Current challenges in psychological science
Authors: Autora Grupa 
Published: December 2023

The Proceedings Book from the 18th International Conference Days of Applied Psychology titled "Current Challenges in Psychological Science" showcases a selection of papers meticulously curated from the presentations at the 18th International Conference “Days of Applied Psychology,” held on September 23rd & 24th, 2022, in an online format. Rooted in tradition, this annual conference has been a flagship event since 2005, organised by the Department of Psychology at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Niš, Serbia. The conference's inception was underpinned by the vision of fostering a platform for the convergence of researchers and practitioners, facilitating discussions that bridge the chasm between scientific exploration and pragmatic applications across diverse psychological domains. Since its beginning, the conference has welcomed participants of international provenance, a trend that steadily gains momentum with each passing year. Over recent years, the conference has particularly focused on not only disseminating scientific findings from varied psychological disciplines but also nurturing dialogue among scholars with diverse cultural and professional backgrounds. This publication contains 12 reviewed original scientific papers. The authors of these articles come from 8 countries: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, India, Japan, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Slovakia. The abstracts featuring the research results from these articles were presented at the conference as the part of the sessions: Personality and Individual Differences, Work, Organization & Mental Health, Protective Behaviours during the COVID-19 Pandemic, Psychometrics, Educational Psychology, Social Psychology, Motor Behaviour & Sports Psychology, Psychotherapy & Mental Health and two symposia: Forest Bathing Without the Forest: The Urban Nature Experience and Share Your Attitude: Mental Health Services, Asylum Seekers and Nationalism – Under the Veil of Personal and Some Other Factors. Paper Psychological Factors Involved in Criminal Recidivism explores the intricate interplay of psychological attributes contributing to repeated criminal behaviours. This topic resonates as a vital investigation within the discipline of criminal psychology, seeking to unveil the underlying mechanisms driving persistent engagement in criminal activities. Within the thematic section of Work, Organization & Mental Health, two papers make noteworthy contributions. Work-Family Conflict and Turnover Intention: The Mediation Role of Optimism shines a light on the interplay between work-family dynamics and the intention to leave a job, with optimism acting as a mediating factor. Simultaneously, the investigation into Job Demands, Job Resources and Personal Resources as Determinants of Burnout of Healthcare Workers During COVID-19 Pandemic sheds crucial insights into the occupational burnout experienced by healthcare personnel during times of crisis. The strand of Protective Behaviours during the COVID-19 Pandemic explores pivotal dimensions of public health behaviours. Sharing is (Not) Caring! Predicting Intent to Vaccinate Against COVID-19 by Emotional and Cognitive Factors investigates the intricate interplay of emotions and cognition in predicting vaccination intent, and Fear of COVID-19 and Personality Traits as Predictors of Motivation for Vaccination addresses the interplay between psychological attributes and vaccination motivations,