bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relationship between risky sex behaviors and psichosocial characteristics of students
Authors: Legkauskas Visvaldas , Jakovlevaitė Vita
Published: January 2019

A study was conducted to asses relationship between risky sex behaviors, aspects of ego-identity, and quality of relationships with friends and parents among freshman and sophomore students. A total of 240 students participated in the study, including 170 women and 70 men. All subjects were between 18 and 20 years of age.Subjects were asked about age of their first intercourse, experience of one-time intercourse, and use of condoms. Relationships with parents and parents and friends were assessed using Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment, while aspects of ego-identity were measured using the Extended Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status.75.7% of men and 58.8% of women indicated having had intercourse. Mean age at the first intercourse was 17.59 for women and 16.44 for men. Both difference in the prevalence of intercourse experience and difference in the mean age at the first experience between men and women was significant.Out of those subjects, who indicated having had intercourse, 70% of men and 48% of women admitted having had experience of one-time intercourse. This difference between women and men was statistically significant. 64.7% of men and 52.0% of women admitted having intercourse without a condom with at least one partner. Among sexually experienced students, 34% of women and 48% of men indicated having had both one-time intercourse and intercourse without a condom. However, these differences were not statistically significant.Students scoring higher on interpersonal diffusion tended to have their first intercourse experience at a younger age. Furthermore, interpersonal diffusion scores were higher for those with one-time intercourse experience than for those without such experience. Interestingly, subjects scoring higher on interpersonal foreclosure scale tended to start their sexual life younger. For women, higher scores on both ideological and interpersonal foreclosure scales were related to intercourse without using condom and to particularly risky sexual behavior (i.e. both having one-time intercourse and sex without using a condom). This result suggests that authority-oriented upbringing resulting in foreclosure may not be effective in forming safe sexual practices among women.Higher quality of relationship with the mother was related to older age at the first intercourse. The same was true of quality of relationships with peers. Furthermore, those subjects, who had never had sex without a condom, reported higher quality of relationships with peers than those who had sex without a condom with one or more partners. This result indicates that social skills training and improved relationship with peers may indeed result in safer sex practices.
Individual differences in same-different evaluation of figures when they are presented simultaneously or successively
Authors: Šoliūnas Alvydas , Gurčinienė Ona
Published: January 2019

It is known that in same-different task, in which the subject must answer whether two presented stimuli are the same or different, the performance of the subjects can achieve two different modes – holistic and analytic. The other question is how the estimation of stimuli sameness depends on two prevailing methods used in same-different task – successive and simultaneous stimuli presentation. The purpose of this paper was to investigate whether the different modes in subject’s performance depend on these two methods of stimuli presentation.Psychophysical same-different experiment was performed in which the pairs of irregular polygons were presented simultaneously or successively. Five groups of stimuli pairs with different degree of reciprocal similarity were composed from the set of 12 polygons. Three interstimulus intervals were used under successive presentation conditions: 500 ms, 1000 ms, and 1500 ms. Stimuli were presented briefly (for 67–350 ms under simultaneous and for 33–100 ms under successive presentation conditions, and this time interval was established individually during training sessions) on computer screen. The subjects were required to answer whether two figures were the same or different.Under successive presentation conditions, the subjects fell into two different groups. For the majority of subjects, the performance directly depended on the degree of similarity between two figures – the more the figures were similar the longer the reaction time was and the more mistakes the subjects made. For other subjects, the performance accuracy but not the reaction time depended on the degree of figure similarity. Performance of these two groups of subjects could be attributed to the analytic and holistic strategies respectively. Under simultaneous presentation conditions, the subjects’ performance clearly did not split into two different modes: both the reaction time and performance accuracy depended on the degree of similarity of two figures. This result could suppose that all subjects probably use analytic strategy when compare two simultaneously presented stimuli.The practice under simultaneous presentation conditions and the difference in interstimulus interval under successive presentation conditions did not effect the character of the dependence of the accuracy and reaction time of the estimation of figure sameness, and the only effect was that the reaction time decreased with practice and increased with longer interstimulus intervals.
The accuracy of recognition of modified face elements of women and men
Authors: Vanagaitė Kristina , Valickas Gintautas , Soloveičikienė Laura
Published: January 2019

The article represents peculiarities of face elements recognition of different sexes. The goals of the research are: 1) to establish the accuracy and time of recognition of modified face elements and compare the results with the estimation of face typicality / distinctiveness; 2) to establish whether differences between sexes identifying modified face elements exist.With the help of computer-based photofit program there were target faces of two men and two women shaped. Research participants were supposed to memorize them. Replacing some particular elements of a target face (hair, eyes, lips and ears) with another ones there were new faces shaped. The research experts have selected five stimuli faces for the each target face. In the course of the research it was recorded whether the subjects (30 men and 30 women) noticed that the displayed faces differed from the target ones. While the created faces were being demonstrated the answers of the participants were registered with the help of the implemented computer program. In the end of the research, applying the 5 and 7 points scale, the participants assessed the easiness of recognition of face elements and the similarity among each other. Moreover, they indicated their strategy to identify modified elements of faces.The results showed that men as well as women were more accurate and fast in recognizing elements of modified faces of men, not those of women, which is statistically significant. A more accurate recognition of modified face elements might have been determined by a greater distinctiveness of target faces of men. Hair and eyes were recognized most accurately and quickly, after that proceeded lips and noses, while ears happened to be the most difficult elements to identify. The research also proved that the different speed and accuracy of recognition of modified face elements are connected: 1) with the strategy the participants applied (the correct answers were mostly presented applying a simultaneous recognition strategy); 2) with the subjective evaluation of the easiness of face elements recognition (the participants indicated most accurately those elements that were attributed to the easiest to recognize); 3) with the assessment of faces similarity (a higher level of perceived similarity of faces impedes the recognition of modified elements of a target face). Moreover, it was established that women in comparison with men are quicker and more accurate in recognizing modified elements of a target face.
Avoidance / approach motivation: Relation with psychological stress and coping
Authors: Grakauskas Žygimantas
Published: January 2019

Self-regulation of behavior maintains purposeful behavior of the people in the presence of changing conditions of environment. Various external and internal stressors hinder from the achievement of aims and raise the condition of psychological stress. One of the most important factors influencing the mode of psychological stress and coping with it cognitive appraisal of the situation. Other important factor – the mode of prevailing motivation. The attitude that two fundamental tendencies – avoidance and approach prevail in the human motivation, has many followers in various branches of psychology. The conducted researches indicate different influence of avoidance/approach motivation on the emotional reactions, cognitive processes and behaviour. We have carried out the research, where we were seeking to assess the relation of the dominating motivation systems to the emotional reactions arising during the stress and the selection of coping strategies. The sensitivity of motivation systems was measured using BIS / BAS scales (Carver and White, 1994). The selection of coping strategies was assessed by “Four factor coping questionnaire” (Grakauskas and Valickas, 2006). For the emotional reactions evaluation 7 points Likert scale was used. Stressful situation was created using hard tasks and limiting the time of their solving. The research results confirmed the relation of different motivation systems (BIS / BAS) domination and different emotional reactions experienced during the stress and the selected stress coping strategie. Behaviour activation system (BAS) positively correlated with positive emotional reactions (joy, relief) and negatively with negative ones – anxiety, sadness, anger (p ≤ 0,01). Behaviour inhibition system (BIS) positively correlated with negative emotional reactions (anxiety, sadness, anger) and negatively with positive (joy, relief) (p ≤ 0,01). Behaviour activation system (BAS) positively correlated with “avoidance” (p ≤ 0,01) and behaviour inhibition system (BIS) with “emotional discharge” (p ≤ 0,01) coping strategy. These results allow to state that there is the ground to speak about different motivation systems, different goals mode and behaviour self regulation types (directed to the achievement of wanted condition or avoidance of the unwanted one) influence on the experienced psychological stress and coping.
The assessment of preschool children emotional and behavioural problems with CBCL / 1½-5 and C-TRF DSM-oriented scales
Authors: Jusienė Roma , Raižienė Saulė
Published: January 2019

This article provides further examination of the issue of the assessment of emotional and behavioural problems among preschool children. Researchers and, especially, practitioners in the area of children’s psychopathology often have to relate empirically based assessments to specific diagnostic categories. The application of CBCL/ 1½-5 and C-TRF methods (Achenbach and Rescorla, 2000) provides this possibility. The article analyses the mutual interrelations between the information on the emotional and behavioural problems among preschool children provided by various evaluators on the scales based on five diagnostic categories: pervasive developmental problems, attention deficit/hyperactivity, oppositional defiance, affective problems, and anxiety problems. The results show that the reliability of the scales based on diagnostic categories and their conformity among the evaluators generally correspond to the CBCL/1½-5 and C-TRF syndrome scales developed by means of factor analysis. In the assessment of mothers and teachers, attention deficit/hyperactivity is more typical to boys than girls. In the assessment of teachers, the scale ratings of oppositional defiance of boys are also greater than those of the girls. However, the internal consistency of the scales based on diagnostic categories is generally somewhat greater than that of the syndrome scales developed by means of factor analysis. The scales based on CBCL / 1½-5 and C-TRF diagnostic categories may facilitate the initial psychological assessment of a preschool child. The article also discusses the limitations of the application of these scales.
Standardization of CBCL, TRF and YSR in a sample of 6–18 year-old Lithuanian children’s
Authors: Žukauskienė Rita , Kajokienė Ilona
Published: January 2019

It is well accepted in child psychiatry that the study of children’s adaptive behavior and psychopathology should be based on: a) multiple informants, who have different points of view and observe different behaviors in different settings; b) standardized assessment and diagnostic procedures, which makes possible communication of the results among different practitioners in the same country and allows for generalizability across cultures; c) assessment tools with a capacity to assess a broad spectrum of psychopathology; and d) economical procedures in terms of both money and time (Roussos et al., 1999). The questionnaires constructed by Thomas Achenbach meet the above criteria and have become accepted worldwide as valuable tools.
Psychometric properties of the Lithuanian version of The Impact of Event Scale–Revised (IES-R)
Authors: Kazlauskas Evaldas , Gailienė Danutė , Domanskaitė-Gota Vėjūnė , Trofimova Jelena
Published: January 2019

Objective: The impact of Event Scale–Revised is widely used self-report measure for assessment of PTSD symptoms after a variety of traumatic events. The aim of this study was to examined the psychometric properties of the Lithuanian version of the Impact of Event Scale–Revised.Method: A non-clinical population sample of 406 young adults participated in the study. All participants were exposed to at least one life-time traumatic event meeting A criteria of PTSD according to DSM-IV. Traumatic experiences were assessed using the list of life-time traumatic experiences.Results: The Lithuanian version of Impact of Event Scale–Revised has a good internal consistency. The coefficient alpha for the instrusion subscale was .88, for avoidance subscale alpha .82, and for hyperarousal subscale alpha .85. The Coefficient alpha for the total of Impact of Event Scale–Revised was .93. Subscale intercorrelations were: Intrusion with Avoidance r = .62, Intrusion with Hyperarousal r = .79, and Avoidance with Hyperarousal r = .60. A series of factor principal component analysis using varimax rotation with forced two-, three- and four- factor solutions was undertaken. The two-factor solution explained 49.1% of variance – comprising two gactors Instruction (including Hyperarousal) and Avoidance. The three-factor solution accounted for 54.8% of the variance consistent with three symptom criteria of PTSD: Intrusion, Hyperarousal and Avoidance. Items 2, 12 and 20 loaded on improper factors; item 7 did not load on any of the factors. The four-factor solution explained 59.5% of the variance, yielding four factors: Hyperarausal, Avoidance, Intrusion and Numbing.Conclusions: The Lithuanian version of Impact of Event Scale–Revised was found to have satisfactory psychometric properties. We conclude that the new self-report means of post-traumatic stress is adapted for useon Lithuanian population. Issues concerning norms of Impact of Event Scale–Revised and the limitations of the present study are discussed.
Maternal sensitivity and its relation to personality traits
Authors: Šarkinaitė Laura , Čekuolienė Danguolė , Kalinauskienė Lina
Published: January 2019

This study explored relations between maternal sensitivity and personality traits. Maternal sensitivity refers to a mother’s ability to perceive and to interpret accurately the signals and communications implicit in her infant’s behavior, and given this understanding, to respond to them appropriately and promptly. Maternal sensitivity is of fundamental importance to the development of a secure attachment and also to the further life of the child. Though attachment theory states that a mother’s attachment representations are the principal determinant of maternal sensitivity, the ecological perspective proposes that contextual variables also can affect maternal sensitivity and the relationship between the mother and her child. One of the explored contextual variables in this perspective is mothers’ psychological characteristics, but data in this realm are inconsistent. Inasmuch as psychological traits influence interactions with others, they also may play a role in the early mother–infant interaction and may influence some aspects of maternal sensitivity. The purpose of this study was to determine how maternal sensitivity is related to her personality traits (i.e. introversion / extraversion, adjustment to reality, accuracy of perception, interest in people, and emotionality). Thirty-two mother-infant dyads participated in the study; all infants were firstborns. Maternal sensitivity was assessed using the observation technique (Ainsworth’s Maternal Sensitivity Scale). The Rorschach inkblot test was used for evaluation of mothers’ personality traits. The type of experience (i.e. introversion/extraversion), adjustment to reality, the accuracy of perception, emotionality and interest in people were evaluated. The results suggest that maternal sensitivity is related to her type of experience: mothers that are introverted, are more sensitive to their infant’s signals. Our data also suggest that sensitive mothers tend to appreciate more social standards, they could be better socially adjusted and have more adequate contact with reality than insensitive mothers. Also, sensitive mothers’ evaluations of creativity, the accuracy of perception and concentration of attention tend to be higher than those of insensitive mothers. Data of our study did not confirm any relationship between maternal sensitivity and her emotionality evaluation.
Peculiarities of health control locus and sense of coherence among adults suffering from chronic diseases
Authors: Petrulytė Ala , Pileckaitė-Markovienė Margarita , Lazdauskas Tomas
Published: January 2019

The main purpose of this research was to analyse the peculiarities of Health Locus of Control and Sense of Coherence (SOC) among adults suffering from chronic diseases. The survey was held in 2004–05. Among 378 participants aged 20–60 years, 174 had chronic diseases and 204 were healthy. Adults having chronic diseases were on hospital treatment in neurology, nephrology, cardiology and other departments. The survey was held with each participant individually.Methods:1. „Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale“ (MHLC), by K. Wallston (1978).2. „Orientation to Life Questionnaire“, by A. Antonovsky (1987).Hypotheses:1. Adults suffering from chronic diseases have a higher index of external Health Locus of Control and of lower Sense of Coherence than healthy ones.2. The Health Locus of Control is connected with the Sense of Coherence and its three dimensions.The results confirmed both hypotheses. They showed that adults suffering from chronic diseases have a lower Sense of Coherence (p < 0.01) and are inclined to put responsibility for their health on external factors such as Chance (p < 0.01) and Powerful Others (p < 0.01). There was a statistically significant correlation between the Health Locus of Control and Sense of Coherence dimensions and the general level (p < 0.05).The general level of Sense of Coherence is connected with Internality (one of the dimensions of Health Locus of Control) (p < 0.05), and has a negative relation to Chance (p < 0.01) and Powerful Other (p < 0.01).The investigation contributes, both theoretically and practically, to forming the internal Health Locus of Control for adults suffering from chronic diseases, enhancing the inner Sense of Coherence in order to improve health and activate the recovery process. It would be relevant to continue the investigation by analysing subscales of both Health Locus of Control and Sense of Coherence in the context of the disease process, differentiating participants by disease types.
The Perception of Chromatic Stimuli in the Peripheral Human Retina
Authors: McKeefry Declan J. , A. Parry Neil R. , Murray Ian J. , Panorgias Athanasios
Published: January 2019

We have studied the changes that occur in human colour perception in the peripheral retina. By modelling the magnitude of activation produced in the L-M and S-(L+M) cone-opponent systems for matched para-foveal and peripheral chromatic stimuli, we have found that variations in perceived appearance are mirrored by a reduction in function of the L-M opponent system. The operation of the S-cone opponent system is affected to a much lesser degree, implying that there is a changing pattern of predominance between the two cone-opponent mechanisms in the peripheral retina. We will explore possible retinal and cortical bases for these changes.
Temporal Features of Binocular Rivalry
Authors: Noreika Donatas , Švegžda Algimantas , Stanikūnas Rytis , Vanagas Vygandas , Vaitkevičius Henrikas
Published: January 2019

Binocular rivalry is a phenomenon of visual perception in which perception alternates between two different images, presented to each eye’s resopective sites. Binocular rivalry has been investigated for decades, yet its nature has not been understood well. Most investigators agree now that rivalry is not a simple process but is based on complex interaction of hierarchical processes of visual system. Theoretical models are being created to describe binocular rivalry. One of the key things which the models have to explain is the temporal features of binocular rivalry: its dominant time distribution, the influence of the strength of the stimulus upon that etc. There is no agreement whether subtle temporal changes in presentation of stimuli are crucial for rivalry processes. The aim of the study was to investigate whether rivalry dominant time is influenced by flickering rate of stimuli presented to both eyes. 4 male subjects (mean age 31.8 y. with normal or corrected to normal vision) took part in the study. The stimuli were white round circles with a 45° slanting black line crossing it. The lines shown to different eyes were orthogonal to each other. Each line was subtended by 1.7 degrees. A special tachistoscope was constructed for presenting of the stimuli. In experiment 1 the stimuli were flickering in counter phase. The duration of the stimulus presentation was 5, 7, 10, 12, 15, 17, 20, 25, 30 ms. Moreover we also investigated dominant time under continuous stimuli presentation (constant view). In the second experiment the stimulus displayed to the right eye was flickering and the left one was kept steady. The subject had to press the corresponding key when he perceived the line displayed to the left eye. Dominant time was the time during which the corresponding key was pressed by the subject. Each subject took part in some 3 to 28 experiments. The results show that the flickering rate of the stimuli influences the dominant time. The function of mean dominant time versus the rate of the flickering is not a monotonic function – it has extremums with distance between two closest maximum or minimum being equal to about 5–12 ms. But the location of the extremums on the frequencies scale is not stable. We discuss a possible relation of the obtained results with the known neurophysiologic data and the theories of discrete perception.
The relationship among sleep quality, sleep-related behaviour and personality traits in older schoolchildren
Authors: Vosylis Rimantas , Perminas Aidas , Žukauskienė Rita
Published: January 2019

Objectives. Adolescence is a period of various physical, cognitive activities, emotional and social alterations, which need additional bodily resources and naturally good and sufficient sleep for renewing these resources. However, increased requirements in school, new social interests, biological alterations make adolescents’ sleep not sufficiently long and qualitative enough, so achievements at school and the quality of life generally suffer. There are a lot of researches on this topic in foreign countries, but we couldn’t find any in Lithuania. Little research, both in Lithuania and abroad, has been done on personality and sleep quality relations in adolescence and on how personality traits can be related to sleep quality, how this relation can be affected by sleep-related behaviour.Purpose. To evaluate the relationship of personality features to sleep quality and sleep-related behaviour in older schoolchildren. The research involved 88 boys and 124 girls from two Kaunas schools. Methods. A questionnaire was prepared to evaluatesleep quality. It contained 31 questions concerning various sleep quality aspects. Four indices (troubles in falling asleep, night rest satisfaction, daytime fatigue, habit to sleep in the daytime) were selected after a factor analysis. Additionally, 12 questions concerning sleep-related behaviour were asked, from which four indices (use of psychoactive substances, sport, PC games and watching TV, relaxation activity before sleep) were constructed after factor analysis and used in this study. The NEO PI-R questionnaire was used to measure personality traits.Results. In boys and girls, neuroticism is related with the difficulties of falling asleep and less satisfaction with night’s rest independently of sleep-related behaviour. Girls’ openness to experience is related to daytime fatigue, and their extraversion and smaller agreeableness are related with difficulties of falling asleep, but this association is affected by the use of psychoactive substances. Boys’ conscientiousness is related to daytime sleeping, but this relation is affected by engaging in sport activities. Girls’ engagement in the activities that help relax before sleep is related to their higher conscientiousness, higher agreeableness, more frequent difficulties with falling asleep and daytime sleeping. Boys’ extraversion, openness, agreeableness and sleep quality are not related to each other.
Beginning of a psychologist’s professional career: Expectations regarding education
Authors: Lepeškienė Vitalija , Bulotaitė Laima
Published: January 2019

The article deals with the issue of the expectations of the freshmen psychology students regarding the possible impact of the studies on their personal and professional life. Since students’ subjective expectations were the issue of interest, the Q-methodology was used in the research. Forty-eight students (41 females and 7 males) sorted 48 statements answering the question: “How, in your opinion, your studies will affect your future personal and professional life?” The statements were formulated to create a representative sample of the ideas about the influence of the psychologist’s profession on students’ personality qualities, relationships, skills, values and life in general. The statements were meant to represent influences on four levels (intrapersonal, interpersonal [with a the closest people], professional and interpersonal [with wider social environment]) and three areas – knowledge, skills and values.Forty-eight complete Q-sorts were factor analyzed using Q-method factor analysis program for Q methodology, version 2.11; 40 subjects (83%) defined four factors (groups of students) representing different expectations of the students. The views of the factors were briefly expressed as follows: Group I (4 subjects, 10.0%): knowledge is not the most important thing. I want to better understand myself and to grow;Group II (15 subjects, 37.5%): there is no need for me to change. Most important is to acquire professional skills; Group III (8 subjects, 20.0%): it doesn’t matter what kind of a professional I shall become. Solving my own problems is what really matters; Group IV (13 subjects, 32.5%): respect for a human being is the most important value. Work and personal life have nothing in common. Thus, the research revealed different expectations of the students regarding the influence of the studies. A rather substantial percentage of freshmen students expect the studies to help clarify their motifs, resolve inner contradictions, help in the process of personal growth and change in desired direction. Some students have unrealistic expectations regarding the possibility to separate personal and professional life. In order to help the students meet their expectations, the program of training future psychologists must be reoriented so that the students not only could acquire knowledge and skills, but also expand their self-awareness.
Learning disabilities: Different theoretical approaches and ways of treatment
Authors: Rimkutė E. , Dovydaitienė M.
Published: January 2019

The article examines some methodological problems of research and treatment of learning disabilities. Analytic and holistic approaches to learning disabilities are introduced. Mainstream academic psychology is currently dominated by the analytic approach, which seeks to reduce complex phenomena to its parts in order to study and understand existing interactions between them. A review of literature reveals, that generally learning disabilities are defined in terms of deficits of various cognitive and language abilities and skills necessary for learning. Most often offered treatment procedures are based on programs that focus on improving deficient skills through repetition of various cognitive exercises. We put special emphasis on holistic approach which is presented through theorizing and the treatment of learning disabilities by French audio-psycho-phonologist Alfred Tomatis. According to A. Tomatis, neither normal nor abnormal behaviour can be understood without relating it to 1) the functioning of the whole organism, and 2) the historical and individual developmental processes. From his point of view, language, as a tool for communication, plays a very important role in the humanization of an individual. Individual personal development also confirms that the need for communication emerges already in the prenatal stage, when the link between foetus and mother is maintained, as the foetus hears from the 5th month of intrauterine life. The desire to communicate is implicit in the realization of human consciousness. Considering learning difficulties which are related with written language A. Tomatis claims that it is communication — primarily listening — disorder. The treatment, proposed by A. Tomatis, consists in teaching a person to use his ear as an apparatus capable of listening. He developed an electronic device called Electronic Ear designed to modify the way in which a subject listened and to help him improve language, learning and communication skills. Practitioners using A. Tomatis method confirm its effectiveness. However, it would be very difficult to evaluate his method through analitical experiments that would satisfy academic psychology, which remains skeptical. To contribute to the progress in understanding and treatment of learning disabilities academic psychology should pay more attention to the ideas approved in practice and to find more flexible ways of detection and evaluation of personal change.
Relationship between alcohol outcome expectancies, self-efficacy, motives and alcohol consumption among university students
Authors: Baltrušaitytė R. , Bulotaitė L.
Published: January 2019

Alcohol use is widespread among university students. While searching for the factors associated with drinking, scientists more often acknowledge the importance of various cognitive-motivational variables. It is recommended to consider these variables when developing effective prevention and intervention programs. The cognitive-motivational variables examined in this study were: alcohol outcome expectancies, drinking motives, motives for not drinking, and drinking refusal self-efficacy. The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between alcohol outcome expectancies, motives, self-efficacy and alcohol consumption among Lithuanian university students. Another aim was to propose and test a meditational model in which alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems are predicted by expectancies, motives and self-efficacy. 308 students from five Lithuanian universities participated in this study. All participants completed the Drinking Expectancy Questionnaire – revised (DEQ-r), Drinking Refusal Self-efficacy Questionnaire – revised (DRSEQ-r), Drinking Motives Questionnaire (DMQ), motives for not drinking questionnaire and one more questionnaire assessing drinking patterns and alcohol-related problems. The results have shown that the male gender, stronger motives to drink and a weaker drinking refusal self-efficacy predict a larger quantity of alcohol consumed per occasion. More frequent drinking was also predicted by an earlier age of drinking onset. A larger number of alcohol-related problems was predicted not only by the frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption, but also by stronger motives to drink and a weaker drinking refusal self-efficacy. The relationship between positive alcohol outcome expectancies and alcohol consumption was mediated by motives and drinking refusal self-efficacy. Motives to drink predict alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems directly and indirectly – through self-efficacy. Drinking refusal self-efficacy predicted alcohol consumption directly, and the relationship between self-efficacy and alcohol-related problems was mediated by alcohol consumption. Strong positive alcohol outcome expectancies and drinking motives may be considered as potential risk factors for heavy drinking and alcohol-related problems. Strong drinking refusal self-efficacy and strong motives for not drinking because of indifference toward alcohol may be considered as protective factors against drinking and alcohol-related problems among university students.
Child's resilience in face of maltreatment: A meta-analysis of empirical studies
Authors: Nasvytienė Dalia , Lazdauskas Tomas , Leonavičienė Teresė
Published: January 2019

The growing field of empirical studies on child’s resilience encouraged us to conduct a meta-analysis in order to integrate the findings across studies targeted at child’s adaptive functioning after experiences of maltreatment. In face of substantial and unbiased empirical evidence (published in scientific databases before 2010), research questions were raised about extant verifiable explanatory knowledge as well as implications for countries just starting such research. Domain-specific resources accounted for the majority of attributes of resilience. The aim of the study was to investigate the attributes of a child’s positive functioning in face of maltreatment. We used the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis V2 software program and applied the guidelines for psychometric meta-analysis. Attributes of resilience were treated as moderator variables and assigned to one of three categories according to the framework of the study, namely, individual characteristics (classified through the domains of child cognition, self-perception and temperament / personality traits), characteristics of Interpersonal relatedness (domain of close relationships within family, domain of relations outside family, i. e. connectedness with peers and other competent adults), and characteristics of Community. Our findings suggest that a child’s individual characteristics are somewhat more related to resilience than his / her interpersonal relations or the setting of a community network. The overall effect sizes are small, the total number of participants is 19 300. Empirical evidence does not support the linear increase of resilience with the child’s age. At present, the measurement is of crucial importance for studies of resilience considered as a dynamic characteristic of functioning. In the studies of early childhood development, it is difficult to differentiate between correlates of post facto resiliency outcomes and attributes of age-appropriate positive functioning. Statements can be made only with regard to the overall quality of life of a child.
Body-image and bullying experience in adolescents
Authors: Bagdonas Albinas , Padarauskaitė Indrė
Published: January 2019

Bullying is a very common behaviour among adolescents, which has an effect on a child’s psychological well-being. Research has shown that there are many different ways how bullying may affect children, and usually the children that experience bullying report a lower self-esteem and body dissatisfaction. The purpose of this study was to find a relationship among bullying, gender, body mass index and self-image. The study involved 101 participants (age 15). All the participants were given a questionnaire containing two parts: one part consisted of questions about bullying experience, and appearance scales from Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire were used in the second part. The results have shown that almost half of the participants are actively involved in bullying. Most of them have reported being bullies themselves. There were twice as many girls who were victims of bullying as compared with boys. The children that are victims of bullying have less friends than those who are not involved in bullying at all. Our findings have also shown how children perceive their appearance. Girls place more importance than boys on how they look. Girls also reported dissatisfaction with their weight more often than boys did. We also found a link between the body mass index and appearance evaluation and between the body mass index and bullying. Those whose body mass index is higher are more inclined to watch their weight, diet or in any other way avoid weight gain. Those whose body mass index is higher also more often reported to be victims of bullying than those with a lower body mass index. A more detailed analysis has indicated that those who are victims of bullying more often feel unhappy about their physical appearance and are more oriented to their physical appearance than those who are not involved in bullying. The children that have less or no friends in their form also tend to feel less satisfied with their appearance. Those who are bullies themselves place least importance on how they look.
Response-related factors in reaction time to stimulus onset and offset tasks
Authors: Sokolova R. , Rukšėnas O. , Burle B.
Published: January 2019

According to V. Di Lollo et al. (2000), the difference in reaction time to stimulus onset and offset is related to response suppression. By using electromyographic activity recording, in the first experiment, we investigated whether both premotor and motor parts are affected by the task. Furthermore, in the second experiment, we investigated how other response-related factors, such as response type, could contribute to the difference between reaction time to stimulus onset and offset. In the first experiment, eleven subjects 29 ± 4.6 years old (six women and five men) performed reaction time tasks to stimulus onset and offset, and their response-related muscular activity was recorded. Sixteen 21.6 ± 1.5 years old subjects (eight women, eight men) participated in the second experiment, in which two types of responses were required. The results have revealed that differences in the reaction time to stimulus onset and offset are independent of response type and are related to the premotor part of reaction time only.
Analysis of adolescent girls’ sexual subjectivity
Authors: Kajokienė I.
Published: January 2019

It is difficult to take no notice of the gap existing between the relevance of the theme of sexuality in adolescence for young people themselves and the lack of attention of academia trying to understand, analyze, and conceptualize this experience of young people. There is still a need to understand the profound subjective sexual experience in adolescence, i.e. to reveal the pathways how the feeling that “I am a sexual person” arises in an adolescent’s self-awareness. The aim of the present study was to update and expand the understanding of the phenomenon of the adolescent sexuality experience and to offer an updated model of understanding it, which has been created with reference to adolescents’ narratives. Particularly, it is meant to understand, organize, and analyze a typical, characteristic of the normal development of adolescent girls’ sexual experience, highlighting the discursive position of the subject in order to answer one basic question: how or in what way in the awareness of an adolescent arises the feeling that “I am a sexual person”. The interpretive qualitative study of the exploratory strategy was based on a hermeneutic phenomenological methodological investigator’s position for interpreting the experience of the participants. Data obtained during a semi-structured interview were analyzed using the method of interpretative phenomenological analysis (Smith et al., 2009). The findings have been interpreted in consistence with the paradigm of a positive and normative development of sexuality in adolescence together with some psychoanalytic developmental theories. The study has revealed the typical feelings associated with the regularity of sexual subjectivity emergence in the process of growing self-awareness. The structure of the abstracted meta-theme called “Adolescence sexuality as part of an intensive I–Other experience” is presented to the reader in this publication. The material provides new data on the first conscious sexual experiences of adolescent girls, conceptualized as a “gaze situation”. The gaze situation is characterized by the interaction of four psychological micro-processes that stimulate sexual awareness and the integration of sexual self-experience. The author chooses to conceptualize these micro-processes as a) shifting reactions towards adolescent girls; b) the sense of personal singularity and uniqueness; c) the body becoming an alluring public object; d) striving to repeat the pleasurable experience of being looked at. Two additional themes were discussed as features of the intense I–Other experience related to the growing heterosexual sexual awareness: a) the Other should be a person outside the family, b) the Other should be a person of the opposite sex. Despite some limitations of the study, its findings confine the importance of intersubjective experiences with the other sex to the development of sexual selfhood in adolescence.
Trauma experience, psychological resilience and dispositional optimism: Three adult generations in Lithuania
Authors: Mažulytė Eglė , Skerytė-Kazlauskienė Monika , Eimontas Jonas , Gailienė Danutė , Grigutytė Neringa , Kazlauskas Evaldas
Published: January 2019

SummaryEpidemiological studies suggest that the vast majority of people experience at least one potentially traumatic event in their lifetime; however, severe posttraumatic stress symptoms affect only few of those ever exposed to trauma. This study has been aimed to find out whether trait resilience and dispositional optimism are associated with trauma experience and a probable Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). A cross-sectional study was conducted, enrolling 300 Lithuanian adults of three different age groups. The Life Events Checklist (LEC), Trauma Screening Questionnaire (TSQ), Resilience Scale (RS-14), and Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R) were used to measure potentially traumatic events, posttraumatic reactions, psychological resilience, and dispositional optimism. Results of this study revealed a high prevalence of potentially traumatic events among its participants (95%). Nearly 7% of the total sample had probable PTSD. A significant moderate positive relationship was found between the resilience and optimism, r(300) = .40, p < .01. Optimism was negatively associated with PTSD symptoms, r(214) = –.17, p < .05; however, contrary to what was expected, there was no significant association between the trauma reactions and trait resilience.
Self-murder and self-murderers in social representations of young Russians: An exploratory study
Authors: Dvoryanchikov Nikolay , Bovina Inna , Vikhristuck Olesya , Berezina Elizaveta , Bannikov Gennady , Konopleva Inga
Published: January 2019

Premature death caused by self-murder is one of the most serious problems of public health in the world. About one million people disappear for this reason each year, and the further estimations are quite pessimistic. There are no doubts that the current situation is extremely serious and complex; as a result, the importance of the further development and realization of the preventive measures is obvious. Each preventive program in the field of public health should be based on the results of social psychological studies concerning the problem. In the presented paper, we discuss the results of the exploratory study based on the ideas of the social representations theory. The objective of the exploratory study was to analyze the specificity of the social representations of self-murder and self-murderers in two groups of young Russians. A total of 106 subjects (67 females and 39 males) aged 18 to 35 participated in the study. It was supposed that the social representation of self-murder and of self-murderers would be less shared in the group of subjects who have friends or acquaintances among people with self-murder experience (committed self-murder or attempted it); it means that the structure of the social representations would be more complex (the central system would be composed of more elements that correspond to different themes on self-murder), whereas, the social representation of self-murder and of self-murderers in the group of subjects who have no friends or acquaintances with self-murder experience (committed self-murder or attempted it) would be more shared (the central system would consist of less themes) and less complex. The different themes that form the social representations of self-murder and of self-murderers in two groups were revealed. The suppositions got empirical support.
Challenges facing the implementation of quality control by radiographers in Tanzania
Authors: Ngoye Wilson Maliyatabu , Motto Jenny , Muhogora Wilbroad Edward
Published: January 2019

Quality control (QC) programme is vital for quality radiological services at low radiation dose and costs. However, the QC implementation by radiographers in Tanzania is inadequate. This study aimed at investigating the challenges facing the implementation of the QC programme by radiographers in diagnostic radiography units in Tanzania and recommend strategies to mitigate the challenges. The study was conducted on a sample of 84 radiographers who have been trained on the QC programme, and who were practicing in 54 hospitals within Tanzania. Majority of respondents agreed that the lack of standardized test tools (98.8%) and lack of managerial support (51.8%) were hindering the QC programme. Also, the lack of care of equipment by radiographers and lack of motivation were identified. The strategies suggested to improve the programme include more enforcement (63.9%), assistance by the government (44.6%), motivation (33.7%) and improvement of the QC training (32.5%). Also, professional development activities and QC awareness to hospital management teams were suggested. It is crucial that the barriers to the QC programme are addressed and the strategies identified are considered if comprehensive implementation of the QC programme is to be realized.