Diržytė, Aistė

There is a lack of research analyzing how teachers themselves define violence and what patterns of behavior they personally consider to be violent. It is precisely this subjective perception of violence that may explain why some situations remain invisible at the institutional level: they are not named and reported, or they are normalized as part of a teacher’s job, even though, in the long run, they can negatively affect a teacher’s professional identity and well-being. A phenomenographic perspective was applied in this research. It has been found that teachers understand violence in the workplace as pressure to obey, aggressive behavior, insults, public humiliation, and non-transparent decisions, which are characterized by verbal, physical, written, and visual expressions. The scope of the research results shows that the teachers’ perception of violence is not limited to incidents but is revealed as a process of constructing meaning that combines the form of violence, structural features, and orientation toward the teacher as a professional or as a person. The study broadens not only the concept of violence in the school environment but also the field of analysis of the teacher as an object of violence, and it reveals that the teachers’ understanding of violence is more related to administrative power practices.

Introduction – Previous studies have shown that children’s exposure to potentially traumatic events and their trauma−related symptoms may not always be consistently identified. This study aims to examine differences in trauma exposure and related psychological outcomes between clinical and non−clinical Lithuanian children. Methods – This cross-sectional study included 10–17−year−old children and adolescents recruited from a clinical inpatient setting (Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos) and general−education schools in Vilnius and nearby districts. After parental consent and child assent, participants completed a secure mobile assessment covering exposure to potentially traumatic events (CATS), dissociation (A−DES), mood and feeling (SMFQ), post−traumatic cognitions (CPTCI), PTSD symptoms (CATS; PCL−5 for convergent validation), and perceived social support (CASSS). Data were collected in 2023–2024. Group differences were examined using Welch’s t−tests (with Mann–Whitney U as robustness checks), and associations were assessed using Pearson correlations. Results – In the clinical sample over 40% of children experienced physical violence, while in the non−clinical sample 82.9% children reported exposure to multiple traumatic events. The clinical sample showed significantly higher dissociation, negative mood, and PTSD symptoms compared to the non−clinical sample. However, among children exposed to more than one traumatic event, differences in dissociation, PTSD symptoms, and close−friend support were not significant. Across both samples, exposure to potentially traumatic events was strongly associated with PTSD symptoms, dissociation, and post−traumatic cognitions, and moderately associated with mood symptoms. In the non−clinical sample, parental support showed moderate negative associations with dissociation, mood symptoms, post−traumatic cognitions, and PTSD symptoms. Discussion – This study identified between−sample differences in exposure to potentially traumatic events and trauma−related psychological outcomes among Lithuanian children in inpatient and community settings, highlighting the need for trauma−informed assessment and attention to social support within child mental health and welfare services.

Abstract Aim. The aim of this study is to reveal the victimisation of Lithuanian teachers in educational institutions. In order to achieve the aim of the study, the following hypotheses were put forward: traumatic experiences as a student are related to experiences of bullying and violence as a teacher; different forms of violence are interrelated; and teachers who have experienced one form of violence are more likely to experience others. Methods. A quantitative study was conducted, and a questionnaire was developed for data collection using validated scales: Multidimensional Teacher Victimisation Scale (MT-VS-2); Teacher Bullying Experience Scale; Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory – PTCI-9; Brief COPE. A probabilistic multistage sampling method was used, involving systematic and cluster sampling, with 1,044 teachers participating. Results. Teachers most often experience psychological and verbal abuse (e.g., the incitement of students to disobey, swearing, gossip, etc.), and less often experience physical abuse, damage to property, sexual harassment, and cyber-attacks. Significant correlations were found between early trauma and current bullying by students, parents, colleagues, and administrative staff. Strong links were also found between physical violence and sexual and cyber harassment, as well as between property damage and psychological violence. Conclusions. Teacher victimisation is a complex phenomenon determined by traumatic experiences, interpersonal relationships, and the overall school climate. Teachers most often experience psychological and verbal violence. The different forms of violence experienced by teachers are interrelated. Originality. The study found that trauma experienced by teachers in childhood is positively associated with current experiences of violence and greater visibility of violence.

Introduction: Teacher victimization is an important occupational stressor that can undermine educators' psychological functioning and professional sustainability. Guided by stress–coping theory, this study examined the relationships among multiple forms of victimization, coping strategies, and psychological well-being.Methods: A nationwide sample of Lithuanian teachers (N = 1,044) completed validated measures assessing exposure to victimization, coping responses, and psychological well-being, including indicators of flourishing and emotional experiences. Structural equation modeling was used to examine direct and indirect relationships among variables.Results: Victimization was associated with poorer psychological well-being, particularly reduced flourishing and increased negative emotional experiences. Adaptive coping strategies–such as active coping, positive reframing, and religious coping–were related to higher well-being, whereas maladaptive strategies, including self-blame, behavioral disengagement, and substance use, were associated with poorer outcomes. Structural equation modeling indicated a small but significant indirect effect (β ≈ .02), suggesting that coping partially mediated the relationship between victimization and well-being. A substantial direct association between victimization and well-being remained (β ≈ −.25, p < .001).Discussion: These findings suggest that strengthening teachers' coping skills may help mitigate the emotional consequences of victimization; however, individual coping alone is insufficient. Supporting teacher well-being requires not only individual-level interventions but also organizational and policy-level efforts aimed at preventing workplace victimization in educational settings.

Introduction – E-learning is a central component of higher education, yet maintaining student motivation remains difficult. Although personality traits, mental health, and peer support have each been linked to learning motivation, they are seldom examined simultaneously within an integrative framework. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory, this study examined the associations among personality traits, anxiety and depression, peer-to-peer confirmation, and learning motivating factors in e-learning. Methods – A cross-sectional online survey was completed by 595 e-learners from Lithuanian universities and Turing College. Data were collected using an online self-report questionnaire. Participants completed the Learning Motivating Factors Questionnaire, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), Student-to-Student Confirmation Scale, and Big Five Inventory-2 (BFI-2). Pearson correlational analyses and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used to estimate associations and indirect pathways. Results – Extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience showed positive correlations with e-learning motivation (r = 0.08–0.39, p < 0.01), whereas neuroticism and mental health symptoms were negatively correlated. The integrated SEM indicated acceptable fit: χ2 (39) = 221, p < 0.001; CFI = 0.921; TLI = 0.888; RMSEA = 0.089 (90% CI [0.077, 0.100]), RMSEA p < 0.001, and SRMR = 0.075. The association between personality traits and e-learning motivation was primarily indirect via peer-to-peer confirmation (β = 0.062), whereas the indirect pathway via mental health was not significant. Peer-to-peer confirmation was positively associated with e-learning motivation (β = 0.256, p < 0.001). Conclusion – Within the proposed model, peer-to-peer confirmation showed the strongest association with e-learning motivation, indicating the relevance of supportive peer interaction for e-learning motivation.

Teacher victimization is a growing concern with well-documented implications for educators’ psychological well-being. However, less is known about how such experiences relate not only to emotional outcomes but also to critical thinking. This study aimed to examine the associations between different forms of teacher victimization (e.g., physical, social, verbal, and cyber), psychological well-being (flourishing, positive and negative emotions), and critical thinking.

In the context of media, reliability is one of the most important factors of perceiving information, however it is difficult to find explicit and undisputed reliability, because it depends on receivers’ perception, their competences and critical attitudes. The main objective of this research is to assess science audience in Lithuania by conducting a segmental analysis of the Lithuanian population (representative sample (n=1000)) and to formulate science communication strategies targeting newly constructed science audience segments, linked to user profiles. Studies examining attitudes towards science have been routinely conducted in numerous countries (Eurobarometer, 2005; OST and Wellcome Trust, 2000), revealing that trust in science as an information source depends on citizens' political beliefs, economic and social statuses (Funk, 2017). Further differentiation is observed between urban and rural populations (Kawamoto et al., 2013), variations in knowledge across scientific disciplines in response to sociodemographic characteristics (Kristiansen et al., 2016), and a positive correlation between interest in science and the intensity of online science knowledge seeking activities (Nisbet et al., 2002). Additionally, research indicates that the ability to distinguish between scientific and fake news is positively correlated with critical thinking skills, the capacity to verify information, and the selection of reliable information sources (Wagner, Boczkowski, 2019). Despite compelling evidence illustrating significant differences among science audiences with respect to age, gender, education, and other factors, there is a paucity of research focusing on their organization into scientifically valid segments. Moreover, research shows that in order to ensure effective science communication and education, it is important to take into account the importance of the population's cognitive (Tang, 2017), developmental (Blumberg, Brooks. 2017), motivational, and experiential (Burch et al, 2019), and even personality and emotional (Eligio, 2017) factors. The originality of this research stems from its emphasis on segmenting the science audience based not only on sociodemographic characteristics but also on cognitive, personality, and behavioral variables (Lotenberg et al., 2011). This approach to clustering has been applied only s in the international context (Guenther and Weingart, 2017; Kawamoto et al., 2013). Moreover, it identifies factors that either strengthen or weaken constructive attitudes towards science and critical attitudes towards fake news. Following the development and adaptation of a multidimensional research instrument, four population Business Systems Laboratory- Book of Abstracts ISBN: 9791298547605 9 th Int. Symposium – Varese 2025 57 segments were defined and the user profiles created by linking 3 components: cognitive factors (attitudes towards science, attitudes towards fake news), behavioural factors (information search and media use) and personality variables. This analysis, uncovering relatively stable associations between subjects' attitudes toward scientific knowledge and their cognitive, personal, and behavioral characteristics (RoserRenou, 2016), represents a novel, valuable, and informative contribution for shaping science communication and education policies for counteracting fake news.

While journalists work tirelessly to identify relevant, credible, and diverse sources to support the news stories they cover, not everyone is equally heard. This study examines gender gaps in sourcing on the Lithuanian national broadcaster LRT. lt in the most popular news stories that cover climate change. It analyzes national or international coverage, institutional backing, and type of testimony (prestige, expert, lay) by cross-tabulating these results with the gender of the reporter. Results show that sourcing is still predominantly male, with female sources making up only a third. Male journalists largely cite male sources, while females cite both genders. Male sources are mainly prestige testimonies, whereas female sources present lay testimonies. We contextualize this study within the framework of gender mainstreaming efforts, previously advocated for in climate change research.

Introduction: Previous research employing latent profile analysis has considerably advanced our understanding of student motivation in online learning environments. However, a gap remains in exploring how mental health and social dimensions—specifically anxiety, depression, and peer-to-peer confirmation—influence these motivational profiles. Although prior studies indicate associations between student learning motivation, mental health, and peer-to-peer confirmation, their role in motivation profile is less understood. The current study aims to explore motivational profiles of e-learners, their differences in mental health, and their links to peer-to-peer confirmation. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 595 university e-learners (33.3% male, 66.7% female; mean age 26.34 years, SD 8.4; age range 18–56) was conducted. Four instruments were used in this study: the Learning Motivating Factors Questionnaire, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), and Student-to-Student Confirmation Scale. Latent profile analysis (LPA) identified motivation profiles. Binomial logistic regression tested whether peer-to-peer confirmation dimensions predicted profile membership, and independent-samples t-tests compared anxiety and depression between profiles. Results: The latent profile analysis (LPA) identified high motivation profile and low motivation profile. The results of the binomial logistic regression revealed that peer-to-peer confirmation, namely, individual attention, was a significant predictor of student motivation: higher individual attention predicted high motivation profile membership, suggesting that personalized interactions between peers serve as a protective factor against low motivation. Additionally, e-learners in the low motivation profile had significantly higher levels of anxiety and depression. Conclusion: This study contributes to the growing research on student motivation, peer-to-peer confirmation, and mental health in e-learning. The latent profile analysis underscored the importance of individual attention as a unique and powerful factor in motivating students in e-learning environments. As higher education continues to embrace e-learning models, it will be essential to integrate effective mechanisms for peer interactions and communication processes to enhance student motivation. Additionally, the findings revealed that e-learners in the low motivation profile had significantly higher levels of anxiety and depression, which suggests that students' mental health should be among the priorities of education policies targeting correlates of academic achievements. Future studies should examine factors that are both protective for e-learners mental health and beneficial for learning outcomes.

The study aims to examine the content moderation guidelines of major social media platforms and assess how these platforms communicate their moderation practices through official blog posts. A comparative analysis of Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter) revealed that while platforms share common moderation goals—such as prohibiting hate speech, misinformation, and harmful content—there are notable differences in the emphasis of these issues in public communications. Blog posts, used as self-representation tools, often focus on specific platform priorities, such as privacy or community protection, which may not always align with the full scope of the guidelines. For example, while misinformation is a formal concern across platforms, it is not always as prominently featured in public messaging. These findings highlight a gap between formal content moderation policies and how platforms publicly communicate their enforcement efforts.