The concept of Hexaco in personality research has been widely and intensively discussed in recent years. This interest is conditioned not only by the relative novelty of this approach, but also by the strong “kinship” relationship of the Hexaco concept with the currently dominant opinion in the field of personality, the Big Five concept. The relationship between Hexaco and the Big Five (NEO or OCEAN) is widely researched. Differences in the definition of individual factors in both concepts are a possible source of confusion, especially in the factors Neuroticism (NEO, abbr. N, NEO) and Emotionality (Hexaco, abbr. E, HEX). These factors are often understood alternatively (Mateu‑Mollá, 2020), which does not correspond to reality and their difference is emphasized (e.g. Záškodná & Dostál, 2016). The factors differ in the dimension of Anger/Hostility and Impulsivity, which is included in the Neuroticism factor (NEO) but not in the Emotionality factor (HEX). The definition of Neuroticism (NEO) appears to be more similar to Spielberger’s Anxiety (U, STAI), which is defined as the experience of tension, nervousness, fear, and apprehension as measured by the STAI questionnaire (Müllner et al., 1980). This slight confusion can cause difficulties in the interpretation of the obtained results of research in the field of personality psychology. On this basis, it is legitimate to expect a closer relationship (stronger correlations) between N (NEO) and U (STAI) than between E (HEX) and U (STAI). It is also questionable how the presence of Anger/Hostility and Impulsivity in the structure of N (NEO) will affect the strength of the correlation coefficients with the other two observed factors (E, HEX, and U, STAI).
Problem and objective: The use of tobacco products by youths is social and health problem, while a current trend of the spread of other products besides cigarettes is registered, which appear to be less dangerous, but the opposite is true. Practice points out that group interventions do not have demonstrable effectiveness, and it is necessary to focus attention on situational multifactorial research. The paper aims to present the original Questionnaire on situational-motivational factors (SMF) of tobacco behavior (smoking), and the results of the pilot verification of its reliability and factor structure. It is a modified version of the questionnaire for SMF created for alcohol behavior (Rojková, Vavrová, 2017).
This study aims to provide preliminary evidence of the concurrent and structural validity of a novel instrument to measure students’ attitudes toward school subjects. This new tool uses interactive software and measures attitudes less directly by asking students to change different visual features of objects displayed in a virtual three dimensional space, thereby expressing their attitudes metaphorically (popularity/liking through size, importance through size, difficulty through weight, and relationship with a teacher through temperature). The results of this novel method were compared and related to the semantic differential, an already established instrument that is frequently used in the context of school evaluation and focuses on connotative meanings. The study was carried out on a sample of 147 Czech primary school students who rated three school subjects: Czech, English, and mathematics. We used structural equation modeling to analyze the measurement structure of both instruments and the relationship between them. The results showed that a single dominant factor (popularity/liking) can explain the majority of the variance shared between items. However, residual correlations suggested that two other factors are at play, namely importance (measured by the visual metaphor of size) and difficulty (measured by the visual metaphor of weight). The results did not support a three‑factor structure of the semantic differential, which is proposed by the theory of the instrument, since only two semantic differential items appeared to measure something different from popularity/liking. Furthermore, the visual metaphor of distance was the best indicator of popularity/liking, and although other metaphors related to popularity/liking as well, they showed discriminant validity in relation to other metaphors, as evidenced by their pattern of residual correlations with the semantic differential items. In summary, the results support the concurrent validity of the novel instrument utilizing interactive metaphors and also the discriminant validity of individual metaphors but question the proposed factorial structure of the semantic differential.
Objective. Research dedicated to turnover intentions has proliferated in the last decades, identifying various predictors of intention to voluntarily quit the organization. However, although previous studies indicated that younger employees are more prone to turnover intentions, emerging adulthood, as a specific developmental period, has been neglected in previous research dedication to turnover intentions. Emerging adulthood corresponds to ages 18–29 years, during which individuals consider themselves as no longer adolescents, but not yet as full‑fledged adults. Besides the achievement of developmental milestones, various psychologically based qualities – known as dimensions of emerging adulthood – are differentiated in a research literature, and can play a role in turnover intentions. Relatedly, although Psychological capital (PsyCap) – as a second‑order construct integrating hope, self‑efficacy, resilience, and optimism - has been established as a correlate of intention to remain in the organization in previous studies, the role of positive psychological resources in intention to stay in an organization during emerging adulthood, as a specific developmental period, has been neglected. Moreover, recent literature also indicates that the relationship between psychological capital and turnover intention could be indirect – i.e., mediated by other variables such as work engagement – and that a similar pattern of results could be expected also in the case of dimensions of emerging adulthood. Thus, the aim of the present paper is to examine the role of (A) dimensions of emerging adulthood (as potentially important developmental factors) and (B) psycho‑ logical capital (as a positive psychological state that could be purposefully cultivated) in the intention to remain in the organization both directly, and indirectly (i.e., potentially mediated via work engagement).
The main aim of the article is to point out the possibilities of researching the process of achieving goals from the perspective of regulatory fit theory. As part of the justification of this approach, the article presents the historically main theories of achieving goals – learning and performance goals (Elliot & Dweck, 1988), ego-involved and task-involved goals (Nicholls,1984), mastery and performance goals (Ames & Archer, 1988), which both may be in the dimension of approach or avoidance (Elliot & McGregor, 2001). Then attention is also focus to the motivational construct of regulatory focus (Higgins, 1997), which we connect with achieving goals. In the introduction, the achieved goals and types of regulatory focuses are presented in relation to their consequences. Mastery goals are focused on the development of one‘s own competence, and performance goals are characterized by the effort to overcome others, so they use social comparison. The approach dimension represents an effort to outperform others (performance goals) or one‘s previous performance (mastery goals), while the avoidance dimension represents an effort not to be worse than others (performance goals) or not to be worse compared to one‘s previous performance (mastery goals). For persons using the regulatory focus promotion, the occurrence of positive consequences is motivating, and for persons using the regulatory focus prevention, the fact that negative consequences do not occur is motivating. The article discusses the results of research dealing with which types of achievement goal (mastery and performance approach and avoidance goals) or regulatory focus (promotion and prevention regulatory focus) can be associated with more positive consequences in terms of achieving goals, while pointing out the inconsistency of these results. From this point of view, the hypothesis of regulatory fit appears to be a more unambiguous predictor of the success of achieving goals. Its principle is that the achieved performance goal is in accordance with an appropriate regulatory focus. For approach goals it is promotion regulatory strategy and for avoidance goals it is prevention regulatory strategy. In this case, regulatory fit is a better predictor of the success of achieving goals than the type of goal or regulatory focus itself. Even though the regulatory focus and achieved goals certainly have common features such as their definition through gains (promotion focus and approach goals) or losses (prevention focus and avoidance goals), they are different psychological constructs, because the goal rather represents the reasons for which behavior is realized and the regulatory focus is a concrete strategy for achieving goals. Thus, the fit between the focus and the type of goal may not always occur. At the end of the article we propose arrangements from the perspective of the regulatory fit hypothesis, which could improve the prediction of the success of the achieved goal. For example, studies conducted so far investigating regulatory fit did not take into account the possibility of changing the type of goal and the type of regulatory focus over time. Also, all studies are focused either on situational (which is relevant for the situation and is variable) or dispositional regulatory focus (a stable personality trait that refers to how a person typically strives to achieve a goal) independently and did not take into account that the fit between situational and dispositional regulatory focus equally positively predicts success in achieving the appropriate type of goal.
The concept of human resilience is used in various contexts from every day speech to experts discourse. When used in everyday language, the concept of psychological resilience seems quite clear and understandable. In the professional psychological context, we encounter various problems and ambiguities on a theoretical, terminological and methodological level. When we take a closer look. A more thorough analysis of the concept of psychological resilience currently leads to the assumption that it is a complex, complexly structured multi-conditional phenomenon. The aim of the paper is to explore Czech and Slovak psychologists’ concept of psychological resilience. The paper presents a theoretical definition of the phenomenon of resilience, discussing its relation with health and outlining approaches to researching hardiness. The sample was randomly assembled on the basis of respondents’ willingness to participate. Responses were collected using a questionnaire completed by 348 psychologists from the academic community and other spheres in which psychology is professional practiced. The method – using a questionnaire with a small number of relatively simple questions – primarily provides information on respondents’ immediate reactions to the questions. The analyzed sample was assembled randomly on the basis of willingness to participate; it is not a representative sample. In view of the research topic, no hypotheses were generated; instead, research questions were formulated concerning the definition of psychological hardiness, its relation with health, methods used in diagnosing or researching hardiness, and the opinions of experts from the academic and research community. In view of the nature of the data collected, an analysis of descriptive data was carried out, based on absolute and relative frequencies. When defining psychological hardiness, most of the respondents used the concept of ability in the general sense (either in simple or more complex terms), or they defined hardiness as a psychological characteristic (a personality trait). They assumed a strong and significant connection between hardiness and health. This corresponds with the opinions of numerous present-day researchers. The psychologists from the academic sphere gave more detailed responses. When determining hardiness, respondents use self-devised methods or methods taken from expert sources.
The study is a summary of the knowledge of the Flotation REST technique and its effects on stress, anxiety and depression from the point of view of psychophysiology. Flotation REST is a specific form of relaxing environment invented in the 1950s which has been researched in particular in the fields of psychology and physiology. It is a hydrother‑ apeutic device that utilizes the effect of environmental stimulation restriction. Hence the abbreviation REST (Restricted Environmental Stimulation Technique). In our country, the technique is usually used in spa centres and wellness facilities. In foreign research, in particular in the USA, Canada and Sweden, Flotation Rest has proved to be a unique method in the field of applied psychophysiology. It is a technique with predictable psycho‑ physiological effects, a useful application tool that could help in the treatment of certain somatic as well as mental conditions. The goal of this article is to summarize the effects of the method both on the physiological and psychological level regarding stress, anxiety and depression, and to increase the awareness of this technique in view of its development and potential applications.
Emotional Intelligence (EI) was initially proposed as an organized theory by Salovey and Mayer (1990) and later expanded (Mayer & Salovey, 1997) and was pop‑ ularized in the general media by Goleman (1995). EI refers to a set of abilities for using emotional information in adaptive ways. This psychological construct is important and relevant to leadership since emotional factors play a role in personal well‑being, interpersonal relationships, motivation, workplace adjustment and learning processes. EI can be applied to educational leadership since the school leader must continually work with individuals and groups (i. e. school personnel such as teachers, teaching aids, school psychol‑ ogists, counselors, other administrators as well as students and parents). Using emotions adaptively is critical for effective interpersonal relationships as well as for creating an emotional‑toned environment in the school context. Two models of EI are presented. The first model (Mayer & Salovey, 1997) is the ability‑model that considers four major emotion skill sets (perception, facilitation, understanding and managing). The second model (Goleman et al., 2002) organizes EI competencies across two dimensions: capacities (emotion recognition & regulation) and application domains (toward self & others). There is some overlap between these models with regard to emotional perception (recognition) and regulation (managing). The Mayer’s and Salovey’s (1997) model is distinct for its abilities to use emotional concepts and the use of emotions to facilitate decision‑making and emotional planning. Goleman and colleagues’ (2002) model includes organizational and social intelligence features. Research on the relationship between EI and effective leadership will be reviewed. Generally, studies have found predictive correlations between EI and effective, transformational leadership (Mills, 2009; Palmer et al., 2001; Sayeed & Shanker, 2009). A useful model proposed by Guillen & Florent‑Treacy (2011) divides leadership behaviors into two groups: Getting along (with others) and getting ahead (meeting organizational goals). Goleman’s (2011) six styles of EI leadership will be discussed as approaches to educational leadership with an examination of the strengths, limitations and emotional dynamics of each style. The six styles are: Directive (using authoritarian methods); Pacesetting (expecting leader‑determined standards); Visionary (creating inspirational purposes); Affiliative (leading through relationships); Participative (using democratic consensus building) and Coaching (helping individuals develop). These styles are further described in terms of the previously mentioned leadership categories of getting along or getting ahead. In addition, the styles are determined to be either dissonant or resonant with regard to the emotional tone they create in the organization. The necessity of advocating for EI in school contexts will be emphasized. The potential for various professionals (such as school psychologists and school counselors) to take on leadership functions as facilitators of emotional processes in the school settings will also be considered. Educational leaders (whether formally as administrators or functionally as school counselors and psychologists), can have a positive impact on school personnel and students as well as the larger school context through the application of EI capacities and through considering the emotional dynamics in leadership styles.
The study focuses on transformational leadership in the school environment, reflecting the current need for necessary changes in modern schools. It represents a diversion from rationality emphasizing emotionality, a leader’s personality strength and influence, since s/he has a potential to motivate, engage or challenge others – colleagues or students. The study aim was to ascertain the personality variables of a future leader in education – a future teaching professional, graduated from the bache‑ lor and master degrees at Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica (N = 205,72 % females, AMage = 20.87). Methods: Personality variables (neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, conscientiousness level) were mapped by the NEO‑FFI inventory (Slovak version in Ruisel & Halama, 2007), self‑esteem level by the Rosenberger’s Self‑Esteem Scale (RSS, 1965 in Blatný & Osecká, 1994, ɑ = 0.67), and transformational leadership practices (ability to model the way, α = 0.68, inspire a shared vision, α = 0.80, to challenge the process, α = 0.77, enable others to act, α = 0.67, encourage the heart, α = 0.81) by The Leader‑ ship Practices Inventory (LPI, Kouzes & Posner, 2012 in Kaliská, 2019). Results: Correlation and regression analysis showed that personality factors (extra‑ version, openness, agreeableness, conscientiousness) entered into significant positive moderate to weak (low effect size) relations with all types of leadership practices. Neuroticism entered into significant negative weak relations with the ability to challenge the process of others, the ability to inspire a shared vision for others and model the way in the future direction (with low effect size significance). The self‑esteem level did not enter into any relations with various types of leadership practices. Thus, only two personality factors (conscientiousness and openness to experience) contribute to the determination of leadership practice types, where these personality factors predict in the range of 8 % to 21 % of the total variability the variance of individual leadership practices. The highest personality prediction level by these two factors was proved for the transformation practice of challenge the process for the followers (21 %), the ability to model the way to the direction of the organization (almost 21 %) and the ability to inspire a shared vision for others (20 %). Openness to experience appears to be the strongest predictor of all types of leadership practices, remaining in a significant positive weak to moderate relations (.164 ≤ r ≤ .386) to all types of practices when controlling for the other personality factors. Conclusion: Awareness of the personality factors of future leaders in the school system, i. e. teachers, creates a potential to set the pre‑gradual educational goals so as to in‑ crease their leadership competencies. These leaders are the building blocks of a successful transformation of our education, and as such should have qualities characterized as transformational leadership features, such as the ability to think strategically, be action‑oriented, support others in their visions and spread out the vision of the organization within the school system, and become a role model, inspiration, and driving force for new followers (new leaders).
stress relief techniques, including the Chamber restricted environment stimulation technique (REST), are becoming increasingly popular in Slovakia. Given this, it is necessary to investigate this method in an experimental setting. According to Urbiš (2012), dark therapy could be a suitable method for people living under constant stress, tension, and difficult living conditions and can also be used as training in coping with stressful situations. The focus of this study was to assess the relationship between a short‑term Chamber REST and perceived stress. Our research sample consisted of 42 participants who participated in a three‑hour stay in the laboratory of REST at Comenius University. Participants were psychology students. The selection of the research sample and length of stay was mainly based on the COVID-19 pandemic virus. The average age of the participants was 25 years (SD = 5.63). In terms of gender, 32 women (76.19%) and 10 men (23.81%) participated in the research. 21 respondents (50%) stated that they had some previous experience (not a one‑time, but repeated) with relaxation techniques. 20 participants (47.62%) had no prior experience. We measured experienced stress using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS, Cohen et al., 1983) two days before the stay and one week after, and stress and arousal using The Stress Arousal Checklist (SACL, Mackay et al., 1978) before and after stay. The results show that the difference in perceived stress decreased significantly right after short‑term Chamber REST (p = 0.001; W = 556.00) and even one week after the stay (p = 0,016; W=0,932). There were no significant changes in the SDNN parameter before staying in the dark (M = 65.46, SD = 53.79) and after (M = 73.57, SD = 31.14) Wilk’s Lambda = .939, F (1.30) = 1.947, p = .173. No significant changes are also in the rMSSD index before (M = 62.45, SD = 66,42) and after (M = 70.57, SD = 43.80) Wilk’s Lambda = .961, F (1,30) = 1.214, p =.790; neither in HF before (M = 3 307.12, SD = 7 524.92) and after (M = 2 384.77, SD = 2 934.18) Wilk’s Lambda =.995, F (1,30) =.140, p =.711. There was not a significant effect of gender, Wilk’s Lambda =.991, F (1,30) =.283, p =.599 or previous experiences, Wilk’s Lambda = 1.000, F (1,30) =.001, p =.980 on SDNN. We also did not observe a significant effect of gender, Wilk’s Lambda =.996, F (1,30) =.133, p =.717 or previous experiences, Wilk’s Lambda = 1.000, F (1,30) = .014, p = .907 on rMSSD. The same results are in the HF index, with no significant effects of gender, Wilk’s Lambda = 0.985, F (1,30) = .469, p = .499 and previous experiences with relaxation methods Wilk’s Lambda = 1.000, F (1,30) = .000, p = .994. According to our expectations, staying in the dark should reduce the level of stress experienced. The results showed the statistical significance of the difference in the stress using PSS and SACL questionnaires scores before and after dark stay. Participants scored lower after their stay in the dark than before, which is in line with our expectations accord‑ ing to other authors (Malůš et al., 2016; Suedfeld & Borrie, 1999) and highlights the potential of Chamber REST to reduce the level of experienced stress. Based on HRV analysis, we conclude that there was a change in measured HRV indexes, however, the changes were not significant. We observed an increase in heart rate variability (SDNN, RMSSD) indicating an increase in parasympathetic tone, compatible with elevated relaxation. Gender factors and previous experience with relaxation methods have no effect. In conclusion, we found the difference in perceived stress decreased significantly right after short‑term Chamber REST and one week after the stay. An increase in heart rate variability (SDNN, RMSSD) after the stay indicated an increase in parasympathetic tone, however, the changes were not significant. There was no effect of factors of gender and previous experience with relaxation methods.
A lot of ink has been spilled to create a consensus around the meaning of the concept of leadership. This is so because the concept of leadership currently dominates the language of organizations including schools. What instead happened is a deluge of assumptions including but not limited to the beliefs that; leadership is static; it can be taught objectively and effectively to a different group of people in various situations; it can be learned quickly and easily, and the context is a secondary or tertiary importance. These assumptions gave birth to the leadership development industrial complex, an explosion of leadership training programs all over the world especially in the United States. This growing industry promises to create transformative and high performing leaders for a small fee. Despite this training explosion, it is the opinion of several scholars that leadership failure is almost everywhere. They wonder whether the leadership development industry has improved the human condition. The elephant in the room is the neo‑ liberal context in which all the above is taking place. Neoliberalism is an ideology whose proponents advocate the deregulation of the economy, liberalization of trade and industry and the privatization of state‑owned enterprise. This ideology pushes individuals to see themselves as self‑interested actors rather than people working for the social good. The new managerialism becomes the dominant form of management in organizations whose focus is on productivity, efficiency, surveillance, and accountability. Educational institutions are not immune to the new managerialism whose introduction deserves to be interrogated. Neoliberalism turns teachers and school principals into technicians rather than professionals. The influence of managerialism on education pol‑ icies is efficiency in all matters which leaves no room for the pursuit of equity, excellence and ethics and social justice (Codd, 1993). What vision of education should prospective schools’ leaders develop while they are being forced to adopt a managerialist approach to the leadership of school? Should school leaders develop both the ability to resist and build coalitions with proponents of neoliberalism at all costs? Neoliberalism has successfully coopted our education practitioners and students to turn them into docile minds and docile bodies to the service of the market. The question this phenomenon raises is whether faculty in education leadership preparation programs are preparing their candidates for a meaningful and purposeful life. Perhaps public education should focus on society reproduction, but individual values cannot be ignored. Unfortunately, the neoliberalism ideology and its proponents have taken it upon themselves to prioritize these values less. Hence the ideological struggle continues between proponents and opponents of the impact of neoliberalism in organizations but more specifically in schools.
The transformation of education should originate in the school environment. Teachers, as actors of change, thus find themsel es in the position of transformational leaders. Keller (2006) identifies as transformational leaders those individuals who can succeed and fulfil a vision, inspire and activate followers who respond with en‑ thusiasm and determination to achieve goals. Part of a leader’s job is the co‑creation of the organizational culture being upheld in the educational setting. Organizational culture rep‑ resents the nature of the workplace, approach, unwritten rules of interaction and the values of the organization (Morcos, 2018). Organizational culture as defined by Cameron and Quinn (2011) points to the fact that aleader significantly participates in its formation. These claims are confirmed by various studies conducted in different types of organizations, including schools, worldwide (f.e. Daud et al., 2015; Berkemeyer et al., 2015; Yücel et al., 2013). Goal: The aim of the present paper was to find out whether there is a relation between the school organizational culture and the characteristics of transformational leaders in education in the Slovak context. Methods: The paper consists of two studies due to the use of two different research methods assessing transformational leadership factors. Study 1: the research group consisted of 107 Slovak teachers (N = 107; AMage= 43.72; SDage= 10.51; 18.69 % men). The data were obtained through the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI; Kouzes & Posner, 2013), assessing five types of practices – leadership practices: 1) Model the Way, 2) Inspire a Shared Vision, 3) Challenge the Process, 4) Enable Others to Act, 5) Encourage the Heart and 6) the Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI; Cameron & Quinn, 2006), mapping four types of organizational culture – Clan, Adhoc, Market, and Hierarchy. Study 2: the research group consisted of 100 Slovak teachers (N = 100; AMage= 40.99; SDage= 7.79; 30.00 % men). The data for this study were obtained through the Czech Leadership Questionnaire (CLQ; Procházka et al., 2016) assessing eight subscales corresponding to four components of transformational leadership, three components of transaction‑ al leadership, and laissez‑faire leadership. Only the four components of transformational leadership were used. The second questionnaire was also OCAI. All tools were modified and adapted to local conditions. Results: Relation analysis between the observed variables in both studies showed statistically significant positive moderately strong relations assessed by LPI, CLQ to the Clan’s organizational culture of the school (LPI r = from.262** to.394**; CLQ r= from.222* to.420***). For Study 1: negative moderately strong relations between Market organiza‑ tional culture and LPI factors (r = from -.224** to -.421***) and Study 2: CLQ with Hierarchical Organizational Culture (r = from -.249* to -.437***). The Clan organizational culture dominates in the monitored Slovak schools, closely related to the characteristics of trans‑ formational leaders in education as potential actors of changes in education. Conclusion: According to the findings, transformational leaders in education, being an attractive example for others, are charismatic bearers of innovative ideas, they are progressive in their approach to their followers, strengthening the school team spirit and ap‑ preciating and encouraging them. They are the leaders of the Clan organizational culture. The positive finding in both studies remains that the researched Slovak schools show a prevalence of the Clan organizational culture.
Organized hunting activity has become a phenomenon in the Czech Republic during the 20th century. Foreign studies aimed at hunting disclosed various motives for hunting (e. g. Hinrichs et al., 2021). Motivation is closely related to personality traits, so we were interested in the relation between hunting motives and personality traits in Czech hunters. Research was oriented to study which motivational tendencies are applied in the motivation for hunting and how they relate to each other. It was also examined whether there were differences between men and women in motivation. The crucial question was the relation between motives for hunting and personality traits. The sample consisted of 503 respondents, of whom 112 were women (22.27 %) and 391 were men (77.73 %). The sample was obtained using snowball technique, self-selection, and occasional selection. The data were obtained by the original Scale of hunting motives (Scale HM) and the HEXACO questionnaire (Ashton & Lee, 2009). The introductory questions concerned demographics and information about hunting activities. The Scale of hunting motives consists of 30 items. Respondents answer on a five point Likert scale. The questionnaire was inspired by the Volunteer Motivation Inventory (McEwin & Jacobsen -D’Arcy, 2002). The HEXACO questionnaire consists of 60 items. It measures six basic dimensions of personality (honesty–humility, emotionality, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience). The data was obtained electronically using Google forms. The analysis of principal components of Scale HM identified five motivational tendencies: appreciation (self -esteem); prestige (excitement); distraction (relaxation); aggression (hostility) and sharing (affiliation). Appreciation and sharing proved to be the dominant motives, while aggression was the weakest. The results show different relationships between motives and personality dimensions. Negative correlations are more common. The motive of prestige negatively correlates with honesty – humility, similarly to the motive of aggression, which also correlates with conscientiousness. The strongest positive correlation is between distraction and emotionality. Other significant correlations can be observed, but most of them are weak. The findings showed significant differences in motives between men and women. Compared to men, women have stronger motives for sharing and relaxing. The men above score in the prestige motive. The connections between hunting motives and personality dimensions are mostly consistent with how the dimensions of the HEXACO model are characterized (Ashton et al., 2000; Ashton & Lee, 2007). But we observe rather weaker relations of the examined variables, pointing out that greater role in developing the motives of hunters can be attributed to other factors. Limits of the research is the use of Scale of hunting motives, which is in development and additional psychometric verification is required. The internal consistency of multiple subscales does not reach the optimal value. The sample was large, which is an indisputable advantage. On the other hand, it was not a random selection, and this reduces the possibility of generalization of the results.
Problem. The paper offers findings about selected educational aspects of children’s academic performance, examined here in terms of sociodemographic variables, BMI percentile values, cognitive test scores, weight bias internalization scale and self concept scale with an aim to detect whether and to what extent these factors contribute to children’s school results. Methods. 557 fifth graders were administered Vana’s Intelligence Test, the Piers‑Harris 2 self‑concept questionnaire and other tools. Children’s educational aspects were assessed in terms of school Absence, Grade Point Average, and Czech and Mathematics grades, with data obtained from their most recent report cards under the Informed consent of their legal representatives and in compliance with ethical standards. Results. Prepubescent children from stronger socio‑economic backgrounds suffer from overweight/obesity less often and perform slightly better at school. The present results suggest a link between weight bias internalization and overweight/obesity, and a somewhat weaker link between self‑concept and overweight/obesity in the non‑clinical population of prepubescent children. In these relationships of overweight/obese children, as in the cases of alarmingly high school absence, gender is an important variable. Multinomial logistic regression modelling the relationship between Czech and Mathematics grades and selected factors discovered that chances for a worse grade were significantly reduced by the results of Vana’s Intelligence Test in both the subjects, while the Self‑concept total score proved to be an insignificant factor. Conversely, pupils’ Czech grades were negatively influenced by increased BMI (quartile), higher Absence rate, male Gender, Presence of only one parent in the family and WBI, while in Mathematics, in addition to the above discussed, significant regressors only included Absence and Presence of only one parent. Discussions. The results of the Self‑concept total score, the level of which is generally lower in girls than in boys in the population of Czech prepubescent children, agree with other authors’ experience. The connection between the male sex and poorer performance in Czech can be partly explained by the fact that the development of speech, reading, writing and grammar is generally less complicated for school‑age girls than boys. We can ask why a higher BMI quartile increases the chances of a worse grade only in the case of Czech language? So far, we can only speculate about the causes. In our opinion, it is possible that the impact of parents’ education on the performance of children of this age is more pronounced in the Czech language (compared to Mathematics). The other possibility of the impact of the BMI quartile on the Czech grade is the significant predominance of boys in the o/o group. On the other hand, it should be noted that this argument would not explain the o/o children’s poorer Grade Point Average score. However, we believe that the above reasons answer partially this question. Conclusion. The vulnerability of o/o girls is pronounced in some domains of Selfconcept and Weight bias internalization, while in boys it is reflected in the more frequent occurrence of high levels of Absenteeism, with the precise causes of this being still subject to speculation. In this regard, workers in the cooperating professions should pay continuous attention to strengthening the desirable aspects of education and healthy lifestyle among vulnerable groups of children. Educational aspects of overweight/obese children should therefore continue to receive increased attention.
The Covid-19 pandemic not only endangers the physical health of infected people but also, through its accompanying phenomena, endangers the mental health of the uninfected, especially by quarantine (social isolation, disruption of the daily routine, economic problems, work restrictions), by health concerns and the spread of misinformation. This theoretical work aims to provide an overview of the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic for the mental health of the general population and an overview of research -proven or proposed strategies, which can support mental health during a pandemic. The results of the analyzed works are two tabular reports. The first is the examined consequences of a pandemic for mental health, including their factors and types of vulnerable groups, which included depression, anxiety, stress, post -traumatic stress disorder, insomnia, anger, and fear. The second presents proposed psychological and social interventions to mitigate the negative consequences for mental health. Interventions and protective factors protecting against the negative impact of a coronavirus pandemic on mental health can be divided into four groups: 1. Recommendations for the government and health professionals in a particular country – these include, in particular, the provision of up to -date, truthful, and accurate information, refutation of disinformation, provision of protective equipment, financial support for pandemic affected people, and promotion of prosocial behavior. 2. The second recommendation concerns psychologists who should use modern technologies for psychotherapy and try to help as many vulnerable people as possible by telephone and online counseling, crisis hotlines, and chats so that they will also be able to prevent an increase in suicides. There is a particular need for assistance to victims of domestic violence and prevention programs for pupils aged 14–18. 3. The population members themselves provide the third group of protective factors and interventions, i.e., their social relationships and emotional support provided through social networks, telecommunications, and specific assistance in the neighborhood. The main goal is to reduce feelings of loneliness and social isolation. It includes a change in social infrastructure, contributing to increased safety in workplaces, in schools, and during leisure activities. 4. The last group of protective factors concerns individuals themself. In particular, distracting from pandemic -related events is considered to be an appropriate strategy in several ways: avoiding watching news, completing school assignments, spending time with family, pursuing one’s hobbies, playing sports, planning the day, and following the daily routine, even if a person stays at home all day. On a personal level, an optimistic attitude towards the future and a positive reassessment of the situation also helps. Among the requirements and reserves highlighted in the analyzed works, the following can be stated: in research, more space should be devoted to vulnerable groups of the population, namely people from the lowest socioeconomic strata, people without computer literacy, single people, children aged <18 and seniors aged 65+. It is recommended to unify research methods at the national level and to cooperate in developing and verifying the effectiveness of interventions at the international level. At the same time, as online research, which assumes a certain standard of living, dominates at the time of the pandemic, it is recommended that, while maintaining all health protection measures, data on the mental health of the population could be obtained through field social workers.
