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Background: Existing studies confirm that some video games can change players' attitudes. However, since we do not know the specific elements responsible for attitude change, the potential of video games to achieve desired educational or behavioural outcomes often remains unfulfilled. Objectives: To fill the research gap, our study examined whether the perspective‐taking game mechanic in the serious game Czechoslovakia 38–89: Borderlands, which had previously been shown to affect attitudes, would have the same effect on another sample of players with different characteristics. Methods: We have assessed the effect of a historical video game using a perspective‐taking mechanic on players' explicit and implicit attitudes. Explicit attitude changes were measured at a general level, meaning a broad evaluation of a depicted historical event, and at a specific level, meaning a more detailed evaluation of specific aspects of the event. Simultaneously, we measured the effect of players' perceived attitude importance on attitude change. The study used a sample of 137 young adults. Results and Conclusions: This study's results indicate a significant pretest‐posttest explicit attitude change on the general level and on a specific level in comparison to the control group. Perspective‐taking game mechanics is particularly important for explicit attitude change. No change was found in implicit attitudes. The effect of the perceived attitude importance on attitude change was not confirmed. Takeaways: As one of the first to focus on the effects of specific game mechanics on attitudes, this study confirmed that perspective‐taking has stable, short‐term effects on attitude change even across different research samples. Lay Description: What is currently known about the subject matter: It is unclear why some video games can change players' attitudes while others do not.Several studies confirm video games' effect on explicit, but not on implicit, attitudes.Research on the effects of game mechanics on attitude changes is in its infancy.Very few studies focus on what role player characteristics play in their attitude changes. What our paper adds to this: Perspective‐taking as game mechanics changes explicit attitudes across populations.Perceived importance of players' attitudes towards topics not necessarily affects attitude changes.We show that only some facets of attitudes are influenced by the video game. Implications of study findings for practitioners: Particular game mechanics seem to be essential for attitude changes in players.Attitude importance and other player characteristics need further research in the video game context.DIF‐C analysis can provide more detailed information on changes in more complex explicit attitude concepts.Video games can affect the way we interpret the world around us. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth mentoring interventions are based on one-to-one long-term mentoring relationships formed between a volunteer and socially disadvantaged children and young people, and operate also in the Czech Republic. The paper presents a literature review that revisits the Rhodes Theoretical Model on mentoring processes (2002, 2005). In particular, the presented literature review operates the characteristics and dynamics of mentoring relational features that do or do not mediate mentoring benefits in formal youth mentoring relationships. It contributes to the current theory, research and evidence-based practice in the field of youth mentoring, social psychology and theories on development in social context with 1) Synthetizing the features of formal youth mentoring relationships associated with the quality of mentoring bonds; 2) Reviewing the research studies on relational dynamics and quality. Thus, it reviews the beneficial as well as risk relational and individual features in formal youth mentoring bonds, and 3) Reviewing features of Beneficial and Risky formal youth mentoring bonds. As a result, it revisits the model of pathways of benefits in formal youth mentoring relationships (Rhodes, 2002, 2005) according to the literature results published in the field to date. Subsequently, it informs academics, professionals and volunteers who interact with children and young people in the role of mentors, significant adults and role models; and thus contribute to evidence-based practice in these professions and services with research evidence on mentoring principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To find out how the use of ECT in psychiatry is perceived by the public in the Czech Republic. Method The questionnaire (8 questions monitoring awareness, knowledge of ECT and its use in modern psychiatry) created for the purpose of this study was shared through internet and also distributed in paper version to public. Results The sample consists of 365 respondents – age average 28.9 years, 62% of females, 53% of university graduates, 44% with secondary education, 3% other education, 27% of healthcare professionals outside the field of psychiatry, 20% of medical students before the start of the traineeship at psychiatry, 53% of the public. Among the respondents, 98% have heard about ECT, 7% of them think that ECT is no longer used. Among the respondents, 62% learned about ECT from the media (film, print). Among the respondents, 22% do not believe in the effectiveness of ECT, 30% think that ECT is abused by psychiatrists, 86% believe that ECT has side effects (personality changes, permanent memory disorders, brain damage, epilepsy). Among the respondents, 77% would agree with ECT, if it should be applied to their relative. Discussion ECT is an effective method in treating of severe mental disorders. But until now the public view is influenced by media. Due to the negative stereotype of the method many people are afraid of this treatment. The interesting fact is that also health professionals and medical students are influenced by public stigma of ECT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]