Catholic University in Ružomberok (CU) is a public university with religious character. The Conference of Slovak Bishops and National Council of the Slovak Republic took part in its foundation in 2000. CU performs its activities especially in the areas of the humanities, historical, pedagogical, and social and health sciences, as well as in the areas of art, economics, management, and law. Catholic University has been the associate since 2004 and in 2010 it became the member of International Federation of Catholic Universities. University has also been the member of Fédération des Universités Catholiques Européennes (FUCE) since 2007. Since 2016 vice-rector prof. František Trstenský is member of Board of FUCE.
Christians have strived for spiritual growth and deeper sanctification since the birth of the Church. Over the course of history, various approaches to the spiritual life gradually took shape. Already in the earliest periods, spiritual teachers distinguished between those who were just beginning their journey (beginners), those who were making progress (the advanced), and those who had already travelled far (the perfect). These three groups correspond to the traditional stages of the spiritual life: the way of purification, the way of illumination, and the way of union. In the modern history of the Catholic Church, however, a new and in many respects innovative approach began to emerge. One of its pioneers was Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. This approach places less emphasis on laborious and systematic ascent through “degrees of perfection” or on measuring one’s progress, and instead highlights simplicity, trust, and complete surrender to God. The aim of this study is to examine these different approaches to spiritual growth and to show their inner connections as well as their continuing relevance for Christians in the modern world.
The aim of the study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Slovak version of the Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT) within the teaching profession. The research sample consisted of 1,072 primary and secondary school teachers. Participants completed an online questionnaire comprising the Burnout Assessment Tool items and selected items based on the Job Demands-Resources model. The analysis focused on verifying the factorial structure of the instrument, its internal reliability, and convergent validity. The results confirmed the replication of the second-order model with four latent dimensions, which is consistent with international findings. The questionnaire demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency for both the overall score and its individual dimensions. Furthermore, the expected relationships were confirmed in line with the Job Demands-Resources theory: burnout dimensions were negatively associated with job resources and positively with job demands. The Slovak version of the BAT, therefore, appears to be a theoretically well-grounded and practically applicable tool for identifying burnout in both research and clinical practice.
Aim. The aim of the study is to substantiate the pedagogical conditions for the formation of the cognitive activity of older preschoolers using board games and to determine their role in the modern educational process of preschool education institutions. Methods. The research is based on the analysis of monographic sources, dissertations and pedagogical studies, as well as on the generalisation of practical experience in organising board game-based activities. The methodological approach includes theoretical modelling of pedagogical conditions and their structuring within the educational environment. Results. The study identifies and characterises three interrelated pedagogical conditions: the creation of a board games area for independent joint rule-based play activity, the purposeful enrichment and awareness of the cognitive content of board games, and the transfer of acquired cognitive experience into children’s independent free play. It is established that their implementation ensures the activation of cognitive processes, the development of social interaction, and the formation of the ability to demonstrate agency. Conclusions. Board games are proven to be an effective pedagogical tool that integrates educational content, promotes the development of generalised cognitive skills, and supports the transition from guided to independent cognitive activity. Originality. The novelty of the research lies in the systemic justification of pedagogical conditions as a unified methodological framework for the effective use of board games in the formation of cognitive activity of older preschoolers.
The article focuses on studying the effect of choral singing on the singer's body, highlights the concepts of vegetative homeostasis and adaptation processes, argues for the choice of choral singing as a method of restoring vegetative homeostasis, describes Makats' method of functional-vegetative diagnostics as a way of assessing a person's vegetative status, provides brief information about the author of the methodology, Volodymyr Makats, and provides an algorithm for applying the method of functional-vegetative diagnostics when studying the effect of choral singing on the performer.
BackgroundExcessive workload among nurses constitutes a significant risk factor for adverse events, including medical errors, patient falls, and reduced quality of care. A growing body of evidence indicates that organizational factors play a key role in shaping the level of workload.MethodsA multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted between September 2024 and March 2025 among nurses working in public hospitals in Europe (n = 774). The study used an original questionnaire and the Subjective Workload Assessment Questionnaire (KONOP), which includes four dimensions: loss of control over work, perfectionist work style, general views on work, and perceived organizational oppressiveness. Statistical analyses included Student’s t-test, ANOVA variance analysis, and Pearson correlation coefficients.ResultsExcessive workload among nurses remains closely associated with organizational factors that may affect the safety of both patients and staff. Interventions aimed at improving the organizational climate, the quality of management, and work organization may be of key importance for enhancing safety in healthcare systems.ConclusionThe excessive workload of nurses remains closely related to organizational factors that can affect patient and staff safety. Identifying and modifying working conditions, including work organization and organizational climate, is a key direction for actions improving safety in healthcare systems.
