Articles

Background. Developmental studies have shown that the home environment has a significantly influences subsequent academic performance by supporting the development of skills essential for the acquisition of competencies necessary for school life, including literacy skills. Children with limited early literacy proficiency often experience challenges in acquiring literacy skills. Family literacy promotes the development of skills necessary for their acquisition.

Objective. The aim of this study is to identify and categorize literacy practices conducted at home, examine the participation of parents and children in reading and writing activities, and explore mothers' beliefs on this subject.

Design. For the present study, interviews were conducted with 102 mothers of preschool children in a city in northwestern Mexico.  The approach for this study is qualitative and constructivist.

Results. The study identified key dimensions: limiting environment, literacy interface, physical environment, interaction frequencies, and beliefs. These dimensions consistently highlight shared time as the main activity to promote reading and writing. However, the strategies deemed most relevant to language stimulation are primarily academic and place special emphasis on remediation and explicit teaching.

Conclusion. Despite expressing interest in developing activities to encourage reading and writing at an early age, these activities often fail to align with skills and developmental period of preschool children. The adult-centered and formal view of literacy practices in the home may be enhanced by educating the parents about their children’s developmental stages and literacy needs.

Background. An understanding of the dynamics of intergroup relations, particularly in relation to migrant populations, is of critical importance in a variety of societal contexts. This study examines the relationship between conservatism (Social Dominance Orientation, SDO), intergroup dynamics (stereotypes and intergroup emotions), and social distance (openness to coexistence and tendencies toward exclusion) within the Venezuelan migrant population residing in Lima Metropolitana.

Objective. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationships between conservatism, intergroup dynamics, and social distance among Venezuelan migrants in Lima Metropolitana. A sample of 395 residents was utilized for this study.

Design. The study employed a correlational research design to examine the relationships between the variables of interest. Correlation analyses were conducted to assess the associations between variables. Path analysis was utilized to explore the underlying mechanisms. Furthermore, group comparisons were conducted to examine differences in attitudes and perceptions across various demographic groups. 

Results. The findings indicated that there were significant associations across conservatism, intergroup emotions (both negative and positive), stereotypes, and the tendencies toward exclusion and coexistence. Notably, younger participants exhibited more inclusive ideological and intergroup indicators. Moreover, the path analysis demonstrated the pivotal influence of the morality stereotype and ideological dimensions on the integration and exclusion of migrants.

Conclusion. The study highlights the significance of cultivating favorable stereotypical perceptions of migrants and emphasizes the impact of age and ideological factors in creating conducive conditions for migrant integration. A contextual understanding of these results underscores the necessity for inclusive policies and interventions that foster social cohesion and integration within communities that have received migrants.

Background. Screen time has increased, with more frequent use at younger ages during the developmental process. International pediatric associations recommend that its use be minimal before three years of age. However, several studies have shown that in this age range, its use is for at least one hour per day, and in general without the accompaniment of an adult and with no consideration of age-appropriate content. Furthermore, negative associations between screen use in hours and minutes were reported with different cognitive abilities (e.g., language, executive functions, attention, memory) during this period. Many of the studies carried out on associations between these variables used questionnaires or parental reports. This is why it becomes important to study how screen time is associated with early interactions between primary caregiver and toddlers and with early cognitive skills, using measures that observe behavior directly, and in a non-WEIRD sample [a WEIRD population is White, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic – ed.] from low-to-medium SES backgrounds in Latin America. This could generate interventions to promote early cognitive development, and evaluate what type of responsible use can be provided for screen consumption in the early years.

Objective. To describe the use of screens in toddlers of low-to-medium SES, compare caregiver–toddler interactions when engaged in play with digital or physical stimuli (with screens or toys), and examine screen use associations with regulation, early communication skills, and sociodemographic variables.

Design. A mixed quantitative research sample was of 33 dyads of low-to-medium-SES primary caregivers and toddlers from 12 to 36 months (M.age = 27.2 months, SD = 7.04, female = 16) from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Sociodemographic and screen use questionnaires, cognitive tasks of regulation and communication, and two free-play sessions of six minutes (i.e., with toys and screens) were used.

Results. Caregivers reported that their toddlers were exposed to TV, background TV, and cell phones for more than one hour per day with different content types. Caregivers generally preferred toys to screens, had a negative view of screens, and reported using them to distract their toddlers. Play sessions with toys promoted more verbal and non-verbal interactions between caregivers and toddlers, and these interactions were positively related to cognition. Also, TV use had differential correlations with toddlers’ interactions depending on whether it involved verbal or non-verbal communication. Finally, negative associations of TV and background TV with cognitive and socioeconomic variables were found.

Conclusion. It would be important to encourage participation in traditional games or other face-to-face interaction activities and develop interventions focused on parent education-related screen use, child development, and tips for engaging in quality interactions with toddlers.

Background.  Sports performance anxiety is understood as a tendency to respond with cognitive or physical anxiety in competitive situations where the athlete's performance can be assessed. 

Objective. To investigate the role of social desirability and competitive anxiety in male football players with varying levels of skill. The study had two main objectives: first, to assess the levels of social desirability and competitive anxiety in two different groups, and second, to compare the levels of social desirability and competitive anxiety between highly skilled and less skilled players and explore their relationship.

Design. Participants were divided into highly skilled (n = 39) and less skilled (n = 39) football players. The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire was used to assess the participants’ social desirability bias. The Sport Competition Anxiety Test assessed the level of competitive anxiety. The t-test for independent samples was used to compare social desirability and competitive anxiety between the groups. A linear regression model was used to determine if social desirability could predict anxiety levels among the players. 

Results. The t-test showed that highly skilled players have a lower level of competitive anxiety than less skilled participants. However, social desirability did not show a statistically significant difference between the highly skilled and less skilled football players. The regression analysis showed a statistically significant association between social desirability and competitive anxiety (inverse relation) in both groups. 

Conclusion. Highly skilled football players demonstrated less competitive anxiety than less skilled ones. Lower levels of competitive anxiety are associated with higher social desirability among football players in both groups.

Background. The study of eye-movement strategies of athletes of various disciplines and skill levels is highly significant for sports psychology, since the results can be used in training to improve performance. Such studies are extremely scarce for ice hockey.

Objective. To determine successful eye-movement strategies for ice hockey players compared to wrestlers and controls (non-athletes) during puck-hitting tasks of various degrees of difficulty, using virtual reality.

Design. The study involved 31 participants (male), including 13 ice hockey players (age 20 ± 2.5), 9 wrestlers (age 19 ± 1.9), and 9 controls (age 19 ± 1.3). We used a pre-developed VR-PACE technology that simulates an ice rink in virtual reality (VR). The task was to hit pucks. VR was presented via the HTC Vive Pro Eye with a built-in eye tracker (100 Hz). We analyzed the parameter that reflected the share of puck presence in one of selected retina areas (0–5°, 5–10°, 10–15°, 15–25°, 25–35°) of the left and right eyes and the head.

Results. Ice hockey players exhibited longer puck-tracking using both the near periphery (5–15°) and central retinal area (0–5°). Puck speed had minimal impact on eye-movement strategies, and the visual focus on these areas remained consistent regardless of task type. For both wrestlers and controls, visual fixations in the central retinal area increased when tracking the puck without a motor response, likely leading to higher energy consumption and sensory fatigue.

Conclusion. The optimal eye-movement strategy involves parafoveal tracking in the near periphery (5–15°) and partial foveal tracking (0–5°), allowing for better object information retention and efficient puck trajectory tracking with reduced energy expenditure.

Background. In the present study, an attempt was made to address self-regulation at the agentic (higher) level, which contributes a person's success not only in sports, but also in the organization of their own life. A group of capoeiristas was chosen as the sample.

Objective. To identify the features of agentic self-regulation in athletes engaged in capoeira with different levels of sports qualification.

Design. 202 capoeira athletes, aged M= 29.6 years, SD=6.6, were interviewed. The sample was divided into three subgroups based on different sport types and comparisons were made on the scales of the following techniques: style of self-regulation of behavior, strategies for coping with stressful situations, action control, personality protest activity, psychosocial maturity, personality harmony. ANOVA analysis in IBM SPSS Statistics 26 program was used for these comparisons.

Results. The Masters subgroup outperformed the lower grade subgroups on the parameters: action control in planning, assertiveness, personal self-regulation, and psychological defense (p ≤ .05). The Master Candidates group had a significantly lower level of escapism (p ≤ .05), an indicator of destructive agentic activity, compared to the rated athletes group. Master Candidates outperformed Masters in the coping strategy of caution (p ≤ .05) and outperformed rated athletes on personality harmony scales, including satisfaction with life, relationships with people, life self-determination, and life self-actualization (p ≤ .05). On the scales of conscious self-regulation, no significant differences were found between the three subgroups (p > .1).

Conclusion. As capoeiristas advance in sportsmanship they enrich their regulatory experience through the development of agentic qualities such as constructive coping strategies, personal maturity and personal harmony, while reducing the manifestation of destructive activity, such as escapism. 

Background. Motivation is considered crucial in sports participation and performance, influencing athletes’ psychological well-being, investment in training, and interpersonal relationships. Self-determination theory (SDT) is a prominent framework used to understand motivation in sports, highlighting the importance of autonomous motivation for optimal performance and well-being. A large number of questionnaires for examining processes in sports were created by relying on the constructs of SDT.

Objective. This study explores the psychometric characteristics (construct validity) of the Sport Motivation Scale II (SMS-2), as well as gender and age differences in motivation among young Serbian athletes. This questionnaire has proven to be important for understanding the motivation of adult athletes, but so far, its psychometric characteristics have not been sufficiently examined on a sample of young athletes in Serbia. Given the high dropout rate from sports in adolescence, valid questionnaires to assess the motivation of young athletes can help to identify athletes who are at risk of leaving a sport.

Design. The sample consisted of 365 young athletes (51% girls, aged 12–16) from Serbia participating in team sports (at an organized level, not a recreational level), including volleyball, basketball, and handball. They completed the SMS-2 using paper and pen, in the presence of a psychologist and with parental consent obtained by the clubs. The questionnaire has been translated into Serbian. Young athletes from team sports were selected due to the large number of adolescents in Serbia who are engaged in organized team sports. There is a small number of adolescents who are involved in organized individual sports.

Results. Factor analysis of the SMS-2 revealed six factors, in line with the original structure of the Scale: identified motivation, intrinsic motivation, amotivation, external motivation, integrated motivation, and introjected motivation. The questionnaire demonstrates satisfactory psychometric properties, with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients indicating good internal consistency. Gender differences were obtained only in external motivation, where boys scored higher than girls. No significant differences emerge in motivation across age groups or among athletes participating in different sports. It is possible that differences were not found in relation to the type of sport because there are similarities in the process of working with young athletes in team sports.

Conclusion. The Sport Motivation Scale II (SMS-2) showed satisfactory psychometric characteristics in a Serbian sample of young athletes. The original structure was replicated, with six factors representing six types of motivation, in line with SDT. These findings suggest the SMS-2’s validity across gender, age, and sport types, offering a valuable tool for assessing motivation in young athletes engaged in organized team sports.

Background. Coping, within Lazarus transactional theoretical framework, is conceptualized as a dynamic set of cognitive and behavioral processes that adapt continually to manage specific demands, whether internal or external, perceived as exceeding an individual’s available resources. This framework supports understanding healthy coping behaviors, especially regarding adherence to treatment in cardiovascular disease management.

Objective. Develop and validate coping scales designed to assess adherence to pharmacological treatment, heart-healthy eating, and cardiovascular physical exercise in mexican patients diagnosed with ischemic heart disease.

Design. The research employed both qualitative (focus groups) and quantitative (exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis) methodologies to ensure robustness. The coping scales underwent rigorous testing, including exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), which revealed a two-factor solution for medication adherence coping, a three factors solution for physical exercise adherence coping, and a three factors solution for healthy eating adherence coping.

Results. The findings suggest that coping strategies, although universal in nature, are sensitive to cultural nuances among patients with ischemic heart disease. By capturing the complexities of coping behaviors within a specific cultural context, these scales provide valuable insights into the multifaceted nature of adherence to primary prevention measures.

Conclusion. This study contributes to the understanding of how coping mechanisms intersect with cultural factors in the management of chronic conditions such as ischemic heart disease, highlighting the importance of tailored interventions that consider patients cultural backgrounds and individual coping styles.

Background. Women’s football (soccer), despite official recognition and growing popularity, is perceived as a gender-non-typical sport. This contradiction can be implicitly transmitted by society and acts as a condition of conflict in the self-consciousness of teenage female football players (TFFPs). In this study, the model of self-consciousness is defined as the semantic structures generated in the dialogic interaction “person – sociocultural environment”.

Objective. Various options, including internally conflicting ones, for the content of self-consciousness in the context of both gender (girl) and professional sports (football player) are identified in comparison with the gender personality type of TFFPs.

Design. The psychosemantic method of multiple identifications is used to assess self-consciousness in participants. Image-markers of self-identification in gender and professional sports semantics are assessed through verbal personal characteristics and non-verbal color-associative stimuli. Sample: 29 female football players aged 15 years who have been involved in pre-professional football for the last 5–7 years.

Results. In TFFPs with androgynous and masculine gender personality types, self-consciousness is not conflicted; the image of a football player has masculine semantics. In TFFPs with a feminine gender personality type, self-consciousness is not conflicted due to the transformation of the image of a football player from traditionally masculine semantics to more feminine ones. TFFPs with an undifferentiated gender personality type are characterized by contradictions at the explicit and implicit levels of self-consciousness.

Conclusion. The results confirm the concept of self-consciousness as a process of dialogical interaction between the self-image and images of the socio-cultural environment, as well as the possibility of its diagnosis as individual variants of psychosemantic structures.

Background. The study of competitive anxiety and its relationship with mood states in high-performance athletes is relevant for predicting performance and enabling timely interventions to ensure successful outcomes in competitions. Due to the complex psychological demands arising from dual careers, the study of competitive anxiety and mood states contributes valuable insights into the emotional well-being of these student athletes.

Objective. To examine and describe competitive anxiety and mood states in a sample of high-performance Cuban university athletes across different sports and genders. 

Design. A descriptive, correlational, and cross-sectional study was conducted involving 46 Cuban student athletes from national teams across 16 sports and included both male and female athletes, with an average chronological age of 20.70 years and 6.98 years of experience in a high-performance sport. The Competitive Sport Anxiety Inventory and Brunel Mood Scale were administered in their Spanish versions. The data were examined using descriptive statistics analysis including the Mann-Whitney U test, and Spearman's correlation coefficient.

Results. Although no statistically significant differences were found in competitive anxiety and mood states in relation to gender and type of sport, female athletes tend to present higher mean scores in competitive anxiety and negative mood states. Additionally, female athletes in team sports experienced slightly more intense emotions. Anxiety shows positive correlations with tension, depression, and vigour, suggesting its influence on certain mood states.

Conclusion. The results indicate that, in general, the intensity of certain moods in Cuban university student athletes is influenced by levels of competitive anxiety. An increase in anxiety during competition can lead to heightened tension, depression, and vigour, with no significant differences observed between female and male athletes or based on the type of sport practiced.

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic declared on March 11th, 2020, has had a substantial impact on the lives of all over the world. The student population, being one of the most vulnerable and substile ones, was forced to face specific unexpected circumstances for the first time in their lives.

Objective. In this paper, the authors explored the reflections of the COVID-19 experience and basic segments of everyday life of university students after the first academic year under pandemic measures and a follow-up year with their subjective perception of to what extent their lives have changed and how they were able to adapt to COVID-19 emergency measures.

Design. The field research was conducted among students in two European countries: Slovenia and Serbia. The qualitative semi-structured interviews with students (N=20, 50% male) were executed in June-July 2020 and June-July 2021.

Results. The basic segments of students' daily lives underwent significant changes, yet they successfully coped and adapted to the COVID-19 emergency measures. Notably, improvements were observed in study strategies, reducing fear and loneliness. Above all, the primary longing was for social contact and gathering with friends. In their private lives, they were more concerned about opportunities but on the other hand, they gained more free time for various non-academic activities. Finally, sports science students have proven better-coping mechanisms with extraordinary circumstances.

Conclusion. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the changes in the daily lives of students during the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background. More than half of future teachers in our country receive professional training in classical universities, which determines a great variability of motivational-professional and planned career trajectories. At the same time, the type of university (federal or regional) significantly influences the conditions for forming a professional teacher. This study identifies career orientations of students attending classical universities of different types in order to determine trends in career preferences according to choice of university type.

Objective. This study aims to identify the peculiarities of career orientations of students studying at pedagogical bachelor degree programs of classical universities of different types (federal and regional), determining the interrelations of their indicators with socio-demographic and motivational-professional characteristics of the test subjects.

Design. The study was conducted in the form of a comparison of career orientations of the first-year students in teacher education programs (83 students of Kazan Federal University and 89 students of Smolensk State University). The empirical methods used included the adapted Schein's career anchors tool and a questionnaire revealing socio-demographic and motivational-professional variables to identify factors related to career orientations.

Results. The obtained results revealed common preferences for both universities in career orientations on the service, job stability and lifestyle integration scales, indicating stable trends in choosing the teaching profession. Students at both universities, who chose the teaching profession and plan to work in their specialty, demonstrate a readiness for professional development and overcoming difficulties. However, the university is an independent factor which determines differences according to the scales of entrepreneurship, autonomy and management. Students at a federal university are characterized by greater independence and initiative, but also more uncertainty in choosing a profession, in contrast to students at a regional university.

Conclusion. Considering student career orientations according to their socio-demographic and motivational-professional characteristics, allows us to obtain an objective and comprehensive picture of the professional choices of students from different types of universities, leading to more effective delivery of their professional development.

Background. Although quite a few classifications of coping strategies have been proposed, with different premises, much less is known about the methods of interpretation and how people using different types of coping perceive their life difficulties.

Objective. To develop a verifiable algorithm for classifying perceived difficulties. The proposed classification was developed deductively, using “approach–avoidance” as the basis for cognitive activity aimed at taking on (approaching) a difficult situation or escaping from it, avoiding a solution to the problem. The classification comprises 1) driven, 2) maximum, 3) optimal, 4) ambivalent, and 5) evasive types of perception of difficult life tasks (DLTs). Types 1, 2, and 3 correspond to approaching a difficult situation, and 5 to avoiding it. Type 4 involves a combination of approach and avoidance.

Design. The type is determined by an expert psychologist in a complex way, based on a combination of 1) the respondent’s profile according to the “Types of Orientations in Difficult Situations” questionnaire (TODS) and 2) features that are significant for the type as shown in qualitative data – descriptions of DLTs (answers to open questions). Machine learning methods and A.S. Podkolzin’s computer modeling of logical processes are used to develop the algorithm. The sample comprised 611 adult participants (M_age = 25; SD = 5.8; 427 women).

Results. Using machine-learning algorithms, various options were tested for separation into classes; the best results were obtained with a combination of markup and questionnaire features and sequential separation of classes. Using computer modeling of logical processes, decisive classification rules were tested, based on the psychologist’s description of the features of the type of perception. The classification accuracy using these rules of the final algorithm is 77.17% of cases.

Conclusion. An algorithm was obtained that allows step-by-step tracing of the process by which a classification problem is solved by the psychologist. We propose a new model for studying situational perception using a mixed research design and computer-modeling methods.

Background. Advanced AI models such as the large language model GPT-4 demonstrate sophisticated intellectual capabilities, sometimes exceeding human intellectual performance. However, the emotional competency of these models, along with their underlying mechanisms, has not been sufficiently evaluated.

Objective. Our research aimed to explore different emotional intelligence domains in GPT-4 according to the Mayer–Salovey–Caruso model. We also tried to find out whether GPT-4's answer accuracy is consistent with its explanation of the answer.

Design. The Russian version of the Mayer–Salovey–Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) sections was used in this research, with questions asked as text prompts in separate, independent ChatGPT chats three times each.

Results. High scores were achieved by the GPT-4 Large Language Model on the Understanding Emotions scale (with scores of 117, 124, and 128 across the three runs) and the Strategic Emotional Intelligence scale (with scores of 118, 121, and 122). Average scores were obtained on the Managing Emotions scale (103, 108, and 110 points). However, the Using Emotions to Facilitate Thought scale yielded low and less reliable scores (85, 86, and 88 points). Four types of explanations for the answer choices were identified: Meaningless sentences; Relation declaration; Implicit logic; and Explicit logic. Correct answers were accompanied by all types of explanations, whereas incorrect answers were only followed by Meaningless sentences or Explicit logic. This distribution aligns with observed patterns in children when they explore and elucidate mental states.

Conclusion. GPT-4 is capable of emotion identification and managing emotions, but it lacks deep reflexive analysis of emotional experience and the motivational aspect of emotions.

Background. The formation of multiplicative concepts of complex structure is a challenge for educational design. Students’ typical mistakes and strategies spontaneously obtained through hands-on trials in solving balance scale problems have been at the center of many studies within this trend. However, the consideration of relevant concept-mediated actions based on Learning Activity Theory (Davydov) remains a relevant problem.

Objective. We aimed to develop a feasible framework for digital support of students’ learning actions in this domain. The productiveness of individual and joint forms of work with dynamic objects in a digital environment, mediated with conceptual modeling tools, was compared.

Design. The participants were 181 fifth-grade students (11–12 years old). The first group (123 students) was taught a special procedure of modeling, which they then could test during individual computer-supported problem-solving. The second group (58 students) worked in pairs (jointly), using the same procedure. The pre- and post-tests included challenging problems on prediction of the balance state and ways to regain equilibrium.

Results. Comparison of the pre- and post-test results of the joint computer-supported activity instruction revealed students’ progress in solving critical tasks as guided by the conceptual modeling procedure of load evaluation instead of “empirical” correlations of weights and distances. The individual computer-supported work, however, failed to overcome the belief of some students in the efficacy of trial-and-error methods as applied to the digital simulation with instant feedback.

Conclusion. The special organization of the computer-supported concept-mediated joint activity may promote multiplicative concept formation.

Background. A cancer diagnosis is a powerful, unanticipated, and occasionally traumatic event which impacts an individual with evidence of a life-threatening illness. As a potentially terminal illness, cancer entails substantial physical, emotional, and psychological costs. Even though psychological resources such as social support and resilience promote post-traumatic growth, chronic stressors experienced by cancer patients have the potential to weaken the function of such positive resources. Therefore, it is crucial to assess how stress impacts post-traumatic growth among cancer patients. 

Objective. The present study aimed to examine the moderating effect of stress on post-traumatic growth and resilience among cancer patients mediated by perceived social support. 

Design. A cross-sectional research design and purposive sampling technique was used to collect data on Urdu versions of the Short Form of the Post-traumatic Growth Inventory, Brief Resilience Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and Stress subscale of the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale. Cancer patients (N = 200) were approached and recruited from public and private hospitals in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, and Gilgit Baltistan to participate in the research. 

Results. Post-traumatic growth had a positive association with resilience and perceived social support. However, stress was negatively related to all study variables. Moderated mediation analysis highlighted that high levels of stress decrease the indirect impact of resilience on post-traumatic growth through perceived social support.

Conclusion. The study’s findings imply that stress must be given considerable attention while fostering post-traumatic growth among cancer patients. Based on these findings, future studies should also take into account specific age range of the sample, types of cancer (and other terminal illnesses), the cross-sectional nature of the study, and individual differences in coping with illness for a comprehensive understanding of post-traumatic growth among cancer patients.

Background. Children’s and adolescents’ development of autonomy depends on the relationship with their parents and the parents’ child-rearing practices. These might be aimed towards supporting or restricting autonomy, as well as its different aspects, such as independence or volitional functioning.

Objective. To compare the practices described by foreign researchers as being the most beneficial for supporting autonomy with those used on a daily basis by Russian parents of primary school children and early adolescents.

Design. We conducted 26 semi-structured interviews with 16 mothers and 10 fathers of primary school children (n = 10) and early adolescents (n = 16).

Results. The practices of autonomy support and control used by parents were mostly similar to those described in foreign literature. However, new features were found: Guidance, Explanation of Patterns, and “Area of Responsibility”. The behavior of Russian parents can be described through practices specific to different situations. Qualitative research suggests the absence of a unified style of behavior in relation to children’s independence. Two types of autonomy support practices were used: encouraging independence and support for volitional functioning.  Encouraging children’s volitional functioning was perceived by parents as something that guides their behavior, yet mention of this practice was much less explicit than mention of encouraging independence.

Conclusion. Further reflection is required on the observed situationality of practices – whether it should be assessed as chaotic, hindering autonomy, or flexible, promoting it.

Background. Mental health stigma and mental health literacy can be potential targets of public education and health development. These areas are culturally specific and have so far been almost unexplored in Russia.

Objective. This study aimed at examining mental health stigma and mental health literacy in Russia, their prevalence, and their associations with somatic, anxiety, and depressive symptoms.

Design. The participants were 1,068 Russian adults. They completed the online questionnaire with measures assessing their mental health stigma (Perceived Devaluation and Discrimination Scale; Link et al., 2001); somatic symptoms (Somatic Symptom Scale-8; Gierk et al., 2014); anxiety symptoms (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7; Spitzer et al., 2006); and depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-9; Kroenke et al., 2001). To examine their mental health literacy, we used a series of questions exploring a person’s awareness of mental health and mental health problems.

Results. Mental health stigma was found in 67% of the participants, who were less confident that most mental disorders can be prevented and more confident that mental disorders can be cured in most cases. Higher devaluation, discrimination, and mental health stigma were related to more severe somatic symptoms. Lower mental health literacy and higher devaluation, discrimination, and mental health stigma were associated with more severe anxiety and depressive symptoms. These associations were the same when adding covariates such as sex, age, partnership, parenthood, and educational background.

Conclusion. This study highlighted the obvious need for measures to reduce mental health stigma and improve mental health literacy in Russian society. In general, these measures can contribute to the promotion of better mental health in Russia.

Background. Previous studies have assumed that a materialistic value orientation is correlates with personality traits such as honesty, neuroticism, and agreeableness. Less is known about the relationship between features of a materialistic orientation such as acquisition centrality, acquisition as the pursuit of happiness, and possession-defined success, and the Dark Triad traits. This article presents a study on the relationship between materialism, the Dark Triad traits (Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy), and money management. 

Objective. The study aimed to investigate whether groups exhibiting various combinations of materialism and Dark Triad traits have disparities in financial control and accountability, which serve as indicators of money management.

Design. Questionnaire-based surveys were conducted online, with a total of 442 undergraduate students age 18 to 25 participating. The participants filled out the Short Dark Triad measure, the Material Values Scale, and the Money Management Scale, in addition to providing their demographics.

Results. Four combinations of materialistic and Dark Triad traits were revealed (Bright and Dark Materialists and Non-materialists). Bright and Dark Materialists were more self-centered and manipulative than Non-materialists. Strong materialism, paired with the lowest degree of Dark Triad characteristics, resulted in the worst financial management. On the contrary, individuals with low materialistic tendencies in addition to high Dark Triad traits tended to have better ability to managing their finances.

Conclusion. It is possible to assume that materialism is a strategy for obtaining riches, positions, and reputation at the cost of others in the case of "dark" personalities. Nevertheless, those with low levels of materialism and low Dark Triad characteristics showed better abilities to handle their finances in terms of control and responsibility.  

Background. Self-efficacy refers to students’ perceived confidence in their ability to tackle learning tasks. Research shows that self-efficacy serves as an important predictor of academic achievement and relates to students’ academic success, self-regulated learning, and motivation. It is therefore important to understand how self-efficacy develops and manifests itself in Russian schoolchildren and relates to their academic achievement.

Objective. To establish evidence of the validity and reliability of domain-specific self-efficacy scales developed for elementary and middle school students.

Design. Messick’s unified framework was used to establish validity. The surveys were administered to elementary and middle school students in two regions of Russia.

Results. The pilot testing of the self-efficacy scales for elementary school, using exploratory (n = 972) and confirmatory (n = 972) factor analyses, resulted in a four-factor model, which was later confirmed with a different sample of elementary students (n = 1,392) with good reliability estimates (α = 0.75–0.82). The pilot testing of self-efficacy scales for middle school, using exploratory (n = 583) and confirmatory (n = 584) factor analyses, resulted in a three-factor model, showing excellent reliability estimates (α = 0.88–0.93).

Conclusion. The evidence of construct validity suggests that the domain-specific self-efficacy scales for elementary and middle school students can be recommended for use by researchers and practitioners. The article presents ideas for additional validation studies and future research using domain-specific self-efficacy scales.