Anxiety Level Among Parents of Newly Diagnosed Children with Speech-Language Impairment: A Study Using the Malay Version of DASS

Abstract

Background: Parents of newly diagnosed children with speech-language impairment often experience elevated levels of anxiety and stress, primarily due to concerns about their child’s developmental future and the complexity of intervention pathways. This study aims to assess the anxiety levels among these parents using the validated Malay version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-M). Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted involving 15 parents whose children were diagnosed with speech-language impairment within the past 12 months. Participants completed demographic questions and the DASS-M via an online Google Form. Data were analysed to identify anxiety levels and explore associations with demographic variables: educational level, socioeconomic status, and parent age group. Results: Most participants (86.7%) reported no anxiety, while 13.3% reported mild anxiety. Correlation analysis showed no statistically significant associations between anxiety and socioeconomic status, parent age group, and educational level. Power analysis indicated that all tests were underpowered (power < 0.80), limiting the ability to detect true relationships. Conclusion: This study examined anxiety levels among parents of children newly diagnosed with speech-language impairment using the DASS-M, finding that most reported no symptoms while a few exhibited mild anxiety. Despite limitations such as a small sample size and potential underreporting, the findings highlight the need for culturally sensitive tools and support strategies to better understand and address parental emotional responses during the early post-diagnosis stages.