bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adolescent‘s future orientations: Gender differences
Authors: Sondaitė Jolanta
Published: January 2019

This study examines gender differences in future goals, hopes, fears and strategies. The subjecs are 298 adolescents of the age 14-17. Methods used are Future Hopes and Fears Questionnaire and the Strategy and Attribution Questionnaire. The results showed significant differences between boys and girls future hopes and especially fears. The girls more often than boys included education in their hopes for the future. The boys more frequently than girls included property-related issues in their hopes for the future. The results further showed that girls mentioned more frequently concerns and feares related to education, marriage/family, friends, relationship to parents and other things compared to boys. The girls apply more often than boys seeking social support, reflective thinking, master orientation in an achievement situation and success expectation, master-orientation and pessimism in an affiliative context.
Children‘s beliefs about parental divorce
Authors: Dovydaitienė Miglė
Published: January 2019

This article investigates children's beliefs about parental divorce and attitudes toward environment and people. Children's believes about parental divorce is evaluated in a sample 8 through 10-year children whose parents had been separated for about 3 years. Attitudes toward environment and people between children of separated as well as intact families is compared. We also examined the relation of children's beliefs about parental divorce and attitudes toward environment and people. The mediating effect of gender stresses in divorced and intact families and time since divorce is discussed.The analyses of results revealed that hope of reunification and parental blame occur most frequently. Chil-dren also are afraid of abandonment and common beliefs are peer ridicule and avoidance. Beliefs of Lithua-nian and American samples is being compared. The results in general are consistent with data of other investigators of the subject. We make a point on the relation of children's beliefs about parental divorce and attitudes toward environment and other people and stress the importance of children's attitude and beliefs toward children's vulnerability. Possible conclusion is that child-ren's attitude toward environment is effected by divorce experiences, and primary cognitive - social factors, such as divorce understanding, beliefs about divorce.
Factors affecting task group selection
Authors: Legkauskas Visvaldas
Published: January 2019

Social Identity Theory and Optimal Distinctiveness Theory are two main theoretical models relevant for explanation of task group selection and identification with task groups. It is argued that while having some validity, both of those theories ignore importance of the need to be cared about manifested by striving to contribute, as a central motivational factor in identification with task groups. To test this proposition, a study was conducted in which the author assessed relative importance of optimal distinctiveness, self-esteem, and contribution motives for choice of task groups. Subjects were 35 university students (19 women and 16 men, mean age 20 years), who had had experience in team sports. Subjects were presented with a description of competitive team sports situation, in which they had to choose groups depending on their distinctiveness, prestige, and possibility to contribute to the group results. Results indicate, that all three factors had an independent motivating value. Of the three, possibility to contribute to the group results was the most important factor, followed by group prestige, which was in turn followed by group distinctiveness.
The possibility to combine longitudinal and cross-sectional design for studying development
Authors: Ignatavičienė Kristina , Žukauskienė Rita
Published: January 2019

The fact that the time dimension is included in a prospective, longitudinal study gives it its unique value for studying development. However, it also implies some problems for research, such as cohort effects and some others. Therefore, it could be very valuable to combine the longitudinal design with cross-sectional design. The aim of current study is to illustrate the possibility to combine these research designs in order to assess the developmental features of emotional and behavioural problems in childhood. Data from longitudinal study collected in 1997, 1999, and 2001 when children were 9-12 years of age (n = 853) is used for this analysis.The longitudinal and cross-sectional analysis of data revealed the fact that over the time the mean level of emotional and behavioural problems for 9-10 year old children remain similar, when mean level of emotional and behavioural problems for 11-12 year old children decreased. The findings show that the combining of longitudinal and cross-sectional design is useful for studying development from different perspectives.
Emotional and behavioral problems of children with phenylketonuria
Authors: Jusienė Roma , Bieliauskaitė Rasa , Cimbalistienė Loreta
Published: January 2019

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an inherited genetic metabolic disorder in which the enzyme required to digest phenylanine (Phe) is missing. If untreated, individuals with PKU will develop high levels of Phe in their blood which can affect brain development and function. That's why low protein diet must be introduced as early as possible from the birth. Nevertheless, several studies show higher incidence of behavioral problems, especially internalizing, in early treated PKU children. Parental maladjustment to their child's chronic illness and everyday stress related to the burden of special diet can be reasons for psychological problems of PKU children. The aim of our study is to evaluate the psychological adjustment of PKU children (as compared to healthy controls) and analyze it in the context of psychological impact of PKU on the family.Parents of 37 early-treated PKU children (age 4-14 years old) and of 37 matched controls answered the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL, Achenbach, 1991) and questionnaire on stress coping strategies (Elklit, 1996). Parents of PKU children also answered the questionnaire on reactions to child's disease and it's impact on the family.The results of present study indicate that PKU children have significantly more behavioral problems than healthy controls. They are more withdrawn, anxious /depressive, aggressive, have more social and attention problems. The higher rates of internalizing and overall problems are related to parental maladjustment (feelings of guilty and anger) together with maladaptive (emotional) everyday stress coping strategies. Two latter factors further indulging the child, that also predicts the psychological maladjustment of PKU children.
International test adaptation guidelines
Authors: Oakland Thomas
Published: January 2019

International test adaptation guidelines.
About the inner voice
Authors: Šidlauskaitė Agota
Published: January 2019

A. Šidlauskaitė kindly agreed to explain and comment on some of her discoveries, to share her insights and assessments.
The stability of risk level across various decision situations
Authors: Endriulaitienė Auksė , Martišius Vaclovas
Published: January 2019

Few would dispute that we are living at a time of high anxiety and uncertainty. That's why in recent years, social scientific interest in risk has increased enormously. The main theory that explains human decision processes in the face of risk is Prospect theory of D. Kahneman and A. Tversky. It emphasizes the impact of situation upon human risk taking. The contradictory results from the investigations in the perspective of human trait theory give the challenge to the prospect theory and raise the assumption that people have the personality trait - propensity to risk that could explain at least the part of human risky decision making and risk taking behavior. The present investigation aims to find if the decision risk level is stable across various decision situations and could be the index of human propensity to risk. The subjects were 262 students from Vytautas Magnus University and Vilnius University in Lithuania; they completed Choice Dilemma Questionnaire (Kogan, Wallach, 1964) and The Scale of General Decision Making Style (Scott, Bruce, 1995). The results showed that correlation coefficients among risk levels in various decision situations were high and significant. So risk level was stable across the situations and could be related to the personality disposition - propensity to risk. The implications of results and limitations of the study were discussed.
Why music heals people?
Authors: Šidlauskaitė Agota
Published: January 2019

A. Šidlauskaitė answers some questions.
A standardised Lithuanian version of Strenghts and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) for school-aged children
Authors: Gintilienė Gražina , Girdzijauskienė Sigita , Černiauskaitė Dovilė , Lesinskienė Sigita , Povilaitis Robertas , Pūras Dainius
Published: January 2019

Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) developed by R. Goodman (1997) has been widely used in epidemiological studies throughout the world as a screening measure for mental health in children and adolescents. The SDQ comprises 25 items plus supplement on impact of the difficulties for the child and family. There are 5 subscales: Prosocial behaviour, Hyperactivity, Emotional symptoms, Conduct problems and Peers problems, the last four adding up to the Total Difficulties score. The design of the SDQ with both strength’ and difficulties’ items supposedly increases acceptability of the instrument on behalf of informants and make questionnaire especially suitable for studies of general population were the majority of children are healthy. Three SDQ versions (parent, teacher and self-report) were translated into Lithuanian language and psychometric properties of those Lithuanian SDQ versions are presented and analysed in this article. Representative sample of children aged 7–16 years (n = 2626) was randomly selected from 14 big town, 9 town and 20 country schools. 2447 parent versions, 2613 teacher versions and 1612 self-report versions were completed. SDQ self-report version was administered only to 11–16 year olds. Data analysis based on method of internal consistency, item inter- and intra-scale correlation, including exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, comparison of data in clinical and non-clinical groups (62 children) and inter-rater correlations showed adequate psychometric properties of the Lithuanian SDQ. Cronbach’s alpha for the total difficulties score was in three informant reports 0.72–0.85, while the range in different subscales was 0.34–0.86. As raters, the teachers had the best internal consistency. The lowest level of alpha was in self-report version. Correlation analysis confirmed the postulated structure of the SDQ in all three versions, while the results of factor analysis had some exceptions to it. Lithuanian cut-off points were similar of those found in British sample. Applying Cohen’s criteria for the effect size between British and Lithuanian samples all the SDQ subscales felt in a low area except prosocial behaviour, emotional symptoms and total difficulties subscales in parents reports and prosocial subscale in self-report which felt in the moderate area. The present study gives further evidence of usefulness of the Lithuanian SDQ as screening instrument for research and clinical purposes.
What is language? Why do only people speak?
Authors: Sidlauskas Agatha E.
Published: January 2019

Translated from English by Eglė Rimkutė
The interaction of judge’s behavior and judge’s decision prognosis in the procedural justice judgments
Authors: Laurinavičius Alfredas
Published: January 2019

Psychological research shows a big importance of procedural justice in dispute resolution. Perception of procedural justice affects evaluations of the performance of legal institutions and authorities, evaluations of legal decisions and outcomes, satisfaction with encounters with the legal system, support for legal institutions and compliance with law. According to K. van den Bos and E. A. Lind people are more affected by variation in fairness when they feel uncertain. Participants’ expectations about judge’s possible decision can moderate relationship between procedure and subjective evaluation of procedural justice. 3 × 2 × 2 factorial experiment was conducted: 3 (expectation of the possible decision: certainly positive, certainly negative, uncertain)× 2 (decision: positive vs. negative) × 2 (procedure: fair vs. unfair). The experiment was conduced in 2 Vilnius universities, participation was voluntary, participants were not paid. Data of 330 students (men and women) were analyzed. There were between 22 and 36 participants per cell. A scenario method was applied in the experiment. Participants were given a description of legal dispute of non material harm compensation. Participants were asked to imagine themselves as being defendant and evaluated a possibility of positive and negative decision. Participants were shown one of two videotapes with excerpts from litigation session. After watching the excerpt (fair treatment or unfair treatment) they received judge’s final decision (favorable or unfavorab le) and completed the questionnaire. Dependents variables in this experiment were participants’ evaluations of distributive justice, procedural justice, perceived voice, neutrality, trust in benevolence, status recognition and support for courts.A 2 × 2 × 3 ANOVA revealed significant interactions between Expectation and Procedure on perceived voice F (2,318) = 4.513, p < .05, η² = .028, neutrality F (2,318) = 3.413, p < .05, η² = .021 and support for courts F (2,318) = 3.084, p < .05, η² = .019. No interactions were found for distributive justice, procedural justice, trust in benevolence, status recognition. A significant effect of Expectation was found on distributive justice judgments F (2,317) = 5.02, p < .05, η² = .031. Those expected negative decision rated distributive justice more positively.The presented research shows that expectation of judge’s decision can moderate some procedural justice judgments and support for courts judgments. Variation of procedure had biggest effect on evaluation of perceived voice, neutrality and support for courts in condition when participant was expecting negative decision. It seems that expectation of negative decision makes people more sensitive to procedural issues. Being certain about positive decision decreases a role of procedure on those ratings.
Some relationship between students’ creative and intellectual abilities
Authors: Karkockienė Daiva , Butkienė Giedrë
Published: January 2019

The aim of this study was to reveal some interactions between creative and intellectual abilities as well as interactions of creative abilities variation after training of creativity and intellectual abilities.Creativity in this study is understood in terms of cognitive abilities of creative thinking expressed by divergent thinking components as fluency, flexibility and originality (Guilford, 1950; Torrance, 1974; Sternberg and O’Hara, 1999). Divergent thinking is the one component of creative thought understood as the distinct capacity to generate multiple alternative solutions as opposed the one correct solution. Divergent thinking is assessed through open-ended tests such as consequences and alternative uses, where responses are scored for fluency (number of responses), flexibility (category shifts in responses) and originality (uniqueness of response).There were 160 students (mean age 23) from Vilnius Pedagogical University. E. P. Torrance test (verbal, form A, 1974) was used to identify cognitive abilities of creative thinking (fluency, flexibility and originality). R. Amthauer test (IST-70) was used to measure intellectual capabilities. The subjects were randomly assigned to two experimental (n = 80) and control groups (n = 80). The experimental group took part in creativity training program during four months (32 hours).The special program of creativity training was used once a week for four months (32 hours). The program was made-up for the developing cognitive abilities of creative thinking (fluency, flexibility and originality). Special methods (brain storming, ideas generation, drama, divergent tasks etc.) were used to develop students’ creative abilities. The experimental group took part in creativity training program.The study revealed the interactions between creative abilities evaluated by Torrance test (TTCT, verbal A form) and intellectual abilities evaluated by Amthauer IST. Weak interactions were revealed between flexibility and BE subtest of abstract verbal ability (r = 0,24, p < 0,01), as well as originality and BE subtest of abstract verbal ability (r = 0,22, p < 0,01). There are some weak links between all cognitive parameters of creativity (fluency, flexibility and originality) and the results of Sentence Supplement (SP) subtest (r = 0,17, p < 0,05) as well as between fluency, flexibility and ability to percept language meaning (ŽI) subtest (r = 0,18, p < 0,05; r = 0,16; p < 0,05). No such tendency was found between other creative and intellectual abilities.Though there were no significant interactions between increase of creative abilities and intellectual abilities, clear links were found between originality and abstract verbal ability (BE) and spatial imagination (KU) (r 0, BE = 0,41; r 0, KU = 0,38; r 0,05 = 0,53).
A Lithuanian standartization of the Raven’s Coloured Progressive Matrices
Authors: Gintilienė Gražina , Butkienė Dovilė
Published: January 2019

This study established for the first time a Lithuanian standardisation of the Raven’s Coloured Progressive Matrices (CPM) a nonverbal instrument widely used in the world to assess productive abilities of young children. A representative sample of 1067 Lithuanian children between ages six and eleventh was tested after selecting a stratified sample of schools/kindergartens by place of residence and language of instruction in year 2004. Within schools, sampling was carried out randomly within age and gender groups including special needs children receiving education services within mainstream schools. The sample for age 6 included children who were not attending school as well as those who were at school or in kindergartens. Social demographic and academic information on children was gathered using parents questionnaire. Means and Standard deviations were generated at half a year intervals between age 5 years and 9 months to 11 years 2 months. Based on these calculations, smoothed percentile scores by age were derived. Data analysis based on methods of internal consistency, item analysis and comparison of data between different groups of children showed adequate psychometric properties of the Raven’s CPM. The variables of gender, age and SES were used for the data analysis. The gender differences in CPM scores were minimal and not significant. The significant correlation between age and CPM means confirmed expectation that raw scores of children should increase with age. Factors affecting CPM results were place of residence and level of parent’s education. The means of CPM scores of children groups living in different areas showed that rural children were lower than the group living in the big towns. A progressive increase in CPM score means according to parents educational level was obtained. These data suggest looking at SES variables in home and school environment that may affect the opportunity to develop child’s cognitive abilities. Using current data the CPM appears to be reliable and valid instrument for use in screening Lithuanian children.
Vicious circle: Suicides in Lithuania after the independence
Authors: Gailienė Danutė
Published: January 2019

During the last 80 years suicide mortality in Lithuania has shown great variation. Nowadays Lithuania has the highest registered suicide rate in the world besides the other Baltic countries and Russia. After the sharp decrease in the mid-80’s, since 1991 the suicide rates start to rise again. In 2002 1551 suicide occurred in Lithuania (44.7 per 100.000 persons). The ratio of male to female rates was 4.5–6.1 in 1990–2002, in the young and middle age it reached 8–10. The suicides are more widespread in rural areas. Among rural men they occur twice as often as among the urban and among women – 1.4 times. By age the highest suicide risk is for middle-aged men. Among the males aged 45–54 years suicide rate reaches 154.6. The most common method of suicide remains hanging, both for males and females.The dramatic increase in suicide rates of the early 1990s corresponds to the collapse of the Soviet Union and the regaining of the independence of Lithuania and other Baltic states. Heavy transition from the system based on communist ideology to the open society and market economy was ensuing. However analysis of the trends of suicide mortality in Eastern Europe and in the „newly independent states“ of the former Soviet Union showed that rapid transformations of society do not per se necessarily produce more suicides. Neither the absolute economic changes, nor the level of prosperity in itself correlates significantly with the changes in suicide rates. Intermediate role of culture should be also taken into consideration.The undercurrent reasons of the incredible suicide spread in Lithuania lie in the long lasting effects of the 50 years under the communist regime on the ability of individuals and groups to manage psychosocial stress and changes. „Soviet“ mortality pattern, which is characterized by very high level of premature mortality and growth of urban-rural mortality differences, has not changed during transition period. This leads to vicious circle when the spread of suicides and helpless, indifferent attitude towards suicide prevention, causes the suicide approving attitudes, which increases the risk of suicidal behaviour. The approving attitude towards suicide among Lithuanian schoolchildren increased almost twice over the last decade. The media also „contributes“ to this process, but attempts to change the presentation of suicide in the mass media in 1996–2000 were rather unsuccessful.The national plan of suicide prevention is required to break off the vicious circle.
Linking friendship quality and peer group acceptance in adolescence
Authors: Pakalnienė Edita , Barkauskienė Rasa
Published: January 2019

Peer acceptance and and friendships are different but related aspects of social relationships in adolescence (Bukowski at al., 1996). Friendship quality is considered as an essential element that describes friendship and it is easy to assess empirically. According to J. G. Parker and S. R. Asher (1993) it is defined as a complex of the six components: validation and care, conflict and betrayal, companionship and recreation, help and guidance, intimate exchange and confict resolution. This article deals with the relationship between peer group acceptance and friedship quality in adolescents. The aim of the study presented in this article was to examine the different aspects of friendship quality in young adolescents and delineate gender differences in

the association between the sociometric status and friendship quality. The sample consisted of 225 adolescents aged 12 to 14. According to the J.D. Coie and K. A. Dodge (1983) technique of sociometric research the sample was divided into three subgroups: high, average and low accepted adolescents by peer group. All adolescents filled in the Frienddship Quality Questionnaire (Parker and Asher, 1989) as well as two additional questions that assess the friendship satisfaction. The results revealed different friendship quality patterns among low accepted and high-average accepted adolescents. Rejected adolescents showed low scores on Intimate exchange and Help and quidance subscales but other subscales’ scores did not differ significantly. The overal satisfaction with friendship was also significantly lower among rejected adolescents. Gender differences analysis revealed girls’ friendship quality scores being higher on all subscales. The more detailed analysis of gender differences in three subgroups according the sociometric status showed no differences among high, average and low accepted boys. However, low accepted girls showed lower scores on two subscales – Companionship and recreation and Help and guidance. Also, general satisfaction with their best friendship was lower when compared to average and high accepted girls. The results obtained are discussed in comparison with the findings of other uathors as well as interpreted within a framework of psychological characteristics that distinguish among adolescents with differing status in a peer group.
Conception of context in research of cognitive processes
Authors: Martišius Vaclovas
Published: January 2019

The purpose of the research is to critically assess both the concept of context and interpretation of context

types that are used in the field of research of cognitive processes. Many different authors describe the concept of context differently. Some authors, particularly representatives of AI research trend, interpret the notion of context as means of both structurization of knowledge and using it in the process of problem solving, or the whole complex of important conditions and influences of the situation, which make one think of the situation as unique and understandable, while others interpret context as unconscious representations that make an influence on the experiences of individual. Psychologists note frequently that context should not be related with something that is in the centre of attention, i.e. stimulus, or target. Differences of interpretation of context, existing in the works of both AI specialists and psychologists, are, apparently, due to the fact that AI experts investigate intelligence in a rather general manner taking into account its every possible manifestation, while psychologists limit themselves to only making researches in both people’s and animals’ intellectual activities. As the case may be, there’s no reason to attribute the impact of context to only unconscious processes and automatism. It has been established that conscious context sometimes acts upon a target quite differently, compared with unconscious context.
Psychological evaluation in court in Lithuania: Present situation, problems and possible solutions
Authors: Valickas Gintautas , Justickis Viktoras , Čėsnienė Ilona
Published: January 2019

According to Law of Forensic Expertise of Lithuania, only a person who has sufficient legal and psychological knowledge and passed appropriate exams can obtain the status of an expert in forensic psychology. Unfortunately, the possibilities of professional psychologists (excluding clinical psychologists) to exercise forensic psychological expertise are limited without a good reason. Obscure rules of evaluation of qualifications and practical experience regulate the process of becoming a licensed expert in forensic psychology. These rules are not based on legal, professional or practical analysis. This is a result of the historical situation when for a long time psychological expertise has been considered to be part of psychiatry and was only additional „servicing“ activity of expertise of psychiatry. Problems of education and training of experts in forensic psychology (EEP) are described in this article. At present, demand for EFP services is growing. Judges, interrogation officers, investigators need more and more special knowledge in the field of psychology, especially when analyzing the ability of juvenile witnesses to provide credible information, the ability of juveniles to understand the situation and to provide their opinion in the cases of custody or adoption. At present, the number of EEPs remains the same. A lot of psychologists who have good knowledge and experience can only consult but cannot act as experts. There are no EFP to participate actively in research activities. Moreover, the Office of Forensic Psychiatry does not provide any information and refuses to coach psychology students on practical aspects of expert work. They withhold information on expertise methods as well. The Council of Experts does not include any psychologists, and psychiatry experts represent the opinion of psychologists too. One of the possible solutions to this situation is preparation of a new legal act on forensic psychology, which would regulate the status of psychological expertise according to the new modern approach. Detailed proposals are provided at the end of the article. Implementation of the proposals would encourage the competitive process of psychological expertise and facilitate involvement of the Lithuanian Psychological Association, scientific institutions and scientists working in this area.
Intelligence of visually impaired children: Assessment considerations
Authors: Gabrialavičiūtė Ingrida
Published: January 2019

Problems and possibilities assessing intellectual abilities of visually impaired children are addressed in the article. In other countries, usually, there are few or no nationally standardized tests available for use with this population. Therefore parts of available instruments designed for normally sighted children are used. Sometimes test procedures or stimuli are modified what affects the validity of the results and they need to be interpreted with caution. Intellectual abilities of Lithuanian visually impaired children are currently assessed using WISC-III Verbal scale. We discuss the possibility to use ITVIC (Intelligence test for visually impaired children) test for the assessment of intellectual abilities of Lithuanian children. ITVIC was designed in The Netherlands for an assessment of intellectual abilities of Braille educated visually impaired children aged 6–15 years. The authors used Thurstone Primary factor theory as a theoretical starting point. ITVIC has both, verbal and haptic subtests and two types of norms: age norms for all Braille educated children and age norms for two vision groups within the population of Braille educated children separately. ITVIC Manual is translated to English which made it accessible for use in Lithuania. After we received the permission from publishers and test author, translation of ITVIC manual was made. Based on results from 41 Lithuanian Braille educated children aged 7–16 years, evaluation of ITVIC reliability and validity was made. Data analysis based on the method of internal consistency and Split half reliability analysis confirmed good reliability of all ITVIC subtests except House plan questions. This subtest also has low content validity. Correlations between ITVIC subtests and school achievement results show adequate criterion validity of the test. The means of subtest scores in Lithuanian and Dutch population were compared for the group of children without usable vision aged >13,5 years. The scores of two WISC-III subtests as part of ITVIC test were compared to Lithuanian WISC-III norms. The results show that the results of 7 ITVIC subtests can be interpreted using Duch norm tables and Lithuanian WISC-III Vocabulary norms for this age group.
Development of Situational Test for Sergeant Selection
Authors: Antanaitytė Neringa , Vabolytė Kristina , Valickas Gintautas
Published: January 2019

The role of sergeants in military units is important as they are officers who deal with soldiers and are responsible for their wellbeing and military preparedness. Sergeants can be set for a variety of duties, therefore different kinds of personality traits and abilities are required. In Lithuania, sergeant selection is based on education, health report and reference letter. So there is no appropriate psychological criterion for the selection of sergeants. The purpose of the present research was to identify criteria of selection of leaders of small army units (section and squad) as well as develop a situational test for their psychological selection and testing their psychometric characteristics. The situational test was based on the leadership criterion. The total number of 369 respondents – soldiers, leaders of sections, leaders of squads and their supervisors – participated in the research. A job analysis questionnaire based on the evaluation of interviewdata and on job descriptions for section and squad leaders was developed, as well as a questionnaire for rating the attributes possessed by good leaders of small army units was compiled. Afterwards, one more questionnaire was made, in which the importance of the chosen attributes was assessed by linking them to the most important tasks of section and squad leaders. Factor analysis of data resulted in five selection criteria: target-oriented behaviour, leadership, military discipline, interpersonal competence, dutifulness. Within the initial version of the situational test, an interview with section and squad leaders and their supervisors was conducted. There were 29 problematic situations selected from their job. Experts assessed the relevance and difficulty of these situations. Finally, 15 situations were selected for the initial version of the situational test. Then the evaluation of test score reliability and concurrent validity was made. The level of difficulty and discriminative characteristics of each test item (problematic situation) was evaluated as well. Test score reliability and concurrent validity were significant (p < 0.01). Eleven situations were of sufficient difficulty and discriminative power level. The concurrent validity of the test was assessed after making some corrections by excluding four situations, and it was significant (p < 0.01).
Conception of purposes of learning in preschool-age
Authors: Raižienė Saulė , Endriulaitienė Auksė , Ormerod Jurgita
Published: January 2019

Learning begins early in life; so do children’s beliefs and attitude towards learning. Much is known about how children learn in general as well as in specific domains, however, little is known about the early beginnings and development of academic purposes. The aim of this study was to discover how preschoolers understand the reasons for learning. Two studies were done to achieve this goal. 121 children participated in the first study which tried: 1) to compare the understanding of reasons for learning of four- and six-year-old children and 2) to compare the understanding of reasons for learning of boys and girls in preschool age. Sixty-two children took part in the second study which examined the perception of reasons for learning of five-year-old children living in the country and in a city. All data were collected using the following methods: „Cow scenario“ (Li, 2004a), „School stories“ (Wang and Leichtman, 2000), „Birthday book probing“ (Li, 2004a). Two types of variables, reflective and content, were examined. The results of the first study revealed that already four-year-old children have their opinion about the learning process and school. Their attitude towards learning changes as children grow up. Younger children appeared to have already developed some basic understandings of reasons for learning, although elder children showed much more consistent patterns than their younger peers. Analysis of children’s answers by content variables shoved that younger and elder children identified the following types of benefits from learning: intellectual, economic, and social (for the benefit of others). They have a positive attitude to the learning process and can formulate the positive emotional effect of learning. However, six-year-old children name the categories of intellectual and economic benefit and the value expression more often than their younger peers. The boys’ and girls’ attitude towards learning was very similar. The results of the second study revealed that there was a difference in understanding the social benefit and gaining knowledge/skill among five-year-old children living in a village and in a city.
The Lithuanian Version of the Attitudes Towards Suicide Questionnaire (ATTS)
Authors: Skruibis Paulius , Gailienė Danutė , Labanauskaitė Lina
Published: January 2019

Several psychological models explaining formation of attitudes towards suicide and their influence on suicidal behaviour have been developed recently. Reliable an valid instruments measuring attitudes towards suicide are needed to test these models. There are several well known questionnaires in this field: Suicide Opinion Questionnaire (SOQ; Domino et al., 1982), Suicide Attitude Questionnaire (SUIATT; Diekstra & Kerkhof, 1988). Both these questionnaires have methodological or practical disadvantages that were taken into account when developing a new instrument – Attitudes Towards Suicide Questionnaire (ATTS; Salander Renberg & Jacobsson, 1998).Objective: Lithuanian version of ATTS was created in 2001 and was used in a number of studines since then. Availability of large data pool (N = 1259) collected with Lithuanian version of ATTS has created a good opportunity for examining reliability and validity issues of the instrument, which is the aim of this study.Method: The data for the present study was taken from studies conducted in the framework of European multicenter research project SUPPORT. Sample consisted of 16 target groups that were studied with the Lithuanian version of ATTS: army conscripts (N = 368), army sergeants (N = 106), army officers (N = 44), medicine students (N = 103), students of priest seminaries (N = 68), catholic religion students (N = 63), psychology students (N = 137), members and mayors of Municipality Councils (N = 55), students of journalism (N = 43), journalists (N = 43), volunteers of psychological help-line (N = 43), suicide attempters (N = 40), personnel of emergency hospital (N = 39), homosexual and bisexual men (N = 30), alcohol dependant patients (N = 38), alcohol dependant patients undergoing Minnesota rehabilitation program (N = 39). A test-retest survey was performed in a sample of medicine students (N = 30) in order to evaluate temporal stability of ATTS Lithuanian version.Results: Confirmatory factor analysis (implemented through SEM) hasn’t confirmed the original ATTS factor model obtained by developers in Sweden. However, an exploratory factor analysis produced 5 factor model (explaining 53.5% of total variance), which is very similar at face value to other proposed ATTS factor models. Internal consistency of this model is satisfactory (Cronbach alpha – 0.68). Differences between attitudes of suicidal and non-suicidal individuals are regarded as support for criterion validity of the instrument. ICC coefficients from test-retest study are satisfactory (ranging from 0.62 to 0.87) for three ATTS factors. The remaining have demonstrated low testretest reliability (ICC coefficients are 0.48 and 0.59).Conclusions: psychometric properties of Lithuanian ATTS version were found to be satisfactory, although structural validity indicators were somewhat controversial and two factors have demonstrated low test-retest coefficients. Lithuanian ATTS version can be used for scientific research of attitudes towards suicide.
The Lithuanian version of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI)
Authors: Liniauskaitė Audronė , Kairys Antanas
Published: January 2019

The article presents the process of adaptation of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZPTI) in Lithuania and the psychometric characteristics of the Lithuanian ZTPI version. To assess the construct and its convergent validity, as well as other psychometric characteristics, four studies with the participation of 1529 respondents were conducted. By means of confirmatory factor analysis, the following goodness of fit indices were obtained: Chi-square = 3262.546; df = 1474; p < 0.001; Chi-square/df = 2.216; RMSEA = 0.044; CFI = 0.666; TLI = 0.651. All of them were acceptable, except for the values of CFI and TLI. All the obtained subscale Cronbach alpha values exceeded 0.7, with the exception of Past Positive. The valueof the Past Positive Cronbach‘s alpha coefficient was 0.634. The findings of the study have shown quite acceptable psychometric characteristics of the Lithuanian ZTPI version which does not essentially differ from the original or its adaptations in other countries.
Effects of video-feedback correction of infant–mother interaction on two-years-olds’ behaviour
Authors: Kalinauskienė Lina , Čekuolienė Danguolė , Kusakovskaja Inna , Kiltanavičiūtė Vaida
Published: January 2019

Objective. A andomized control trial examined the effects of short-term, interaction focused and attachment-based video-feedback intervention (VIPP, Juffer et al., 2008) in infancy on children’s behaviour problems at the age of two years.Design. Intervention effect on children‘’s behaviour problems was assessed in a sample of N = 85 mother–infant dyads (only first-born healthy infants, living in intact families participated). Intervention effect on children’s behaviour problems was evaluatedin non-clinical, middle-class Lithuanian mothers by comparing three groups of mother–infant dyads: low-sensitive mothers, who participated in the intervention (N = 21), low sensitive mothers who did not participate in the intervention (N = 21), and a groupof sensitive mothers with a higher sensitivity (N = 43) who did not take part in the intervention.Intervention. The VIPP intervention consisted of five monthly sessions and was implemented between the 7th and 12th months of infant’s age. The intervention was conducted by two clinical psychologists after an extensive training.Method. Maternal sensitivity was evaluated from video-record of the free play sessions using the Ainsworth sensitivity scale. Children’s behaviour problems were assessed using CBCL 1/2-5 (Achenbach and Rescorla, 2000). Infants’ positive and negativereactivity (temperament) from observational data and maternal daily stress (Crnic and Greenberg, 1990) were assessed additionally.Results. Children of the intervention group mothers received similar scores on behaviour problems scales as did control group mothers and mothers with a higher sensitivity. Maternal sensitivity in all groups of infant–mother dyads did not correlate significantly with the scores on children’s internal, external and total behaviour problems’ scales. Maternal daily stress (related to child care) significantly correlated with children’s behaviour problems in the control group. In the group of mothers with higher sensitivity, family income, fathers’ age and occupation significantly correlated with the later children’s behaviour problems. We could speculate that in the low sensitive mothers’ intervention group we maybe did not find a correlation between maternal daily stress (related to child care) and later children’s behaviour problems, because the intervention served as a buffer for these mothers, while in low-sensitive mothers of the control group the mentioned correlation was moderate.Conclusion. Children’s behaviour problems at two years were not significantly affected by intervention in infancy.
A research on self-destructive behaviors requires a wider approach: Reply to the review
Authors: Chomentauskas G. , Pūras D. , Dereškevičiūtė E.
Published: January 2019

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Childern’s color preferences and color choices for completing drawings of human figures in primary school
Authors: Pranckevičienė Aistė , Žardeckaitė-Matulaitienė Kristina , Soikinaitė Indrė
Published: January 2019

Drawing techniques are popular tools in children’s psychological assessment. It is supposed that colors in the child’s drawing could reflect the emotional state or feelings which he or she holds towards the topic being drawn. However, there is a lack of research to validate these interpretations.The aim of this work was to analyse pupils’ color preferences in I–IV grades and to investigate whet-her children systematically use specific colors in their drawings in response to emotional characterization of the figure. 1307 children (648 boys and 659 girls) from mainstream schools of Kaunas region, aged between 6 years 4 months and 12 years 3 months, participated in a color preference, mood rating and drawing session. All children rated the set of 11 pencils (from the most liked to the most disliked color) and completed three drawings of differently characterized human figures (neutral, nice, and nasty).The results of the study revealed gender differences in color preferences. Girls preferred bright colors (pink, yellow, sky blue, spring green, orange), while boys preferred darker tones of colors (blue, green, brown, black). All results are significant at p < 0.05. However, the most liked colors for both genders were bright (pink and sky blue), what is in line with color stereotypes used in children’s clothing and toys. The most disliked color for both genders was black; girls chose black as the most disliked color more often (p < 0.001).The results of the study indicate that children use specific colors when completing nice and nasty figures (p < 0.001). The strongest relationship was observed between a nice figure and the yellow color and a nasty figure and the black color. However, the choice of the color was related to a child’s color preference. The more preferred colors were used for completing of neutral and nice figures (p < 0.0001), while less preferred colors were used for nasty figures (p < 0.0001). Although the results of the study confirm the general association between characteristics of the topic being drawn and colors, the observed gender differences and the importance of color preference indicate that color interpretations during child’s psychological assessment should be done with caution. The implications for further research are discussed.
Body image delationship with demographic variables in young adults
Authors: Miškinytė A. , Bagdonas A.
Published: January 2019

This study is aimed to evaluate different attitudinal body image components that are characteristic specifically of youth Lithuanians. This kind of study is one of the first in this country. The article presents a brief review of recent studies concerning body image and points out that mostly separate aspects of body image are being reported on in the literature. Body image is a multidimensional phenomenon. Therefore, the aim of this study was to consider the attitudinal body image not in total, but in its different components and their relationship to gender, age and marital status.The study cohort comprised 419 students (1st to 6th year and residential doctors) of Vilnius University, Vilnius Pedagogical University, Vytautas Magnus University and Kaunas University of Medicine; of them, 78% were women and 22% men. The age of the respondents varied from 18 to 39 years (mean, 21.99 ± 3.46 years, men’s mean age 22.24 years (±3.87 years) and women’s 21.91 (±3.34 years). More than half of the respondents were single or separated (66,3% men and 64,8% women, respectively), more than one third reported having a girl/boy-friend, being married or living together with their partner. Women (28.8%) reported more often being married or living with partner than men (21.7%).The following methods of measuring different aspects of body image were used in this study: the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire – Appearance Scales (MBSRQ – AS), Appearance Schemas Inventory – Revised (ASI-R), Short Form of the Situational Inventory of Body Image Dysphoria (SIBID-S), Body Image Quality of Life Inventory (BIQLI).The results were follows: (1) body satisfaction is different for men and women: women are more concerned with their body weight, shape and some body parts (especially lower torso and their hair), they attend to and invest in their physical appearance more often than men; (2) younger men and women relate their self-worth with their looks more often than older men and women. Younger men are more-appearance oriented. Younger women report more dysfunctional attitudes towards their appearance, although they report a higher subjective quality of life than older women; (3) partnership in women is related with a better evaluation of one’s appearance, less dysfunctional attitudes towards their appearance and less negative emotions concerning their body. Partnership in men is related to a higher subjective quality of life; (4) American men and women in comparison with Lithuanian subjects report placing more importance on their looks, are more concerned with their body weight, they report more dysfunctional attitudes towards their bodies and report more body image dysphoria. American women report being overweight more often, are more often dissatisfied with different body parts and report lower subjective quality of life than Lithuanian women.