Development of the Japanese Version of the State Self-Compassion Scale (SSCS-J)

Research in the U.S. developed and validated the State Self-Compassion Scale (SSCS), which measures self-compassionate reactions toward a specific negative event. The current study is aimed at developing the Japanese version of the State Self-Compassion Scale (SSCS-J) and extending previous findings in the U.S. by showing measurement invariance across sexes and demonstrating the construct validity of this scale. Across two studies (n = 596 in Study 1, n = 474 in Study 2), the bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling representation of the SSCS-J showed excellent fit in which a single global factor (i.e., self-compassion) and most of the specific factors (six subscales) were well defined. Study 1 further provided evidence for the measurement invariance across sexes. The SSCS-J was related with higher trait self-compassion and lower fear of and negative beliefs about self-compassion. In Study 2, participants who were instructed to be self-compassionate reported higher scores in the SSCS-J relative to those in the control condition. These results attest to the replicability of the factor structure of the SSCS in Japan and provide further evidence for the construct validity of this scale.

Perception of teaching performance in the virtual learning environment

<span>This article aims to analyze the perception of the students of the professional school of business administration about the teaching performance in the virtual learning environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. When developing the research, it was determined that there is a good teaching performance, according to the perception of the students. However, it was identified that the factors of domain of the topic and class session management, present a better perception in this context of virtual learning; while the didactic strategies factor is the one that presents a not so favorable perception. In addition, through a comparative analysis, it was determined that the didactic strategies and planning factors have suffered a negative variation with respect to the perception per teacher, when moving from face-to-face to virtual learning, since, of the total of 17 specialty teachers, seven of them one negative variation. These results are validated by the linear regression test, where an R2 value of 0.965 is calculated, with respect to the didactic strategies factor. It means that this factor influences 96.5% on the perception of students with the global factor and an R2 value of 0.921 for the planning factor, which indicates an influence of 92.1%.</span>

Psychometric properties and factor structure of the UCLA Loneliness Scale v3: the European Portuguese version

Loneliness refers to the perception of mismatch between the perceived and desired quantity and quality of meaningful relationships. Currently, the golden standard measure to assess loneliness is the University of Los Angeles Loneliness scale version 3 (UCLA v3). The aim of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties and the factor structure of UCLA v3 for the European Portuguese population. A sample of 282 participants was surveyed in Portugal. Analyses showed internal consistency was optimal for the Portuguese population: Cronbach’s α = .91 and McDonald’s ω = .91. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported a single global factor for loneliness and optimal fitness. Multi-group CFA indicates invariance across sex. Floor and ceiling effects were largely absent. Loneliness correlated with well-established mental health indicators such as psychological stress, depressive and anxiety symptomatology or psychological inflexibility. The findings support UCLA v3 as a reliable and valid measure of loneliness in the Portuguese population.

THE INFLUENCE OF RECREATION ON THE FOREST VEGETATION OF PINE STANDS IN THE BOBROVSKY DISTRICT OF THE VORONEZH REGION

Every year forests are becoming more and more recognized as a global factor in nature conservation. Recreational activities aimed at exploiting the natural environment have led to the degradation of natural landscapes in many regions of the planet. The article examines the current state of clean pine plantations in Bobrovsky district, Voronezh region, subject to recreational stress.

Tax Revenues in a Pandemic: Decline or Growth in the Future?

It is obvious that today the global factor determining the recessionary scenario for the development of the world economy is the coronavirus pandemic and quarantine measures to prevent its spread. The need to increase spending on the social sphere and medicine, business support and a reduction in revenue sources in the context of a business lockdown are becoming a serious test for the budget system. The article examines the dynamics of tax revenues in 2016–2020. An idea was formed about future tax revenues in the Russian Federation in the context of the economic crisis associated with the coronavirus pandemic.

Joint Growth Trajectories of Trait Emotional Intelligence Subdomains Among L2 Language Learners: Estimating a Second-Order Factor-of-Curves Model With Emotion Perception

The present study assessed the developmental dynamics of trait emotional intelligence (TEI) and its subdomains during English as a foreign language (EFL) learning in a longitudinal study. A sample of 309 EFL learners (217 females, 92 males) was used to assess the trajectories of the global factor of TEI and the parallel development of the TEI subdomains over 1 year in the context of the EFL classroom using parallel process modeling (PPM) and factor of curve modeling (FCM). Additionally, emotion perception (EP) was used as a distal outcome to investigate how growth parameters, including intercept and slope factors in a TEI-FCM, influence the distal outcome of EP. The results revealed that there was sufficient inter-individual variation and intra-individual trends within each subdomain and a significant increase over time across the four subdomains. Additionally, concerning the covariances within and among the subdomains of TEI, the PPM results revealed moderate to high associations between the intercept and slope growth factors within and between these subdomains. Finally, regarding the direct association of the global growth factors (intercept and slope) of TEI on EP, the results indicated that the intercept and slope of global TEI were associated with EP (γ0 = 1.127, p &lt; 0.001; γ1 = 0.321, p &lt; 0.001). Specifically, the intercepts and slopes of emotionality and sociability turned out to be significantly linked to EP (γ03 = 1.311, p &lt; 0.001; γ13 = 0.684, p &lt; 0.001; γ04 = 0.497, p &lt; 0.001; γ14 = 0.127, p &lt; 0.001). These results suggest the dynamicity of TEI during learning a foreign language are discussed in this study in light of the potential variables associated with TEI and its related literature.

Perseverance of Effort and Consistency of Interest: A Longitudinal Perspective

The present research, enlightened by the dynamic approach to language learning, aimed to trace the co-development of English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ perseverance of effort (PE) and consistency of interest (CI), the two subdomains of grit, over a course time. To this aim, a factor of curves model (FCM) was employed to trace the covariance of the subdomains of L2 grit longitudinally over time; to explore how changes in PE and CI are affected by their initial states; and to what extent the variations in PE and CI are explained by the underlying global factor of L2 grit. For data collection, the L2 grit scale was used with 1,384 adult EFL learners in four measurement occasions. The data were analyzed in Mplus with FCM in three steps. The results showed that firstly, in analyzing the direction of change in PE and CI, a higher mean was estimated in the growth (the slope) than the intercept. Evidence was also found for inter-individual variation. Secondly, the covariance between the intercept and slope of each subdomain was explored and for both the results revealed a negative covariance of the slope and intercept. Thirdly, the covariance of the intercepts and the slopes of the two subdomains was positive and significant. Fourthly, the variance of the intercept and slope of each subdomain proved to be explained to a large extent by the underlying global factor of L2 grit. These findings were discussed in the light of the potential variables associated with L2 grit and its related literature.

Teaching Quality in Higher Education: Agreement Between Teacher Self-reports and Student Evaluations

Teaching quality is a crucial factor within higher education. Research on this topic often requires assessing teaching quality as a global construct through self-reports. However, such instruments are criticized due to the lack of alignment between teacher and student reports of instructional practices. We argue that while teachers might over- or under-estimate specific dimensions of teaching quality, their aggregation in the form of overall teaching quality reflects differences in teaching quality between teachers well. Accordingly, we test a ten-item measure that allows faculty to self-report their overall teaching quality based on the aspects distinguished in the SEEQ (Marsh, 1982, 2007). Using 17,508 student assessments of teaching quality in 889 sessions taught by 97 faculty members, we conducted Doubly Latent Multi Level Modelling while considering bias and unfairness variables to model overall teaching quality assessed by students, and simultaneously corrected for measurement error and potential distortions through the assessment situation. This global factor of teaching quality was strongly associated with teacher self-reported teaching quality (ρ = .74), which we interpret as evidence that global teacher reports of teaching quality can serve as sensible indicators of overall teaching quality for nomothetic research in higher education.

Appetite for Destruction: A Psychometric Examination and Prevalence Estimation of Destructive Leadership in Sweden

There is a growing awareness that destructive leadership has a significant negative impact on employe outcomes. However, little is known about the content and dimensionality of this multidimensional concept, and there are few reliable measures available for organizations and researchers to evaluate these behaviors. Based on a representative sample (N = 1132) of the Swedish workforce, the aim of this study is threefold: first, to examine the factor structure and validity of an easy-to-use multidimensional destructive leadership measure (Destrudo-L)in the general Swedish work context; second, to identify destructive leadership profiles using latent profile analysis (LPA), and determine in what way they are related to employe outcomes; third, to examine the prevalence of destructive leadership using population weights to estimate responses of a population total in the Swedish workforce (N = 3100282). Our analysis supported the structural validity of Destrudo-L, reflecting both a global factor and specific subdimensions. We identified seven unique destructive leadership profiles along a passive and active continuum of destructive leadership behaviors, with the active showing a less favorable relation to employe outcomes. Finally, we found that a substantial proportion of the Swedish workforce report being exposed to destructive leadership (36.4–43.5%, depending on method used). Active destructive leadership was more common in the public sector and passive destructive leadership in the private. Given the potentially severe effects and the commonness of these behaviors, we argue that organizations should work actively with strategies to identify and intervene, to prevent and to handle the manifestation of these harmful behaviors.