Bachelor of Social Science (Honours) Psychology student Juliana Hoo Ju Yun was awarded the Best Presenter Award at the Malaysian Psychology Student Assembly 2022 (MAPSA), held on 26 March 2022 at the University of Nottingham, Semenyih. She walked away with a certificate of excellence for her paper titled Relationship Satisfaction and Intention towards Infidelity among Married Couples: The Role of Relationship Efficacy. The paper was also authored by UTAR Faculty of Arts and Social Science academic Tan Soon Aun.

Meanwhile, Psychology student Samantha Ng Hui Li received a certificate of participation for her paper titled Dark Triad Personality Traits and Intention towards Infidelity among Married Couples in Malaysia. The paper was also authored by Tan, and Psychology students Cheah Al Kaid, Chen Hui Yi and Muhamad Sharfudin bin Abdul Kader.

Speaking of the motivation for conducting this research, Juliana Hoo said, “Attending the conference was a great experience for me as I gained insights into how students from other universities conduct their research. I also learned a lot by attending the informative talks conducted by renowned speakers. I am more than happy to have won this award. It has motivated me and sparked my interest the in research field. Also, I would like to express my utmost gratitude to my supervisor Mr Tan Soon Aun for guiding me throughout the entire process.”

“As of 2020, the divorce rate among the Malaysian population had reached 19.2% with the highest number of divorces between the age group of 30 to 34. Extramarital infidelity, one of the most compelling factors to divorce, is a topic worth studying. In view of the intention towards infidelity, it is essential to consider how married couples deal with their romantic relationships. Relationship satisfaction is widely recognised as the ultimate common step leading to relationship breakdown. When an intimate relationship goes wrong, the cost can be tremendous, and in the worst-case scenario, an extramarital affair can destroy family institutions. The research thus illuminates marital counsellors to focus on preventive interventions such as increasing satisfaction and facilitating effective communication to resolve marital conflict, consequently reducing partners’ intention toward infidelity. The results also pinpoint the importance of enhancing satisfaction and practising effective two-way communication to address any grievances and unresolved conflicts with their intimate partners,” she added.

Malaysian Psychology Students Assembly (MAPSA) is an event for undergraduate and postgraduate students to present ideas, learn new skills with workshops and connect with students from different universities across the country. The University of Nottingham Malaysia is the host and organiser of MAPSA 2022.