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The 5Cs model of Positive Youth Development focuses on thriving adolescents who develop positivequalities, which are known to help them deal with challenges, tasks, and psychological concerns. LifePurpose acts as a protective factor in relation to the general well-being of adolescents and supports the5Cs through this process of growth. The aim of this study is to examine the role of the 5Cs of PYD, namelyCompetence, Confidence, Connection, Caring, and Character, and how Life Purpose is explained by the 5Cs. There is no precedent study on the 5Cs model of positive youth development in Albania. In specific, this study investigated the 5Cs of PYD for the two most marginalized minority groups in Albania, the Roma, and Egyptian communities. Data were collected from 201 participants from the three most populated cities with Roma minority (N=100) and Egyptian minority (N=101), aged between 14-20 years old. Association between the 5Cs and purpose in life was found. Life Purpose has an association with Character, Caring, and Connection. In interaction with 5Cs, Life Purpose provides a framework for systematic behavior in life by motivating adolescents to plan and make efforts to achieve in decision-making and performance.

This mixed‐method study explores the accessibility of developmental assets among Egyptian and Roma minority youth in Albania during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Six focus groups were conducted in August 2020 with Egyptian (n = 16) and Roma (n = 15) adolescents (14–20 years, M age = 16.71; SD age = 2.00; 14 girls and 17 boys). In addition, adolescents rated how much they experienced each developmental asset. Descriptive and thematic analyses highlighted: (1) low developmental assets and barriers to accessing resources, (2) mental health concerns and coping strategies, (3) the role of proximal contexts of life, and (4) experiences within the society in terms of discrimination, integration, and contribution to society. Inter‐sectoral community‐based interventions are urgently needed to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on minority youth.

The focus of the present study is the exploration of factors related to physical parental punishment and the display of aggression among school-age children. The study was conducted in Tirana and Durres with children of seven elementary schools, in a total of 830 children of the group-age 7 to 11 years old. Our aim is to identify the differences between physically punished children and physically non-punished children in the emergence of aggressiveness in general, identification of forms of aggression that exhibit the physically punished children, identification of gender differences in the manifestation of forms of aggression in physically punished children. We used the Direct and Indirect Aggression Scales (Björkqvist, Lagerspetz & Österman, 1992) and four questionnaires were designed to collect information from the child whether the parents were involved in these forms of punishment or not. The results of the study showed that there were differences in the display of aggressiveness among physically punished children and physically non-punished children; there was also a tendency for physically punished children to exhibit a higher level of Direct Aggression. Findings also emerged in terms of gender differences in the appearance of aggressiveness in physically punished children. The conclusions highlight the role played by the physical punitive factor in the emergence of aggressive behaviour in children. In this context, the role of parental patterns and what they transmit to the child should be taken into account by the authoritarian figures that are in daily contact with the child - parents or teachers.

Aim of the studyThe purpose of the present study is to explore the relationship between bullying behavior and depressive symptoms in adolescentsSubject or material and methodsMethods:The research study included 284 teenagers, of whom 145 (51.1%) females and 139 (48.9%) males. Students ranged from the age of 13 to the maximum at 18 years old. Average age of surveyed students (M = 15.5) years with a standard deviation SD 1.2. The data were collected through the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI, Kovacs, 1978) and the Reciprocal Relationship Assessment Questionnaire (PRQ) (Rigby & Slee, 1994).ResultsThe results revealed that there is a significant statistical relationship between the frequency of adolescent victimization and their depressive symptoms (Sig 2 tailed = 0.00 DiscussionThe relationship between victimizing behaviors and depressive symptoms in adolescents seems to be at the same time controlling the gender, age, and academic performance variables. The findings revealed that prey to depression symptoms were also adolescents included in the victim's and aggressor's profile.ConclusionsConclusions: Being a victim or aggressor compose a strong indicator relating to the likely chances to be affected by depression. In this aspect, variables such as age, gender and academic achievement seem to have no significant role in the bulling-depression binomial function.

Children with intellectual disabilities experience deficits in all the areas of adaptive function and some other aspects, unfortunately little is known about the independent functioning among gender and age related to these impairments in this type of neurogenetic disorders as intellectual disabilities. Adaptive behavior is essential for an optimal functioning in these categories. 53 participants aged between 5 and 11 in school years have been administered the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Montreal Cognitive Assessment scale (MoCA) and Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices (IQ). Motor abilities are the area that is more affected in children with intellectual disabilities with a significant impairment appeared at an early age, which remain low even in the following years. These differences are potentially oriented by the etiologies related to the disorder. Adaptive behavior is an important area of challenge for children with intellectual disabilities throughout their development. Daily living skills and competencies are also a significant strength in relation to other areas of adaptive functioning.

Prevention is undoubtedly one of the core items of todays’ health and social care. Massmedia, technology and the information technology system are of the most influential tools in the cognitive and psychological development of a person’s social life. The objective of the present article is to explore some of the basic aspects of the relationship between cyber deviant behaviors and the role of order security and cyber security structures such as the Data Privacy Officers (DPO) that exist in the cyber-digitalization preventing process. This article intersects the core aspects of deviant cyber subculture and the role of DPO officers in the screening and prevention of criminal extreme acts. The implementation of misguided protection strategies and consumer safety from hazardous navigation and risky online behaviors directly affects the growth of passive and active criminality, qualitative changes of attitudes and behaviors by pointing more towards antisocial personalities and rising risks for a broader national and regional security.

The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence of drugs abuse in the juvenile prison taken from pre-trial detention and Penitentiary Institution of the Albanian Country and to examine some evidence between criminal behavior and use of drugs by juvenile offenders. This research is an exploratory one, and tries to determine a link between criminal behavior and drugs. The target population consists of 71 imprisoned juveniles aged from 14 to 18 in four prisons in pretrial detention and prison institutions in Albania. For the entire population of males and females offenders interviews are used, due to their small numbers. Direct interviewing was managed by trained interviewers at a time and place convenient to the prison system and insuring the confidentiality of the offenders’ responses. Analyses reported in the present study involve simple descriptive statistics from Univariate Analysis to describe the central tendency of mean, mode, median, range, variance, max, min, standard deviation and percentages. Juvenile offenders who experiment with drugs, report episodes of offending, especially physical assault, robbery and stealing either those who were in detention for the first time or recidivists in crimes. An important finding is related to the onset of first offense among the juveniles. The mean age of first offending suggests that young males under the age of 16 years are at increased risk of criminal offending. Almost all offenders reported having used marijuana or alcohol, a percent reported crack cocaine use at the age of 11-14 years old. It is important to establish that not all drug users are criminals, and not all criminal acts are committed by drug users. However, the study highlight certain issues that need attention of country policy-makers. Juveniles are heavy users of marijuana and according to the present research, typically began their marijuana use at around the age of fourteen.

Objectives. The present study aims to explore the problematic situation of Personality Organization and Behavioral Tendency in the target group of school leaders and to highlight the need of a qualitative change and organizational structures of the preventive evaluation of mental health in school. We aim to describe the utility of a novel Mental Health Taxonomy as the Psychodynamic Manual as an overall taxonomy rather than the DSM or ICD. Material and methods. The research was conducted through the interweaving of literature with the context operationalization. In its initial phase of the study, we considered a wide range of classic literature and contemporary updates on elements of human personality, maladaptive or adaptive structures, educational leadership and their typologies. Through a quantitative and qualitative methodology as Q methodology, we reached to fulfill the presented aims and goals. Supporting instruments for the operationalization of the method were: Psychodiagnostic Chart, Mental Functional Level Questionnaire, Object Relations Inventory and the Functional Assessment of Ego. Results. The study showed that there is not only a strong positive relationship between Pathogenic Beliefs and Personality Organization (but also that teachers and school principals display increasing symptoms of "maladaptive behavioral tendency". Leaders with high levels of Neurotic Personality Organization, which has the highest frequency in the factor weight of the mental component have also higher chances for coercive behavior than leaders with Borderline Personality Organization. Results were analyzed with PQMmethod software processor. Conclusions. At the end of the article, we outline some suggestions for formation of a structured based assessment of psychological problems supporting leaders in schools, the function role style and leadership in supporting education and health.

The focus of the present study is to identify the most compromised aspects of cognitive impairment and how children with intellectual disabilities cope with them. A sample of 53 school aged children with intellectual disabilities (N = 24) female and (N = 29) male from 5 to 11 years old. Montreal Cognitive Assessment scale (MoCA) and Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices (IQ) to children with intellectual disabilities were used for conducting research. Generally, children with intellectual disabilities experience high and moderate levels of cognitive impairments and a low IQ. There is a significant positive relationship between age and IQ among girls and boys. In addition to cognitive impairment, a positive relation between impaired cognitive function, a high level of global disability in children with intellectual disabilities and a poor executive and memory functions were associated with difficulties in daily life activities. IQ is also a significant index of cognitive impairment and how children interact with others. Cognitive impairment is a major cause of low adoption with the environment and a significant factor that affects rehabilitation outcomes. Yet, there have been a limited number of studies that have evaluated the psychometric MoCA in children with severe intellectual disabilities, but it is necessary to identify possible difficulties in children with ID related to cognitive functions in young patients with mild to moderate impairment.

The aim of this study is to research deeply on the post-traumatic stress disorder in sexually abused children. Proving the presence of forms of the disorder in children and the their treatment mode will be in the center of the study. The methods used to conduct this study will be a literature review on the focused issue referring to reviews of articles which focus on the defined peer group. For the purpose we have selected only articles focusing on sexually abused children treated for post-traumatic stress disorder. The results of the study reveal that all forms of abuse could bring consequences on children, even more, post-traumatic stress is the language with which the victims communicate their sorrow in the most typical mode. Sexual abuse as one of the major forms of abuse, is among the most severe which cause irreversible consequences over a category of children. In conclusion we can assume that post-traumatic stress in sexually abused children might appear through the most severe forms of psychiatric and psychological symptoms and for the recovery and rehabilitation of the child in many cases the pharmacological treatment seems as the best choice for the child. DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2015.v4n3s1p455

The purpose of this study is to identify whether the symptoms of post-traumatic stress are present on peacekeeping missions millitaries who are deployed in areas of armed conflict and which are the variety of post-traumatic stress symptoms in this contingency of militars. The present study is an explorative type based on quantitative data collected by Symptom Checklist 90-Revised (SCL90-R) in peacekeeping mission militaries deployed in conflicted areas. Data revealed that post-traumatic stress symptoms were not present at the targeted sample,we generarly have the confirmation of a more severe symptomatology at that military category which were more than 3-4 times in peacekeeping missions in comparison with those who were once or twice. Post-traumatic stress symptoms have a low frequency in these missions militaries and they generarly are more obvious in those categories who worked in the field. As well as, another interesting finding relates to the fact that symptoms are more obvious in the military category who served more than two missions. DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2015.v4n2s2p11

The aim of this paper was to explore and present the impact of the academic collaboration in the progress of Science and Innovation in Italy and Albania as an important part of the MacroRegione Adriatico-Ioniana. We conducted an explorative and meta-analitic research based on Educational Policies and comprehensive estimations by different countries of the Europian Union Academic Institutions, the methods applied, the criteria used and the qualitative increase of scientific research. We focused on two factors:the impact of educational policies in the trend of research and the impact of the present collaboration in the academic growth. First, we found a high variation in the studies through insitutional settings which reflected the trends of the foreing academic researchers into European Institutions in the few last years. Second. we observed a qualitative change of trends in Albanian and Italian researchers towards scientific development. Finally, we demonstrated that the higher the scientific exchange collaboration, the more we might gain strength regarding educational policies and researching development. DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2015.v4n2s2p105

The objective of this study is to present a general overview of the risk factors that are defined by the youth as causes for their involvement in criminal activities. Method: The sample of the present study consist of 78 youth who have been sentenced in the Albanian Executive Penitenciary Institutions, regarding data collected by the interviews that inestigate within family and peer relationships as well as statistics of the institutions where juvenile serve their sentence. Data refer to the 2014-2015 time extention. Results: The number of youth involved in criminal behaviors is considerable and referring to the statistics it is progressively increasing. As it seems some indicators related to the family environment are revealed as risk factors for the commitment of juveniles in criminal behavior. Despite the influence of the personal and family factors have in juvenile criminal behavior, the peer influence is another potential risk factor. Conclusions: Teeanage needs to be seen as a very delicate period where the external inflences strongly affect the way the adolescent will try to recognize and orient themselves in life. The powerful influence of familiar facotrs through his or her development will be introduced in the mode how the adolescent will posit themselves as an adult with responsibilities to his living environment. Influences of the familiar factors will affect in their turn the way the adolescents will choose to display himself in front of peers and will be influenced either by them in an effort to find themselves and their path in life.

Objectives: To examine the association between empowerment and quality of life among adult forensic patients. Method: The Empowerment Scale and the Lancashire Quality of Life Profile were used to assess perception on personal empowerment and quality of life in 98 detained adult forensic patients in Prison Hospital of Tirana. Results: The proportion of adult forensic patients scoring above personal empowerment and the quality of life was significantly low in the detained group for the five factors of empowerment Hierarchical multiple regression models showed that self-efficiency-self-esteem, power-powerlessness, community activism, righteous anger, and optimism-control over the future were significantly low among detained adult forensic patients, indicating that detention contributed to increased symptom levels of psychiatric symptoms. Conclusions: For adult forensic patients, even brief detention is associated with a low perception on personal empowerment and a quality of life that interfere in rehabilitation plans. Governments should consider the many viable alternatives to incarceration of adult forensic patients, such as temporary placement in a supervised residential facility, to minimize the risks of psychological harm to this vulnerable population. DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2014.v3n6p229

This study investigates the risk factors on rehabilitation process of forensic patients in the psychiatric department in Prison General Hospital in Tirana, Albania. A sample of 89 forensic patient was include on this study. Who-Das questionnaire was used to elicit information from the nursery staff. The result showed that a significant relationship exist between the dysfunctional behavior of each forensic patient, the level of severity of their disorder and the rehabilitation process. DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2014.v3n6p17