The Malaysian Family Well-Being Index 2022 was the fourth series of LPPKN’s national family well-being measurement, following the previous studies conducted in 2011, 2016 and 2019. It was implemented to continue monitoring the well-being of Malaysian families and to provide updated evidence on how families were adapting to post-pandemic realities, rising living costs, changing family structures, digital influences and evolving social challenges. The study is an important national reference under the Twelfth Malaysia Plan, where the Family Well-Being Index is used as one of the key indicators under the focus area of strengthening the family institution, with a target score of 8.00 out of 10. It also supports evidence-based planning for family policies, programmes and interventions in line with Malaysia’s social development agenda.
Methodology
The study adopted a quantitative cross-sectional survey design and was conducted nationwide. The sampling frame was based on the National Household Sampling Frame, using Enumeration Blocks established from the 2020 Population and Housing Census and updated from time to time.
A two-stage stratified sampling design was used, covering all states as the main strata and urban-rural areas as the second strata. The Department of Statistics Malaysia provided technical support in sampling design and sample selection to ensure that the study was nationally representative.
A total of 8,460 living quarters were selected, and 5,236 respondents were successfully interviewed. Respondents consisted of Malaysian mothers or fathers with children aged 3 to 24 years, comprising 2,784 fathers and 2,452 mothers. Fieldwork was conducted through face-to-face interviews from 20 December 2022 to 30 May 2023.
Key Scores
The Malaysian Family Well-Being Index 2022 recorded an overall score of 7.93 out of 10, placing family well-being at a moderate level. However, the score increased by 0.21 points compared with IKK 2019 and moved closer to the national target score of 8.00. Five domains recorded scores above 8.00: Family Relationship at 8.44, Family, Role of Religion and Spiritual Practices at 8.37, Family and Community Involvement at 8.24, Family and Communication Technology at 8.18, and Family Health at 8.07. The remaining domains were Family Safety at 7.69, Housing and Environment at 7.55, and Family Economy at 6.90, with Family Economy recording the lowest score among all domains.
Outcomes and Significance
IKK 2022 showed that Malaysian family well-being continued to improve despite the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic and post-pandemic adjustments. The increase in the overall score reflects the resilience of Malaysian families in navigating social, economic, health and family-related pressures.
The findings highlighted strong performance in family relationships, spirituality, community involvement, communication technology and family health. At the same time, the lower score in the Family Economy domain indicates that financial stability, income resilience and economic well-being remain critical areas requiring policy attention. The study proposed 17 intervention recommendations to strengthen family well-being, including promoting work-family balance, expanding family-friendly workplace practices, strengthening family support services, improving parenting skills, increasing financial literacy, enhancing family health awareness, strengthening emergency knowledge, promoting community involvement, improving digital literacy among parents, and expanding environmental awareness. The Malaysian Family Well-Being Index 2022 provides a strategic and evidence-based foundation for strengthening family policies and programmes in Malaysia. It reinforces the importance of continuous monitoring, targeted intervention and whole-of-society collaboration to build stronger, healthier and more resilient families.
