TITLE: THE RELATIONSHIP OF STRESS MANAGEMENT, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS TO PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING OF YOUTH IN RESEARCH UNIVERSITY
Chapter 1
Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study
Youth is an important asset of a country where they are the biggest contributors to improving living standards either from economic, social or political aspects. According to the Malaysian Youth Policy (2015), the new definition of youth that will implement in 2018, youth is between the age of 15 and before reaching the age of 30 years. Various problems have occurred that involve youth such as smoking addiction, obesity, baby dumping and hanging out. In addition, mental health issues are also increasing among youths in Malaysia. The issue of youth development is crucial as Malaysia has a total of 14.7 million youths, 46 percent of its 31.7 million population (Department of Statistics Malaysia, 2015). Quality of life and well-being of youth are two aspects that need to be addressed by all parties.
According the World Health Organization (WHO) (2014), mental health can be understood as a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and able to make a contribution to his or her own community. The WHO expects that by 2020 mental illness is the second highest illness in the world.
Mental health is a concept that requires a balance between physical, psychological, spiritual and social aspects. All these aspects, there is the relationship that can affect a person's ability to respond in an appropriate manner. Mental health cannot be separated from physical well-being. Health and mental and physical illness are part of life that is important and interdependent with one another. Obviously, any illness or physical disorder can affect emotionally to individuals and family members.
1.2 Problem Statement
Everybody knows the psychological well-being become an important thing in human daily life. People cannot denial it. The effects of lack psychological well-being will give an impact to adult life to practice the holistic health. In addition, it will fail country plan towards becoming the human resource as an important core to achieve the successful of Wawasan 2020. The Ministry of Health Malaysia (2005) has defined psychological well-being as an individual's ability to deal with stress, avoid conflicts, increase calmness, stimulate motivation and increase self-esteem in life. According to The Sun’s newspaper on October 14, 2018, the Youth and Sports Minister, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said mental health issues in Malaysia is a serious matter and should be highlighted not only by the government but by every level of society. Every one in 10 Malaysian youth has thought of committing suicide. He was sharing a 2017 National Mental Health Survey which found that 10% out of 5.5 million Malaysian youths had thought about committing suicide, while 6.9% of the same number have attempted suicide. Therefore, society needs to address the illness and develop preventive strategies and effective programmes in managing mental wellbeing. Based on the Malaysian Psychological Wellbeing Index on October 16, 2018, our country is in a moderate level of psychological well-being based on the entire 1.1k respondents.
A study conducted at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) by Zulkefly et al. (2010) found that 47.1% of UPM students ranked low psychological wellbeing that showed that a large number of students were at risk of psychological problems. Another study by Fuad et al. (2015) conducted at UPM found that prevalence rates of stress, anxiety, and depression among the medical students were 16.9%, 52% and 24.4% respectively. A study conducted by Panahi et al. (2013) among postgraduate students at UPM shows a significant relationship between age and psychological wellbeing, which shows the level of well-being of students increases with age. The authors also confirm the significant relationship between age and psychological well-being in terms of autonomy, personal growth, and aims of life.
Many of factors that might be affect the psychological wellbeing especially the student in university that face many of challenge during their journey to complete their study. Thus, this research conducted to want to see whether there is has the relationship between stress management, physical activity and interpersonal relationship to psychological wellbeing among youth in Malaysian public university.
1.3 Research Objectives
1.3.1 General Objective
The general objective of this research is to determine the relationship of stress management, physical activity and interpersonal relationships to psychological well-being of youth in Malaysian public university.
1.3.2 Specific Objectives
1. To identify the levels of psychological well-being among the respondents.
2. To identify whether there are significant differences in the psychological well-being and its subscales between respondents based on their demographic profile (faculty, field of study, race, age, gender etc.)
3. To identify whether there are significant differences in the stress management and its subscales between respondents based on their demographic profile (faculty, field of study, race, age, gender etc.)
4. To identify whether there are significant differences in the physical activities and its subscales between respondents based on their demographic profile (faculty, field of study, race, age, gender etc.)
5. To identify whether there are significant differences in the interpersonal relationships and its subscales between respondents based on their demographic profile (faculty, field of study, race, age, gender etc.)
6. To determine the relationship of stress management, physical activity and interpersonal relationships to psychological well-being among respondents.
1.4 Research Hypothesis
To achieve the objectives of this study, the following hypotheses were formulated for testing.
H01: There are significant differences in the psychological well-being and its subscales between respondents based on their demographic profile (faculty, field of study, race, age, gender etc.).
H02: There are significant differences in the stress management and its subscales between respondents based on their demographic profile (faculty, field of study, race, age, gender etc.).
H03: There are significant differences in the physical activities and its subscales between respondents based on their demographic profile (faculty, field of study, race, age, gender etc.).
H04: There are significant differences in the interpersonal relationships and its subscales between respondents based on their demographic profile (faculty, field of study, race, age, gender etc.).
H05: There are significant differences in the relationship of stress management, physical activity and interpersonal relationships to psychological well-being among respondents.
1.5 Significant of the Research
In every of research work, the researcher has the opportunity to offer data as a secondary data source to improve their practice, policy makers to improve policy decisions and their researchers in further explorations and contributions to existing research and literature.
This study will provide the information about the relationships of stress management, physical activity and interpersonal relationships to psychological well-being of youth in Malaysian public university.
1.6 Research Scope and Limitation
This study focuses on investigating the relationship of stress management, physical activity and interpersonal relationships to psychological well-being of youth in Malaysian public university. This study is divided into stress management of youth, physical activity in daily life of youth nowadays, interpersonal relationships of youth with other peoples and the psychological well-being of youth.
The geographical scope of the research is in Selangor. The place to conduct this research is in Malaysian public university in Serdang. The name of the university is University Putra Malaysia (UPM). The respondents will focuses in Faculty of Educational Studies and Faculty of Human Ecology students aged between 18 until 29 years old.
The following limitations were encountered during conducted this work:
• Lack of reliable data: The respondents’ unwillingness to give out available and reliable data was major limitation in the course of the study.
• Self-reported data: Self-reported data was a major limitation of the study, because it rarely can be independently.
1.7 Definition of Terms
1.7.1 Stress
The “wear and tear” our bodies experience as we adjust to our continually changing environment; it has physical and emotional effects on us and can create positive or negative feelings (Lyles, 2005).
1.7.2 Stress management
The ability to tolerate adverse events, stressful occasions, and strong emotions without backing off and also managing positive and active stressful confrontations (Bar-On, 2002).
1.7.3 Physical activity
Regular planned or unplanned participation in light, moderate or vigorous activity for the sake of health or fitness or incidentally as a part of daily life or leisure activities (Walker & Hill-Plerecky, 1996).
1.7.4 Interpersonal relationship
This refer to the ability to generate and keep mutually satisfactory relationships which include sensual closeness, friendship, being kind and accepting other’s kindness (Bar-On, 2002).
1.7.5 Well-being
Diener (2000) established the concept of well-being as “an individual’s subjective evaluation of one’s life evaluations that are both affective and cognitive. People experience well-being when they feel many pleasant and few unpleasant emotions, when they are engaged in interesting activities, when they experience many pleasures and few pains, and when they are satisfied with their lives. (p.34)”
1.8 Conclusion
Overall, this chapter explain about the research with which is covered background of study, problem statement, research objectives, research hypothesis, significant of the research, research scope and limitation, definition of terms in conducted this research. Next, in chapter 2 will explain further about the literature review to support this research.