Ismail Maakip

The Big Five Personality Traits and Uses of Music A Replication in Malaysia Using Structural Equation Modeling

The current study set out to replicate and extend a recent paper (Chamorro-Premuzic & Furnham, 2007) on personality and uses of music using structural equation modeling. Responses to questionnaire data from 227 Malaysian university students showed that, in line with our hypotheses, individuals higher in Neuroticism were more likely to use music for emotional regulation (influencing their mood states), Extraversion positively predicted use of music as background or for distraction, and Openness to Experience predicted cognitive use of music. However, contrary to the target paper, Conscientiousness did not predict use of music for emotional regulation and Extraversion was positively rather than negatively linked with that use of music. Results are discussed in terms of the generalizability of previous findings on the Big Five as determinants of uses of music.

Lay perceptions of current and future health, the causes of illness, and the nature of recovery: Explaining health and illness in Malaysia

This study examined beliefs about the causes and determinants of health, illness, and recovery in an opportunistic sample from Malaysia. In all, 371 women and 350 men completed the Health and Illness Scale, a 124-item scale that examined beliefs about current and future health, and beliefs about the causes of illness and recovery. Each of the four subscales of the Health Illness Scale were factor analysed to reveal the underlying structure. Results showed the emergence of a number of distinct factors in the case of each subscale, of which environmental, life-style, psychological, religious, and fate-related factors were fairly stable across subscales. Results also showed a number of differences in beliefs between religious groups, and that religiosity and sex were the strongest predictors of beliefs across the four subscales. The results are discussed in terms of the available cross-cultural literature on lay beliefs about health.

Prevalence and predictors for musculoskeletal discomfort in Malaysian office workers: Investigating explanatory factors for a developing country.

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a major occupational health issue for workers in developed and developing countries, including Malaysia. Most research related to MSDs has been undertaken in developed countries; given the different regulatory and cultural practices it is plausible that contributions of hazard and risk factors may be different. A population of Malaysian public service office workers were surveyed (N = 417, 65.5% response rate) to determine prevalence and associated predictors of MSD discomfort. The 6-month period prevalence of MSD discomfort was 92.8% (95%CI = 90.2-95.2%). Akaikes Information Criterion (AIC) analyses was used to compare a range of models and determine a model of best fit. Contributions associated with MSD discomfort in the final model consisted of physical demands (61%), workload (14%), gender (13%), work-home balance (9%) and psychosocial factors (3%). Factors associated with MSD discomfort were similar in developed and developing countries but the relative contribution of factors was different, providing insight into future development of risk management strategies.

Workstyle and musculoskeletal discomfort (MSD): exploring the influence of work culture in Malaysia

Purpose Workstyle can be defined as an individual pattern of cognitions, behaviours and physiological reactivity that can occur while performing job tasks. Workstyle has been associated with the development of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) amongst office workers in developed countries. However, little is known about the contribution of workstyle on MSDs in developing countries such as Malaysia. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship between workstyle and musculoskeletal discomfort in a sample of office workers in Malaysia. Methods Office workers (Nxa0=xa0417; response rate 65.5xa0%) from four organisations completed a survey measuring physical and psychosocial hazards, job satisfaction, work-life balance, workstyle, and MSD discomfort levels. Hierarchical regression analyses were undertaken to examine predictors associated with self-reported musculoskeletal discomfort, and more specifically the relationship between workstyle and MSD discomfort. Results Musculoskeletal discomfort was significantly associated with working through pain, mental health, physical demands, gender and work-life balance (R2xa0=xa050.2, adjusted R2xa0=xa00.48; F (13, 324)xa0=xa025.09, pxa0=xa00.001). Working through pain is the strongest risk factor associated with MSD discomfort (ßxa0=xa00.49, pxa0=xa00.001) compared to other potential risk factors. Conclusions Working through pain is influenced by work, social culture and religious beliefs. Workplace MSDs interventions that focus on the impact of physical and psychosocial hazards with emphasis on addressing adverse workstyles should take into account aspects related to work and social culture of the target population. Changes are recommended at both employee and management levels such as better communications and understanding concerning workplace problems with regards to minimizing MSDs at work.

Predictors of musculoskeletal discomfort: A cross-cultural comparison between Malaysian and Australian office workers

Prevalence and predictors associated with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) vary considerably between countries. It is plausible that socio-cultural contexts may contribute to these differences. We conducted a cross-sectional survey with 1184 Malaysian and Australian office workers with the aim to examine predictors associated with MSD discomfort. The 6-month period prevalence of self-reported MSD discomfort for Malaysian office workers was 92.8% and 71.2% among Australian workers. In Malaysia, a model regressing level of musculoskeletal discomfort against possible risk factors was significant overall (F [6, 370]xa0=xa017.35; pxa0<xa00.001) and explained 22% (rxa0=xa00.46) of its variance. MSD discomfort was significantly associated with predictors that included gender (βxa0=xa014), physical (βxa0=xa00.38) and psychosocial hazards (βxa0=xa0-0.10), and work-life balance (βxa0=xa0-0.13). In Australia, the regression model is also significant (F [6, 539]xa0=xa016.47; pxa0<xa00.001) with the model explaining 15.5% (rxa0=xa00.39) of the variance in MSD discomfort. Predictors such as gender (βxa0=xa00.14), physical (βxa0=xa024) and psychosocial hazards (βxa0=xa0-0.17), were associated with MSD discomfort in Australian office workers. Predictors associated with MSD discomfort were similar, but their relative importance differed. Work-life balance was significantly associated with increased MSD discomfort for the Malaysian population only. Design and implementation of MSD risk management needs to take into account the work practices and culture of the target population.

Gender, Cultural Influences, and Coping with Musculoskeletal Pain at Work: The Experience of Malaysian Female Office Workers.

Purpose Workers with musculoskeletal pain (MSP) often continue to work despite their condition. Understanding the factors that enable them to remain at work provides insights into the development of appropriate workplace accommodations. This qualitative study aims to explore the strategies utilised by female Malaysian office workers with MSP to maintain productive employment. Methods A qualitative approach using thematic analysis was used. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 female Malaysian office workers with MSP. Initial codes were identified and refined through iterative discussion to further develop the emerging codes and modify the coding framework. A further stage of coding was undertaken to eliminate redundant codes and establish analytic connections between distinct themes. Results Two major themes were identified: managing the demands of work and maintaining employment with persistent musculoskeletal pain. Participants reported developing strategies to assist them to remain at work, but most focused on individually initiated adaptations or peer support, rather than systemic changes to work systems or practices. A combination of the patriarchal and hierarchical cultural occupational context emerged as a critical factor in the finding of individual or peer based adaptations rather than organizational accommodations. Conclusions It is recommended that supervisors be educated in the benefits of maintaining and retaining employees with MSP, and encouraged to challenge cultural norms and develop appropriate flexible workplace accommodations through consultation and negotiation with these workers.

Psychosocial Hazards and Musculoskeletal Disorders: Are There Different Roles for Workplace Factors Between Office Workers in Malaysia and Australia?

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are considered to be a major occupational health problem contributing significantly to absenteeism, disability and loss of productivity. The majority of studies related to MSDs have been conducted in developed countries such as Australia, and it is proposed that contributing factors linked with MSD development might operate differently in developing countries like Malaysia, as a result of sociocultural differences. A key issue in the development of MSDs is the contribution of psychosocial factors; however, this is not reflected in current management practices which tend to focus predominately on physical factors. Malaysia and Australia have very different societal structures, which influence the way work is organised and the expectations of employees at their workplaces. Therefore, it is plausible that the contribution of workplace factors to MSD development might differ. This chapter will explore a range of issues in relation to the development of MSDs and use a population of office workers in Australia and Malaysia to explore different explanatory models. A survey tool was used to assess a range of workplace and personal factors, including: work–life balance, job satisfaction, physical hazards, coping strategies, and psychosocial hazards. Analysis was undertaken to assess relevant predictors for each population and then a comparison undertaken to identify key differences between the populations. The chapter will also discuss the results from a qualitative study of female Malaysian office workers who were asked about their coping strategies for persistent musculoskeletal pain. Despite similarities in the prevalence of musculoskeletal discomfort in both the Australian and Malaysian populations, differences were identified in the relative contribution of factors. The findings from this study provide insights into future policy development of management of MSDs. Malaysia is at a formative stage in term of risk management for MSDs and as such a different focus is needed to adequately address relevant workplace factors.