Student School Achievement: Testing a Model of Academic Competence

U radu su razmotrena obilježja povezana sa školskim uspjehom učenika osnovne škole u skladu s teorijskim modelom školske kompetencije (DiPerna, Volpe i Elliot, 2002, 2005). Cilj je provjeriti mogućnost objašnjenja školskog uspjeha učenika navedenim modelom, uz dodatno uključivanje intelektualnih sposobnosti. U istraživanju su sudjelovali učenici sedmih i osmih razreda (N = 393) iz pet osnovnih škola Grada Zagreba i uže okolice te njihovi nastavnici (N = 22). Rezultati strukturnoga modeliranja pokazuju da model s procjenama nastavnika dobro pristaje podacima te se tako može objasniti 55 % varijance školskog uspjeha. Pri tome se motivacija pokazala potpunim medijatorom odnosa školskih vještina i socijalnih vještina sa školskim uspjehom te djelomičnim medijatorom odnosa inteligencije i školskog uspjeha. Najveći ukupni efekt na uspjeh ima motivacija učenika i njihove vještine učenja, dok ostala obilježja koja potiču uspjeh i intelektualne sposobnosti imaju slabiji učinak.Different characteristics of student school achievement are discussed based on the theoretical model of school competence (DiPerna, Volpe & Elliot, 2002, 2005). The aim of this research was to test the model of school competence in which additionally, as a predictor of school achievement, a measure of student cognitive ability was used. Elementary school students in grades 7-8 (N = 393) from five schools in Zagreb and its surroundings and their teachers (N = 22) participated in this study. The results of structural equation modeling analyses provided support regarding the fit of the model with teacher ratings, explaining 55% variance of student school achievement. Mediation analyses indicated that motivation fully mediated the link between school and social skills and achievement and partially mediated the link between cognitive ability and achievement. An examination of the six predictor variables\u27 overall contributions to current achievement, indicates that motivation and study skills demonstrated large total effects with current achievement, while academic enablers and cognitive ability demonstrated moderate total effects

Stability and Change of Personal and (Post)materialist Values among Croatian Citizens

Cilj je rada provjera stabilnosti temeljnih vrijednosti hrvatskih građana od 2008./2009. do 2011. godine u sklopu Schwartzove teorije te od 1999. do 2017./2018. godine u sklopu Inglehartove teorije. Pritom se provjerava je li eventualna promjena univerzalna ili ovisi o sociodemografskim obilježjima (spol, dob i obrazovanje). Rad se temelji na nacionalno reprezentativnim podacima za Hrvatsku iz dva vala Europskoga društvenog istraživanja te tri vala Europske studije vrednota. Rezultati u pogledu osobnih vrijednosti upućuju više na univerzalnu stabilnost nego na promjene od 2008./2009. do 2011. godine (te mogućnost da promjena ovisi o pojedinim sociodemografskim obilježjima). Za razliku od toga, 2008. godine u odnosu na 1999. i 2017./2018. godinu zabilježena je privremena i univerzalna (neovisna o sociodemografskim obilježjima) manja zastupljenost postmaterijalističkih vrijednosti. Nalazi o sociodemografskim obilježjima kao izvorima varijacija u vrijednostima potvrđuju dob kao bitan izvor varijacija u osobnim vrijednostima, dok su dobivene vrlo male razlike u osobnim i postmaterijalističkim vrijednostima s obzirom na spol i naobrazbu.The aim was to determine the stability of human values among Croatian citizens within Schwartz\u27s theory of basic human values (Schwartz, 1992) in the period between 2008/09 and 2011, and Inglehart’s theory of postmaterialism (Inglehart, 1977) in the period between 1999 and 2017/2018. It was checked whether the eventual change was universal, or whether it depended on sociodemographic characteristics (gender, age and education). The research is based on representative data collected in two waves of European Social Survey and three waves of European Value Study. In terms of personal values, the results suggest universal stability over change in the period from 2008/09 to 2011 (there is a possibility that change depends on individual sociodemographic characteristics). In contrast, in 2008 compared to 1999 and 2017/18, postmaterialist values are given temporary and universal (independent of sociodemographic characteristics) lower priority. Findings on sociodemographic characteristics as sources of variation in values confirm age as an important source of variation in personal values, while with respect to gender and education, very small differences in personal and postmaterialist values have been obtained

CLONINGER\u27S TEMPERAMENT AND CHARACTER DIMENSIONS AND DOPAMINERGIC GENES: DAT1 VNTR AND COMT VAL158MET POLYMORPHISMS

Background: the objective of this study was to examine the associations between Cloninger temperament and character dimensions with the DAT1 VNTR and COMT Val158Met polymorphisms. Subjects and methods: The study was conducted on 101 subjects, consisting of students of the Police College in Zagreb and staff of the Sestre Milosrdnice University Hospital in Zagreb. The Cloninger Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) was used to test personality traits. Results: A main effect of the DAT1 VNTR polymorphism was found on the subscale self-directedness – SD2 (F=5.18, df=1, p<0.05), where a higher result was detected in carriers of the 9/9 genotype (M=7.33, SD=0.51) than those carrying the 10-repeat allele (M=6.02, SD=1.36). Also for the COMT Val158Met polymorphism, main effects were found on the subscales: NS3 (novelty seeking) (F=5.18, df=1, p<0.05), where a higher result was found in carriers of the Val allele (M=5.03, SD=2.22) than in carriers of the Met/Met genotype (MD=4.76, SD=2.37), SD3 (self-directedness) (F=5.18, df=1, p<0.05) where a higher result was found in carriers of the Val/Val genotype (M=4.50, SD=0.78) than in those carrying the Met allele (M=3.80, SD=1.31); C3 (cooperativeness) (F=5.18, df=1, p<0.05), where a high result was found in carriers of the Val allele (M=5.68, SD=1.25) than those carrying the Met/Met genotype (M=5.08, SD=1.11); and ST3 (self-transcendence) (F=5.18, df=1, p<0.05), where a higher result was found in carriers of the Met/Met genotype (M=3.46, SD=2.37) than carriers of the Val allele (M=2.69, SD=1.84). Two significant interactions were detected, on the subscale NS3 (novelty seeking) (F=5.18, df=1, p<0.05), and on the subscale C2 (cooperativeness) (F=5.18, df=1, p<0.05). Conclusions: Cloninger\u27s (1987) hypothesis about negative relationship between novelty seeking and dopamine was confirmed on allele level, because higher novelty seeking was found in Val allele carriers comparing to Met/Met genotype carriers

Intervencijski programi u STEM području: Analiza vrsta, teorijske utemeljenosti, ciljnih skupina,ishoda i načina vrednovanja intervencijskih programa u školskom i izvanškolskom okruženju

Akronim STEM označava znanstveno područje koje u hrvatskoj znanstvenoj istraživačkoj tradiciji obuhvaća prirodoslovlje, tehnologiju, inženjerstvo i matematiku. Ovim preglednim radom sistematizirane su dostupne spoznaje o STEM intervencijskim programima u školskom kontekstu: strukturiranim programima kojima je cilj promjena percepcije, stavova i povećanje utjecaja na učenika, kada je riječ o STEM školskim predmetima, kao i o STEM zanimanjima. Razmotrene su i dostupne spoznaje o načinima vrednovanja učinaka STEM intervencijskih programa

Value Preferences of Croatian Citizens as Determinants of Materialism

Temeljni ciljevi ovog rada jesu: ispitati faktorsku strukturu skale materijalizma, razinu usmjerenosti građana Hrvatske prema materijalizmu, utvrditi hijerarhiju vrijednosti i objasniti povezanost vrijednosti i materijalizma uz kontrolu sociodemografskih obilježja. Istraživanje je provedeno na reprezentativnom uzorku punoljetnoga stanovništva (N =1004). Za mjerenje materijalizma upotrijebljena je kratka verzija skale materijalizma (The Material Values Scale, Richins, 2004), a za mjerenje vrijednosti skraćeni Upitnik osobnih vrednota, PVQ; Schwartz i sur., 2001). Građanima uglavnom nije važno posjedovanje i stjecanje materijalnog u smislu glavne preokupacije u životu (centralnost) te ne procjenjuju da posjedovanje i stjecanje dobara stvara doživljaj sreće (sreća u posjedovanju). Rezultati nadalje pokazuju da se najveća važnost pridaje tradiciji, univerzalizmu i dobrohotnosti, dok se najmanja važnost pridaje poticaju i moći. Što se tiče temeljnih vrijednosti kao mogućih odrednica dimenzija materijalizma, pokazalo se da sa deset vrijednosnih tipova uz kontrolu sociodemografskih obilježja možemo objasniti 16% ukupne varijance sreće u posjedovanju, kao prve izmjerene dimenzije materijalizma, te 39% ukupne varijance centralnosti, kao druge dimenzije materijalizma.The aim of this study is to check the factor structure of The Material Values Scale, examine the orientation of Croatian residents towards materialism, examine their basic human value hierarchy, and to identify and explain the relationship between values and materialism with control of sociodemographic characteristics. The survey was carried out on a representative sample of 1004 adult Croatian residents. The short version of The Material Values Scale (MVS) (Richins, 2004) was applied for the materialism examination and the short version of the Portrait Values Questionnaire (PVQ) (Schwartz et al., 2001) was applied for the value examination. The results show that possession and acquisition of goods are mainly not important for Croatian residents in terms of the main preoccupation in life, and, on average, they do not believe that consumption leads to happiness. Croatian residents attribute more importance to tradition, universalism and benevolence and less to stimulation and power. In terms of the relationship between values and materialism, it turned out that ten value types with control of socio-demographic characteristics explain 16% of the total variance of happiness, as a first measured dimension of materialism, and 39% of the total variance of centrality as a second dimension of materialism

ADAPTIVE AND MALADAPTIVE MECHANISMS FOR COPING WITH STRESS AMONG POLICE OFFICERS

Cilj istraživanja bio je ispitati učinkovitost načina suočavanja kod policijskih službenika s obzirom na dvije vrste stresora, policijski i ispitni, uz anksioznost i razinu stresa kao kriterije adaptivnosti. Kao adaptivni načini suočavanja s policijskim stresom pokazali su se: plansko rješavanje problema, distanciranje, samokontrola i suočavanje konfrontacijom. Maladaptivnim su se pokazali: traženje socijalne podrške, izbjegavanje, pozitivna ponovna procjena i prihvaćanje odgovornosti. Dakle, razine anksioznosti i stresa značajno su bile veće kod dijela ispitanika koji se koriste maladaptivnim mehanizmima. U kontekstu ispitnog stresa adaptivnim načinima suočavanja pokazali su se: plansko rješavanje problema, suočavanje konfrontacijom, pozitivna ponovna procjena i prihvaćanje odgovornosti. Maladaptivni su bili: distanciranje, traženje socijalne podrške, bijeg, izbjegavanje i samokontrola. Kao i kod policijskog stresa, razina anksioznosti značajno je bila veća kod ispitanika koji su se koristili maladaptivnim mehanizmima.The aim of this study was to examine the efficiency of the mechanisms utilized by police officers to cope with police and exam stress, with anxiety and stress levels as efficiency criteria. Planful problem solving, distancing, self-controlling and confrontive coping proved to be the common adaptive strategies in coping with police stress, while seeking social support, escape-avoidance, positive reappraisal and accepting responsibility proved to be maladaptive. As a consequence, anxiety and stress levels were found to be significantly higher among participants who used maladaptive mechanisms. With regard to exam stress, adaptive mechanisms were: planful problem solving, confrontive coping, positive reappraisal and accepting responsibility, while maladaptive mechanisms included: distancing, seeking social support, escape-avoidance coping and self-controlling. As with police stress, anxiety level was significantly higher among participants who used maladaptive mechanisms

Motivacija za uporabu sredstava ovisnosti: zašto ljudi konzumiraju alkohol, duhan i marihuanu?

The research aimed to explore the salience of different motives for substance use among alcohol, tobacco and marijuana users, and to investigate the difference in motives\u27 salience with regard to frequency of substance use and respondents\u27 socio-demographic characteristics. Data were collected among subsamples of alcohol, tobacco and marijuana users drawn from the representative sample of Croatian citizens (N = 4756). Respondents assessed four types, and for marijuana use five types of motives for each substance use (enhancement, social, conformity, coping, and expansion). The enhancement motives were assessed as the most, and conformity motives as the least salient motives among all groups of substance users. Generally, enhanced salience of motives was related to the frequency of all types of substance use. While age had significant effect on the salience of social motives for tobacco use, gender and marital status had significant effect on the salience of all motives for alcohol use, and age had significant effect only on the salience of enhancement and social motives for alcohol use. Among marijuana users, only marital status had significant effect on the salience of expansion motives for marijuana use. Results are discussed within the framework of motivational models for substance use.Cilj istraživanja bio je ispitati istaknutost različitih motiva za uporabu sredstava ovisnosti među konzumentima alkohola, duhana i marihuane te ispitati razlike u istaknutosti različitih motiva s obzirom na učestalost konzumiranja navedenih sredstava ovisnosti i socio-demografskih karakteristika sudionika. Podaci su prikupljeni na poduzorcima konzumenata alkohola, duhana i marihuane iz reprezentativnog uzorka građana Hrvatske (N = 4756). Sudionici su procjenjivali četiri motiva za uporabu alkohola i duhana (motiv podizanja raspoloženja, socijalni motiv, motiv konformiranja i motiv suočavanja), a za uporabu marihuane i peti motiv (motiv proširenja svijesti). Motivi podizanja raspoloženja procijenjeni su kao najzastupljeniji, a motivi konformiranja kao najmanje zastupljeni među svim skupinama konzumenata sredstava ovisnosti. Općenito, povećana istaknutost motiva povezana je s učestalosti uporabe svih sredstava ovisnosti. Dob je imala značajan učinak na istaknutost socijalnih motiva za pušenje duhana, spol i bračni status na istaknutost svih motiva za konzumaciju alkohola, dok je dob imala značajan učinak samo na istaknutost motiva podizanja raspoloženja i socijalne motive za konzumaciju alkohola. Među konzumentima marihuane samo je bračni status imao značajan učinak na istaknutost motiva proširenja svijesti za uporabu marihuane. Rezultati su analizirani u okviru motivacijskih modela za uporabu sredstava ovisnosti

ADAPTIVE AND MALADAPTIVE MECHANISMS FOR COPING WITH STRESS AMONG POLICE OFFICERS

Cilj istraživanja bio je ispitati učinkovitost načina suočavanja kod policijskih službenika s obzirom na dvije vrste stresora, policijski i ispitni, uz anksioznost i razinu stresa kao kriterije adaptivnosti. Kao adaptivni načini suočavanja s policijskim stresom pokazali su se: plansko rješavanje problema, distanciranje, samokontrola i suočavanje konfrontacijom. Maladaptivnim su se pokazali: traženje socijalne podrške, izbjegavanje, pozitivna ponovna procjena i prihvaćanje odgovornosti. Dakle, razine anksioznosti i stresa značajno su bile veće kod dijela ispitanika koji se koriste maladaptivnim mehanizmima. U kontekstu ispitnog stresa adaptivnim načinima suočavanja pokazali su se: plansko rješavanje problema, suočavanje konfrontacijom, pozitivna ponovna procjena i prihvaćanje odgovornosti. Maladaptivni su bili: distanciranje, traženje socijalne podrške, bijeg, izbjegavanje i samokontrola. Kao i kod policijskog stresa, razina anksioznosti značajno je bila veća kod ispitanika koji su se koristili maladaptivnim mehanizmima.The aim of this study was to examine the efficiency of the mechanisms utilized by police officers to cope with police and exam stress, with anxiety and stress levels as efficiency criteria. Planful problem solving, distancing, self-controlling and confrontive coping proved to be the common adaptive strategies in coping with police stress, while seeking social support, escape-avoidance, positive reappraisal and accepting responsibility proved to be maladaptive. As a consequence, anxiety and stress levels were found to be significantly higher among participants who used maladaptive mechanisms. With regard to exam stress, adaptive mechanisms were: planful problem solving, confrontive coping, positive reappraisal and accepting responsibility, while maladaptive mechanisms included: distancing, seeking social support, escape-avoidance coping and self-controlling. As with police stress, anxiety level was significantly higher among participants who used maladaptive mechanisms

Social support, stress, burnout and health among police officers

Cilj rada bio je ispitati izvore socijalne podrške (obitelj, kolege, nadređeni) kod policijskih službenika te njihovu ulogu s obzirom na izgaranje, zdravlje, policijski i opći stres. Korišteni su sljedeći upitnici: Skala socijalne podrške (Social Support Scale), Upitnik izgaranja na poslu - MBI (Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS), Upitnici organizacijskih i operativnih izvora stresa (Organizational Police Stress Questionnaire, Operational Police Stress Questionnaire, PSQ-Org, PSQ-Op), dok su životni stres i 4 vrste zdravlja (opće, tjelesno, psihičko, zdravlje od ulaska u MUP) ispitani pomoću tvrdnji koje su autori konstruirali u svrhu istraživanja. Pokazalo se da policajci procjenjuju da imaju značajno najveću podršku kolega, potom obitelji, a najmanje podršku nadređenih. Pronađene su značajne razlike među policajcima koji procjenjuju da imaju manju i onih koji procjenjuju da imaju veću podršku s obzirom na izgaranje, zdravlje, policijski i opći stres. Pronađen je i značajan moderatorski utjecaj podrške obitelji na odnos operativnog stresa i tjelesnog zdravlja. Pokazalo se da policajci značajno stresnijim procjenjuju organizacijski u usporedbi s operativnim stresom.The paper aims to examine the sources of social support to police officers (family, colleagues, superiors) and the role of social support in relation to burnout, health, police work and general stress. The following questionnaires were used: Social Support Scale, Maslach Burnout Inventory - MBI-HSS, Organizational and Operational Police Stress Questionnaires (PSQ-Org, PSQ-Op), while life stress and 4 aspects of health (general, physical, mental, and health since joining the police) were examined using questions constructed for this research. Results showed that police officers report having the greatest support from colleagues, followed by family, while the least support is received from their superiors. Significant differences were found between police officers who estimated that they had less support and those who estimated that they had greater support with regard to burnout, health, police work, and general stress. A significant moderating influence of family support on the relationship between operational stress and physical health was also found. Police officers estimate organizational stressors to be more stressful in comparison to operational ones

Razvoj i validacija novih objektivnih testova znanja unutar STEM područja za učenike osnovnih škola

Measuring student achievement is one of the key issues when researching quality and efficiency of an educational system. Several existing studies tried to express student achievement in mathematics or science through separate tests within the particular domain. The aim of this paper is to consider the possibility of measuring knowledge in the STEM area through integrated tests and to present the characteristics of the new tests developed particularly for this purpose. In this paper, a complete psychometric analysis of the newly developed tests is provided. The paper outlines the steps undertaken in the process of determining content requirements within each knowledge test, preliminary validations of initial test versions, as well as the results obtained in the main study. The main study encompassed 586 grade 4 students, 580 grade 5 students and 632 grade 6 students. In every test, the unidimensional structure was obtained using confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses. Acceptable reliability was obtained for all three tests (α4th = .78; α5th =.70; α6th = .79). The correlations between total test scores and achievement in STEM school subjects were moderate to high. Therefore, all three newly developed tests represent a one-dimensional, reliable, discriminative and valid measure of integrated students’ knowledge in the STEM area.Mjerenje učeničkog postignuća jedno je od središnjih pitanja u istraživanjima kvalitete i učinkovitosti obrazovanja. U području prirodoslovlja i matematike nekoliko je dosadašnjih studija nastojalo iskazati postignuće učenika jedinstvenim pokazateljem znanja unutar tog područja. Cilj je ovog rada razmotriti mogućnost mjerenja znanja učenika u STEM području te prikazati obilježja novih testova razvijenih posebno s tom svrhom. U radu je prikazana cjelovita psihometrijska analiza novokonstruiranih testova te su prikazani koraci i pristupi u određivanju sadržajnih zahtjeva testova, zatim ishodi preliminarnih validacija inicijalnih inačica testova, kao i rezultati do kojih se došlo u glavnom dijelu istraživanja. U glavnom istraživanju sudjelovalo je 586 učenika četvrtog razreda, 580 učenika petog razreda i 632 učenika šestog razreda. Postupcima eksploratorne i konfirmatorne faktorske analize potvrđena je jasna jednofaktorska struktura korištenih testova koja je praćena solidnim pokazateljima unutarnje konzistencije (α4.r = ,78; α5.r = ,70; α6.r = ,79). Ukupan rezultat u testu umjereno je do visoko povezan sa školskim postignućem u STEM školskim predmetima. Zaključeno je da sva tri novokonstruirana testa predstavljaju jednodimenzionalnu, a ipak pouzdanu, osjetljivu i valjanu mjeru znanja učenika u STEM području