Maldives National Journal of Research
The Maldives National Journal of Research (MNJR) is a research journal of the Maldives National University published by the Postgraduate Research Centre. MNJR is a multidisciplinary journal of research in all disciplines relevant to the Maldives. Although in the coming years, it is expected that this journal will evolve into specialist journals in various disciplines, the first one is generalist in nature. The journal publishes research articles, literature reviews, book reviews, comments, opinion and perspectives.
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Item Virtual focus group discussions : exploring new frontiers in qualitative methods(The Maldives National Journal of Research, Maldives National University, 2022-07) Musthafa, Hawwa Shiuna; Moosa, Sheena; Hassan, AishathThe COVID-19 pandemic triggered reactive innovation using digital technology in research methods. This paper presents experiences from the methodological component of conducting virtual focus group discussions among the highly dispersed island nation of the Maldives during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample consisted of 99 participants divided among 28 virtual focus groups. The most populated regions of the Maldives i.e., Male’, Addu, Laamu, and Kulhuduffushi were selected. Additionally, two smaller islands with a population less than 400 people, namely, Rasgatheem and Madifushi, were also selected. The focus groups were determined by adopting a life cycle approach representing groups from childhood, youth, working age group, and senior citizens. To ensure inclusivity, three separate groups of men, women, and people with disabilities were also selected. The data collected was then subjected to thematic analysis. The findings indicated that with open discussions and engagement, facilitators were able to draw out shy participants and manage dominant participants in the Virtual Focus Group Discussion (VFGD). The caveat, however, is the need for internet connectivity and digital literacy of participants. The findings provided an in-depth understanding of the research problem. VFGD can become a mainstream data collection technique in the social qualitative inquiry especially with difficult-to-access and remote populations.Item The role of length of parental leave in strengthening mother-child bond and the husband-wife relationship in the Maldives(Maldives National University, 2021-07) Saleem, Asma; Musthafa, Hawwa ShiunaThis study examines how the extension of the period of parental leave, from 60 days to 180 days that occurred in the Maldives in 2019, affected the family dynamics of mothers and their children. Purposive sampling technique was used to collect data from seven full-time working mothers, who had experienced both shorter and longer parental leave. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews. The most prominent finding was the higher level of involvement of father in taking care of the child with mothers reporting substantial strengthening in mother-child bond and the husband-wife relationship as parents during the longer parental leave. This research adds a new dimension to the discussion of the impact of longer parental leave legislation on family consolidation outcomes. It also has implications for the development of family policies that support the needs of both mothers and fathers during the first months of an infant’s life.Item Determinants of socioeconomic experiences during COVID-19 pandemic in the Maldives(Research Development Office, The Maldives National University, 2020-12) Musthafa, Hawwa Shiuna; Riyaz, Aminath; Moosa, Sheena; Abdul Raheem, Raheema; Naeem, Aishath ZeenThis paper evaluates the individual experiences and perceptions of the public about the COVID-19 pandemic in the Maldives. The data was collected from a probability sample comprising 1026 respondents using an online survey. The results show that less than 1% of the respondents tested positive for COVID-19 at the time. The fear of the pandemic, in terms of probable health and economic impact, was significantly higher than the actual experience of the pandemic with 6.8 percent reporting loss of employment. Participants who considered religion as very important show a higher psychological wellbeing. Over 12% of the participants believed that the pandemic to be a hoax. The findings showed inclination of the people lay more towards solidarity rather than hostility during these trying times, with at least one third of the respondents identifying with complete solidarity. The findings provide suggestions for health practitioners to communicate more effectively with the public during the crisis.Item Survey sampling in the time of social distancing experiences from a quantitative research in the wake of COVID 19 pandemic(The Research Centre, Maldives National University, 2020-08) Riyaz, Aminath; Musthafa, Hawwa Shiuna; Abdul Raheem, Raheema; Moosa, SheenaThis paper explores the practical difficulties of conducting an online quantitative survey across the Maldives during the COVID‑19 pandemic response to study people’s values in the midst of a crisis, and addresses crisis experience and perception, value orientation, personality traits, social cohesion, and trust in relevant authorities. This paper reports on the methodological component and not on the survey findings. A stratified systematic random sampling approach was used, with stratification on urbanrural clusters (cities and other islands), gender, and age of the population to recruit at least 400 from the urban and 600 participants from the rural communities. To overcome the practical difficulty of accessing households due to restrictive measures across the Maldives and lockdown status in the greater Male’ area, the latest voters’ registry was used to select every nth participant as the sample frame. Participants were recruited through phone calls, and survey instrument shared via social media, achieving a response rate of 87%.The practical difficulties with the sampling approach were different in urbanrural clusters, ranging from securing the phone numbers for prospective participants, nonresponse to phone calls, discrepancies in internet access, and the lack of control on whether the intended participant was in fact the person completing the survey. To overcome these challenges, a mix of probability and non-probability sampling was utilised ensuring not more than one participant was recruited from any household, while adhering to the stratification of gender and age. The statistical findings on the validity and reliability of the data show that the recruited sample is representative of the population. This outcome highlights the adaptability and applicability of established quantitative research methods to a geographically dispersed small island developing state, under nonconventional situations.