scholarly journals Hate and harassment in academia: the rising concern of the online environment

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atte Oksanen ◽  
Magdalena Celuch ◽  
Rita Latikka ◽  
Reetta Oksa ◽  
Nina Savela

AbstractHostile online communication is a global concern. Academic research and teaching staff are among those professionals who routinely give public comments and are thus vulnerable to online attacks. This social psychological and criminological study investigated online harassment victimization among university researchers and teachers. Survey participants (N = 2,492) were university research and teaching staff members from five major universities in Finland. Victimization was assessed with a 20-item inventory. The study included a wide range of both background and general measures on well-being at work. Participants also took part in an online experiment involving a death threat targeting a colleague. Results showed that 30% of the participants reported being victims of online harassment during the prior 6 months. Victims were more often senior staff members, minority group members, and from the social sciences and humanities. Those active in traditional or social media were much more likely to be targeted. Victims reported higher psychological distress, lower generalized trust, and lower perceived social support at work than non-victims. Individuals who were targeted by a colleague from their work community reported higher post-traumatic stress disorder scores and a higher impact of perceived online harassment on their work compared to other victims. In the experimental part of the study, participants reported more anxiety when a close colleague received a death threat. Participants also recommended more countermeasures to a close colleague than to an unknown person from the same research field. Results indicate that online harassment compromises well-being at work in academia. There is an urgent need to find ways of preventing online harassment, both in workplaces and in society at large.

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 116-131
Author(s):  
Lyudmila S. Skachkova ◽  
◽  
Daria P. Shchetinina ◽  

Subjective well-being is a new cognitive-affective indicator of socio-economic success of individuals that affects the effectiveness of their professional activities. The authors of the article investigate this phenomenon in the academic sphere, offering to analyze the gender specifics of the subjective well-being of research and teaching staff. The aim of the study is to compare the subjective well-being of research and teaching staff depending on gender, and to review theoretical approaches to research on subjective well-being. Based on the reflection of the previous stages of the study, the authors developed a methodological construct that includes an assessment of the subjective well-being of the academic staff of Russian universities through the analysis of affective and cognitive components. When developing research tools (online questionnaires), we used the emotional balance scale N. We also used questions from the European social survey (ESS) (measuring the overall perception of happiness and life values) and the VTSIOM monitoring study (self-assessment of financial situation). In the course of the study, the authors determined the specificity of subjective well-being on the basis of gender differences in the academic field that manifest the subjective assessment of affective (emotional balance of positive and negative emotions, subjective assessment of well-being in the context of the current period) and a cognitive component of subjective well-being: the value-rational component (assessment of their freedom, a sense of meaning in life, having goals and activities that define the meaning of life, etc.), goal-rational component (overall rating of quality of life, assessment of socio-economic and political institutions, satisfaction with the professional sphere). The assessment of subjective well-being of academic staff in Russian universities with regard to professional determinants (awareness of the value and purpose of professional activities, the status of the profession in society, the status of the institution, opportunity for professional development, self-development, academic freedom, relations, professional communication, work schedule, sabbaticals, precariatization (reporting, administrative burden).


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trubavina Iryna

The monograph is dedicated to substantiation of future teacher's training for work in New Ukrainian school, which is an important problem of reforms in modern education in Ukraine. The study of the authors presents the theory, methods and generalized experience in teacher's training on a new basis. The authors have generalized the new approaches to teacher's training, ways, conditions and methods of introduction of them into practice of higher pedagogical education. They have revealed the new concepts, which are important for updating the content and methods of future teacher's training, the new and improved methods of organizing the educational process on a new basis. The new experience in teacher's training, which was experimentally verified and tested in the process of future teachers' training, has been broadly generalized. The monograph is based on the Concept of the New Ukrainian School, current legislation on education, higher and general secondary education in Ukraine. It can be recommended for training teachers, students and applicants for bachelor's and master's degrees, post-graduate students, research and teaching staff of institutions of higher pedagogical education and for a wide range of scholars and teachers.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ludmila Skachkova ◽  
Elena Yakovleva ◽  
Darya Shchetinina ◽  
Julia Filonenko ◽  
Victoria Kryachko

2021 ◽  
pp. jech-2020-215927 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fang Cheng Fan ◽  
Shu Yao Zhang ◽  
Yong Cheng

BackgroundThe COVID-19 has had an enormous impact worldwide and is still spreading. Globally confirmed infections have surpassed 41.1 million, of which more than 1 million resulted in deaths. Considering the relationship between public health disasters and emotional disorders, it is essential to examine psychological well-being related to this pandemic.MethodWe performed a systematic search on psychological problems from PubMed to 10 October 2020, and conducted a meta-analysis using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis V.3 software.ResultsThe results showed a 19.4% and 26.8% pooled incidence for depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), respectively, during the SARS and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)-related coronavirus outbreaks. However, overall prevalence of depression was somewhat higher at 27.0% during the COVID-19 period. The pooled incidence of PTSD during COVID-19 compared with SARS and MERS outbreaks, was lower, at 16.4%.ConclusionThe results suggest that there are shared and distinct psychological responses following SARS, MERS and COVID-19, and show pessimistic estimates of a wide range of potentially upcoming psychological problems.


Author(s):  
Mohammed Ali Mohammed Ali Eldow

The study aimed to identify the attitudes of teaching staff members at the University of Bakht Al-Ruda towards research and teaching from their perspective, and to investigate if there are statistically significant differences between the means of the study participants due to the variables of gender (male, female) and academic rank (associate professor, assistant professor). To achieve this, the descriptive method was adopted and a questionnaire was developed and administered to a sample of (65) teaching staff members who were randomly selected. The final version of the questionnaire consisted of 17 items on teachers’ attitudes towards research and teaching. The study results revealed that teaching staff members’ attitude towards research and teaching at the University of Bakht Al-Ruda was medium, and there were no significant differences in the means of their responses due to gender (male, female), and academic rank (associate professor, assistant professor). The study concluded with a number of recommendations, including that the university administration should provide sufficient financial support for research by providing tools, equipment, laboratories and libraries to encourage research.


2008 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 67-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristal Mills

Abstract Mentoring has long been believed to be an effective means of developing students' clinical, research, and teaching skills to become competent professionals. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) has developed two online mentoring programs, Student to Empowered Professional (S.T.E.P. 1:1) and Mentoring Academic Research Careers (MARC), to aid in the development of students. This paper provides a review of the literature on mentoring and compares and contrasts mentoring/mentors with clinical supervision/preceptors. Characteristics of effective mentors and mentees are offered. Additionally, the benefits of clinical mentoring such as, teambuilding in the workplace, retention of new staff, leadership development, and improved job satisfaction are discussed.


2012 ◽  
pp. 94-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Antipina

The article contains a review of the contemporary research in the field of economics of happiness. Economics of happiness deals with correlation between the subjective notion of well-being and happiness with ones life (happiness level) and economic indicators. The author considers the correlation of economic and noneconomic factors. The last ones —  such as education and health — also affect the level of happiness. The author dwells upon the following questions: research methodology in economics of happiness, correlation between subjective notion of well-being and happiness with ones life and economic performance on micro- and macrolevels.


Author(s):  
Dr. Sushma Patil ◽  
Dr. Vikrant Patil

Thyroid disorders are common worldwide. Thyroid dysfunction, both hypo- and hyperthyroidism may increase the risk of cardiovascular disorders. Current thyroid function tests may have limitations since they only measure the total or free T4 and/or T3 and TSH serum concentrations in peripheral blood and not the effect of T4 or T3 serum on different specific target tissues. Several comorbid conditions can interfere with the absorption or increase the clearance of levothyroxine. Among patients treated with thyroid replacement, under or overmedicated may-be at risk for adverse health consequences. A wide range of drugs may interfere with levothyroxine absorption, metabolism, and action. Patients report a lack of well-being, despite reaching euthyroid reference range of TSH, with psychological distress. If we will consider Thyroid related conditions as a syndrome then research perspective at the pathophysiology, interrelation between symptoms and comorbidities will be much broader that can lead researchers to get insights of different pathways in which thyroid gland functioning can be perceived and dealt therapeutically. The deliberation of thyroid disorder as a syndrome can affluence our knowledge of correlating cofounders, action of thyroid hormones on target tissues, underlying cause and thyroid health.


Author(s):  
Sigit Arifwidodo ◽  
Orana Chandrasiri

Public Park is considered one of the essential settings for physical activity, especially in urban areas. Parks support physical activity through their accessibility, their provision to facilitate active pursuits; their capacity to provide opportunities to a wide range of users; and their semi-permanent nature. The paper explores the design intervention assessment of Benchakitti Park, which serves as the pilot project for active park and showcase during the past ISPAH 2016 conference. The objective of the paper is to understand the health and well-being benefits of an urban park in increasing PA levels of urban population and promoting a healthy and active lifestyle. Keywords: Public park; physical activity; urban landscape design; public health; SOPARC


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Hegy ◽  
Noemi Anja Brog ◽  
Thomas Berger ◽  
Hansjoerg Znoj

BACKGROUND Accidents and the resulting injuries are one of the world’s biggest health care issues often causing long-term effects on psychological and physical health. With regard to psychological consequences, accidents can cause a wide range of burdens including adjustment problems. Although adjustment problems are among the most frequent mental health problems, there are few specific interventions available. The newly developed program SelFIT aims to remedy this situation by offering a low-threshold web-based self-help intervention for psychological distress after an accident. OBJECTIVE The overall aim is to evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the SelFIT program plus care as usual (CAU) compared to only care as usual. Furthermore, the program’s user friendliness, acceptance and adherence are assessed. We expect that the use of SelFIT is associated with a greater reduction in psychological distress, greater improvement in mental and physical well-being, and greater cost-effectiveness compared to CAU. METHODS Adults (n=240) showing adjustment problems due to an accident they experienced between 2 weeks and 2 years before entering the study will be randomized. Participants in the intervention group receive direct access to SelFIT. The control group receives access to the program after 12 weeks. There are 6 measurement points for both groups (baseline as well as after 4, 8, 12, 24 and 36 weeks). The main outcome is a reduction in anxiety, depression and stress symptoms that indicate adjustment problems. Secondary outcomes include well-being, optimism, embitterment, self-esteem, self-efficacy, emotion regulation, pain, costs of health care consumption and productivity loss as well as the program’s adherence, acceptance and user-friendliness. RESULTS Recruitment started in December 2019 and is ongoing. CONCLUSIONS To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study examining a web-based self-help program designed to treat adjustment problems resulting from an accident. If effective, the program could complement the still limited offer of secondary and tertiary psychological prevention after an accident. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03785912; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03785912?cond=NCT03785912&draw=2&rank=1


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