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Objectives. The Outcome Rating Scale (ORS) is an ultra-brief self-report scale designed to measure change during psychotherapy. The goal of this study was to test (a) the factor structure of the ORS, (b) the measurement invariance between a clinical and a non-clinical sample, between pre-therapy and post-therapy assessment (within the clinical sample), and between online and paper-and-pencil forms of administration (within the non-clinical sample), (c) concurrent validity with other outcome measures, and (d) sensitivity to therapeutic change. Sample and settings. N = 256 patients, N = 210 non-clinical respondents, and N = 89 students participated in the study. Patients responded to the ORS before and after psychotherapy. Statistical analysis. The factor structure and measurement invariance were tested using confirmatory factor analysis. Concurrent validity and test-retest reliability were assessed using correlational analysis. Sensitivity to change was assessed using the Reliable Change Index and pre-post effect size. Results. The unidimensional structure was supported. The best-fitting model was a partially tau-equivalent model with the first and the fourth items' loadings fixed to the same value. While only metric invariance was demonstrated between the clinical and non-clinical samples, the ORS demonstrated scalar invariance between pre- and post-therapy assessment and strict invariance between the paper-and-pencil and online forms of administration. Internal consistency, as well as concurrent validity, were satisfactory. The sensitivity to the therapeutic change was adequate. Furthermore, internal consistency and sensitivity to change were increased if the score was computed as a weighted sum of items. Study limitation. The samples were not representative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The paper introduced the concept of narrative sensitivity. The study aimed to identify the facets of narrative sensitivity (NS) in medical students and assess the changes in NS during undergraduate medical education. Methods. A mixed method study was designed to explore NS. Data was collected from a group of students in their second year (N=50) and then in their fifth year (N=42) of their undergraduate education. The data was analysed using thematic analysis in accordance with consensual qualitative research. A coding system was developed to identify and refine the facets of NS. The theme frequencies were counted for each year separately and Fisher’s exact test was conducted to assess the statistical significance of NS change between both years. Results. Nine themes related to NS were identified in the data. The frequency of themes indicated a trend towards a decline in NS between the second and fifth years of undergraduate education. However, the exploratory nature of this study and the small sample size did not allow any definitive conclusions regarding changes over time. Conclusions. The findings raised doubts about the outcome of undergraduate education based on a narrow biomedical perspective. The study supported the arguments for giving emphasis on training of communication skills including narrative sensitivity during medical education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. Previous research has shown that the acquisition of personal pronouns benefits from input with higher amounts of stable reference. This paper aims to provide more evidence of how input is structured. The language under study is Slovak, a pro-drop language, allowing to extend the study of input to verb marking. Participants and setting. The longitudinal study follows speech directed to three children in two families from the age 1;9 to 3;0. Hypotheses. It was hypothesised that the incidence of first and second person singular pronouns and verb marking as expressions with shifting reference grows with the child's age while the incidence of proper names and category names as expressions with stable reference decreases with the child's age. Statistical analysis. Occurrences of first and second person singular pronouns and verb marking as expressions with shifting reference as well as proper names and category names referring to the speaker and addressee as expressions with stable reference were found and analysed. Simple regression analysis testing was conducted on the data. Results. The results confirm the hypothesis, showing an increase in first and second person singular pronouns and verb marking over time, at the expense of proper names and category names referring to the speaker and the addressee. Study limitations. The study is limited by the size of the sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. Poverty has been premised as one of the main causes of various forms of non-productive behaviour such as the unwillingness to delay gratification. The paper aims to examine the relationship between income, as an objective economic indicator, and poor delay of gratification. It puts a particular focus on different poverty thresholds and also after taking cognitive load into account. Sample and settings. A total of 697 participants (out of which 233 also completed the retest) were recruited in two data collections. The participants provided information about their household income, frequency in experiencing negative affect and stress (together forming cognitive load) as well as their tendency to delay gratification. Statistical analysis. The effect sizes for each subsample and poverty threshold were synthesized in a multilevel meta-analysis. Additional Bayesian estimations served as a sensitivity analysis. In order to test whether the average effect sizes differed from Hedges, g = 0.2 (our smallest effect size of interest), equivalence testing was used. Results. The results indicated very small effects of poverty thresholds on the willingness to delay gratification. Hedges, g varied from -0.01 to 0.20 for all the performed analyses. Study limitations. The potential limitations/explanations of the results have been identified. In particular, the core sociodemographic aspects of the sample, the possible social desirability in responding, the general over-reliance on objective poverty thresholds when explaining psychological concepts as well as the rather low verisimilitude of existing theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individual mindfulness appears to be critical for multiple processes necessary for an organization's survival, such as learning, sensemaking and managing the unexpected. Moreover, several positive effects of individual mindfulness on mental health of employees were discovered and scientists have invented several programs which aim to develop individual mindfulness. To objectively evaluate the effects of individual mindfulness on organizational processes, employees' health and the effectiveness of individual mindfulness development programs, it is necessary to accurately measure individual mindfulness. Although several mindfulness measurement tools have been created, there is still a lack of information to help users choose a specific measurement instrument in their situation. This paper tries to provide such information by using the traditional literature review method to assess three methods of individual mindfulness measurement based on three criteria: (1) how these instruments operationalize mindfulness, (2) what requirements they place upon respondents, and (3) how their scores correlate with mental factors: The Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, Toronto Mindfulness Scale and the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills. Moreover, the findings of this study confirm substantial differences between the methods in these criteria and reveal a lasting lack of consensus concerning the conceptualization of individual mindfulness in organizational practice, with implications for other organizational phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports three studies on Polish - German and Polish - Russian relations in the context of their difficult history (World War 2 and communist oppression), as well as process of reconciliation between the nations. The paper addressed questions and hypotheses on mechanisms responsible for constructive coping with the past, through apologies by the perpetrators and forgiveness on the side of their former victims. Bilateral relations with Poland's' neighbors had opposite trajectories after World War 2. In case of Germans, initial hostility was slowly transformed into friendship and cooperation in European Union and NATO . At the same time, reparations to victims of the Nazi were paid by Germany. Based on earlier literature it has been hypothesized that their apology, if seen as genuine, will facilitate forgiveness and dissociate intergroup forgiveness from perception of ingroup harm. The opposite trajectory characterizes Polish - Russian bilateral relations, where communist rule and oppression were depicted as friendship. We hypothesized that such situation would lead to cynicism and thus hinder forgiveness and empathy. Research findings (Study 1) reflect these developments: Germans are seen as more remorseful and are more forgiven than Russians. In order to inspect the relationship between remorse and forgiveness, a study that followed an experimental design was conducted. Its results suggest that the effect of apologies and their sincerity was found in study 2 as facilitating factors to forgiveness felt by Poles' also, the impact of the magnitude of harm was buffered by these conciliatory moves by German leaders. Study 3 concerned a situation of insincere reconciliation in Polish-Russian relations. Results show that such situation leads to cynicism and inhibits forgiveness, as well as compassion toward victims from the other nation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main idea of deliberative democracy (originating in the writings of John Rawls and Jürgen Habermas) is that citizens will consciously and effectively participate in a unique form of a group discussion (called the deliberative debate). Participation in a deliberation requires numerous sophisticated intellectual and social skills on the side of the citizen. The purposes of the paper are following. First, to make a few clarifications concerning studies on deliberative debates. Second, briefly comment on the current state of the research in the field emphasizing the contribution of Polish scholars. Particular attention is paid to attempts to measure the quality of group discussions. Typology of different modes of working out group recommendations is presented. The argumentation presented throughout the paper leads to the conclusion that even advanced attempts to initiate deliberative debates in real life conditions rarely lead to truly deliberative behaviours of disputants. Thus, the idea of „deliberative education" seems to emerge as a future prospect for deliberative democracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. The number of vaccination refusals is growing. A total of 1,291 vaccination refusals were recorded in Slovakia in August 2012. By August 2013, the number of refusals had risen to 2,595. The aim of this study is to investigate the issues and heuristics that play a role in parental decision-making on children's vaccinations. Method. The authors conducted four focus groups among mothers of children under the age of 5 (N=34). The data were transcribed and analysed using qualitative analysis software and thematic analysis. Results. First-time mothers often reported being under pressure to make vaccination decisions within the stressful context of new-born checkups. Under such conditions decision making is often subject to biases and driven by fear. In this paper, the heuristics that may play a role in the decision-making process are described. Discussion. Parents attempt to balance the potential risks of having their child vaccinated or not. Trust is another theme that tends to surface repeatedly in a system incapable of adequately dealing with questions related to vaccination safety. Conclusions. Vaccination is perceived to be a controversial medical intervention. Parents require assistance when deciding whether to vaccinate their child, especially in the form of clear, concise, balanced and empathetic discussion with paediatricians. Appropriate decision-making aids would also help the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. The purpose of this paper is to establish the measurement properties of The Short- Form Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire using for the first time the Rasch graded scale model of measurement. Sample and setting. Responses were obtained from a representative sample of 3,159 Czech schoolchildren between 13 and 15 years of age. The interval covers the critical transition period from childhood to early adolescence. The subjects were asked to fill in the online questionnaire anonymously via the internet during regular classes under the supervision of their teachers. Results. The study lends support to the 12-item BPAQ-SF unidimensionality which conflicts with earlier works corroborating multidimensional four-factor models using confirmatory factor analysis. The data reasonably conforms to the Rasch model specifications having acceptable item and person reliabilities, satisfactory item fit indices and item difficulties, and gender and age DIF of no practical significance. The alignment between item difficulty and the disposition of adolescents to endorse an item indicating a noticeable floor effect can be expected, taking into consideration that the scale is intended primarily as a screening instrument. Study limitation. A limitation of this study is a lack of criterion for the instrument validation, analyzing a questionnaire only in isolation might paint a distorted picture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. This paper builds on and responds to the international values research by Geert Hofstede, which reports Slovakia as an extreme outlier in the dimensions of Power Distance and Masculinity. Hofstede's reported results for the Czech Republic and Slovakia were not based on data collected from his original sample consisting of IBM employees worldwide, but were mostly estimates based on data collected in Central Europe by Kolman et al. (2003). The objective of the present study is to offer an updated reference to Czech and Slovak cultural dimensions, while overcoming methodological shortcomings of Kolman's study and using more rigorously composed matched samples. Sample and setting. Data were collected using Hofstede's VSM 2013 questionnaire on matched samples in three different countries (Slovakia, N=200; the Czech Republic, N=200; and the Netherlands, N=201). Care was taken to match the samples on gender, age and education, in order to counteract a potential limitation of Kolman et al.'s dataset. Hypotheses. The study is a replication. Authors expected that data from well-balanced matched samples would show less extreme positions of Slovakia in the dimensions of Power Distance and Masculinity, and less pronounced differences to values from the Czech Republic. Statistical analysis. Raw scores were calibrated against the anchor country (the Netherlands), yielding scores comparable to the original IBM data set as collected by Hofstede. Results. The Czech and Slovak results show much greater similarity than in Hofstede's estimates, with Slovakia's position in terms of Power Distance (25) and Masculinity (83) not reaching extreme values (over 100). The largest difference between Czechs and Slovaks remains in Masculinity (a 21-point difference), although smaller than in Hofstede's estimates (57 points). Study Limitations. The authors discuss mainly methodological limitations of the VSM 2013 questionnaire, as well as uncertainty whether the changes in Czech and Slovak indices are based on improved collection method, or rather differ due to historical developments from the time of Kolman et al.'s data collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current paper, the relationship between materialistic aspirations (fame, money and image) and psychological entitlement (active, passive and revenge) is examined. Additionally, the possible mediating role of hedonic and eudaimonic well-being are considered. SEM analysis conducted on Polish students sample (n = 153) revealed that materialism was positively related to psychological entitlement. The relationship between materialism and active entitlement was partially mediated by higher hedonic well-being, the relationship between passive entitlement and materialism was fully mediated by higher social well-being and the relationship between revenge entitlement and materialism was direct and unmediated by subjective well-being. These findings are discussed in reference to the culture of materialism and narcissism in relation to Central and East European (CEEU) cultural context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]