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The European Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students (ERASMUS) supports students to pursue temporary periods of study in other European universities. During the academic year 2007/08 the UK received 15, 975 ERASMUS students. Although much research exists about the experiences of international students less attention has been given to the specific disciplines of study and the ways this might mediate the experience. With this in mind this paper is based on a piece of work currently in progress with ERASMUS students from Poland who have engaged in an exchange onto the final year of a UK Psychology degree course. Observations are made about the relative compatibility of Psychology in Poland and Britain by considering the course structure, curriculum and modes of assessment. Interview data is drawn on to explore the students' accounts of their experiences of studying Psychology in the UK. Findings indicate that that there are some contrasting pedagogical and epistemological areas within the two systems which make integrating them a challenge for students. It is suggested that flexibility is required in order to better accommodate the students prior learning experiences. (Contains 1 table.)

In this article, the authors offer an account of a free-ranging discussion highlighting common features of psychology provision and that considers the differences between two departments and two distinct programmes. The discussion took place between ERASMUS partners during a Teacher Exchange visit to the University of Wroclaw, Poland, in March 2011. ERASMUS exchange programmes have been running since 1987 and offer students opportunities to travel and learn in universities across Europe where agreements are signed between member institutions. The European Higher Education Area looks to bring comparable academic standards and quality assurance to universities and thus enable greater movement between countries. In practice this means that students can have their work in one country recognised as being equivalent to that in another through the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). In 2010 over 22000 students visited the UK as part of an ERASMUS exchange.

The present paper makes accessible to an English-speaking readership recent research published in Polish designed to provide and to test a Polish adaptation of the Francis Psychological Type Scales (FPTS) and the Francis Psychological Type and Emotional Temperament Scales (FPTETS). The process of development involved studies reported among 53 Catholic clerics, 87 Catholic clerics, 119 university students, 134 university students, 240 final grade secondary school students, 133 university students, and 75 university students. The four-factor structure of the FPTS was recovered by confirmatory factor analysis, with 10 items loading on each factor, and producing the following Cronbach alpha coefficients:.81 for Extraversion vs. Introversion,.66 for Sensing vs. Intuition,.77 for Thinking vs. Feeling, and.80 for Judging vs. Perceiving. For the additional ten-item scale of Emotional Temperament (Volatile vs. Calm), α =.75. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper contributes to mental health studies of children and youth's suicide and suicide attempts. Inspired by early sociological concepts such as Durkheim's contribution to understanding suicide through social anomy, we ran statistical analysis of worldwide suicide rates and tested for correlation between suicide rates amongst children and youth and "Big Data" on social, educational, economic and environmental factors around the world. Amongst them we considered 88 variables including Human Development Index (HDI) and its indicators, rates of religious observance and denomination, and even the hours of sunlight and the average temperature in each country. The statistical section of the paper is preceded by the results of analysis from the anonymised mental health records of adolescents with suicidal and self-harming tendencies. The data came from a Polish psychotherapist and was accompanied by in-depth analysis of contributing factors from purposely selected, attempted suicide cases, in order to enrich the statistical perspective with biological, individual, environmental and situational factors. Finally, we identify trigger factors and protective indicators, derived from both the statistical and the empirical part of our study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the paper is confrontation of recommendations, arising under the European Framework Agreement on Work-Related Stress (EFA) with the results conducted in enterprises in Poland. The Agreement provided for systematic increase of awareness of work-related stress. According to EU Commission Poland, did not fully use the opportunities regarding financing and influencing the different social partners. While confronting the actions described in the reports, the author conducted surveys among 330 organizations.. The results indicate that the awareness and general knowledge grew significantly. However, the frequency regarding taking preventive actions has not increased, except the comprehensive interventions. The last part of the paper includes possible reasons of the observed state of affairs. The paper ends up with suggestions for further actions of reducing the work-related stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the diversity in patients' experience of biomedicine and contrasts it with the normative view characteristic of health professionals. Ethnographic fieldwork among Polish migrant women in London, Barcelona and Berlin included interviews about their experiences with local healthcare and health professionals. Themes drawn from the narratives are differences between the cities in terms of communication between patients and health professionals, respect for patients' choices and dignity, attitudes to pregnancy and birth (different levels of medicalization), and paediatric care. It is argued that patients continuously negotiate among their own views and expectations based on previous experiences and knowledge from personal communication; internet forums and publications; and the offer of medical services in the countries of their settlement. Patients experience pluralism of therapeutic traditions within and outside bio-medicine. In turn, representatives of bio-medicine are rarely aware of other medical practices and beliefs and this leads to various misunderstandings. By highlighting the pluralism of medical practices in European countries and the increasing mobility of patients, this case study has useful implications for medical anthropologists and health professionals in a broader Western context, such as raising sensitivity to different communication strategies and a diversity of curing traditions and expectations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Due to changes in Polish society resulting from a significant inflow of immigrants to Poland, the need to develop the cultural competences of various professional groups who have contact with immigrants in their work has increased. These groups should include healthcare professionals, especially because of the significant increase in the number of culturally diverse patients. Therefore, medical education in Poland has had to rapidly adapt to this novel situation. For instance, the teaching process should be now more focused on the development and evaluation of the cultural competences of prospective health care workers. However, there is still a lack of standardized, valid and reliable instruments to assess cross-cultural competences among healthcare professionals. The purpose of the present paper was to describe, for the first time, the translation, adaptation, and psychometric evaluation of the Polish version of the Cross-Cultural Competence Inventory. Methods: Across two studies, we examined psychometric properties of the Cross-Cultural Competence Inventory (CCCI) such as reliability (i.e. internal consistency, test-retest reliability, factor structure) and validity (i.e. theoretical, criteria, convergent). In the first study, 408 participants (75% were healthcare professionals) completed the Polish version of the CCCI and the Positive/Negative Attitude Towards Culturally Divergent People Questionnaire. In the second study, 317 participants (97% were healthcare professionals) completed the CCCI twice, with an interval of at least 22 days. In addition, across two study sessions, participants completed questionnaires constructed to measure (a) cultural intelligence, (b) need for cognitive closure, (c) emphatic sensitiveness, (d) emotional intelligence, (e) self-esteem, (f) social desirability, and (g) personality. Finally, to additionally examine the theoretical validity, 36 professional cross-cultural competence trainers completed the CCCI during a one-session study. Results: Our findings confirm the reliability and validity of the CCCI. More precisely, in study 1 we proved the theoretical validity and reliability (i.e. internal consistency) of the CCCI. While the assumed structure did not fit the data well, all items were significantly related to the general factor, thus providing strong support for the usage of the total score of the CCCI. In study 2, we additionally estimated the test-retest reliability and theoretical, criterion and convergent validity. Across two studies we were able to successfully confirm these psychometric properties. The reliability was satisfactory and ranged from .83 to .86. We also observed a high and significant positive correlation between CCCI and the Cultural Intelligence Scale, which measures a concept similar to the one measured by CCCI. In addition, a significant relationship between intercultural competences (CCCI) and other variables such as personality, empathic sensitivity, emotional intelligence, self-esteem (positive correlations) and the need for cognitive closure (mainly negative correlation) were demonstrated. Conclusions: The obtained results support the usage of the CCCI questionnaire in scientific research, such as, for example, among healthcare professionals (nurses, doctors) and students of medical fields (nursing, medicine). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the paper was to investigate the association between PA and general life satisfaction in adolescents, taking into account family affluence and selected psychological, family and school factors. The survey (2015) involved 4085 Polish lower-secondary school students. Life satisfaction was measured with the abridged Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (SLSS). Vigorous Physical Activity, self-esteem, family affluence, family relations and the perception of the school environment were considered as independent variables. Hierarchical and path models were applied. The mean SLSS score was M = 4.66 (SD = 2.23), and 36.9% of its variability was explained—mainly by self-esteem. The impact of PA on self-esteem became stronger when family affluence decreased, which led to the conclusion that material status may modify the impact of behavioural factors on the SLSS scores’ variability in adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since after the second world war there has been an increasing number of studies investigating secular changes in adolescent mental health. Although no general trends could be outlined, the majority of studies show at least partial deterioration of psychological wellbeing from year 2000 on. Our study adds to this knowledge by exploring changes in self-declared emotional and behavioral problems in Poland, which is a part of post-communist Europe. In this paper, we compared responses on the Youth Self-Report by Polish 16-year-olds from 2000 and those from 2011. Two independent samples consisted of 259 (year 2000) and 185 (year 2011) 16-year-olds of both genders, drawn from randomized, normative, school-based groups. We analyzed linear, ordinal and binary logistic regression models. The results revealed that teenagers from 2011 reported more self-rated internalizing and total problems. Social and thought problems also rose significantly. Gender related time trends hint at a male increase in externalizing, aggressive behaviors and anxiety/depression. Caseness rose significantly in most scales with female gender being an additional risk factor for internalizing and total problems. No reduction in self-reported emotional and behavioral problems was detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this paper was to examine if among alcohol dependent subjects hope is positively related to mental health. Additional aim was to verify if length of abstinence and involvement in Alcoholics Anonymous are important factors for mental health and hope. Method: The sample consisted of 115 dependent subjects participating in Alcoholics Anonymous from Wielkopolska. The following tools were used: Herth Hope Scale (HHS), tree scales being indicators of mental health: level of stress, evaluation of life up to now and subjective mental health as well as two one item scales regarding length of abstinence and length of being in Alcoholics Anonymous. Results: Noticed positive correlation between hope and evaluation of life up to now as well as negative correlation between hope and level of stress. Length of abstinence and length of being in Alcoholics Anonymous negatively related to level of stress. Length of abstinence correlated positively with subjective evaluation of mental health. Conclusion: Hope is an relevant factor for mental health of Alcoholics Anonymous. Higher level of hope is positively related to evaluation of live. Additionally hope the same as length of abstinence and length of being in Alcoholics Anonymous were buffer the stress level. Participating in Alcoholics Anonymous is related to better evaluation of mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The issue of reconciling ethnic diversity with the welfare state is a subject of long-standing theoretical debate. In particular, it remains unclear to what extent a shared national identity is necessary for endorsing claims to welfare at the individual and societal levels. Surveys show that migrants are seen as the least deserving category of welfare recipients. Yet migrants’ own views are rarely considered. Based on a qualitative study, this paper explores how Polish migrants residing in London conceptualised their deservingness to British welfare benefits and social housing. It finds a strong preference for conditionality of welfare predicated on contributions through work, payment of taxes and law abidance. Such conditionality applied to both in-group and out-group members thus transcending identity-based claims. These contributions were seen as both necessary and sufficient for laying claims to the British welfare system. Solely needs-based claims were seen as problematic. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The paper presents findings on secular score gains in Raven's Progressive Matrices during six decades (1948- 2009) in Polish adolescents. Seven groups are being compared, comprising of 20, 490 subjects in total. The representative groups examined in 2000 (N=1,331) and 2009 (N=3,650) are those of special interest as they are the most numerous and allowing formal means comparison using standard test for comparison of means and Welch's test. Possible causes for the noted effect are being discussed, with special emphasis on the economic growth and its implications - such as improved nutrition, education changes, growth of adolescent's well-being and child upbringing practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The built environment (BE) impacts on people's disability and health, in terms of overweight, depression, alcohol abuse, poor self-rated health and presence of psychological symptoms; it is reasonable to assume that BE also impacts on participation levels. This paper presents the validation of the COURAGE Built Environment Self-Reported Questionnaire (CBE-SR), an instrument designed to evaluate BE in the context of health and disability. Subjects participating to COURAGE, a cross-sectional study conducted on 10 800 citizens of Poland, Finland and Spain, completed a protocol inclusive of the CBE-SR. Psychometric properties and factor structure were analysed, and factor scores created. Gender differences, differences between persons from different age groups and persons reporting the environment as facilitating, hindering or neutral were calculated. Eight items were deleted so that the final version of CBE-SR comprises 19 items. Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.743 to 0.906, and test-retest stability was demonstrated for the majority of items. Four subscales were identified: Usability of the neighbourhood environment; Hindrance of walkable environment; Easiness of use of public buildings, places and facilities; and Risk of accidents and usability of the living place. Younger respondents reported their neighbourhood as more usable but perceived walkways as more hindering and public buildings as less easy to use; gender differences were almost inexistent. The CBE-SR is a four-scale instrument with good psychometric properties that measures the person-environment interaction. It is sensitive across age groups and is consistent with the subject's overall judgement of the degree to which the environment is facilitating or hindering. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Message Poor built environments have a negative impact on the level of a person's participation. However, instruments measuring the person-environment interaction are lacking., The CBE-SR is a valid and reliable instrument that researchers can use to assess the relationships between the intrinsic health state and the objective features of the environment., Understanding this relationship would provide further insight into the need of addressing the individual's functioning either by means of interventions directed to the individual or by making changes to the individual's environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines differences in work restrictions of midlife family carers of older people in terms of prevalence, gender and explanatory variables, in six European countries: Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom. A sample of 2,897 carers aged 45–64 was extracted from the EUROFAMCARE (Services for Supporting Family Carers of Older People in Europe: Characteristics, Coverage and Usage) European project database, in order to analyse four possible work restrictions experienced in connection with the activity of care-giving: the reduction of working hours; giving up working; difficulties in career developments and forced occasional work. The results show that work restrictions are experienced differently between countries especially by women: they are reported to a higher degree in the United Kingdom, Germany and Greece, less so in Italy, and seldom in Poland and Sweden. Gender differences within countries are not so marked. Country differences are explained in the light of the different welfare regimes characterising the countries under investigation, in order to elucidate how policy makers may act to improve working carers' conditions through appropriate policies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The paper attempts to reconstruct the proto-cybernetic concept of regulation which emerged in early 20th century both in biology and psychology, and was critically reflected in literature. The basic premise is that Kurt Lewin's field-theoretical psychology played a crucial role in the development of behavioral self-regulation concepts. The goal is to show (1) that Lewin's early experiments and theories were based on the idea of a dynamic process of self-regulation determined by the actors and their personal motivation and interaction, (2) that this concept of self-regulation functioned as a camouflage for power-strategies that aimed to regulate and optimize the economic production and social reproduction processes, (3) that in Robert Musil's fragmentary, 'fringing' novel The Man without Qualities the attempt to optimize the social and economic behavior and to establish a homeostatic state proved to be a complete failure. As a notable result, this 'literary test' of behavioral self-regulation revealed the violence and imbalance of power inherent in this concept of self-regulation and its practical implementation.

This article considers the "liminality" of the psychologist Charlotte Wolff, MD (1897-1986). Always living openly as a lesbian since her school days in Danzig, Wolff trained as a doctor-also pursuing a parallel interest in poetry and in philosophy. As a Jewish person, she was forced to leave the Berlin Health Service and flee Germany when the Nazi regime came to power. Having moved to Great Britain in 1936 after three years in France, Wolff reconfigured "exile" beyond the literal experience of emigration and immigration, as a form of "marginality" or "liminality" always involved in artistic and scientific endeavors. In her life and work she negotiated several liminal areas-from her gender presentation to her standing in the academic and scientific community (she was a Fellow of the British Psychological Society, to which she bequeathed her papers and the copyright to her work, but at the same time she was not an eminent psychologist), to her membership of sexual minority organizations (she conducted pioneering research on lesbianism and bisexuality, but some resented her connection with the psy-professions). In the spirit of Wolff's "liminality" as a strategy and creative zone, and along the lines indicated by Morawski (1994) as regards the transformative possibilities of feminist psychology as a liminal science, we argue for a reappraisal of Wolff's life and work that, in negotiating the borderlands between lesbian history and history of psychology, could enrich both disciplines.

In this paper we explore the relationship between current psychiatric thinking on suicide and service users' accounts of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. The data comes from recordings of psychiatric interviews collected in three psychiatric hospitals in Poland. Assuming a constructionist view of discourse we argue that the literature on suicide ignores and simplifies the experience of those who think about suicide and attempt to commit it, and constructs their experiences as a homogeneous group of 'thoughts' with only limited content. We also offer a preliminary insight into the complexity of 'suicide thoughts', as narrated by those reporting them. We demonstrate that they are marginalized and made relatively irrelevant in the accounts of attempted suicide. Additionally, we demonstrate that while women construct suicide attempts (whether actually attempted in the end or not) as at least potentially beyond their control, men's narratives show them in control of the attempt, as if choosing an available option. We conclude by exploring possibilities of further qualitative discourse analytic research which builds on the findings we present here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to understand how the public's beliefs in five countries may change as more families have direct experience with Alzheimer's disease. The data are derived from a questionnaire survey conducted by telephone (landline and cell) with 2678 randomly selected adults in France, Germany, Poland, Spain, and the United States. The paper analyzes the beliefs and anticipated behavior of those in each country who report having had a family member with Alzheimer's disease versus those who do not. In one or more countries, differences were found between the two groups in their concern about getting Alzheimer's disease, knowledge that the disease is fatal, awareness of certain symptoms, and support for increased public spending. The results suggest that as more people have experience with a family member who has Alzheimer's disease, the public will generally become more concerned about Alzheimer's disease and more likely to recognize that Alzheimer's disease is a fatal disease. The findings suggest that other beliefs may only be affected if there are future major educational campaigns about the disease. The publics in individual countries, with differing cultures and health systems, are likely to respond in different ways as more families have experience with Alzheimer's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of the psychological bond on behavioral loyalty (word-of-mouth, continuance and non-audit services) to audit firms providing services to companies listed on the Polish Stock Exchange. Design/methodology/approach - A model is proposed and tested using structural equation modeling with LISREL. Data were collected from top executives of companies listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. Findings - The psychological bond has a positive effect on word-of-mouth, continuance and non-audit services. Research limitations/implications - The current research is limited to the investigation of the psychological bond as an antecedent of behavioral loyalty in Poland. Future research should identify and assess other antecedents and replicate these across different countries. A longitudinal survey across different points in time might reveal more useful information about auditor-client relationships. Practical implications - Auditors need to consider ways in which they can develop the psychological bond with their clients. This bond is the basis for the client believing the audit firm is superior to others, which has been found to lead to behavioral loyalty in this study. In particular, management of the auditor brand and reputation, personal experience of the audit firm and alumni relations are discussed as ways of enhancing the psychological bond among client executives. Originality/value - This study is the first to examine the impact of the psychological bond on behavioral loyalty in auditor-client relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes observations and experiences gathered whilst conducting group therapy with trainees in analytical psychology in Poland. The challenges and conflicts around language and translation reflect challenges common to analysis everywhere: accuracy of interpretation, agreements on permission to interpret and the acceptability of interpretation. The way in which archetypal patterns developed and matured suggests this approach to work with trainees may have wider application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is an attempt to look at the functioning of social services in Poland from an interdisciplinary perspective, presenting common areas of activity of socio-pedagogical, psychological, psychotherapeutic and medical professionals. We consider not only the literature on the subject, but also our own research. Our goal was also to identify areas of interdisciplinary scientific cooperation, including in research. Such cooperation could help generate new research problems to study in interdisciplinary teams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2015, there were 916,000 Poles living in the UK, making them the largest group of non-UK nationals at 16.5 percent of the population. Though increasingly research has focused on the consequences of this migration for both migrants themselves and the receiving country, little research has looked at food habits. This paper will explore the role of food in the Polish migrant adjustment journey. A qualitative approach was adopted, involving semi-structured interviews with nine Polish migrants. In this study, Polish migrants described the move to a new culture as a time of stress and loneliness. Due to a lack of money, they were forced to eat local food, which exacerbated their unease, as they found it to be tasteless and unhealthy. As soon as their financial situation improved, they reverted to a Polish diet, relying on ingredients brought from home, from London, or more recently, purchased from local Polish shops. This gave them comfort, and all participants acknowledged the vital role of food in their adjustment to life in a new culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The study aimed to elucidate previously observed associations between morningness-eveningness and depressive symptomatology in university students. Relations between components of depressive symptomatology and morningness-eveningness were analysed.Methods: Nine hundred and seventy-four university students completed Polish versions of the Centre for Epidemiological Studies - Depression scale (CES-D; Polish translation appended to this paper) and the Composite Scale of Morningness. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to test the structure of depressive symptoms. Pearson and partial correlations (with age and sex controlled), along with regression analyses with morning affect (MA) and circadian preference as predictors, were used.Results: PCA revealed three components of depressive symptoms: depressed/somatic affect, positive affect, interpersonal relations. Greater MA was related to less depressive symptoms in three components. Morning circadian preference was related to less depressive symptoms in depressed/somatic and positive affects and unrelated to interpersonal relations. Both morningness-eveningness components exhibited stronger links with depressed/somatic and positive affects than with interpersonal relations. Three CES-D components exhibited stronger links with MA than with circadian preference. In regression analyses only MA was statistically significant for positive affect and better interpersonal relations, whereas more depressed/somatic affect was predicted by lower MA and morning circadian preference (relationship reversed compared to correlations).Limitations: Self-report assessment.Conclusions: There are three groups of depressive symptoms in Polish university students. Associations of MA with depressed/somatic and positive affects are primarily responsible for the observed links between morningness-eveningness and depressive symptoms in university students. People with evening circadian preference whose MA is not lowered have less depressed/somatic affect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has shown that low ability to tolerate distress is indirectly related to problematic substance use through the substance use motives. This topic has been previously researched in alcohol and cannabis use; however, it has not yet been explored in tobacco use. We studied whether distress tolerance is indirectly associated with nicotine dependence through motives of tension reduction and habitual smoking. A total sample of 451 (230 of which were women) daily and occasional Polish smokers (aged from 18 to 60 years) reported distress tolerance, motives for smoking, and nicotine dependence. We then conducted a mediation analysis with bootstrapping using PROCESS macro. Distress tolerance was indirectly related to nicotine dependence through both motives independently. In terms of the sequential model, there was a significant indirect effect of distress tolerance on nicotine dependence through smoking motives: tension reduction and habit. The total effect of distress tolerance on nicotine dependence was insignificant. Our findings suggest that individuals with low distress tolerance are especially prone to nicotine dependence if they use smoking as a coping mechanism and it becomes habitual. The current study highlights the importance of a multidimensional approach in dealing with nicotine dependence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is a report on the pilot research on socially maladjusted boys, which led to the development of a questionnaire to test their thinking and designate its factors. The starting point of the proposal is the theory of G. D. Walters and his thesis for the criminal mind. A similar project has not been conducted in Poland so far, it is an innovative test, completely adapted to the circumstances and cultural characteristics of minors in Poland. The article shows the importance of this project for working with minors and the possibility of changes that can be achieved in this way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. The aim of this work is to demonstrate that symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder are not limited to disorders in the content of thoughts but are also related to the sphere of senses. Material and method. the paper presents 2 cases of OCD patients who experience olfactory obsessions. An introductory clinical analysis of this phenomenon was made and a diagnostic procedure was suggested. discussion. Olfactory (sensory) obsessions can occur in the course of obsessive-compulsive disorder; so far this phenomenon has not been described in generally acknowledged OCD definitions that the author is familiar with. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The dominant model in cross‐cultural psychology largely disregards culture (Boski, 2018). An alternative theory of sociocultural models (SCMs) has been proposed in this volume. SCMs mould cognitive, affective, and behavioural processes of individual persons, as well as their corrective measures should such processes be sidetracked. Because SCMs are culture‐bound, intercultural contacts are likely to be fraught in misconceptions and conflicts, but they may also give rise to attraction and to culture change. This article compares Polish script of gender roles and its transformations between the ingroup and English (outgroup) contexts. Framed in a {Request → Compliance} format, a cultural experiment was conducted with university students in England and Poland. It was based on four video‐recorded enactments of that script, controlling for gender expressions on the request and on actor‐compliance sides. It was hypothesised that compared to foreign observers from England, Polish participants should provide confirmatory evidence to video installations, reflecting the script and should resist its transformation attempts. Results largely confirmed these expectations. The {Male addressed request → Male compliance} was of the Polish normative and behavioural prototype, but not appealing for English participants, for whom gender neutrality was the preferred cultural arrangement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Corah's Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) is one of the most popular psychological scales used for diagnosing odontophobia worldwide. Despite being used by Polish researchers, it has never been validated in the Polish population. Also, there are no similar tools that could be used by dentists for screening. Objectives. The aim of this study was to validate and present the psychometric properties of the Dental Anxiety Scale adapted to Polish. The scale is a self-assessment tool designed to measure odontophobia and dental anxiety. Material and methods. The sample consisted of 162 adults. The adaptation to Polish of the DAS scale included a back-translation and a think-aloud study. The validation procedure incorporated 3 basic methods to be applied in the reliability analysis -- the test-retest method, the statistical properties analysis of test items as well as a factor analysis. The general result of the responders was also compared to the anxiety-trait STAI scale and the neuroticism scale form IPIP-BMF-20. Results. The Cronbach's α was 0.9. The solution obtained in the exploratory factor analysis was a one-factor model, explaining 76.24% of the variance of responses. The test-retest gave a strong correlation (rho = 0.69, p < 0.001). The correlations between the DAS score, the anxiety-trait STAI score and the neuroticism scale form IPIP-BMF-20 were moderate, as expected. The percent of responders with odontophobia and intense dental anxiety was almost similar to the results of other studies. Conclusions. The psychometric characteristics of the Polish adaptation of the DAS scale are similar to those reported in the original version. The results allow us to recommend the method for scientific research and patient screening. However, further analyses are necessary to assess if the scores indicating odontophobia and dental anxiety are similar in Poland and in the USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poland in 1988 was on the edge of economic, social and political collapse. The two antagonistic entities – the communist party and the government on one side and the Solidarity movement on the other - were each too weak to overcome the crisis by itself. Undertaking negotiations appeared to be the last chance to solve the crisis peacefully. There was a number of external circumstances and opportunities that supported undertaking the Talks, including Michail Gorbachev's perestroika in the East, Ronald Reagan's anti-communist policies in the West, the support of the Catholic Church and the support of the vast majority of Polish society. The whole Round Table story can be viewed as a transformation from a zero-sum game to a cooperative non zero-sum game with the solution close to a Pareto optimal solution. The processes included, among others: concentration on problems rather than people; building a mutual trust; creating the idea of the common good; and partitioning negotiations into many teams thereby creating a decision-making structure that was both hierarchical and flexible. After thirty years, both democracy and the rule of law are at stake again in Poland. Unfortunately, however, it does not seem that today's socio-political situation is capable of fostering negotiation methods for solving the nation's problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduces the articles published in the June 1988 issue of the "European Journal of Personality." Expansion of the domain of personality language by introducing personality-descriptive verbs; Review of literature on questionnaires used for measuring depression, anxiety and neuroticism; Reminiscence of authors' experiences with the Act Frequency Approach to personality.

The existing system of management of the quality of expert reports in Poland has serious flaws on key points. It lacks appropriate verification of experts who are put on the lists of expert witnesses (such lists are maintained by presidents of regional courts). It also lacks adequate supervision of forensic experts opinions in particular court cases. The authors illustrate these problems by an example of forensic experts who work in the area of psychology of handwriting. How many experts in the field of psychology of handwriting are put on the lists all over Poland? What do they state in their opinions? How do courts treat and supervise such experts' reports in particular cases? The authors place the issues in the context of controversy attributed to the methodological aspect of psychology of handwriting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Treatment of patients with comorbidity of mental health problems and alcohol use disorder (AUD) constitutes a challenge in many countries. The article aimed at exploration of personal experiences of clinicians and patients with the comorbidity regarding its assessment, treatment and organization of care in Poland and the UK. Methods Data were collected via in-depth, semi-structured interviews with clinicians (N = 28) and patients (N = 81) in both countries, according to a unified study protocol. Maximum variation sampling was applied to both study groups. All interviews' transcripts were coded (CAQDA) and the consistency of coding across centres was assessed. Data analysis was performed according to the principles of thematic analysis. Results Our data show that most patients with AUD admitted at the psychiatric wards—apart from assessment which is a standard procedure during admission—receive only minimal support during their hospital stay. This is the consequence of two factors: lack of trained staff prepared to help those patients and a priority given to self-referrals by AUD units. At the same time, it is recognized by clinicians and patients that more support is needed to encourage the utilization of AUD services and to prevent the drop-out. Conclusions In order to improve the system response, the use of screening instruments in the process of the assessment of AUD and establishment of special procedures supporting motivation and adherence to treatment and preventing drop-out merits consideration. Moreover, the psychiatric wards and the AUD services could possibly profit from formalization of the collaboration between services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of simple, valid and reliable instruments to determine nursing care rationing is a subject of ongoing research. One such instrument, which is gaining popularity worldwide and has significant research applicability, is the Basel Extent of Rationing of Nursing Care (BERNCA) and its revised version, the BERNCA-R. The aim of this study was to translate and adapt the BERNCA-R into a Polish-language version and to assess its reliability and validity in evaluating the level of implicit rationing of nursing care in Poland. Standard methodological requirements were followed during translation and cultural adaptation of the English version of the BERNCA-R questionnaire into Polish. The cross-sectional validation study was conducted between May and September 2017, which included 175 nurses undergoing specialisation and qualification courses at the European Postgraduate Education Centre in Wrocław, Poland. Cronbach's alpha and inter-item correlations were used to analyse the internal consistency of the Polish BERNCA-R questionnaire. The mean total BERNCA-R score was 1.9 points (SD = 0.74) on a scale of 0–4. Cronbach's alpha for the unidimensional scale was 0.96. The mean inter-item correlation was 0.4 (range 0.1–0.84), which indicates high internal consistency. A single-factor solution demonstrated stable loadings above 0.5 for almost all items of the Polish BERNCA-R questionnaire. The study using the Polish BERNCA-R questionnaire demonstrated that the instrument is valid and reliable for use in investigating care rationing in groups of Polish nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of the study is to analyze the standard expected years of life lost (SEYLL) due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Poland from 1999 to 2014 by sex and place of residence. Methods: The number of deaths due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (J40 –J44 and J47 according to ICD-10) over the period 1999 to 2014 was analyzed based on data obtained from the Central Statistical Office in Poland. Standard expected years of life lost due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were calculated by sex and place of residence according to the living population (SEYLLp) and the number of deaths caused by the disease (SEYLLd). Changes in the calculated measures were evaluated using joinpoint models. The annual percentage change (APC) and the average annual percentage change (AAPC) were also calculated. Results: The study revealed that COPD contributed to 1.8% of the total number of deaths which occurred between 1999 and 2014. The greatest decrease in the analyzed measures was observed among males from rural areas (p<0.05) (SEYLL: AAPC = -1.6; 95%CI: -3.0;-0.2; SEYLLp: AAPC = -2.0; 95%CI: -3.4;-0.6; SEYLLd: AAPC = -1.1; 95%CI: -1.2;-0.9). A statistically significant increase in the SEYLL and SEYLLp indices was observed among female city dwellers (SEYLL: AAPC = 2.4; 95%CI:0.7;4.0 and SEYLLp: AAPC = 2.4; 95%CI: 0.8;4.1). Conclusions: All studied measures were higher in the male group than in the female group, regardless of the place of residence. A male who died of COPD in Poland in 2014 potentially lost 14.9 years of life, whereas a female lost 14.2 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cross-cultural studies focusing on individuation and parent-child relationships during late adolescence in the European context are sparse. This study investigated relationships between maternal and paternal responsiveness, demandingness and autonomy granting and late adolescents' subjective well-being in Greece, Norway, Poland, and Switzerland. Additionally, the role of psychological, functional, and financial aspects of adolescents' individuation in these relationships were assessed. Late adolescents (18-20-years-old, N = 745) reported on their parents' behaviors and themselves. Structural models with latent constructs were applied to test the hypothesized relationships. Results showed that in all four countries, maternal and paternal autonomy granting and responsiveness were positively associated with adolescents' well-being. No significant results were found for demandingness. Further, the study found that psychological and functional connectedness with mothers and financial connectedness with fathers partially explained the associations between parenting behaviors and adolescents' well-being. The results indicate more similarities than differences across Europe in the associations between parenting on late adolescents' outcomes. More importantly, the study points out that maternal and paternal parenting may play different roles in late adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: To verify the existence of psychic readiness for destruction among adolescent girls and to determine how psychic readiness for destruction is related to suicidal or violent behaviour in adolescence. Background: The psychic readiness for destruction can be treated as a generalised tendency (personality disposition) to behave in a way that increases the probability of negative consequences which directly and indirectly threaten one's life, health and its quality. Design: A retrospective cross‐sectional study. Methods: The study involved 140 participants, aged 13–17, including 40 girls after suicide attempts (GS group), 40 girls using violence against others (GA group) and 60 girls without destructive behaviour at all (CG group). To measure psychic readiness for destruction, the polish adaptation of the Chronic Self‐Destructiveness Scale (CS‐DS) by Kelly was used. Results: No significant differences were found between the GS group and GA group. A significant difference was found between the girls who engage in interpersonal violence (GA) and the control group (CG). In this case, the results showed a significantly higher score among those participants who were involved in extremely aggressive behaviours. A similar trend was also observed when comparing the group of girls who attempted suicide (GS) with the CG. Conclusions: Based on the conducted analyses, a clear trend was observed in consistency of destructive behaviours (tendency for destruction)—both active (seeking to violate norms, risky behaviours) and passive (omission, neglect) among the girls from both groups indicating even a single act of this kind (no significant differences between the groups). Relevance to clinical practice: Due to the complex nature of readiness for destruction and its negative consequences on health, it is imperative to investigate the risk factors for the tendency for destruction and to conduct health education among adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Presently, diabetes is one of the major problems of healthcare, both in medical and socio-economic terms, in most countries worldwide. A key role in the proper functioning of diabetic patients is played by health behaviors, which result in specific health effects. Objectives. The analysis of health behaviors and illness acceptance in patients with diabetes. Material and methods. The study was conducted at the National Health Care Centre "KMW Centrum Zdrowia" in Stargard. The study included 215 people aged 30-87 suffering from diabetes. The study was carried out by means of a diagnostic survey method, and the research tool used was a questionnaire. It consisted of three parts, the first of which was the authors' questionnaire, the second was the Health Behavior Inventory (HBI ), and the third was the Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS). Results. An analysis of the results has shown that the majority of the study sample (59.1%) gained high scores for an increase on health behaviors according to the HBI - approximately 7-10 sten scores. The average level of an overall increase in health behaviors exhibited by the participants (HBI ) amounted to 91.0 ± 14.82 points. The respondents demonstrated similar levels of average results regarding all categories of health behaviors according to the HBI . Data analysis related to illness acceptance has indicated that the average level of illness acceptance of the study subjects amounted to 31.80 ± 7.91 points. Conclusions. Patients with diabetes showed high levels of health behaviors and illness acceptance, and the results depended upon the subjects' education, duration of the illness and health education. Females and patients suffering from diabetes for a long period of time require psychological support to resolve disease-related problems, cope with difficulties and develop positive attitudes towards the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objective. The study examines relationships between physical activity levels and income status of working-age city residents. Methods. The study was carried out in the years 2014 and 2015 in Wrocław, Poland. The study sample comprised 4332 participants (2276 women; 2056 men) aged 18 to 64 years. Respondents’ habitual physical activity levels were measured with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF), while their income status was assessed with author’s own Socio-Economic Status of Working-Age People Questionnaire (S-ESQ). Results. The results revealed positive correlations between the level of physical activity and income status of male and female working-age residents of Wrocław. The highest physical activity levels were noted among respondents with a steady income, as well as among respondents with the highest income and savings and with no debts. The odds for respondents’ above average physical activity levels were the greatest in women with the highest income and with savings and in debt-free men and women. Conclusion. Effective actions should be developed aimed at improvement of physical activity levels of people in an adverse financial situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This quasi-experimental design study in Poland evaluated the effects of a course on stuttering for university students and the effects of an educational workshop for public school teachers, both interventions designed to improve attitudes toward stuttering. Method: Participants (132 in-service teachers and 75 university students) completed the Polish version of the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering (St. Louis, 2011) twice, before and after 2 interventions for experimental groups and 3 months apart for control groups. Experimental teachers participated in a 2-hr workshop dedicated to stuttering. Experimental students enrolled in a 1-semester course wherein multiple activities (including the teacher workshop) were included to generate a comprehensive understanding of stuttering. None of the participants in either control group participated in the academic course for students or workshop for teachers. Results: Preintervention comparisons for teachers and for students confirmed that participants assigned to either experimental or control groups did not differ significantly on their attitudes toward stuttering. For both experimental teachers and students, the interventions resulted in significant positive changes in stuttering attitudes. Neither control group changed. Conclusions: This experimental study demonstrated that it is possible to positively modify stuttering attitudes of teachers as well as university students. It has implications for the length, content, and experiential components of interventions designed to improve public attitudes toward stuttering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Psoriasis is an inflammatory disease characterized by accelerated proliferation and abnormal keratosis of the epidermis cells. It is influenced by environmental and lifestyle factors, including health-related behaviors. Objectives. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the frequency of health-related behaviors and their links with disease characteristics and sociodemographic variables in patients with psoriasis. Material and methods. The study involved 211 patients treated for psoriasis from 3 centers in Poland. Diagnosis of psoriasis type was done by a dermatologist. A structured questionnaire about sociodemographic variables, course of psoriasis and health-related behaviors was conducted with each subject. Results. Most of the subjects spent less than half an hour a day on physical activity (mainly walking and cycling). More than half did not follow the recommended diet. About one third of the patients declared smoking, and the mean BMI was in the overweight category. It was also found that sociodemographic variables differentiated the group in terms of health behaviors. Relationships were found between health-related behaviors such as smoking and some clinical features of psoriasis. Conclusions. The frequency of favorable health-related behaviors among psoriasis patients is unsatisfactory, and some of them may exert a significant impact on the course and treatment effects of psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate the knowledge of Polish parents concerning traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) and their management in children and to assess the influence of TDI experience on parents' knowledge.Methods: A questionnaire study conducted from May 2014 to February 2015 involved 741 randomly selected individual parents of children aged 1-17 receiving treatment at the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the Medical University of Warsaw. The questionnaire consisted of 28 questions concerning TDI management.Results: The study included 600 questionnaires subjected to statistical analysis using a χ2 independence test and Spearman's rank correlation (p < .05). Results show that 68% of parents have never received information about TDI management. As many as 80.5% were unaware of the possibility of immediate replantation of an avulsed tooth; over 60% would not be capable of choosing a suitable transport medium for such a tooth. Over 12% of TDI-experienced parents were unaware of a suitable transport medium for an avulsed tooth. Three times as many inexperienced parents as parents with TDI experience would place an avulsed tooth in saline solution. The independence test presented a strong correlation between parents' education and their knowledge about TDI management. As many as 80% of parents assessed their knowledge about TDI as inadequate.Conclusions: It appears necessary to introduce programmes for parents to raise their level of awareness concerning this topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual satisfaction and satisfaction with a relationship are important health indicators with regard to a person's well-being and quality of life. These issues become particularly significant in the case of people suffering from chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes. The aim of this research was to establish the relations between sexual satisfaction, satisfaction with a relationship, and life satisfaction both generally and in more detailed domains in individuals with type 2 diabetes, compared to individuals without this disease. The research also included testing the mediation role of satisfaction with a relationship in the relation between sexual satisfaction and quality of life. The statistical analysis involved data obtained from a group of 151 subjects including 77 with type 2 diabetes. Methods with recognized psychometric properties were used in the research. The results showed that individuals with diabetes are generally less satisfied with their previous and current life, and they are less satisfied with sexuality and passion, when contrasted with individuals not suffering from the disease. In the group of individuals with diabetes, commitment within a relationship mediated the relations between emotional satisfaction and the sense of control and overall satisfaction with current life, including within the psychological, social, and environmental domains. Relationship commitment also mediated the relations between satisfaction with the physical area and satisfaction with the psychological and social domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]