Journal of Cognitive Sciences and Human Development

Psychometric evaluation of the Cognitive Ability Assessment using Rasch analysis and exploratory factor analysis

Hazalizah Hamzah — 2026-03-31

Despite the growing emphasis on employability, there is a lack of culturally relevant and psychometrically robust tools to assess the cognitive abilities of Malaysian undergraduates. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Cognitive Ability Assessment (CAA), a 50-item instrument designed to measure employability-related cognitive abilities in this population. A cross-sectional study with 278 students from a public university examined the Cognitive Ability Assessment (CAA) using Rasch modelling and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) to assess item functioning, dimensionality, reliability, and construct validity. Rasch analysis showed acceptable item fit (infit MNSQ = 0.73–1.32) and a broad difficulty range (−4.60 to 5.16 logits), with unidimensionality supported for the Quantitative (46.1%), Fluid (40.0%), and Spatial (60.4%) domains, but Comprehension explained only 26.1% of variance, indicating multidimensionality. Differential item functioning identified 10 items with large DIF and 4 with intermediate DIF across academic programmes. EFA explained 30–48% of the variance after item refinement. Internal consistency was moderate (α = 0.54–0.67), with acceptable model fit for most domains (CFI = 0.94–0.97), except Fluid (CFI = 0.83). The findings suggest that the CAA shows promising measurement precision but needs refinement to achieve structural coherence and subgroup fairness. Future research should confirm its factor structure, test invariance across populations, and assess predictive validity for employment outcomes.

From traits to grades: How cognitive engagement links personality to academic success among high and low achievers at university

Rahama Rahim — 2026-03-31

Although previous research has investigated personality traits, cognitive engagement, and academic achievement, few studies have examined these factors among high- and low-achieving students, particularly within specific cultural contexts such as Bangladesh. Considering this gap, this study inspected these relationships among 306 Bangladeshi university students using the Big Five Personality Inventory and the Motivation and Strategy Use Survey. Using correlation and mediation analyses, the findings revealed that openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, and agreeableness were positively related to academic achievement, whereas neuroticism showed no significant association. Cognitive engagement also demonstrated a significant positive correlation with academic achievement and significantly mediated the relationship between personality traits and academic achievement, except for neuroticism. Furthermore, high achievers scored significantly higher than low achievers in openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and cognitive engagement. Overall, the results point to the importance of providing students with the necessary support to boost their cognitive engagement and, consequently, improve their academic achievement.

Relationships between social media addiction, smartphone addiction and life satisfaction among young adults in Malaysia

Mohd Ferdaus Harun — 2026-03-31

Over the past decade, digital media engagement has intensified markedly, accompanied by growing concern over problematic and addiction-like patterns of technology use. Such patterns have been consistently linked to adverse psychosocial outcomes, including heightened stress, emotional distress, depressive symptoms, and reduced well-being. Young adults may be especially vulnerable, as this developmental stage involves heightened social comparison, evolving self-concepts, and increased reliance on digital technologies for social connection and identity expression. Against this backdrop, the present study examined the associations between Social Media Addiction, Smartphone Addiction, and Satisfaction with Life among young adults in Malaysia. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with N=414 Malaysian young adults aged 19 to 24 years using purposive sampling. The sample was predominantly female (84.5%), with males comprising 15.5%. Data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The results revealed a significant negative association between Social Media Addiction and Satisfaction with Life. In contrast, Smartphone Addiction demonstrated a small but positive association with Satisfaction with Life, contrary to the hypothesised negative relationship. These findings emphasise the importance of differentiating technology-related addictive behaviours and suggest prioritising social media in interventions, alongside a context-sensitive approach to smartphone use.

The effects of academic stress and psychological well-being on high school student-athletes' performance in Malaysia

Amiera Munjily Kamal Sattia — 2026-03-31

Academic stress and psychological pressures are known to affect students' well-being and performance, yet little is known about their influence on the athletic performance of Malaysian high school student-athletes. This study investigates this relationship and analyses how academic stress affects athletic performance, how student-athletes balance academic and athletic expectations, and the psychological effects of academic stress. Twelve 15–17-year-old high school student-athletes participated in semi-structured interviews as part of a qualitative phenomenology method. Thematic analysis revealed themes of limited athletic performance, dropout, and mental exhaustion. Academic expectations, tuition, and heavy workloads caused emotional distress, physical fatigue, and cognitive distraction, hindering athletic performance. Many student-athletes reported difficulty focusing during training and tournaments, while some considered dropping out to prioritise academics. Others managed both responsibilities through personal scheduling, with varying degrees of success. These findings enhance understanding of Malaysia's educational system and highlight the need for schools, coaches, parents, and policymakers to support student-athletes’ psychological well-being while balancing academic and athletic demands.

Leadership styles and resilience of Generation Z student leaders in Malaysian universities

Zarith Sofea Zakaria — 2026-03-31

Despite growing research on student leadership, few studies examine how digital pressures affect leadership and resilience among Generation Z student leaders in Malaysian universities. Facing constant connectivity, digital fatigue, and the need to balance academic and leadership roles, these students rely on resilience. This study explored how digital environments shape their leadership styles and resilience. Ten university student leaders, selected through purposive and snowball sampling, participated in semi-structured interviews as part of a qualitative case study. To assist in framing the conversation, each participant completed the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire Form 6S and the Brief Resilience Scale prior to the interview. Thematic analysis revealed that participants frequently employed a mixed leadership style, incorporating both transformational and transactional elements. Digital literacy, participative approaches, and situational adaptability influence leadership development. Personal passion, experience-based learning, early exposure to leadership roles, mentorship, and the use of digital technologies were all contributing factors. Participants faced challenges such as emotional strain, peer conflict, institutional limitations, and online criticism. Resilience appeared as an important trait, strengthened by strong support networks, a growth-oriented attitude, and spiritual beliefs. These findings emphasise the need for emotionally sensitive, value-aligned leadership development programs in higher education.

The role of Kahoot in enhancing motivation, engagement, and learning in chemistry among Form 4 students

Vitty Fung Ah Chon — 2026-03-31

A growing body of research has examined gamification in education; however, evidence on its effectiveness in enhancing conceptual understanding in secondary chemistry classrooms, particularly in rural Malaysia, remains limited. This quasi-experimental study compared traditional instruction with Kahoot-based gamified learning among 141 students. Academic achievement was assessed through pre- and post-tests, learning motivation was measured using the Instructional Materials Motivation Survey, and semi-structured teacher interviews provided insights into classroom experiences. The results showed a significant increase in motivation among students in the Kahoot group (p < .001). Both the experimental and control groups demonstrated significant improvement in achievement from pre-test to post-test; however, the difference in post-test achievement between the groups was not statistically significant (p = .39). Teachers reported increased engagement, participation, and classroom interaction during gamified activities, although infrastructure limitations such as device access and internet connectivity remained challenges. These findings suggest that Kahoot-based gamification can effectively enhance motivation, engagement, and learning in resource-limited secondary chemistry classrooms, highlighting its practical and theoretical significance.

The effect of career growth on work engagement among Sarawak civil servants

Rio Ferguson Saleh Pergi — 2026-03-31

Although career growth is widely recognised as an important driver of employee engagement, limited research has examined how its distinct dimensions influence engagement, particularly within the public service sector. This descriptive-correlational study examines the influence of career growth on work engagement among Sarawak civil servants. A total of 63 employees from local authority organisations in Sarawak were selected using a non-probability sampling method. The survey instrument was adapted from the Career Growth Scale and Work Engagement Scale. The scales' reliability was confirmed, with Cronbach's alphas exceeding 0.7 for all variables. The results of a Pearson correlation analysis indicated a significant and positive relationship between career growth dimensions and work engagement. Notably, the regression analysis showed that professional ability development has the greatest influence on work engagement, surpassing that of career goal progress. These findings provide valuable insights into the factors influencing work engagement among Sarawak civil servants, offering a pathway to develop a more comprehensive training plan for public-sector employees. By examining work engagement within the administrative and cultural context of Sarawak, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of how engagement drivers, particularly career growth opportunities, operate in Malaysian public institutions and adds to the broader literature on employee engagement in government settings.

The effect of phonics instruction on reading skills among primary school students in a rural district in Sarawak, Malaysia

Kartini Abdul Ghani — 2026-03-31

Phonics instruction is widely recognised as essential for early literacy development, yet its effectiveness for upper primary remedial learners in rural districts of Sarawak, Malaysia, remains under-researched. This study examined the effectiveness of structured phonics instruction in improving reading skills among upper primary school students in this context. Sixty Year 4 and Year 5 pupils with low English proficiency (Pre-A1 and Low A1) were selected using purposive sampling. A quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test control-group design was employed. The treatment group received five weeks of phonics instruction based on the Remedial Instruction Toolkit, while the control group followed the standard English curriculum. Reading performance was assessed using the measures Recognising Sound Patterns, Recognising Individual Letter Sounds, and Reading Comprehension. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests, namely the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test and Mann-Whitney U Test. Results indicated significant within-group improvements across all three reading components in the treatment group, with the strongest gains observed in individual letter-sound recognition. Between-group comparison revealed a statistically significant difference only for Recognising Individual Letter Sounds. The findings suggest that structured phonics instruction is particularly effective in strengthening foundational decoding skills among struggling readers in rural and semi-rural English-as-a-foreign-language contexts.

Work-life balance, organisational culture, psychological well-being, and job satisfaction: Findings from private-sector employees

Swaylinna Sitta Sambai Anak Rechmand — 2026-03-31

Existing research suggests that work-life balance, organisational culture, and psychological well-being influence job satisfaction; however, evidence from the private sector in Sarawak, Malaysia, remains limited. This study investigates the relationships among these factors among private-sector employees in Sarawak. Job satisfaction is a key aspect of human resource management, as it directly affects productivity, employee retention, and organisational commitment. The study involved 268 respondents from three private manufacturing organisations and used structured questionnaires to gather data. Descriptive and correlational approaches were used to assess the degree of correlation between the variables. The results show that job satisfaction is significantly positively correlated with all three independent factors. The most significant factors were organisational culture, work-life balance, and psychological well-being. These results emphasise the importance of promoting psychological well-being, work-life balance, and a supportive organisational culture to increase job satisfaction. This study provides valuable insights and recommendations for policy and future research to build a more satisfied workforce in the private sector.

Psychometric validation of the Malay version of the Ryff Psychological Well-Being Scale for caregivers of patients with dementia

Mohammed Rasheedan Ellin — 2026-03-31

Despite its widespread international use, the Ryff Psychological Well-Being Scale lacks a culturally validated Malay version, highlighting the need for a reliable tool to assess psychological well-being in Malaysia. Psychological well-being is a multifaceted construct that requires culturally appropriate instruments. The Malay version was developed using rigorous forward-backwards translation to ensure linguistic accuracy and cultural relevance, followed by review from eight experts in psychology, medicine, and gerontology who assessed item clarity, relevance, and cultural suitability. Minor modifications were applied to improve readability without altering underlying constructs. Content validity evaluation showed high item-level and scale-level Content Validity Index (CVI) values, indicating strong agreement among experts. Reliability testing yielded a Cronbach's alpha of 0.865, confirming the robustness of the translated scale, though further evaluation may enhance its psychometric properties. These findings provide a reliable, culturally validated instrument for assessing psychological well-being among Malay-speaking populations, supporting both research applications and evidence-based practice, and facilitating cross-cultural mental health studies.

A CBT-based stress management module for police officers: A pre-post intervention study

Mohd. Shahrul Kamaruddin — 2026-03-31

Despite the high-stress nature of policing roles in Malaysia, there is a lack of structured, evidence-based stress management interventions with measurable outcomes for police personnel. This study presents the outcomes of a stress management module conducted at the Kuching District Police Headquarters (IPD) to address occupational stress among Malaysian police personnel. Given the high-stress nature of policing roles, the intervention focused on equipping officers with mindfulness practices and time management techniques to foster psychological resilience, emotional regulation, and enhanced professional effectiveness. The program was designed to incorporate pre- and post-assessment tools to evaluate changes in stress awareness, stress coping strategies, and individual productivity. A total of 39 police officers initially participated in the program, of whom 36 completed the full intervention. Findings indicated measurable improvements in participants' ability to recognise personal stressors, apply mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques, and utilise structured time management to handle workload demands. These results underscore the value of incorporating structured wellness training into the professional development of police personnel in Malaysia and highlight the potential for broader institutional integration across district-level law enforcement units.

Effects of alpha music neurofeedback training on attention in undergraduate students: A pilot study

Siti Atiyah Ali — 2026-03-31

Neurofeedback training (NFT), particularly targeting alpha-band activity (8–12 Hz), has been explored as a non-invasive approach to enhance attentional regulation. However, the effectiveness of integrating alpha music into the NFT and the optimal number of training sessions remain unclear. This pilot study employed a quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test design to examine the effects of alpha music–based NFT on attention performance among undergraduate students. A total of 10 participants were recruited and divided into two groups: five-session NFT (n = 5) and eight-session NFT (n = 5). Participants were healthy undergraduates with no neurological or psychiatric conditions, and those with prior NFT experience or concurrent cognitive interventions were excluded. Attention performance was measured before and after the intervention using a standardised attention task. The results showed improvements in attention performance within both groups following NFT. However, no significant differences were observed between the two groups, suggesting that increasing the number of sessions did not provide additional benefits. In conclusion, the alpha-music–based NFT may support improvements in attention among young adults, though these findings should be interpreted with caution, given the small sample size. Further research with larger samples and controlled designs is recommended.

From theory to practice: Enhancing career counselling theory understanding through problem-based learning

Muliana Mohamad Taha — 2026-03-31

Despite the increasing emphasis on theory-practice integration in counselling education, empirical research on the effectiveness of problem-based learning (PBL) in teaching counselling theories remains limited. This study investigated the effectiveness of PBL in enhancing undergraduate counselling students' understanding of the Learning Theory of Career Counselling (LTCC) within an application-orientated career counselling course conducted prior to practicum and internship. A mixed-methods exploratory quasi-experimental, one-group pre-test-post-test design was employed with 29 third-year counselling students at a public university in Malaysia. The PBL intervention engaged students in an authentic career counselling scenario that required them to apply the seven LTCC stages. Quantitative data were collected using a pre- and post-intervention LTCC quiz, while qualitative data were obtained through a sticky note reflection activity. Results from the paired-samples t-test indicated a statistically significant improvement in LTCC knowledge following the intervention, t(28) = -3.65, p = .001, with a medium-to-large effect size (d = 0.68). Stage-specific analysis showed the greatest improvement in the Re-evaluate/Recycle stage, suggesting enhanced understanding of LTCC's iterative nature. Qualitative findings supported these results, highlighting themes of learning orientation, exploration, and experiential understanding. Overall, PBL appeared to be a promising pedagogical approach for facilitating theory-practice integration in counselling education.