the mental, physical and social health of creative media workers that demands a more in-depth investigation. Studies have found that those working in television production are facing long hours of work, poor pay, isolation and insecurity. However, there is little empirical research undertaken on those who work in the Malaysian creative media industry, especially Malay Muslims. Studies of media workers in Malaysia are mostly concerned with news production and the impact of reporting and journalistic challenges. The purpose of this study is to explore how Malay Muslim creative media workers manage and negotiate their mental health and well-being issues. Methods: By employing a phenomenological approach, interviews were conducted with seven participants, exploring their experience in the creative media industry. Results: The study found four emergent themes: (a) passion and commitment for creative endeavours, (b) work culture, (c) issue on work-life balance, and (d) role of religion. Discussion: This study is an attempt towards understanding the mental health of those working in the creative and entertainment realms in Malaysia. Based on the findings, implication for practitioners and future studies are discussed.

With the advent of recent technology especially the Internet, there is a challenge in maintaining academic integrity among students. One of the most common issue is plagiarism. Previous studies have considered plagiarism from the perspective of teachers as well as students at school up until the university level. This study examined Muslim counselor educators’ perceptions of students’ plagiarism. Using a qualitative case study, a purposive sample of five counselor educators from a single university were interviewed. Data collected were analyzed using thematic approach. Findings show participants’ attitude and behavior towards students’ plagiarism, and strategies pursued to educate students to avoid plagiarism. Limitations of the study, implications, and recommendations are discussed.

Significant attention has been shown in research on wellness for individuals with substance abuse or dependence. However, wellness among families affected by substance abuse has received limited focus in addiction research. Given the neglect of family perspectives in this field, this qualitative study explore the conceptualization of wellness as perceived by families with substance abuse. Individual interviews were conducted with five mothers of addicts, in one treatment setting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to identify important dimensions of wellness and their interpretation by families. Data was analysed using constant comparative method. Findings supports previous literature that wellness is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon encompassing dimensions related to the family’s everyday life and situation. Protective and environmental factors that promote or prevent development of wellness were identified. This study provides the opportunity to learn from families affected by substance abuse and factors that have supported them in maintaining their wellness while living in an environment that challenges their ability to maintain a healthy balance. Factors and strategies that promote wellness identified in this study may assist in the development of further investigations and interventions that support wellness.