Relationship Between Academic Self-Regulation, Academic Achievement And Health

The aim of this study was three-fold: first, to determine the existence of a self-determination continuum in our socio-cultural conditions on an academic level, second, to determine the relationship between the academic self-regulation and the academic achievement, and third, to determine the relationship between the academic self-regulation and health. The study was performed on a sample of 217 first and second year students (159 female and 58 male) of biology and medicine. The following measurement instruments were used: Self Regulation Questionnaire-Academic (SRQ-A, Ryan and Connell, 1989), subjective evaluation of psychical and physical health and grade in test. The obtained results point to the following: In our socio-cultural conditions, on an academic level, there can be registered an existence of a self-determination continuum that the Deci-Ryan’s theory anticipates. There is a positive correlation between autonomous motivation and the grades in test. Intrinsic motivation and the college that the students attend are significant predictors for academic achievement. There is a positive correlation between autonomous motivation and health. The students with autonomous motivation had a better subjective evaluation of psychical and physical health than the students with controlled motivation. These results are discussed with reference to Deci and Ryan’s (1985, 1991) self-determination theory

ATTITUDES ABOUT INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN HIGH SCHOOLS: DIFFERENCES IN STUDENT, PARENT AND TEACHER OPINIONS

In recent years, the Croatian government has put a major effort into integration of children with developmental disabilities in regular schools. However, this has mainly been done for primary school students, and little is known about what happens with those children in high schools. The aim of this study was to examine attitudes about persons with physical disabilities and to compare them between high school students, their parents and their teachers. In addition, teachers' attitudes toward integration of children with developmental disabilities in high schools were investigated. The participants were 740 high school students, 192 parents and 196 teachers. All participants gave some general data and filled out the Attitudes towards People with Physical Disabilities Scale. Teachers also filled out the Teachers’ Attitudes toward Integration of Children with Disabilities Scale. The results have shown that all participants had only mildly positive attitudes toward persons with physical disabilities, but teachers and parents, in comparison with students, showed more positive cognitive and affective aspects of attitudes. Furthermore, teachers showed mildly positive attitudes towards the integration of all students into regular high schools (regardless of their developmental disabilities), although they had the most positive attitudes toward regular school integration of students with physical disabilities, followed by those with learning disabilities. The results are discussed in connection to a new educational program, which the Faculty of Education can offer to teachers and experts working in high schools with children with disabilities

A Comparison of Individual Characteristics and the Multiple Contexts for Children with Different Bullying Status: An Ecological Perspective

Bullying is commonly defined as repeated aggressive behavior in which there is an imbalance of power or strength between the two parties (Nansel et al., 2001 ; Olweus, 1993). Bullying behaviors may be direct or overt (e.g., hitting, kicking, name-calling, or taunting) or more subtle or indirect in nature (e.g., rumor-spreading, social exclusion, friendship manipulation, or cyberbullying ; Espelage & Swearer, 2004 ; Olweus, 1993 ; Rigby, 2002). In the last 10 years, studies on bullying have focused on different integrative approaches of this complex problem. One of the most investigated approaches is the social- ecological perspective which takes account of reciprocal interplay between individuals involved in the bully/victim continuum and his complex contexts (Bronfenbrenner, 1979 ; Espelage & Swearer, 2004 ; Olweus, 1993). Bullying does not occur in isolation. This phenomenon is encouraged and/or inhibited as a result of the complex relationships between the individual, family, peer group, school, community, and culture. This study examined an ecological perspective on bullying behaviors. The aim of this study was to investigate differences between individual characteristics, family, peer, school and neighborhood contexts of victims, bullies and noninvolved children. A total of 880 primary school children (10 to 16 years old) participated in the investigation during one school semester. For testing the differences between groups we used the one way ANOVA for independent samples. Overall, the results of this study suggested statistically significant differences between bullies, victims and noninvolved children for individual characteristics and all aforementioned contexts. On individual characteristics there were statistically significant differences in empathy level, where bullies had lower levels of empathy than victims and noninvolved children, impulsivity, where bullies had higher levels of impulsivity than victims and noninvolved children, and time spent on media, where bullies had more time spent on media than victims and noninvolved children. However, there were no statistically significant differences in sex and age between these three groups. In family context, especially on parents’ behavior, we also found statistically significant differences. Bullies and victims had parents who used more negative discipline and psychological control in raising their children and showed less acceptance of their children than parents of noninvolved children. Bullies also had parents who gave them less autonomy and less supervision than parents of victims and noninvolved children. The parents’ positive discipline and permissiveness were not statistically significant. In peer context, there was only one statistically significant variable ; peer acceptance where noninvolved children were the most accepted by peers, bullies were a little less accepted and victims were the least accepted by peers. The difference in the number of friends was not statistically significant. In the school context, all measured variables were statistically significant. Noninvolved children have better school grades than victims and they also feel more safety in school than victims and bullies. For bullies, the school climate was perceived as the most negative, for victims it was less negative, and for noninvolved children it was positive. For the last investigated context, neighborhood, we found statistically significant differences. The bullies perceived the neighborhood as the most dangerous ; by the victims it was perceived as less dangerous, and for noninvolved children as the least dangerous. We can conclude that there are major differences in individual characteristics as well as in multiple contexts between children with a different bullying status. Knowing these differences, we can direct our efforts at developing focused intervention programs for all children involved in bullying behavior

Metacognition and Intelligence as Predictors of Academic Success

Schraw i Moshman (1995 ; prema Schraw, Crippen i Hartley, 2006) definiraju metakogniciju kao znanje i regulaciju kognitivnih procesa. Za razliku od kognicije koja obuhvaća samo izvršavanje zadatka, metakognicija obuhvaća razumijevanje na koji način je zadatak izvršen. Metakognitivni procesi su važni jer dovode do konceptualnih promjena u učenju što omogućuje duže zadržavanje materijala i primjenu na nov način (Georghiades, 2000). Kognitivne sposobnosti su se u različitim istraživanjima pokazale kao važan prediktor školskog uspjeha, koeficijenti korelacije između opće inteligencije i školskih ocjena u osnovnoj školi iznose u prosjeku oko 0, 5 (Neisser i sur., 1996). Istraživanja metakognicije i inteligencije su pokazala da su metakognicija i kognitivne sposobnosti dva različita konstrukta, te da (Howard, McGee, Shia i Hong, 2001) visok stupanj metakognitivne samoregulacije može kompenzirati niže sposobnosti u uspješnosti rješavanja problemskih zadataka. Cilj našeg istraživanja bio je provjeriti mogućnost predviđanja školskog uspjeha na temelju stupnja kognitivnog i metakognitivnog razvoja kod učenika sedmih i osmih razreda osnovne škole. U istraživanju su korišteni slijedeći instrumenti: Upitnik metakognicije (Vizek-Vidović, 1995 ; prema Zoričić, 1995), Kognitivno-neverbalni test (Sučević, Momirović, Fruk i Auguštin, 2004) i ljestvica rječnika Mill Hill (Lewis i sur., 1977 ; prema Križan i Matešić, ml., 2001). Rezultati su pokazali da je metakognicija, izuzev inteligencije, značajan prediktor školskog uspjeha. Dobiveni rezultate imaju i direktne implikacije na praksu jer su veći rezultati na Upitniku metakognicije povezani s većim ocjenama iz hrvatskog i matematike, te općim uspjehom, a metakognicija je nešto čemu možemo podučavati učenike

Posredniška vloga staršev in šole pri vrstniškem nasilju

Starting from the ecological framework, the present study aimed to examine the mediating effects of parental supervision and school climate on the relationship between exosystem variables (time spent with media and perceived neighbourhood dangerousness) and peer aggression problems (peer aggression and victimisation). The participants were 880 primary school students. The data were analysed with multiple regression. The results show that both mediators (parental supervision and school climate) have statistically significant partial mediating effects on peer aggression and victimisation. If students experienced more parental supervision, there was a decrease in the relationship between a) time spent with media and peer aggression, and b) perceived neighbourhood dangerousness and peer aggression and victimisation. Identical findings were obtained for positive school climate. Thus, positive school climate and parental supervision served as protective factors against the negative influence of dangerous neighbourhoods and excessive use of media on peer aggression problems. (DIPF/Orig.

Can we use same predictors for boys vs girls peer aggression?

Using the theoretical framework of Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model of peer aggression, the aim of the present study was to examine if we could use the same predictors of peer aggression at schools for boys and girls. The research included 880 participants, elementary school students from the fifth to the eighth grade, who self-estimated aggressive behavior toward their peers, affective empathy, impulsivity, parental behavior, peer acceptance, a number of friends, exposure to media, school climate, perception of neighborhood dangerousness, and also nominated aggressive peers and gave data about the school achievement and a number of friends. The same number of their parents gave data about family SES, while 107 teachers estimated attendance of parents at the parent-teacher meetings and other school events. Multivariate multilevel modeling revealed different predictors of boys vs girls peer aggression. Selected predictors of ecological model better explained peer aggression in boys than in girls. The main differences were in individual characteristic and family microsystem, whereas more statistically significant predictors were for boys, while some distal predictors in an interaction with individual characteristics and family microsystem were important in the explanation of boys’ aggressive behavior. The overall results indicate that gender, as a biological category, had a strong influence on peer aggression. Psychological characteristics, as well as parental upbringing, better explained boys’ than girls’ aggressive behavior. These findings are very important for the school policy, which means that the intervention and prevention programs for peer aggression should differ depending on the child’s gender

The Prevalence of Bullying among High School Children

Nasilje među djecom u školama postala je svakodnevna pojava. Današnju djecu često uzastopno i sustavno napadaju i uznemiruju njihovi vršnjaci. Kako bismo provjerili stanje u našoj školi i u skladu s njim poduzeli adekvatne mjere proveli smo ovo istraživanje. Cilj istraživanja bio je utvrditi čestinu izloženosti djece nasilju u školi, ispitati kojim vrstama nasilja su najčešće izloženi te prema učeničkim mišljenjima koja su moguća rješenja nasilja u školi. Istraživanje je provedeno na uzorku od 183 učenika prvog razreda Ekonomske i upravne škole Osijek (124 ženskih i 59 muških sudionika). Korišten je anketni upitnik o nasilju u školi, koji je konstruiran za potrebe škole. Dobiveni rezultati upućuju na sljedeće: 86, 9% učenika misli da ima nasilja u školi, te se najčešće susreću s verbalnim i fizičkim nasiljem ; 7, 6% učenika susreće se s nasiljem svakodnevno ; 30, 1% učenika priznalo je da je nasilno prema drugim učenicima, dok je 44, 8% učenika izjavilo da je doživjelo nasilje u školi od strane profesora, i to češće dječaci doživljavaju takav oblik nasilja. Učenici smatraju da neslaganje u razredu i neprihvaćanje različitosti najviše utječe na pojavu nasilja. Što se tiče mogućih rješenja ovakvog stanja učenici najčešće navode sljedeće: razgovor psihologa, pedagoga i ravnatelja s nasilnicima i onima nad kojima se nasilje vrši te s roditeljima, veće i strože kazne te radionice vezane uz nasilje i njegovo sprječavanje

Risk and protective factors for bullying

U posljednjih 10-ak godina istraživanja međuvršnjačkog nasilja usmjerila su se na brojne rizične i zaštitne faktore. U ovom radu pobliže ćemo prikazati te faktore koristeći 4 razine ekološkog modela: individualna, obiteljske i druge bliske veze, škola i zajednica, kultura i mediji. Individualni rizični i zaštitni faktori odnose se na osobine djeteta, a najčešće su istraživani spol, biološki i bihevioralni faktori, uspjeh u školi i psihološki faktori. Od obiteljskih rizičnih faktora najčešće su istraživani uobičajena roditeljska praksa, obiteljsko nasilje, zlostavljanje i zanemarivanje djece dok se kao najvažniji zaštitni faktor pokazala kvaliteta roditeljstva. Većina navedenih faktora može se primijeniti na školsko okruženje. Ti zajednički faktori se odnose na ponašajni model koji odrasla osoba predstavlja djetetu, komunikaciju između odraslog i djeteta, toplinu i neprijateljstvo u odnosu između odraslog i djeteta, nadzor odraslih nad djetetom i način na koji odrasli rješavaju konflikte. Osim u obitelji, djeca odrastaju i u susjedstvu, zajednici i subkulturi koji utječu na njegovo ponašanje. Također i mediji s kojima se svakodnevno susreće igraju ulogu u razvoju njegova ponašanja. Poznavajući navedene faktore i njihovo djelovanje možemo se usmjeriti na izradu ciljanih intervencijskih programa usmjerenih na smanjenje rizičnih faktora i poticanje zaštitnih te bi na taj način prevenirali i razvoj međuvršnjačkog nasilja

THE CORRELATION CONSIDERING THE DEGREE OF AUTONOMOUS MOTIVATION, ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND MENTAL HEALTH

Unazad dvadesetak godina brojni istraživači su se bavili provjerom teorije samoodređenja i mogućnosti njezine generalizacije na akademsku populaciju. Cilj našeg istraživanja bio je utvrditi povezanost stupnja autonomije motivacije, akademskog uspjeha i psihičkog zdravlja. Istraživanje je provedeno na uzorku od 350 studenata druge i treće godine (169 muških i 181 ženskih sudionika). Korišteni su sljedeći mjerni instrumenti: Upitnik akademske samoregulacije (Self Regulation Questionnaire-Academic, SRQ-A, Ryan i Connell, 1989), Upitnik za samoprocjenu zdravstvenog statusa (SF-36 Health Survey, Ware i Sherbourne, 1992) te dvije mjere akademskog uspjeha (opći uspjeh s prethodne godine studija i ukupan broj nepoloženih ispita). Dobiveni rezultati govore u prilog teoriji samoodređenja (Deci i Ryan, 1985, 1991). Dobili smo pozitivnu povezanost između akademske samoregulacije i općeg uspjeha studenata. Studenti s većim stupnjem autonomne motivacije imali su bolji uspjeh od studenata s kontroliranom motivacijom. Također smo dobili negativnu povezanost između akademske samoregulacije i broja nepoloženih ispita. Studenti s većim stupnjem autonomne motivacije imali su manji broj nepoloženih ispita za razliku od studenata s kontroliranom motivacijom. Dobivena je i pozitivna povezanost između stupnja relativne autonomije i psihičkog i općeg zdravlja. Studenti koji su autonomno motivirani izvještavali su o boljem psihičkom i općem zdravlju, za razliku od studenata s kontroliranom motivacijom

The Role of Some Family Factors in Bullying Behavior

O nasilju među djecom govorimo kada jedno ili više djece uzastopno i namjerno uznemiruje, napada ili ozljeđuje drugo dijete koje se ne može obraniti. U posljednjih 20-ak godina istraživanja su se u ovom području usmjerila na brojne rizične i zaštitne čimbenike za razvoj nasilja među djecom. Ekološki pristup u razvoju normalnog i patološkog ponašanja i doživljavanja uzima u obzir karakteristike okruženja u kojem dijete živi, ali i specifične načine na koji ti čimbenici djeluju i oblikuju jedan drugoga u funkciji razvoja (Vulić-Prtorić, 2001). Polazeći od navedenog pristupa možemo govoriti o četiri skupine čimbenika koje utječu na razvoj nasilja među djecom: intrapersonalni (biološke, psihološke i genetske osobine djeteta), obiteljske i druge bliske veze, škola i zajednica, te kultura i mediji. Jedan od najvažnijih čimbenika za razvoj nasilja među djecom je obitelj u kojoj dijete odrasta jer je ona primarni izvor podrške i učenja. Olweus (1998) je u svojim istraživanjima utvrdio da roditeljski odgoj i uvjeti u kojima dijete odrasta imaju veliku ulogu u razvoju nasilja među djecom. Istraživanja su pokazala da postoji niz obiteljskih čimbenika značajnih za pojavu nasilja među djecom (Olweus, 1998 ; Orpinas i Horne, 2006), koje možemo podijeliti u tri skupine: 1) roditeljska ponašanja ; 2) roditeljska agresivnost ; 3) zanemarivanje djeteta. Kombinacija navedenih višestrukih rizičnih čimbenika najbolje predviđa dugoročni razvoj agresivnog i nasilnog ponašanja u djece. Kada obitelj, koja je primarni socijalizacijski agens, predstavlja model nasilnog ponašanja, djeca takvo nasilno ponašanje uče te ga prenose i u druge životne situacije i okolinu u kojoj odrastaju. Poznavajući navedene rizične čimbenike i njihovo djelovanje možemo se usmjeriti na izradu intervencijskih programa koji bi ciljano bili usmjereni na mijenjanje roditeljskog ponašanja i razvoj pozitivnog roditeljstva te bi tako spriječili i razvoj nasilja među djecom