Differences of assertive behavior among female nursing students and female students of other faculties

Uvod: Zdravstvena nega je dolgo veljala za tipično ženski poklic, kjer so medicinskim sestram pripisovali stereotipno žensko, to je pomočniško vlogo, in je zato asertivno vedenje med medicinskimi sestrami dolgo veljalo za manj izrazito kot v drugih po izobrazbi primerljivih poklicih. Namen raziskave je bil ugotoviti, ali so študentke zdravstvene nege enako asertivne kot študentke drugih fakultet Univerze na Primorskem in Evropske pravne fakultete v Novi Gorici in ali se s starostjo asertivnost študentk zvišuje. Metode: Uporabili smo deskriptivno in neeksperimentalno metodo raziskovanja. Kot raziskovalni instrument smo uporabili The Rathus Assertiveness Schedule (vprašalnik samoocene asertivnosti). Anketiranje je potekalo na namenskem vzorcu. Spletni vprašalnik je bil preko URL-naslova poslan na skupne elektronske naslove študentom nekaterih fakultet Univerze na Primorskem in Evropske pravne fakultete v Novi Gorici. Izpolnjen vprašalnik je vrnilo 218 študentk. Raziskava je potekala v maju in juniju leta 2010. Podatke smo obdelali na podlagi deskriptivne statistike in enosmerne analize variance (ANOVA). Rezultati: Ugotovili smo, da študentke Fakultete za vede o zdravju ne izkazujejo statistično značilno nižje asertivnosti v primerjavi s študentkami drugih fakultet, zajetih v raziskavo (F = 0,37, p = 0,83). Ugotovili smo tudi, da starejše študentke v primerjavi z mlajšimi študentkami ne izkazujejo statistično značilno višje asertivnosti (F = 1,52, p = 0,22). Diskusija in zaključek: Poznavanje asertivnega vedenja je pri študentih zdravstvene nege pomembno, saj predstavlja pomemben temelj in bistveno prvino medosebnega odnosa. Učenje novega načina odzivanja in novih načinov vedenja v profesionalnih situacijah ni preprosto in je dolgotrajen proces. Morali bi razmisliti o spodbujanju asertivnega vedenja med študenti zdravstvene nege, morda tudi z vpeljavo treningov asertivnosti v učni program ter dodatnim usposabljanjem učiteljev zdravstvene nege v tej smeri.Introduction: The aim of the study was to determine whether the nursing students are equally assertive as students of other faculties of the University of Primorska and the European Faculty of Law in Nova Gorica and whether assertiveness among students increases with age. Nursing has been considered to be a typical female profession where nurses function as nurturers, comforters and care providers. The assertive behaviour among nurses was accordingly considered less pronounced than in other professionals with similar educational level. Methods: The research was based on a descriptive and non-experimental research method. A questionnaire used as a research instrument included the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule. The purposive sampling was used in this qualitative research. The access to the online questionnaire was provided through URL address which was sent to the students\u27common e-mail addresses at some faculties of the University of Primorska and the European Faculty of Law in Nova Gorica. The questionnaires were completed and returned by 218 female students. The survey was conducted in May and June of 2010. The data collected were analysed using the descriptive statistics and the One-Way ANOVA. Results: According to the results obtained, the nursing students do not manifest statistically significant lower assertiveness levels as compared to the students of other faculties included in the study (F = 0.37, p = 0.83). It has also been established that older students are not statistically significantly more assertive in comparison to younger female students (F = 1.52, p =0.22). Discussion and conclusion: Assertive behaviour is a core element of interpersonal relationships and an important communication skill. Learning new communication skills and behaviours in professional situations, however, is not an easy task and takes a considerable time. To function as effective and safe practitioners, nurses should be encouraged to develop appropriate assertive behavioural patterns. The education in assertiveness should be integrated in their professional preparation which necessitates also adequately qualified teachers and mentors

Empathy in children in connection with animal contact

Stik z živaljo je za otroka priložnost za spoznanje, da imajo tudi druga bitja svoja čustva in želje ter se odzivajo na njegovo vedenje. Iz tega opažanja izhaja hipoteza, da lahko stik z živaljo pozitivno vpliva na razvoj empatije pri otroku. V raziskavi smo želeli s pomočjo eksperimenta, v okviru katerega smo izvajali interesno dejavnost Mačje urice, katere namen je bil spodbujati empatijo pri drugošolcih s pomočjo stika z živaljo, preveriti hipotezo, da bo imela interesna dejavnost, ki temelji na nestrukturiranih interakcijah med otrokom in mačkami, vpliv na konstrukt empatije in na otrokov odnos do živali. Učence, vključene v primerjalno skupino (N = 43), smo primerjali z ustrezno kontrolno skupino (N = 41), ki ni obiskovala podobnih dejavnosti, na podlagi sekundarne ocene staršev na vprašalnikih za merjenje empatije in navezanosti na hišne ljubljenčke pri otrocih. Rezultati so pokazali, da je imela interesna dejavnost vpliv na čustveno komponento empatije, ki je bil viden tri mesece po prekinitvi dejavnosti. Na podlagi te ugotovitve sem delno sprejela hipotezo, da bo interesna dejavnost vplivala na empatijo in odnos do živali. Preverila sem tudi hipotezo, da so otroci, ki imajo hišnega ljubljenčka, bolj empatični kot otroci, ki ljubljenčka nimajo, in da so rezultati na podlestvicah empatije in navezanosti na hišne ljubljenčke pomembno pozitivno povezani. Rezultati ne kažejo nobenih razlik v empatiji glede na hišnega ljubljenčka, povezava med konstruktom navezanosti na ljubljenčke in empatijo pa je bila prisotna samo na vzorcu otrok, ki imajo hišne ljubljenčke.Human-animal contact is an oportunity for a child to realize that other creatures also have their own feelings and wants and they react to the child\u27s behaviour. This observation serves as a basis for a hypotesis that contact with an animal has positive impact on empathy development in children. In this study I wanted to test the hypotesis that an extracurricular activity Cats\u27 hour meant to promote empathy in second graders which includes nonstructured interaction between children and cats will have some effect on empathy and attachment to pets in children. I compared children in the experimental group (N=43) with children in a control group (N=41), who were not included in any similar activities, on parent-report measures for empathy and attachment to pets in children. Results show that the Cats\u27 hour activity had some positive effect on the emotional component of empathy, which was observed three months after its termination. This result allowed me to partly accept the hypotesis that the activity will have effect on both components of empathy and on attachment to pets. I also tested the hypotesis that children with pets have higher empathy scores compared to children without pets and that both components of empathy and attachment to pets score will correlate with each other. Results did not show any differences in empathy between children with or without pets and the correlations between attachment to pets and empathy was only present in children with pets

The role of the school counselor in cases of cyberbullying among primary school children

V magistrskem delu smo proučili vlogo šolskega svetovalnega delavca pri obravnavi primerov spletnega nasilja med osnovnošolci. Osredotočili smo se predvsem na to, kakšno vlogo in kakšne naloge ima šolski svetovalni delavec pri delu z žrtvijo, s storilcem oziroma storilci in opazovalci nasilja ter v okviru tega pri sodelovanju s starši, vodstvom in zunanjimi institucijami. V prvem, teoretičnem delu naloge smo najprej opredelili medvrstniško nasilje v šoli. Nadalje smo predstavili posebnosti spletnega nasilja, različne tipologije oblik spletnega nasilja in pojasnili dinamiko tovrstnega nasilja. Nadalje smo izpostavili še dejavnike, ki spodbujajo širjenje pojava spletnega nasilja, posledice spletnega nasilja za žrtev, temeljne značilnosti storilcev spletnega nasilja in odzivanje na spletno nasilje. Spletno nasilje smo opredelili tudi z vidika kazenskega prava. V nadaljevanju teoretičnega dela smo pojav spletnega nasilja umestili v šolski prostor. Pri tem smo najprej izpostavili pomen digitalne pismenosti osnovnošolcev in preventivnih dejavnosti ter že obstoječih oblik pomoči na področju spletnega nasilja. V zadnjem delu teoretičnega dela naloge pa smo s pomočjo že obstoječe teorije opredelili vlogo šolske svetovalne službe pri obravnavi spletnega nasilja med osnovnošolci. V drugem, empiričnem delu naloge smo izhajali iz predpostavke, da ima šolski svetovalni delavec, ki ima znanje in spretnosti za vodenje svetovalnega pogovora ter za delo z različnimi posamezniki in skupinami, pri obravnavi medvrstniškega spletnega nasilja pomembno vlogo. Tako smo v kvalitativni raziskavi med svetovalnimi delavci iskali odgovore na pet vsebinskih sklopov raziskovalnih vprašanj: splošno o spletnem nasilju med mladimi, obravnava spletnega nasilja med osnovnošolci, usposobljenost šolskih svetovalnih delavcev na področju obravnave spletnega nasilja, ovire in izzivi na področju spletnega nasilja, pozitivne oziroma negativne izkušnje pri obravnavi medvrstniškega spletnega nasilja. Dobljeni rezultati potrjujejo, da je šolska svetovalna služba pomemben člen, ko se med učenci pojavi primer medvrstniškega spletnega nasilja. Šolski svetovalni delavci poročajo, da prepoznajo žrtev, da se na pojav spletnega nasilja med vrstniki vedno odzovejo, imajo osnovna znanja in spretnosti za delo z vsemi akterji medvrstniškega spletnega nasilja, izvajajo oziroma sodelujejo pri organizaciji in izvedbi preventivnih dejavnosti na tem področju, poznajo že obstoječe zunanje institucije, ki se ukvarjajo s spletnim nasiljem in so jim na ta način v pomoč tako pri obravnavi medvrstniškega spletnega nasilja kot tudi pri organizaciji ter izvedbi preventivnih dejavnosti. Prav tako pa intervjuvani šolski svetovalni delavci poročajo, da dobro poznajo tudi kazensko zakonodajo na področju spletnega nasilja. Na koncu smo opozorili tudi na določene vidike, ki jih je v povezavi z vlogo šolske svetovalne službe pri obravnavi spletnega nasilja med osnovnošolci v prihodnje smiselno še raziskati, izpopolniti in strokovno razvijati. To so: opredelitev pojma in oblik spletnega nasilja, oblikovanje jasnih protokolov o odzivanju in postopanju pri obravnavi spletnega nasilja, opredelitev vloge in pristojnosti akterjev medvrstniškega spletnega nasilja, stalno spremljanje dogajanja na področju, umeščanje pedagoškega in pravnega znanja ter spretnosti s področja medvrstniškega spletnega nasilja v študijske programe in programe dodatnega strokovnega izpopolnjevanja, organizacija in izvajanje dodatnih strokovnih izobraževanji in preventivnih dejavnosti na temo spletnega nasilja ter izpostavljanja pomena povezovanja šolske svetovalne službe z zunanjimi strokovnjaki in institucijami s tega področja.The master\u27s thesis put forward the importance of the school counselor in cases of cyberbullying among primary school children. We focused primarily on the role of school counselor in dealing with the victim, the person who caused violent behaviour, observants and, in this context, the role of counselor in cooperation with parents, school management and external institutions. In the first, theoretical part of the thesis, we first identified peer violence in school. Furthermore, we presented the specifics of cyberbullying, various typologies and forms of cyberbullying, and explained the dynamics of such violence. We further highlighted the factors that drive the spread of cyberbullying among peers, the consequences of cyberbullying for the victim, the basic characteristics of the perpetrators of cyberbullying and the response to cyberbullying. We also define cyberbullying from a criminal law perspective. In the continuation of the theoretical work we have placed the phenomenon of cyberbullying in the school environment. We also highlighted the importance of digital literacy for primary school children and preventative activities, as well as existing forms of assistance in the field of cyberbullying. In the last section of the theoretical part of the thesis, we have identified the role of the school counselling service in addressing cyberbullying among primary school children, using the existing theory. In the second, empirical part of the thesis, we followed the assumption that the school counselor, who has the knowledge and skills to conduct counselling conversations and to work with different individuals and groups, plays an important role in the treatment of peer violence online. Thus, in a qualitative survey among counselors, we sought answers to five substantive sets of research questions: general on cyberbullying among young people, treatment of cyberbullying among primary school students, competence of school counselors in the field of cyberbullying, obstacles and challenges in the field of cyberbullying, positive or negative experiences in dealing with peer violence online. The results from the survey confirmed that the school counselling service plays important role when a case of peer bullying occurs among students. School counselors included in survey recognized the victim, also they are always responsive to the occurrence of cyberbullying, have basic skills to work with all perpetrators of cyberbullying, they perform or participate in the organization and implementation of preventative activities in this matter, they know pre-existing external institutions that deal with cyberbullying and thus help them both to deal with cyberbullying and to organize and carry out preventive activities. Also, the school counselors interviewed report that they are well aware of criminal law in the area of cyberbullying. Finally, we highlighted certain aspects that, in connection with the role of the school counselling service in addressing cyberbullying among elementary school students, are important to investigate, refine and professionally develop it in the future, These are: defining the concept and forms of cyberbullying, developing specific protocols and guidelines on how to respond on cyberbullying, defining the role and responsibilities of cyberbullying actors, continuous monitoring of developments in the field, placing pedagogical and legal knowledge and skills in the field of cyberbullying in study programs and further professional development programs, organization and implementation of additional professional education and preventive activities on the topic of cyberbullying and highlighting the importance of linking the school counselling service with external experts and institutions involved in this cyberbullying