Evaluation of the internal structure of the Serbian version of the Big five questionnaire for children and the development of a short form (SBFQ-C-29): A preliminary study

The personality characteristics of children and adolescents explained by the Big Five model have been studied much less than the personality characteristics of adults. One of the rare self-assessment personality instruments for the preadolescent and adolescent age is the Big Five Questionnaire for Children (BFQ-C). The aim of this study is an evaluation and presentation of the latent structure and some psychometrical characteristics of the BFQ-C in the Serbian language. The sample consisted of 881 participants (54% female) who attended the final grades of primary and the initial grades of secondary schools (M=14 years, SD = .99). The original model, previously addressed across different cultures and languages, was tested through CFA. The hypothesized model did not obtain satisfactory fit indices. Following these results, the sample was randomly divided into two datasets. We opted for further exploration of the Serbian version of BFQ-C's latent structure and the development of its shorter version. The final result is the 29-item questionnaire solution (SBFQ-C-29), with loadings on five factors with satisfactory internal consistency, homogeneity, and adequacy, consistent with the previous studies addressing different cultures and languages.

Facets of primary and secondary school students' wellbeing during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative analysis of Austrian and Italian educational policy

The coronavirus pandemic has revealed the limits of current social and educational structures. In most countries, COVID-19 has compromised the wellbeing of students, but also of their families and teachers. During the first wave of the pandemic, school systems all over the world had to respond quickly and appropriately to the systemic shock it represented, and countries put a variety of different policy measures in place to tackle its extensive impact. The theoretical framework adopted in this paper is a critical perspective and the policy framework is the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); it provides a qualitative analysis of selected educational policies deployed by Italy and Austria to support the wellbeing of school pupils. The two countries deployed different education governance and emergency management strategies, in particular during the first wave of the pandemic. We applied our theoretical and policy frameworks to qualitative content analysis of educational policy documents from February to the end of August 2020, aiming to evaluate the responses to crisis of different education systems and potentially to support their improvement. The overall research question was: How did educational policies in Italy and Austria support students' wellbeing during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic? The results confirm that the Italian and Austrian systems had different strategies to support wellbeing and put different initiatives in place. However, educational policies in both countries, and especially Italy, had a stronger focus on the physical wellbeing of individual students during the period under study, and tended to neglect social wellbeing. The paper concludes by reflecting on the opportunities presented by this emergency for school systems to position wellbeing (in the broader sense of eudaimonic wellbeing) at the centre of educational policy

Is theory the best practise: A review of research in work psychology in Serbia (1995-2019)

The paper deals with the relationship between academic, applied and practical knowledge in the field of applied psychology, which has the potential to contribute to economic and social development. The aim of the analysis is to make an initial insight into the dominant topics and social relevance of research activities in the field of work psychology in Serbia in the period of significant social changes (1995-2019). The material for the analysis consisted of abstracts of papers in the field of work psychology, which were presented at two leading national conferences - Empirical Research in Psychology and the Meeting of Psychologists of Serbia (N = 657). The thematic analytical procedure was used for the construction of the code system used for defining the criteria for collecting relevant data. Exploratory sequential design and comparative longitudinal analysis were used for data processing. The general conclusion based on qualitative data analysis suggests the existence of social relevance of research activities in the field of work psychology in this period. The results of the analysis were also considered from the perspective of some recent models of strategic planning and social development. The obtained results indicate the emergence of new topics and areas, as well as the existence of a link between significant social changes and research activities in the field of work psychology in this period. Some elements of the new paradigm of the positive human resource development practice are highlighted. The paper concludes with discussing the broader theoretical-methodological and practical implications of the obtained findings for work psychology.

The cooperation between kindergartens and families during the kindergarten closure in Slovenia due to the COVID-19 pandemic

During 2020, kindergartens in Slovenia were fully closed in the first and partially closed in the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the kindergarten practice of cooperation with the families changed. In order to obtain an insight into the new situation in this field, our research focused on the organization of the cooperation between kindergartens and families during the kindergarten closure. In November 2020, we developed an online questionnaire for parents who had at least one child enrolled in kindergarten. The questionnaire was filled in by 944 parents. More than half of the parents answered that contacts with preschool professionals had supported them during the full and/or partial closure of their kindergarten. About one half of parents answered that the kindergarten had contacted them once a week, mainly with proposals for activities and information in case the kindergarten remained closed. Most parents answered that the additional contact with the professionals had not represented an additional workload. Three quarters of parents believe that it is necessary to maintain contact even during the closure. Still, as the pandemic situation is completely new, it is still difficult to assess in what way it makes sense to maintain cooperation during the closure. With the study, we obtained insight into the importance of cooperation from the parents' perspective, which we need to consider in similar situations ahead.

The relationships between self-esteem and Ego-identity development

Identity and self-esteem are important concepts in the development and understanding of individual's self-perception. Perceptions and opinions of significant others influence the construction of adolescents' representations of self and the formation of identity, which, in turn, can be a strong predictor of self-esteem. The significance of our research is reflected in the examination of subjective choices and commitment to roles, values and goals in the domains of religion, occupation, politics and relationships, which can all affect self-esteem. Hence, this paper aims to examine the relationship between identity and self-esteem, more precisely, the impact of identity on self-esteem. The study involved 487 adolescents who completed two questionnaires: the Extended Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status (EOMEIS-2), which contains four statuses: Achievement, Foreclosure, Diffusion identity and Moratorium, and the Self-Liking Self-Competence Scale (SLSC) used for the assessment of self-esteem, consisting of two dimensions: Self-liking and Self-competence. Correlation analysis of four identity statuses and two dimensions of self-esteem showed a positive correlation of Self-competence and Self-liking with Achievement identity, and a negative correlation of the two dimensions of self-esteem with the Foreclosure, Diffusion identity and Moratorium. In order to analyze the influence of identity on self-esteem in more detail, a regression analysis was performed. When it comes to the dimensions of Self-competence and Self-liking, the most significant predictor is Achievement identity, while Moratorium and Foreclosure identity are less impactful predictors, with a negative sign. The results are interpreted in terms of the influence of identity on the level of self-esteem, as well as the importance of support from others, such as parents and peers. Finally, we provide guidelines for further research of the connection between identity, self-esteem and other concepts which play a significant role in the process of developing the concept of self.

The situation and needs of transgender and non-binary people in Serbia

Transgender and non-binary people are one of the most marginalized groups in the society, exposed to different forms of violence and discrimination, both on the structural and individual level. The aim of our research is to provide a better understanding of the position of transgender and non-binary people in Serbia. In addition to overall socio-demographic characteristics, we explore the experiences of violence and discrimination in public space, during education, at work, as well as the difficulties with legal gender recognition, experiences within the health care system and needs for different forms of support. In this explorative study we used an online questionnaire consisting of closed and open-ended questions. The convenience sample comprised 71 respondents and included both transgender men and women and the non-binary people. Our results confirm that transgender people in Serbia are exposed to violence and discrimination in different life periods and different areas of life, that they do not feel safe and often hide their gender identity. When it comes to medical gender affirmation procedures, respondents are divided between rating them as satisfactory and non-satisfactory. As the main priorities, they see the regulation of hormone shortage, training of health providers on working with transgender and nonbinary people, individualization of the treatment, and decentralization of services. They also voice out the need for psychological support, which can be regarded as an invitation to mental health experts to work towards a better understanding of the specific aspects of everyday lives of their transgender clients.

Teachers' perceived stress and experience in online teaching during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic

Stress affects various aspects of human life and may also affect professional functioning of teachers. Research on attitudes towards digital/online teaching and learning has shown that the success of any online education depends upon the attitude of teachers towards online learning. Some studies before the pandemic showed that teachers, in comparison to other high-stress occupations, were reported as being the most stressed in regard to physical and psychological wellbeing. The aim of this pilot study is to investigate teachers' perceived stress and its relationship with attitudes towards online teaching and subjective online teaching overload during the early phase of COVID-19 pandemic. The online survey was performed during and immediately after the enforcement of lockdown measures in Vojvodina in spring 2020. The total sample included 64 teachers from primary and secondary schools (12.5% were class teachers), between 26 and 63 years of age. The subjective stress perception was measured using the Perceived Stress Scale, and a 19-item questionnaire was constructed for the assessment of attitudes towards online teaching. The perceived stress level was increased compared to the norms suggested by the scale author. Subjective overload with online teaching was significantly positively correlated with the perceived stress (r = .385, p <.01). Teachers did not report extremely positive or negative attitudes towards online teaching. Still, the attitude towards online teaching was significantly negatively correlated with the subjective overload with online teaching (r = - .294, p <.05). Results showed no significant correlation between the perceived stress and attitudes towards online teaching.

Trends in primary school teachers' experience over the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Serbia: A narrative analysis

The purpose of the study is to explore the experiences shared by primary school teachers in three waves of data collection. Teachers' narratives about their experiences of schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic were elicited online. In three instances, a total of 116 participants were prompted to narrate in story and letter genres, providing 233 narratives. We conducted the values analysis and additionally analysed data statistically in order to compare the values teachers expressed at three key turning points for education in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Serbia. Altogether, three major values and nine value codes were identified. This multi-genre three-wave approach provided a nuanced and comprehensive picture of teachers' most important impressions, concerns, and strategies in the new reality, in particular as the emphasis changed over the course of one year of the pandemic. Teachers who took part in the first wave mostly focused on health and prevention issues, their duties, the workload, and the strategies for coping with the new normal. In the second wave, as the threat eased, teachers expressed increased awareness of schooling related issues. Teachers' narratives in the third wave primarily focused on the learning process and outcomes. Based on the conducted analyses, the paper draws policy recommendations.

Assessment of interpersonal anxiety in stutters

Stuttering is defined as a speech disorder characterized by involuntary repetitions and prolongations of speech elements, i.e. voices, syllables or words. The evaluation of interpersonal anxiety in stuttering pathology should indicate and encourage a new perspective and provide a conceptual approach that has the potential to enable better understanding of the affective field of a stuttering person, thus completing a guide to stuttering rehabilitation. The aim of this study is to compare the degree of interpersonal anxiety of stuttering subjects and the typical population and the potential effect of age differences and different forms of stuttering on the degree of interpersonal anxiety. The sample included 48 subjects, 24 stuttering subjects and 24 non-stuttering subjects. Interpersonal anxiety was evaluated using the Willoughby questionnaire which assesses the degree of interpersonal anxiety. The obtained results show that the subjects who stutter are more anxious than the subjects of the typical population [F(1, 44) = 13.66, p <.01]. Stuttering subjects from the older age groups have exhibited a higher degree of interpersonal anxiety compared to younger subjects [F(1, 22) = 8.544, p <.01]. There are differences in the degree of interpersonal anxiety in people who stutter with respect to the form of stuttering [F(2, 21) = 80.83, p <.01] - the people who have a severe form of stuttering are more anxious than the people who have a mild and moderate form of stuttering. Studying of the relationships between these disorders is essential for strengthening and supplementing the existing prevention measures, but also for encouraging the development of new prevention programmes aimed at forestalling occurrence of anxiety by gaining the ability to successfully overcome emotional discomfort associated with speech. The obtained findings underscore the importance of stuttering assessment and therapy in adults and suggest that the integration of interventions by speech therapists and clinical psychologists could be beneficial for this population.

To be connected: Supporting self-regulated learning in higher music education before and during the pandemic

In online learning, students are expected to take on more responsibility for their education, while teachers are expected to support students' self-regulated learning (SRL) skills. In this research, we explore whether young musicians perceive a difference in the actions that their major music teacher (MMT) took to support their SRL skills before and during the pandemic, and investigate their view on how the MMT could further support their learning. The sample included 144 students of the Faculty of Music in Belgrade, who filled in the online inventory comprised of 24 questions - 17 parallel Likert-type items (referring to the MMT's actions supporting SRL skills, before and during the pandemic), and one question was a short letter to the MMT. Data were analysed using dependent t-test, ANOVA and reflexive thematic analysis. Students perceived that SRL skills were more encouraged before than during the pandemic. Additionally, our findings show that music students who did not have in-person and online communication, separately, with their MMTs perceived they had lower support to self-regulate their learning. The findings from qualitative analysis inform educational practice by pointing to specific teacher's actions that students perceive as important for their further development.