The Relationship of psychological well-being with adaptive and maladaptive functioning among older adults in Lithuania

Background: The aging of societies highlights the importance of understanding the lives of the elderly. Researchers are interested in iden-tifying factors of psychological well-being associated with age as it is crucial to find out what contributes to a fulfilling life of older people. However, the relationship of psychological well-being with adaptive and maladaptive functioning remains ambiguous. This study aimed to assess this relationship among older adults. Participants and procedure: The study involved 332 individuals aged 60 to 97, with an average age of 71.93 years, of whom 36.4% were male. A nationally representative sample of older adults was obtained using multistage stratified sampling. The short supplemen-tary scale of the Lithuanian Psychological Well-Being Scale and Older Adult Self Report (OASR/60+) were used. Results: The hierarchical regression analysis revealed that, even after controlling for other factors of psychological well-being, cer-tain specific problems – namely anxiety/depression, thought problems, and irritability/disinhibition – were significant pre-dictors of psychological well-being. Conclusions: Our study underscores the importance of targeting specific maladaptive behaviors, such as anxiety, thought problems, and irritability when developing interventions for the elderly. Addressing these issues may enhance their psychological well-being and contribute to successful aging. Keywords: adaptive and maladaptive functioning; personal strengths; emotional-behavioral problems; elderly people

The Role of Lithuanian heritage language schools in cultural identity and language learning: perceptions of parents and teachers

This study aims to examine how children growing up in Norway develop Lithuanian heritage language skills and maintain their Lithuanian identity based on the perceptions of parents and teachers. Theoretical Basis: The study is grounded in social identity theory, which helps to understand how personal and social identity is formed and transformed through interactions in various social environments. Methodology: A case study strategy was chosen, allowing the phenomenon to be interpreted in different environments and perspectives. The study describes the environments and contexts of three Lithuanian heritage language schools operating in Norway, as the participating teachers (n = 5) and parents (n = 8) are from these schools. The results showed that in Lithuanian cultural schools, which operate every other Saturday, the spoken Lithuanian language is developed, children are introduced to Lithuanian history, traditions, and culture, and Lithuanian holidays are celebrated. However, parents have different expectations when sending their children to these Lithuanian heritage language schools; some are satisfied with the spoken Lithuanian language, while others want deeper learning of Lithuanian writing so their children can take the Lithuanian language exam. Keywords: Lithuanian heritage language; preservation of cultural identity; perceptions of parents and teachers; Lithuanian life in Norway

Raibuliavimas (making ripples): student-athletes action safe sport in Lithuania

Athlete voice is fundamental to good governance; however, sports organisations have been slow to involve young people in safe sport initiatives. In Lithuania, the location of this study, athlete welfare issues are rarely discussed, and the development of a safe sport environment is new to the policy agenda. This project aimed to empower a cohort of student-athletes to promote good practice and safe sport in Lithuania. A secondary aim was to understand the content areas that young athletes prioritised in promoting safe sport. 17 Lithuanian university student-athletes worked in small groups to identify a safe sport issue that was relevant in their country and created awareness-raising poster campaigns to start conversations about it. Focus group interviews were conducted with participants who highlighted the need to challenge "taken-for-granted" ideas about athlete welfare and the importance of involving young athletes in advancing the welfare and safe sport agendas. Keywords: Athlete voice, Athlete welfare, safe sport, Lithuania, youth participation

Gender, war and remembrance: "Heroic subjects" in Lithuania's memory regime of fighting and suffering.

The growing body of literature on women, war and remembrance points to the importance of women’s experiences for the construction of national narratives. These narratives often perpetuate stereotypical images of war with suffering women and dominance by fighting men—unless women fight on the ‘right side’ and exhibit extraordinary bravery. Then they become ‘heroic subjects’ in such narratives. These national narratives are part of the processes related to ‘defending memory’. They tend to select actors and experiences that fit their version of the national past. Feminist perspectives on war and memory encourage us to explore silences, contradictions and omissions in these national narratives. They also encourage us to listen to women who decide to publicly record their wartime memories and thus influence national narratives about war. Focusing on the case study of Lithuania, this chapter asks the following questions: What are the gendered aspects of ‘defending memory’? What is the relationship between the experiences of women and the construction of national narratives about war, engaged in ‘defending memory’? What are the tensions between lived experiences (documented in memoirs and oral testimonies) and the ways in which they are articulated publicly, for national consumption

The Securitization of memory and the practice of public history in the Baltic States.

Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine in 2014 generated considerable anxiety in the Baltic States about the vulnerability of society to information warfare exploiting the contending historical narratives of the region. The authorities became acutely concerned of the possibility of a ‘hybrid attack’, appealing to the hearts and minds of Russian minorities in border regions to support an incursion or destabilizing action. This chapter seeks to demonstrate that while historical memory of the Second World War became a referent of security discourse and policy, the securitization of the past has not yet led to illiberal regulation or efforts to control historical discourse. A comparative and regional analysis of policy developments in the Baltic States suggests that policymakers have thus far managed to steer a course between a ‘laissez-faire’ liberalism and mnemonic memocracy

Youth perception of public spaces in the City

For any urban development, the opinion of the final stakeholders is essential. However, the uncensored youth perception regarding the urban environment is rarely included in the decision-making process. Here, we present the youth’s perception of public spaces in the city. The empirical research was conducted in Kaunas, which is a typical tertiary city. That is why such results are comparable with findings from other middle-sized cities around the world. The photovoice research method was applied to gather data on youth perception of public spaces. The dataset consisted of 793 unique responses from young people. The qualitative analysis was conducted by using MaxQDA 24 software. Our findings suggest that young people prefer to spend time with friends in man-made urban environments rather than in natural or semi-natural green spaces. Many of their favourite places are considered to be well suited to young people’s needs. Suggestions for improving their favourite places mostly revolve around built infrastructure, yet many of them emphasise the importance of sustainable urban development. Keywords: city; public space; perception; urban development; youth

Confiscation beyond the all-crime approach and the proportionality principle - a case of the Lithuanian illicit enrichment offence concept

The article discusses the ultimate limits of crime proceeds control measures from the perspective of the proportionality principle. The concept of the general illicit enrichment offence (GIEO) is explored as it is considered one of the most radical illicit asset control measures. It is based on two extreme elements: first, it reaches broadly beyond the all-crime proceeds approach and targets any unexplained assets. Secondly, it provides highly intrusive measures, involving both the confiscation of assets and, in addition, criminal sanctions. The advantages and risks of the concept are examined from both practical and basic legal principle perspectives. The author presents recent results from the Lithuanian penal justice system, where the GIEO has been introduced into penal law and practice since the end of 2010. A rich body of case law from the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and European Union Court of Justice (EUCJ) serves as the background of the analysis. The author concludes that the concept of GEIO is in conflict with the proportionality principle. Although the Lithuanian Constitutional Court did not find proportionality issues with the GIEO, the prospects of successful challenges with respect to the proportionality principle in the ECtHR and the EUCJ appear promising. Keywords: illicit enrichment; proportionality principle; crime proceeds; confiscation; corruption

Information seeking in a time of war: coping with stress in Lithuania during the Russia/Ukraine war

Purpose – The aim of the research reported here was to determine how Lithuanian citizens engaged in information-seeking behaviour in response to the stress caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Design/methodology/approach – An interview survey was designed, using a semi-structured interview schedule. A convenience sample of 21 participants was obtained and the interviews lasted between 20 and 70 min. The schedule design was guided by the transactional theory of stress and coping and employed the Perceived Stress Scale. Findings – A majority of participants experienced moderate to high levels of stress associated with the war in Ukraine. Information seeking and discussing information found with family members and friends played a significant role in helping to moderate stress. Most of the participants understood more than one language and, consequently, were able to compare local information sources with international sources. Only five participants were active users of social media, the rest were critical of these sources. All participants valued those sources they believed to be reliable and truthful. Research limitations/implications – The small convenience sample of educated urban participants limits generalizability but provides indicative findings for future investigations into information behaviour during prolonged international conflicts. Practical implications – The study highlights the importance of media literacy in managing psychological stress during geopolitical tensions, demonstrating how strategic information seeking and social support can serve as effective coping mechanisms. Social implications – The research reveals psychological impacts of war beyond direct conflict zones, illustrating how communities develop collective emotional resilience through informed, critically engaged information practices. Originality/value – The study provides unique insights by examining war-related stress in a neighbouring country not directly experiencing conflict, applying stress-coping theory to understand intricate information seeking behaviours during a geopolitical crisis. Keywords: stress, Ukraine, information behaviour, media use, war, information-seeking behaviour, stress-coping theory

Green growth in agriculture: long-term evidence from European Union countries

In agriculture, the relationship between economic growth and environmental pressures is complex and difficult to measure and compare between countries. This study had two objectives; the first was to build a new green growth accounting framework for agriculture in relation to natural capital and air pollution, and the second was to assess the long-term green growth of agriculture in EU countries. The data for EU27 from 2005 to 2021 were collected and used in the empirical analysis of green growth in agriculture. The findings showed positive real growth in agriculture from both the economic growth and green growth perspectives in most EU countries in the long term. Slow changes in air pollution (expressed in net GHG emissions from agriculture) and in natural capital (expressed in quality-adjusted agricultural land) did not have a significant impact on green growth in agriculture. The empirical analysis also revealed that most EU countries increasingly rely on technological progress to promote agricultural growth, and half of them rely on investments in produced capital. Labour input only made a positive contribution to agricultural growth in Ireland and Malta. This study will significantly contribute to improving the measure of green growth in agriculture, and the results of the empirical analysis will be used by policymakers and economists. Keywords: agriculture; green growth; environmentally adjusted multifactor productivity (EAMFP); pollution-adjusted GVA; quality-adjusted agricultural land

How do foreign students from different collectivist countries perceive interpersonal emotion regulation? A Thematic analysis in Lithuania

The main aim of our qualitative research is to find out how foreign students from different Collectivistic countries perceive interpersonal emotion regulation (IER). Using semi-structured interviews as a method of data collection and thematic analysis as a method of data analysis, we found that the majority of participants used IER to provide psychological support to their colleagues and friends in a variety of contexts—64% of participants highlighted cognitive strategies as key in emotional regulation, especially the use of temporal perspective shifting—and that, finally, the majority of the participants highlighted the evident results of the interventions, the most common of which was the increased adaptive behavior of the targets of IER. These findings highlight the persistence of cultural orientation in heterogeneous settings and suggest situational flexibility in IER strategies. They also highlight the importance of designing culturally sensitive interventions in international educational contexts. Keywords: interpersonal emotion regulation; collectivistic cultures; foreign students; semi-structured interview; thematic analysis