A study of the effects of fear of Covid-19, locus of control, and gender on depression among undergraduates in Malaysia

Suicide cases in Malaysia surged during the Covid-19 pandemic and depression remains ahuge yet undiscovered cause to this situation, especially among the undergraduate’spopulation. This study aims to identify the effects of fear of Covid-19 and locus of control ondepression, as well as to explore th...

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Main Authors: H’ng, Zhuang Hang, Wong, Ker Yin, Yau, Chiow Yee
Format: Final Year Project / Dissertation / Thesis
Published: 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:http://eprints.utar.edu.my/4505/
http://eprints.utar.edu.my/4505/1/FYP_PY_HZH_2021.pdf
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author H’ng, Zhuang Hang
Wong, Ker Yin
Yau, Chiow Yee
author_facet H’ng, Zhuang Hang
Wong, Ker Yin
Yau, Chiow Yee
author_sort H’ng, Zhuang Hang
building UTAR Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Suicide cases in Malaysia surged during the Covid-19 pandemic and depression remains ahuge yet undiscovered cause to this situation, especially among the undergraduate’spopulation. This study aims to identify the effects of fear of Covid-19 and locus of control ondepression, as well as to explore the gender differences in depression among undergraduatesin Malaysia. Using a cross-sectional survey design, the purposive sampling method wasapplied to recruit undergraduate respondents from universities and colleges in the entireMalaysia. A total of 343 participants were recruited through online communication platformsand 307 were retained for final analyses. The Fear of Covid-19 Scale (FCV-19S), Levenson’sMultidimensional Locus of Control Scale, and Beck’s Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) wereutilized for data collection. All 307 participants were 18 to 25 years old, with 55.6% femalesand 85% Chinese undergraduates. Findings revealed that fear of Covid-19 and all threedimensions of locus of control were associated with depression. However, only internal locusof control and external locus of control (chance) significantly predicted depression. Besides,no significant difference in depression was found in the sample. In short, the current studyrevealed new insights to the literature of depression in the Malaysia context, shed light onpotential ways of addressing depression among undergraduates, and set the foundation forfuture research to explore different protective factors that can buffer the effects of Covid-19pandemic on depression.
first_indexed 2025-11-15T19:34:14Z
format Final Year Project / Dissertation / Thesis
id utar-4505
institution Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman
institution_category Local University
last_indexed 2025-11-15T19:34:14Z
publishDate 2021
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling utar-45052022-12-23T17:56:11Z A study of the effects of fear of Covid-19, locus of control, and gender on depression among undergraduates in Malaysia H’ng, Zhuang Hang Wong, Ker Yin Yau, Chiow Yee BF Psychology H Social Sciences (General) HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform HQ The family. Marriage. Woman HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare Suicide cases in Malaysia surged during the Covid-19 pandemic and depression remains ahuge yet undiscovered cause to this situation, especially among the undergraduate’spopulation. This study aims to identify the effects of fear of Covid-19 and locus of control ondepression, as well as to explore the gender differences in depression among undergraduatesin Malaysia. Using a cross-sectional survey design, the purposive sampling method wasapplied to recruit undergraduate respondents from universities and colleges in the entireMalaysia. A total of 343 participants were recruited through online communication platformsand 307 were retained for final analyses. The Fear of Covid-19 Scale (FCV-19S), Levenson’sMultidimensional Locus of Control Scale, and Beck’s Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) wereutilized for data collection. All 307 participants were 18 to 25 years old, with 55.6% femalesand 85% Chinese undergraduates. Findings revealed that fear of Covid-19 and all threedimensions of locus of control were associated with depression. However, only internal locusof control and external locus of control (chance) significantly predicted depression. Besides,no significant difference in depression was found in the sample. In short, the current studyrevealed new insights to the literature of depression in the Malaysia context, shed light onpotential ways of addressing depression among undergraduates, and set the foundation forfuture research to explore different protective factors that can buffer the effects of Covid-19pandemic on depression. 2021-11-22 Final Year Project / Dissertation / Thesis NonPeerReviewed application/pdf http://eprints.utar.edu.my/4505/1/FYP_PY_HZH_2021.pdf H’ng, Zhuang Hang and Wong, Ker Yin and Yau, Chiow Yee (2021) A study of the effects of fear of Covid-19, locus of control, and gender on depression among undergraduates in Malaysia. Final Year Project, UTAR. http://eprints.utar.edu.my/4505/
spellingShingle BF Psychology
H Social Sciences (General)
HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform
HQ The family. Marriage. Woman
HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare
H’ng, Zhuang Hang
Wong, Ker Yin
Yau, Chiow Yee
A study of the effects of fear of Covid-19, locus of control, and gender on depression among undergraduates in Malaysia
title A study of the effects of fear of Covid-19, locus of control, and gender on depression among undergraduates in Malaysia
title_full A study of the effects of fear of Covid-19, locus of control, and gender on depression among undergraduates in Malaysia
title_fullStr A study of the effects of fear of Covid-19, locus of control, and gender on depression among undergraduates in Malaysia
title_full_unstemmed A study of the effects of fear of Covid-19, locus of control, and gender on depression among undergraduates in Malaysia
title_short A study of the effects of fear of Covid-19, locus of control, and gender on depression among undergraduates in Malaysia
title_sort study of the effects of fear of covid-19, locus of control, and gender on depression among undergraduates in malaysia
topic BF Psychology
H Social Sciences (General)
HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform
HQ The family. Marriage. Woman
HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare
url http://eprints.utar.edu.my/4505/
http://eprints.utar.edu.my/4505/1/FYP_PY_HZH_2021.pdf