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Report on witnessing, experiencing, and perpetrating gender based cyber violence among children (12–17) in Croatia, Portugal, and Spain
No full textIN ENGLISH: This report presents the extent to which different forms of cyber violence are present among adolescents and examines their gendered dimensions in order to look at how often girls and boys aged 12 to 17 in Croatia, Spain, and Portugal experience, witness, and take part in such behavior online. This report is created as part of the project "Raising awareness about gender-based cyber violence and advocating for safer online environment for women and girls". By looking at patterns across Croatia, Spain, and Portugal, this report points to both the specific ways gender based cyber violence shows up in each country. --------------- IN CROATIAN: Ovo izvješće prikazuje opseg u kojem su različiti oblici kibernetičkog nasilja prisutni među adolescentima i ispituje njihove rodne dimenzije kako bi se utvrdilo koliko često djevojčice i dječaci u dobi od 12 do 17 godina u Hrvatskoj, Španjolskoj i Portugalu doživljavaju, svjedoče i sudjeluju u takvom ponašanju na internetu. Ovo izvješće izrađeno je kao dio projekta "Podizanje svijesti o rodno uvjetovanom kibernetičkom nasilju i zagovaranje sigurnijeg online okruženja za žene i djevojčice". Promatrajući obrasce u Hrvatskoj, Španjolskoj i Portugalu, ovo izvješće ukazuje na specifične načine na koje se rodno uvjetovano kibernetičko nasilje pojavljuje u svakoj zemlji
Društvena odgovornost hrvatskih znanstvenika i prakse otvorene znanosti: izvještaj anketnog istraživanja HRZZ RESETH (2024) „Društvena odgovornost hrvatskih znanstvenika“
No full textPovezanost ekonomskog i kulturnog kapitala s percepcijom utjecaja pandemije na obrazovna iskustva i život učenika
No full textIN CROATIAN: Cilj rada je ispitati povezanost ekonomskog i kulturnog kapitala učenika završnih razreda srednjih škola s percepcijom neposrednih i dugoročnijih aspekata pandemijskog obrazovnog iskustva kao i s percepcijom utjecaja pandemije na život učenika. U radu se koristi teorija kulturne i socijalne reprodukcije (Bourdieu, 2011.) koja omogućuje sagledavanje društvenih odrednica učeničke percepcije obrazovnog iskustva u doba pandemije te utjecaja pandemije na život učenika. Provedene analize temelje se na podacima prikupljenim u razdoblju od svibnja do lipnja 2021. na nacionalno reprezentativnom uzorku učenika završnih razreda u 80 srednjih škola (N = 8631) u Hrvatskoj. Za analizu učinka ekonomskog i kulturnog kapitala na namjeru studiranja korištena je binarna logistička regresija. Za analizu učinka ekonomskog i kulturnog kapitala na očekivani uspjeh na kraju razreda, percepciju neposrednih aspekata pandemijskog obrazovnog iskustva, kao i na procjenu utjecaja pandemije COVID-19 na život učenika, korištena je multipla regresijska analiza. Ista analiza primijenjena je i kod analize učinka pandemijskog obrazovnog iskustva za procjenu utjecaja pandemije na život učenika. Rezultati pokazuju da i u pandemijskim uvjetima učenici višeg ekonomskog i kulturnog kapitala očekuju viši uspjeh na kraju razreda, kao i da vjerojatnije namjeravaju nastaviti svoje obrazovanje na tercijarnoj razini od učenika s nižim razinama ekonomskog i kulturnog kapitala. Analizom istog prediktorskog modela utvrđeno je da učenici višeg ekonomskog i kulturnog kapitala negativnije percipiraju posljedice pandemije na nastavu i rad u školi, kao i opće posljedice pandemije na njihov život od učenika manjeg ekonomskog i kulturnog kapitala. Nadalje, dobiveni nalazi ukazuju da postoji pozitivna veza između percepcije neposrednih aspekata pandemijskog obrazovnog iskustva i učeničke percepcije učinka pandemije na njihov život te da je ova veza razmjerno češća među učenicima višeg kulturnog kapitala. U radu se razmatraju moguća objašnjenja dobivenih nalaza, pri čemu se navodi važnost školske prilagodbe za očuvanje obrazovne, a time i dugoročnije životne perspektive učenika tijekom pandemije. Iako se povezanost ekonomskog i kulturnog kapitala s percepcijom pandemijskih poremećaja u nekim aspektima pokazala kao parcijalna i nekonzistentna (posebno s obzirom na učinak ekonomskog kapitala), predstavljeni nalazi podupiru njenu važnost za potpunije razumijevanje situacije u kojoj su se našle škole i učenici u vrijeme pandemije COVID-19. --------------- IN ENGLISH: The paper aims to explore the association between the economic and cultural capital of final-year secondary school students with the perception of immediate and longer-term aspects of the pandemic educational experience, as well as with the perception of the impact of the pandemic on the lives of students. The paper builds on the theory of cultural and social reproduction (Bourdieu, 2011) that enables identifying the social determinants of students’ perception of the educational experience during the pandemic, and of the impact of the pandemic on students’ lives. The conducted analyses are based on data collected between May and June 2021 on a nationally representative sample of students in the final year of 80 secondary schools (N = 8631) in Croatia. Binary logistic regression was used to analyse the effect of economic and cultural capital on the intention to study. Multiple regression analysis was used to analyse the effect of economic and cultural capital on the expected school grades at the end of the class, the perception of the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on immediate aspects of the educational experience, as well as the assessment of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of students. The same analysis was applied in exploring the effect of the pandemic educational experience on the perception of the impact of the pandemic on the lives of students. The results show that even in pandemic conditions, students with higher economic and cultural capital expect higher grades at the end of the class, as well as that they are more likely to intend to continue their education at the tertiary level than the students with lower economic and cultural capital. The analysis of the same predictor model revealed that students with higher economic and cultural capital perceive the consequences of the pandemic on teaching and work at school more negatively, as well as the general consequences of the pandemic on their lives, than students with lower economic and cultural capital. Furthermore, the obtained findings indicate that there is a positive relationship between immediate aspects of the pandemic educational experience and the students’ perception of the impact of the pandemic on their lives, and that this relationship was more often found among students with higher cultural capital. The paper considers possible explanations of the obtained findings, citing the importance of school adaptation for preserving the educational and thus the longer-term life perspective of students during the pandemic. Although the relationship between economic and cultural capital and the perception of the pandemic disruptions in some aspects has been shown to be partial and inconsistent (especially with regard to the effect of economic capital), the presented findings support its importance for a more complete understanding of the situation in which schools and students found themselves during the COVID-19 pandemic
Digitalno djetinjstvo u Hrvatskoj: nacionalni rezultati međunarodnog istraživanja EU Kids Online
No full textStudents’ self-efficacy for higher education: intersectionality of gender, place of residence, cultural and economic capital
No full textIN ENGLISH: Achieving gender equality in self-efficacy for higher education (HE) is essential for meeting Europe’s strategic goals of increasing access to HE and narrowing gender disparities. Our study examines gender disparities in self-efficacy for pursuing HE, including intersecting influences of gender, cultural capital, economic capital and residential location. Building on Bandura’s concept of self-efficacy and its application in research, we define self-efficacy for HE as a student’s confidence in their ability to successfully carry out the necessary tasks for enrollment and completion of their desired study program and as a concept that reflects complex intersectional inequalities influenced by both individual and social factors across various societal contexts. We employed a quantitative intersectional approach grounded in McCall’s multicategorical complexity framework. The study was conducted with a nationally representative sample of Croatian upper secondary school students in 2021. The findings revealed that urban residence, along with higher cultural and economic capital, significantly influenced self-efficacy for HE. Boys demonstrated slightly higher self-efficacy than girls. Cultural capital exerted a slightly stronger impact among male students and among students from rural areas. The study is discussed in the context of its contribution to quantitative intersectional research and policies aimed at addressing gender inequalities in HE in Europe. --------------- IN CROATIAN: Postizanje rodne ravnopravnosti u samoefikasnosti za visoko obrazovanje ključno je za ostvarenje europskih strateških ciljeva povećanja pristupa visokom obrazovanju i smanjenja rodnih nejednakosti. U ovom istraživanju ispitujemo rodne razlike u samoefikasnosti za pohađanje visokog obrazovanja, uključujući intersekcijske učinke roda, kulturnog kapitala, ekonomskog kapitala i mjesta stanovanja. Polazeći od Bandurinog koncepta samoefikasnosti i njegove primjene u istraživanjima, samoefikasnost za visoko obrazovanje definiramo kao učenikovo uvjerenje o vlastitoj sposobnosti uspješnog izvršavanja potrebnih zadataka za upis i završetak željenog studijskog programa, ali i kao koncept koji odražava složene intersekcijske nejednakosti oblikovane kako individualnim tako i društvenim čimbenicima u različitim društvenim kontekstima. Primijenili smo kvantitativni intersekcijski pristup utemeljen na McCallinu okviru multikategorijske složenosti. Istraživanje je provedeno 2021. godine na nacionalno reprezentativnom uzorku učenika završnih razreda srednjih škola u Hrvatskoj. Rezultati su pokazali da urbano mjesto stanovanja, kao i viši kulturni i ekonomski kapital, imaju značajan učinak na samoefikasnost za visoko obrazovanje. Mladići su pokazali nešto višu razinu samoefikasnosti u odnosu na djevojke. Kulturni kapital imao je nešto snažniji učinak kod mladića te kod učenika iz ruralnih područja. Istraživanje se razmatra u kontekstu doprinosa kvantitativnim intersekcijskim istraživanjima i politikama usmjerenima na smanjenje rodnih nejednakosti u visokom obrazovanju u Europi
Resident (non)participation in Croatian housing estates
Full text linkIn English: This paper explores public participation in socialist and post-socialist housing estates in Croatian cities. The quantitative (survey, N = 1,536) and qualitative research methods (focus groups with residents, semi-structured interviews with experts) were conducted. The focus was on the level of participation and obstacles for participation in Croatian housing estates. The results confirm the hypothesis that those citizens who do not believe that their participation impacts the decision-making process are less likely to participate. At the level of all estates, citizens are poorly acquainted with the actions of the city and local authorities, and poorly involved in decision-making processes. Citizens are mainly engaged when urgent situations occur that endanger the quality of life in the estate, which is most often related to environmental or infrastructural issues. That is also the most important ad hoc channel by which residents communicate their requirements with the formal government in cities, which is also called reactionist activism. --------------- IN CROATIAN: Ovaj rad istražuje participaciju javnosti u socijalističkim i postsocijalističkim stambenim naseljima u hrvatskim gradovima. Provedene su kvantitativne (anketa, N = 1536) i kvalitativne metode istraživanja (fokus grupe sa stanovnicima, polustrukturirani intervjui sa stručnjacima). Fokus je bio na razini sudjelovanja i preprekama za sudjelovanje u hrvatskim stambenim naseljima. Rezultati potvrđuju hipotezu da su građani koji ne vjeruju da njihovo sudjelovanje utječe na proces donošenja odluka manje skloni sudjelovanju. Na razini svih naselja, građani su slabo upoznati s djelovanjem grada i lokalnih vlasti te slabo uključeni u procese donošenja odluka. Građani se uglavnom angažiraju kada se dogode hitne situacije koje ugrožavaju kvalitetu života u naselju, što je najčešće povezano s ekološkim ili infrastrukturnim problemima. To je ujedno i najvažniji ad hoc kanal kojim stanovnici komuniciraju svoje zahtjeve formalnoj vlasti u gradovima, što se naziva i reakcijski aktivizam
Društveni aspekti kvalitete života u zagrebačkim stambenim naseljima iz socijalističkog i postsocijalističkog razdoblja
Full text linkIN CROATIAN: Međunarodne i europske urbane strategije rješenja za izazove suvremenih gradova vide u poboljšanju kvalitete života na razini lokalne zajednice, pri čemu stanovanje igra ključnu ulogu. Društveno održivi gradovi budućnosti mogu se ostvariti kroz poboljšanje fizičkih i društvenih aspekata života na razini lokalne zajednice, prije svega u susjedstvu i stambenom naselju. Disertacija istražuje društvene aspekte kvalitete života u zagrebačkim stambenim naseljima iz socijalističkog i postsocijalističkog razdoblja, tzv. starim (1945. – 1990.) i novim naseljima (1991. – danas). Cilj je analizirati odabrane društvene aspekte (društvenu mješovitost, međususjedske odnose, povezanost s naseljem, participaciju te javne prostore) kako bi se utvrdile razlike između starih i novih naselja te istražio doprinos društvenih aspekata ukupnom zadovoljstvu naseljem. Istraživanje koristi mješoviti metodološki nacrt – anketne podatke (N=661) i kvalitativne podatke iz fokus-grupa, intervjua u obilasku i promatranja javnih prostora.
Socijalistička naselja imaju nešto viši udio starijeg stanovništva, ali struktura stanovništva je u oba tipa naselja stabilna jer su stanovnici uglavnom zadovoljni i ne planiraju se iseliti. Društvena kohezija (međususjedski odnosi i povezanost s naseljem) u zagrebačkim je naseljima na zadovoljavajućoj razini. Stara naselja karakterizira jača emocionalna povezanost s naseljem te jači grupni identitet, dok se u novim naseljima zajedništvo u većoj mjeri temelji na socio-demografskoj sličnosti između stanovnika i zajedničkim interesima. Unatoč promjenama koje donose digitalne tehnologije, u oba je tipa naselja i dalje važna solidarnost i pomaganje među susjedima, kao i boravak i druženje u javnim prostorima naselja. Najveći je izazov za međususjedske odnose zajedničko održavanje zgrade. Razina participacije je u oba tipa naselja niska te većina stanara ne sudjeluje u procesu odlučivanja o svom naselju. S javnim su prostorima bitno zadovoljniji stanovnici starih naselja od novih naselja, dok se sudionici iz oba tipa naselja u javnim prostorima osjećaju sigurno te žele očuvati javne i zelene površine. Najvažniji društveni aspekti za objašnjenje visokog zadovoljstva stanovanjem u zagrebačkim naseljima su solidarnost među susjedima, povezanost s naseljem i zadovoljstvo javnim prostorima te bi se stoga pri obnovi starih i planiranju novih naselja trebala obratiti pažnja na dostupnost i kvalitetu javne i društvene infrastrukture u njima. --------------- EXTENDED SUMMARY IN ENGLISH: Cities in the 21st century face various challenges. To address them, international and European urban strategies emphasise improving the quality of life at the city and local community level, with housing playing a key role. Documents like the New Leipzig Charter envision socially sustainable cities of the future, which can be achieved by improving the physical and social aspects of quality of life in neighbourhoods and housing estates. Quality of life is a complex, interdisciplinary concept that can be studied through multiple dimensions. In the context of Croatia and Zagreb, there is a long tradition of researching the quality of life and housing, which this dissertation builds upon and contributes to. This dissertation examines the social aspects of quality of life in Zagreb's housing estates from the socialist and post-socialist periods, the so-called old estates (built 1945 – 1990) and new estates (built 1991 – present). The first period is characterised by planned housing development of large, well-equipped housing estates with good public infrastructure, carried out by the state. The second period is marked by the transition to market capitalism and the privatisation of housing, resulting in the construction of apartments without urbanistically planned accompanying public spaces and institutions. Since these two types of estates were built under different political and economic systems, differences in quality of life between them are expected.
The aim is to analyse selected social aspects of the estates, including social mix, neighbourly relations, place attachment, participation, and public spaces. Additionally, the study seeks to identify differences between old and new estates and examine how these social aspects contribute to overall satisfaction with the estate. To address the three research questions, a mixed-methods approach is used, combining survey data from a sample of 661 residents of Zagreb’s housing estates with qualitative data from focus groups, walking interviews, and observations of public spaces.
Regarding the socio-demographic structure (social mix) of the estates, although socialist-era housing estates have a slightly higher proportion of older residents, they are neither demographically nor socially homogeneous, and there is currently no risk of segregation. The population structure in both types of estates remains stable, as residents are generally satisfied and do not plan to move, reducing the risk of ghettoisation seen in some neighbourhoods of Western European cities. This study aligns with other research in post-socialist countries, which highlights social mix as a positive aspect of large housing estates built after World War II. This conclusion also applies to post-socialist estates.
The social cohesion (neighbourly relations and place attachment) in Zagreb's estates is also at a satisfactory level. Various forms and levels of neighbourly relationships were identified, ranging from casual acquaintances and occasional conversations to cooperation, socialising, and friendships. Most residents know their neighbours only superficially, and distant neighbourly relations are often perceived as the norm in urban environments. Social interactions are particularly strong among parents of young children, long-term residents, and dog owners, indicating that shared activities can foster closer relationships within the neighbourhood. However, disagreements among residents also exist, most commonly related to building maintenance. Despite the changes brought by digital technologies, solidarity and helping neighbours, as well as spending time and socialising in public spaces, remain important in both types of estates. Old estates are characterised by a stronger emotional attachment of residents to the estate and a stronger group identity (especially in the housing estates of New Zagreb), which was developed through the long-term, multi-generational residence of inhabitants in the estates. In new housing estates, community bonds are primarily based on socio-demographic similarities among residents (e.g., similar family situations, connections through children) and shared interests in preserving the quality of life in their local community and neighbourhood.
The level of participation is low in both types of estates, with most residents not participating in decision-making processes regarding their estates. Some of the reasons for the low level of participation identified in this study include disappointment and distrust in the system, as well as a feeling of powerlessness in influencing decisions regarding the estate. Another contributing factor could be a lack of knowledge and education about the participatory process, which, according to the literature, is common in post-socialist countries with a shorter democratic history. Qualitative research also revealed that participation can be encouraged through a strong place attachment and the community's social capital. However, a major obstacle to participation is that local councils, as the main actors at the local level, fail to engage with residents, while council representatives face numerous challenges.
Quantitative and qualitative research confirms that participants consider public spaces, especially green areas, essential to their quality of life and wish to preserve them in their neighbourhoods. Residents of older housing estates are significantly more satisfied with public spaces than those in newer estates, reaffirming that green areas are one of the key advantages of socialist-era housing estates. Post-socialist housing estates lack public spaces, but residents of older estates also perceive public spaces in their neighbourhoods as threatened due to excessive construction. According to participants, public spaces in the estates could be improved by enhancing equipment, better maintenance and cleaning of existing areas, and creating enclosed publicly accessible gathering places, especially for the younger generation. Participants generally feel safe in public spaces, which is also a key criterion for their quality that should be continuously maintained and improved.
The most important social aspects explaining high satisfaction with the estate in Zagreb are solidarity amongst neighbours, place attachment, and satisfaction with public spaces. The multiple linear regression model confirmed that both the physical aspects of public infrastructure and social aspects are key to overall housing satisfaction in the neighbourhood. Throughout the study, we demonstrate that these aspects are inseparable – public infrastructure is essential for achieving a good quality of life and successful and fulfilling social interactions within the neighbourhood. Therefore, attention should be paid to the accessibility and quality of public and social infrastructure for renewal of old estates and planning new ones. In conclusion, improving public and green spaces, creating gathering places, and preserving good neighbourly relations, high place attachment, and a sense of community are essential for maintaining the existing quality of life in both old and new housing estates in Zagreb
Student‑reported early‑career STEM teachers’ classroom management, emotional engagement, and students’ interest in subject: a multilevel analysis
No full textIN ENGLISH: The study examined the associations between perceived early-career teachers’ classroom
management, emotional engagement, and students’ interest in STEM subjects. A total of
918 lower-secondary students rated classroom management and emotional engagement
of their early-career STEM teachers (N = 56) and their interest in the subject. Data was
analysed using doubly latent multilevel modelling, exploring the mediation climate effect.
As expected, in classes where the teacher is perceived as more efficient in managing the
class, the teacher is also perceived as more emotionally engaged, whereas students in those
classes experience higher interest in the subject. Surprisingly, the direct effect of perceived
classroom management was not significant, indicating that the relationship between per-
ceived teachers’ classroom management and class-level students’ interest in the subject
might be (fully) explained by perceived teachers’ emotional engagement. The results high-
light the importance of fostering self-efficacy and emotional engagement among early-
career teachers to support and enhance students’ motivation in STEM subjects. --------------- IN CROATIAN: U ovoj su studiji ispitivane povezanosti između učeničkih procjena upravljanja razredom i emocionalne angažiranosti učitelja u ranoj fazi karijere te interesa učenika za STEM predmete. Ukupno je 918 učenika viših razreda osnovne škole procijenilo upravljanje razredom i emocionalnu angažiranost svojih STEM učitelja u ranoj fazi karijere (N = 56), kao i vlastiti interes za predmet. Podaci su analizirani primjenom dvostruko latentnog višerazinskog modeliranja, s fokusom na testiranje medijacijskog klimatskog efekta.
Kao što je i očekivano, u razredima u kojima se učitelje doživljava kao učinkovitije u upravljanju razredom, isti se učitelji percipiraju i kao emocionalno angažiraniji, dok učenici u tim razredima iskazuju veći interes za predmet.
Direktni efekt percipiranog upravljanja razredom nije bio značajan, što upućuje na to da bi odnos između percipiranog upravljanja razredom i interesa učenika na razini razreda mogao biti (u potpunosti) objašnjen percipiranom emocionalnom angažiranošću učitelja.
Rezultati naglašavaju važnost poticanja samoefikasnosti i emocionalne angažiranosti učitelja u ranoj fazi karijere kako bi se podržala i unaprijedila motivacija učenika za STEM predmete
Profili ličnosti učitelja u ranoj fazi karijere te njihova radna angažiranost i sagorijevanje
Full text linkCilj ove doktorske disertacije bio je identificirati profile ličnosti učitelja u ranoj fazi karijere te ispitati razlike u njihovoj radnoj angažiranosti i sagorijevanju. Istraživanje je provedeno u okviru istraživačkog projekta „Uloga ličnosti, motivacije i socio-emocionalnih kompetencija u profesionalnoj dobrobiti učitelja u ranoj fazi karijere“ koji je financirala Hrvatska zaklada za znanost. U istraživanju je sudjelovalo 599 predmetnih učitelja s do 5 godina radnog iskustva u nastavi koji su ispunili mrežni upitnik distribuiran putem e-pošte. Pomoću analize latentnih profila identificirani su profili dimenzija i faceta ličnosti učitelja u okviru modela velikih pet (Soto i John, 2017a), a razlike u radnoj angažiranosti i sagorijevanju ispitane su primjenom BCH metode. Identificirana su četiri distinktivna profila dimenzija ličnosti: otporni (59.90 %), izrazito otporni (25.65 %), prosječni (9.52 %) i kontrolirajući (4.93 %). Isti profili identificirani su na temelju faceta ličnosti, ali je njihov redoslijed zastupljenosti bio izmijenjen. Izrazito otporni učitelji iskazali su najvišu radnu angažiraniranost i najniže sagorijevanje, dok su učitelji prosječnog profila imali najnižu radnu angažiranost i najviše sagorijevanja. Na razini pojedinih aspekata radne angažiranosti i simptoma sagorijevanja dobiveni su diferencirani rezultati koji su omogućili dubinski uvid u dinamiku dimenzija i faceta ličnosti pojedinog profila u odnosu s profesionalnom dobrobiti. Rezultati naglašavaju važnost razvoja diferenciranih strategija podrške učiteljima u ranoj fazi karijere kako bi se povećala njihova dobrobit i zadržavanje u profesiji. --------------- IN ENGLISH: The aim of this doctoral dissertation was to identify personality profiles of early-career teachers and to examine differences in their work engagement and burnout. The study was conducted within the research project “The role of personality, motivation and socio-emotional competences in early-career teachers’ occupational well-being”, funded by the Croatian Science Foundation. A total of 599 subject teachers with up to five years of teaching experience participated in the study by completing an online questionnaire distributed via e-mail. Using latent profile analysis, teacher personality profiles were identified based on the Big Five model (Soto & John, 2017a), and differences in work engagement and burnout were examined using the BCH method. Four distinct personality profiles were identified: resilients (59.90%), highly resilients (25.65%), ordinaries (9.52%), and overcontrollers (4.93%). The same profiles were identified based on personality facets, although their prevalence ranking differed. Highly resilients showed the highest work engagement and the lowest burnout, whereas ordinaries demonstrated the lowest work engagement and the highest burnout. At the level of specific aspects of work engagement and burnout symptoms, differentiated results were obtained, providing an in-depth insight into the dynamics of personality dimensions and facets within each profile in relation to occupational well-being. The findings highlight the importance of developing differentiated support strategies for early-career teachers in order to enhance their well-being and retention in the profession. --------------- EXTENDED SUMMARY: Introduction. The global teacher shortage is an increasingly urgent issue, posing a serious threat to the quality of education. This crisis is driven by both the declining attractiveness of the teaching profession and high attrition rates. Croatia is no exception, with subject teachers in STEM fields being particularly affected (Domović & Drvodelić, 2024). The beginning years of teaching are especially critical, as this is when most teachers decide whether to remain in the profession or leave (Fantilli & McDougall, 2009; Van Den Borre et al., 2021). Teachers' occupational well- being has been identified as a key factor in their retention in the profession (Madigan & Kim, 2021a). At the same time, the teaching profession is recognized as one of the most stressful occupations, with teachers being at high risk of compromised well-being (Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2009). Moreover, teachers' professional well-being is essential not only for their own health but also for the quality of their instruction and their students' academic success (Hakanen et al., 2006; Madigan & Kim, 2021b). While teachers' well-being is influenced by both individual and contextual factors, research has predominantly focused on the latter (Angelini, 2023), leaving personal determinants an area still in need of further exploration. Although research interest in the role of personality in explaining aspects of teachers' occupational well-being is increasing, recent meta-analyses on the relationship between personality and teacher burnout remain inconclusive (Kim et al., 2019; Roloff et al., 2022; Liu et al., 2022). Furthermore, studies on the relationship between personality and teacher work engagement are still scarce (Perera et al., 2018). Given that current findings cannot yet be generalized, there is a need for further research on personal determinants of teachers' occupational well-being (Kim et al., 2019). Additionally, existing research mostly relies on an outdated conceptualization of burnout (Maslach & Jackson, 1981), making it important to explore the relationship between personality and a more recent burnout model that includes four distinct symptoms (Schaufeli et al., 2020). Similarly, the adaption of work engagement for the teaching profession was developed only a decade ago (Klassen et al., 2013), and further research is needed to clarify its relationship with teachers' personality. Research on teacher personality often lacks a strong theoretical foundation in personality theories and does not incorporate recent methodological advancements in personality assessment (Gönz, 2017). This study addresses this gap by adopting the Big Five model (Soto & John, 2017a), the Five-Factor Theory of Personality (McCrae & Costa, 1996, 2008), and the Job Demands-Resources Theory (Bakker et al., 2023) as its theoretical foundation. Furthermore, it represents a methodological advancement in studying teachers' personality and occupational well-being by employing a person-centered approach. To date, only one study has explored teacher personality profiles (Perera et al., 2018), and no research has specifically examined personality profiles of early-career teachers. Given the high attrition rates during the early years of teaching, a person-centered approach could offer valuable insights into the role of personality in teachers' occupational well-being. Beyond domain-level personality profiles, facet-level profiles provide a more nuanced understanding of personality structure and differentiation, yet remain scarce in the literature (Kokkinos et al., 2024). Facet-level analysis enables a more precise identification of personality profiles and enhances the accuracy of their interpretation, which are key objectives of the person-centered approach (McCrae & Costa, 2021). Despite its potential, only a few studies have identified personality profiles at the facet level, highlighting the need for replication of such profiles in teacher samples (Ratchford et al., 2022; Kokkinos et al., 2023; Kokkinos et al., 2024). Study Aim. The aim of this doctoral dissertation was to identify personality profiles of early-career teachers based on Big Five personality domains and facets and to examine whether teachers’ work engagement and burnout differ depending on their personality profiles. The study outlines three research problems. First problem was to identify personality profiles of early-career teachers based on personality domains. Second problem was to identify personality profiles of early- career teacher based on personality facets. And finally, the third problem was to examine the differences in work engagement and burnout among teachers across different personality profiles based on personality domains and facets. Methodology. Procedure. The study was conducted as part of the broader research project "The role of personality, motivation and socio-emotional competences in early-career teachers’ occupational well- being" funded by the Croatian Science Foundation. In the study paricipated early-career subject teachers employed in primary schools in Croatia, by completing an online questionairre distributed via e-mail. To ensure a representative sample of early-career teachers in Croatia, all public primary schools offering a regular curriculum (a total of 872 schools) were contacted and school principals assisted in the recruitment process of early-career teachers in their schools. Participation was voluntary, data anonymity was ensured, and informed consent was obtained before participation. The study was approved by the Ministry of Science, Education, and Youth, as well as the Ethics Committee of the Institute for Social Research in Zagreb and the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb. Sample. The study included 599 early-career teachers with up to five years of teaching experience, employed as subject teachers in 281 primary schools across Croatia, representing 32% of all primary schools in the country. On average, participants had 2 years and 7 months of work experience (M = 31.78 months, SD = 17.73). The sample predominantly consisted of female teachers (81%), with an average age of 31 years (M = 30.58, SD = 5.76). The sample was diverse in terms of subjects taught, covering 18 different school subjects. Instruments. Teacher personality was assessed using the Big Five Inventory-2 (BFI-2; Soto & John, 2017). BFI-2 measures five personality domains and 15 personality facets, and consists of 60 items, with 12 items per personality domain and 4 items per personality facet. Participants rated their agreement with items describing their personality on a Likert scale. Work engagement was measured using the Engaged Teacher Scale (ETS; Klassen et al., 2013), which assesses overall work engagement and its four aspects: emotional engagement, cognitive engagement, social engagement with students, and social engagement with colleagues. The questionnaire consists of 16 items, with four items for each aspect. Participants rated how frequently they experienced or behaved in ways described in the statements on a frequency scale ranging from "never" to "always." Burnout was assessed using the Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT-23; Schaufeli et al., 2020), which measures overall burnout and its four primary symptoms: exhaustion, psychological detachment, impaired cognitive functioning, and impaired emotional functioning. The extended version of the questionnaire, consisting of 23 items, was used. Exhaustion was measured with eight items, while each of the other three symptoms was assessed with five items. Participants rated how often they experienced the described feelings at on a frequency scale ranging from "never" to "always." Statistical analysis. The statistical analyses in this study were conducted in six steps using SPSS and Mplus. In the first step, the structure and mechanism of missing data were examined, and intraclass correlations (ICC1) were calculated. The second step involved analyzing descriptive statistics, assessing measure reliability, testing distribution normality, and calculating Pearson correlations. In the third step, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to test factorial validity of personality, work engagement and burnout measures. The fourth step involved identifying latent personality profiles through latent profile analysis (LPA) at the domain and facet level of personality. Both confirmatory and exploratory approaches were employed, testing models with different variance and covariance constraints. In the fifth step, the structure of the identified profiles was described, and differences in personality domains and facets between profiles were tested using Wald’s test with Bonferroni correction. Additionally, the relationship between personality profiles and teacher gender was examined using multinomial logistic regression. In the final step, differences between profiles in work engagement and burnout were tested implementing the BCH approach. The differences were tested both at overall results and specific aspects of work engagement and burnout. In the model including work engagement, gender was added as a covariate. Results and discussion. At the personality domain level, four distinct personality profiles were identified: resilients (59.90 %), highly resilients (25.65 %), ordinaries (9.52 %), and overcontrollers (4.93 %). The resilient profile is characterized by high levels of extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness, alongside below-average negative emotionality. The highly resilient profile shares the same shape but exhibits significantly higher extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness, as well as significantly lower negative emotionality. The ordinary profile is characterized by average levels across all traits, while the overcontroller profile features average extraversion but above-average agreeableness, conscientiousness, negative emotionality, and openness. These personality profiles were replicated at the facet level, although their prevalence slightly changed: resilients (45.45 %), highly resilients (33.80 %), overcontrollers (11.18 %), and ordinaries (9.57 %). The facet-level analysis provided deeper insights into personality differences: among extraversion facets, energy was the highest in all profiles, particularly in resilients. Within agreeableness, trust emerged as the lowest-scoring facet, especially among overcontrollers. Additionally, anxiety stood out as an especially pronounced facet of negative emotionality in overcontrollers. Negative emotionality was the most differentiating trait at the domain level, whereas conscientiousness and extraversion were the least differentiating. At the facet level, negative emotionality facets and productivity distinguished profiles the most, while openness facets showed the least differentiation between the four profiles. Examining differences in work engagement and burnout revealed distinct patterns of occupational well-being across personality profiles. Highly resilient teachers demonstrated the highest overall work engagement, followed by resilients and overcontrollers, while ordinaries reported the lowest engagement. In cognitive engagement, all profiles differed significantly: highly resilients ranked highest, followed by overcontrollers, resilients, and ordinaries. Similarly, highly resilients showed the strongest emotional and social engagement with colleagues and students, followed by resilients and overcontrollers, who did not significantly differ, and with ordinaries reporting the lowest levels. Highly resilients reported the lowest overall burnout, followed by resilients, while overcontrollers and ordinaries experienced the highest burnout. The same pattern was observed for exhaustion, the primary symptom of burnout. However, overcontrollers and resilients did not differ in cognitive impairment, both experiencing it more frequently than highly resilients but less frequently than ordinaries. Highly resilients exhibited the lowest emotional impairment, whereas the other three profiles did not significantly differ. Psychological distancing varied significantly across all profiles, with highly resilients reporting the lowest levels, followed by resilients, overcontrollers, and ordinaries, who exhibited the highest levels. Conclusion. This study is the first to identify personality profiles of early-career teachers, including an analysis at the facet level. These findings offer deeper insights into the interplay of personality traits and facets in early-career teachers and their role in teachers' work engagement and burnout. By complementing previous variable-centered research, the results underscore the need for tailored support strategies to promote teachers' occupational well-being and retention
Mental health, burnout and stress-related symptoms among youth: prevalence and pandemic effects
Full text linkIN ENGLISH: The chapter examines youth mental health in Croatia and Slovenia through validated measures of depression, anxiety, stress (DASS9), burnout (BAT-12), and self-reported worries. Results indicate elevated levels of impairment, with over one-quarter of young people in both countries reporting severe depressive symptoms, around 20% reporting severe anxiety, and nearly one-third reporting high stress, with Croatian respondents consistently showing slightly higher levels of depression and stress. Burnout symptoms were more pronounced among students than employed youth, which underlines the role of educational settings as environments of heightened psychological strain. There were statistically significant gender and age disparities observed: young women, particularly in the youngest cohorts, reported the highest levels of mental health difficulties, whereas older women showed improvement. Among men, different age-related trends emerged. Socio-economic status also influenced outcomes, with financially better-off youth reporting fewer symptoms. --------------- IN CROATIAN: Poglavlje analizira mentalno zdravlje mladih u Hrvatskoj i Sloveniji koristeći validirane mjere depresije, anksioznosti i stresa (DASS-9), sagorijevanja (BAT-12) te samoprijavljenih briga. Rezultati ukazuju na povišene razine poteškoća: više od četvrtine mladih u obje zemlje prijavilo je ozbiljne simptome depresije, oko 20% ozbiljnu anksioznost, a gotovo trećina visoku razinu stresa, pri čemu su ispitanici iz Hrvatske dosljedno pokazivali nešto više razine depresije i stresa. Simptomi sagorijevanja bili su izraženiji među studentima nego među zaposlenim mladima, što naglašava ulogu obrazovnog okruženja kao prostora povećanog psihološkog opterećenja. Uočene su statistički značajne razlike prema spolu i dobi: mlade žene, osobito u najmlađim kohortama, prijavile su najviše razine teškoća s mentalnim zdravljem, dok je kod starijih žena primijećeno poboljšanje. Kod muškaraca su se pak pojavili drugačiji dobno specifični obrasci. Socioekonomski status također je utjecao na ishode, pri čemu su financijski bolje stojeći mladi prijavljivali manje simptoma