The exploration of underlying mechanisms leading to the development of smartphone addiction has been limited, with only a few studies incorporating theories to provide explanations. Drawing upon the Dual Systems Model, this study tested the hypothesis that the reflective system of self-regulation would mediate the relation between the reflexive system of impulsivity and narcissism, and smartphone addiction in a sample of 298 undergraduate students. Participants completed a self-administrated web-based questionnaire containing measures of impulsivity (the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale), narcissism (the Narcissistic Personality Inventory), self-regulation (the Self-Regulation Scale), and smartphone addiction (the Smartphone Addiction Inventory). The findings from structural equation modeling revealed that self-regulation served as a significant mediator between impulsivity and smartphone addiction, as well as between narcissism and smartphone addiction. These findings offer insights that can contribute to the development of interventions and strategies that target impulsivity and narcissism by enhancing self-regulation skills.

Recent studies suggest gender differences in problematic internet usage and such differences could be attributed to usage patterns and motivation and could result in different psychological impacts. This chapter reviews the risk factors, internet-related activities, access to the internet, and internet usage sequelae among women in Malaysia. We conclude the chapter by summarizing current treatment models which could be used in managing problematic internet usage among Malaysian women. It is hoped that this chapter could provide insight into future research areas as new studies in the field continue to emerge.

Overdependence on the internet is a grave concern that has enveloped Malaysian youths which could lead to a variety of sequelae. This narrative review aims to determine the definition of internet overdependence and its associated factors, as well as the potential preventive and treatment strategies for internet overdependence. From the literature, internet overdependence is regarded as a 3-factor model encompassing salience, self-control failure, and serious consequences. Sociodemographic factors such as age, gender, and ethnicity, as well as psychosocial factors such as depression, anxiety, stress, and loneliness, were found to be associated with internet overdependence among Malaysian youths. A multimodal treatment approach is recommended by the implementation of various types of treatments, integrating disciplines such as pharmacology, psychotherapy, and family counseling. Despite various terminologies being used and unclear conceptualization of its nomenclature, overdependence on the internet is prevalent among youths in Malaysia. Future research should go toward establishing a clear definition of its terminology and attaining more robust evidence on treatment strategies.

Background: Gaming can be very entertaining and through it, gamers are able to develop skills. However, it also may result in one’s getting too obsessed with video games regardless of any circumstances. Unnoticed, it may develop an Internet gaming disorder (IGD). This study aimed to investigate the neural activation involved in cognitive flexibility using fMRI that being triggered by the Stroop color task among Malaysian youngsters and its correlation with designated psychological disorders. Methods: A total of 37 participants (IGD = 19, Control = 18) were recruited to partake in this study. The division of participants according to the cut-off point of IAT and IGDS9-SF. Data were analyzed using MATLAB 8.5 (R2015a) and Statistical Parametric Mapping 12 (SPM 12) to evaluate brain activation. Results: This study found that IGD groups experience hyperactivation in the occipital and parietal lobes especially in the inferior occipital gyrus IOG and inferior parietal gyrus (IPG) but a hypoactivation on the frontal lobe. There a significant mean difference for the right IOG and left supplementary motor area (SMA) between the IGD and control groups at p <0.025 after, Bonferroni correction. A significant correlation was found (p < 0.006; Bonferroni correction) between cerebellum 45 right and stress behavior, r = 0.65. Conclusion: These results indicated that individuals with IGD tend to have the rampant yet favorable ability in attention and recognition regulation but deterioration in reward processing. These findings provide a deeper understanding in developing appropriate guidelines and interventions to treat the Internet gaming addicts community, especially in the Malaysian population.

PURPOSEThis cross-sectional study examined the cyber-psychological correlates of depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidality among public university students in Klang Valley, Malaysia.DESIGN AND METHODSParticipants were randomly selected using multi-stage sampling methods from three public universities in the study location. Participants completed measures of internet and smartphone addictions, depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidality, along with sociodemographic items.FINDINGSAt bivariate level, both internet and smartphone addictions were found to have significant positive correlations with depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidality. At multivariate level, only internet addiction emerged as a consistent significant predictor for depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidality.PRACTICE IMPLICATIONSThe present findings have implications for mental health professionals to routinely screen for psychological disturbance in young adults who have potential risks for internet addiction.

The rapid development of Internet gaming technology in Malaysia has come with a cost of greater vulnerability in becoming addicted to video games especially for an adolescent whose mental abilities were not matured yet. This study aimed to investigate the differences in human neural activation using fMRI that being triggered by gaming video among Malaysian young adult. The 16 participants with Internet addiction were recruited. They undergo approximate 10 minutes of task-based fMRI scanning that will be presenting an ordered games-related and control short video simultaneously. Data were analyzed using MATLAB 9.3 (R2017b) and Statistical Parametric Mapping 12 (SPM 12) to evaluate brain activation. Based on the result, these the regions activated are known to be linked in visuospatial, somatosensory, semantic memory processing, emotional response, reward, integrating information process, memory retrieval, spatial navigation, and orientation. These findings may yield more in-depth in this study and provide a deeper understanding in developing appropriate guidelines and interventions to treat Internet gaming addicts community, especially in the Malaysian population.

Objective: Ovarian teratoma has been frequently associated with Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis in recent years since the discovery by Dalmao in year 2007. It is postulated that the ovarian teratoma containing nervous tissue express NMDAR subunits that react with patient’s antibodies would worsen patients’ underlying psychosis and impact on treatment response. Method: We reported a case of a 37-year-old lady diagnosed with Treatment Resistant Schizophrenia (TRS) who had poor response to treatment despite multiple trials of antipsychotics, and electroconvulsive therapy. Results: Patient achieved remission following the excision of an ovarian teratoma and had been maintaining well with minimal psychotropic intervention. Conclusion: This case suggests on how ovarian teratoma could affect treatment response in Schizophrenia. Diagnostic reassessment is an important first step in the management of TRS.

Objective: Ovarian teratoma has been frequently associated with Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis in recent years since its discovery by Dalmao in the year 2007. Most patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis develop a multistage illness that progresses from psychosis, memory deficits, seizures, and language disintegration into a state of unresponsiveness with catatonic features often associated with abnormal movements, and autonomic and breathing instability. Milder or incomplete forms of the disorder in which patients develop predominant or apparently isolated psychiatric symptoms are uncommon. The overlap of symptomatology between anti-NMDAR encephalitis and schizophrenia often result in misdiagnosis. This case represents a forme fruste of ovarian teratoma related anti-NMDAR encephalitis which only presents with psychiatric and cognitive symptoms without obvious neurological deficits. Method: We report a case of a 37-year-old lady diagnosed with Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia (TRS) who had a poor response to treatment despite multiple trials of antipsychotics and electroconvulsive therapy. Results: Our patient achieved remission following the excision of the ovarian teratoma and had been maintaining well with minimal psychotropic intervention. Conclusion: This case suggests that clinicians should always have a high index of suspicion for anti-NMDAR encephalitis in young women presenting with new-onset psychiatric symptoms and/or treatment-resistant psychosis. More research is needed to shed light on the exact role of NMDAR within the brain circuitry and the effects of its modulation in both Schizophrenia and anti-NMDAR encephalitis.