Psychometric characteristics of the Self-perception profile for children

Namen raziskave je bil preveriti osnovne psihometrične značilnosti slovenskega prevoda Lestvice samozaznave za otroke - SPPC (Self-Perception Profile for ChildrenHarter, 1985). Rezultati na vzorcu 480 osnovnošolskih otrok so pokazali, da ima lestvica podobno konstruktno veljavnost in zanesljivost kot originalna oblika. Kljub temu, da predstavlja lestvica koristen pripomoček za ugotavljanje samopodobe starejših osnovnošolskih otrok, zahteva v bodoče dodatna preverjanja in nekatere izboljšave z vidika metrične ustreznosti.The purpose of the study was to examine the psychometric characteristics of the Slovene version of the Self-Perception Profile for Children (Harter, 1985). Results on a sample of 480 students showed that the Slovene version of the questionnaire had construct validity and reliability comparable of those found in the original version. Although the scale represents a useful instrument to ascertain self-concept in school settings, it requires further examination and some improvements of its metric characteristics

Physical self-perceptions and self-esteem in relation to body mass status among female adolescents

The purpose of the study was to examine the physical self-concept and self-esteem in adolescent girls aged between 13 and 18 years in relation to their body mass status. The Slovenian version of the Self-Description Questionnaire (PSDQ) was used to determine the multidimensional physical self-concept among participants. The results indicated that overweight girls reported greater body dissatisfaction in terms selfperceived body fat and physical appearance compared to normal-weight girls. Overweight girls also achieved significantly lower scores in the selfperceived physical abilities, as well as global physical-self and selfesteem than normal-weight peers. As expected, underweight girls reported the lowest amount of body fat. Moreover, they reported lower levels of physical activity than normal-weight peers and had less physical strength compared to the other body mass index categories. The findings has significant implications for the work with adolescent girls in terms of developing appropriate educational intervention and physical education programmes aimed towards reinforcing and increasing self-esteem and promoting active lifestyle

Changes in mental health and satisfaction with life during physical inactivity induced by bed rest experiment

Simulated weightlessness by bed rest model represents an important method to study the consequences of physical inactivity and sedentarism on the human body. The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of prolonged physical inactivity on psychological distress, depressive symptoms and satisfaction with life of healthy male adults. Participants were ten volunteers, aged between 21 and 28 years who were subjected to a 35-day head-down bed rest. Psychological state of the participants was measured with the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Participants completed psychological inventories before, during and after the experiment. The results revealed no significant differences in mental health and satisfaction with life of participants following the head-down bed rest, however there was a tendency towards an increase in neurotic and depressive symptoms at the end of the experiment. The obtained results are interpreted in the light of stimulative living conditions in which the experiment was carried out, as well as the amount and quality of social interactions during the period of extended physical inactivity

Psychological effects of acute physical inactivty during microgravitiy simulated by bed rest

Najpogostejša metoda za spremljanje učinkov popolne gibalne neaktivnosti na človekov organizem je simuliranje breztežnostnega stanja oziroma bed rest (BR) model, ki predpostavlja daljše obdobje ležanja v vodoravnem položaju. V raziskavi smo ugotavljali spremembe v razpoloženju, psihološkem blagostanju, spoprijemalnih strategijah in telesni samopodobi med 35-dnevnim mirovanjem v strogem vodoravnem položaju pri desetih mladih zdravih moških. Psihološke vprašalnike so izpolnjevali pred začetkom eksperimenta in ob koncu le-tega. Emocionalna stanja, zadovoljstvo z življenjem in telesna samopodoba se niso statistično pomembno spremenili po BR obdobju, rezultati na lestvici CRI pa kažejo na trend porasta uporabe na emocije usmerjenega spoprijemanja in upada na problem usmerjenega soočanja s težavami. Splošno počutje udeležencev, izraženo z rezultatom na lestvici GHQ, se je po eksperimentu v primerjavi s predeksperimentalnim obdobjem poslabšalo. Izraženost teh simptomov pa je bila tudi po obdobju gibalne imobiliziranosti relativno nizka in ni predstavljala grožnje za psihično zdravje udeležencev. Naši rezultati kažejo na to, da so ugodne bivanjske razmere in možnost socialne interakcije v času popolne telesne neaktivnosti nekakšno varovalo pred poslabšanjem psihičnega statusa oziroma ublažijo negativne učinke, ki jih povzroča daljša gibalna imobiliziranost. Dobljeni izsledki imajo aplikativno vrednost na področju zdravstvene preventive in rehabilitacije.Long-duration weightlessness simulated by bed rest represents an important model to study the consequences of physical inactivity and sedentarism on the human body. This study evaluated changes of mood status, psychological well-being, coping strategies and physical self in ten healthy young male subjects during a 35-day horizontal bed rest. Participants were asked to complete psychometrical inventories before and after the bed rest experiment. The preceived satisfaction with life and the physical self-concept did not change during bed rest period and mood states were relatively stable during the experiment according to the Emotional States Questionnaire. The neurotic level was enhanced during the bed rest period according to the Slovenian version of the General Health Questionnaire. However, even after the period of physical immobilization, the expression of these symptoms remains relatively low and does not represent a risk to the mental health of the subjects. The results from Coping Resources Inventory indicated a tendency toward an increase of emotion focused coping and a decrease of problem focused coping strategies. The importance of this research was to provide evidence that the provision of favourable habitability countermeasures can prevent deterioration in the psychological state under conditions of physical immobilisation. Our findings have applied value in the field of health prevention and rehabilitaion

Utjecaj dugotrajne fizičke neaktivnosti na simptome depresije i anksioznosti te na suočavanje sa stresom u mladih muškaraca

The aim of the study was to examine the effects of a prolonged period of physical inactivity, induced by bed rest, on depressive symptoms, state anxiety levels and coping with stress strategies. Ten healthy males, aged between 20 and 30 years, were exposed to a 35-day head-down bed rest in a strict hospital environment. Participants completed the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Coping Responses Inventory before and after the bed rest (BR) experiment. Results showed that following the period of prolonged physical inactivity there were no significant differences in perceived depressive symptoms and state anxiety levels. Among the evaluated coping strategies, the use of “seeking guidance and support” significantly decreased after the prolonged bed rest. Research findings have an applicative value in the areas of health, sport, and rehabilitation, suggesting that the provision of favourable habitability countermeasures could prevent deterioration of psychological state under the conditions of prolonged physical inactivity.Cilj ovoga istraživanja bio je ispitati učinke dužega razdoblja fizičke neaktivnosti, izazvane simulacijom bestežinskoga stanja (bed rest experiment – striktno mirovanje u postelji) na simptome depresije i anksioznosti te na strategije suočavanja sa stresom. U istraživanje su bili uključeni zdravi muškarci (N=10) u dobi između 20 i 30 godina, koji su 35 dana mirovali u vodoravnom položaju u strogim eksperimentalnim (bolničkim) uvjetima. Sudionici su prije i poslije eksperimenta ispunili sljedeće upitnike: Upitnik/skalu depresije (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale), Upitnik o anksioznosti kao stanju i osobini ličnosti (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) i Upitnik o suočavanju sa stresom (Coping Responses Inventory). Nakon razdoblja dugotrajne fizičke neaktivnosti nije bilo značajnih razlika u simptoma depresije i razini anksioznosti, dok se na području suočavanja sa stresom značajno smanjilo korištenje strategije traženje i primanje socijalne potpore. Rezultati istraživanja su primjenjivi na području zdravlja, sporta i rehabilitacije; naime, pokazuju da su pogodni životni uvjeti i povoljne socijalne okolnosti važne protumjere koje mogu spriječiti pogoršanje psihološkoga stanja u uvjetima dugotrajne fizičke neaktivnosti

Opinion of preschool teachers on outdoor learning

Unapređenje naučne pismenosti i povećanje svesti o ekološkim problemima ima veliki značaj za sve građane sveta. Važnu ulogu u ostvarivanju tih ciljeva imaju aktivnosti u prirodi, jer prirodna okolina nudi puno mogućnosti za istraživanje i učenje o prirodnim fenomenima. Kada se predškolska deca aktivno angažuju u istrazi svakodnevnog sveta, stvaraju čvrste i izdržljivije mentalne predstave. U stvaranju koncepta o prirodi uloga predškolskog kurikukuluma i vaspitača izuzetno je značajna. Cilj ovog istraživanja jeste da se ispita mišljenje predškolskih vaspitača o učenju u prirodi. U studiji je učestvovao osamdeset jedan predškolski vaspitač. U iztraživanju je korišćen upitnik koji sadrži petnaest pitanja. Rezultati istraživanja pokazali su da vaspitači ne praktikuju često učenje u prirodi, u proseku samo od 3 časa do 5 časova nedeljno. Oni provode ovo vreme uglavnom u dvorištu vrtića, iako imaju prirodnu okolinu u blizini (livada, šuma...). Vaspitači često obavljaju aktivnosti vezane za fizičko vaspitivanje i retko učenje kroz boravak u prirodi. U studiji su prezentovana mišljenja vaspitača o prednostima i nedostacima učenja u prirodi. Zaključci su takođe pokazali da veći deo vaspitača misli da je učenje u prirodi vrlo važno, jer deca razvijaju poštovanje prema prirodi, usvajaju nova znanja putem izkustva i upoznaju se sa zdravim stilom života. Vaspitači su istakli da je potrebno da bude više zastupljeno obrazovanje o učenju u prirodi. Rezultati istraživanja upućuju na to da učenje u prirodi nije dovoljno naglašeno u vrtiću. Mislimo da je to veoma važno i da bi učenje u prirodi trebalo da bude uključeno u proces obrazovanja vaspitača i prezentovano kao efikasan nastavni metod za učenje prirodnih nauka.Improving scientific literacy and raising awareness on environmental issues is of a great importance to all the citizens of the world. Outdoor activities play an important role in achieving these goals because the natural environment offers numerous opportunities for exploring and learning about natural phenomena. When preschoolers are actively involved in exploring the everyday world, they create solid and more enduring mental representations. The role of the preschool curriculum and preschool teacher is crucial in creating the concept of nature. The objective of this research is to analyse the opinion of preschool teachers about outdoor learning. Eighty-one preschool teachers participated in the study. The questionnaire containing fifteen questions was used in the research. The research results show that preschool teachers do not practise outdoor learning frequently, only 3 to 5 hours a week on average. They spend most of this time in the kindergarten yard, even though they have a natural environment nearby (meadow, forest, etc.). The preschool teachers often perform activities related to physical education but seldom teach science outdoor. The study presents the opinions of preschool teachers on advantages and disadvantages of outdoor learning. The conclusions also show that most of preschool teachers think that outdoor learning is of a great importance as children develop respect for nature, acquire new knowledge through experience, and learn about healthy lifestyle. The preschool teachers underlined the need for a better education about outdoor learning. The research results indicate that outdoor learning is not sufficiently emphasized in kindergartens. In our opinion it is very important and outdoor learning should be integrated into the process of preschool teachers’ education, and presented as an effective teaching method for learning the natural sciences.Zbornik rezimea / 24. Međunarodna naučna konferencija "Pedagoška istraživanja i školska praksaBook of abstracts / 24th International Scientific Conference "Educational Research and School Practice