Psychological Competence Research Articles

Психологическая компетентность юриста как средство совершенствования взаимодействия участников правоотношений

The article is devoted to the topic of developing the psychological competence of a lawyer as a professionally important personal characteristic in the context of considering his professional success from the point of view of economic theory. The analysis of economic risks in the field of legal practice in the specific area of bankruptcy of individuals is carried out, the factors of professional success of a lawyer in the process of interaction with debtor citizens are revealed. A practical study conducted among practicing lawyers is presented, which identifies the main indicators of their psychological competence, and proves its role as a means of improving the interaction of participants in legal relationships in the process of bankruptcy of individuals. Based on the results of the diagnostic study, the conditions and opportunities for the development of psychological competence of lawyers were determined through a special psychological training program developed taking into account the current requests of lawyers practicing in the field of bankruptcy of citizens. The importance of the psychological competence of a lawyer practicing in the field of bankruptcy of citizens as a professionally important personal education is substantiated. The need for a lawyer to have highly developed competencies in the psychological field in order to build effective interaction at different levels and the presence of diverse social contacts in the performance of professional tasks is proved.

Meta AI literacy scale: Further validation and development of a short version

The concept of AI literacy, its promotion, and measurement are important topics as they prepare society for the steadily advancing spread of AI technology. The first purpose of the current study is to advance the measurement of AI literacy by collecting evidence regarding the validity of the Meta AI Literacy Scale (MAILS) by Carolus and colleagues published in 2023: a self-assessment instrument for AI literacy and additional psychological competencies conducive for the use of AI. For this purpose, we first formulated the intended measurement purposes of the MAILS. In a second step, we derived empirically testable axioms and subaxioms from the purposes. We tested them in several already published and newly collected data sets. The results are presented in the form of three different empirical studies. We found overall evidence for the validity of the MAILS with some unexpected findings that require further research. We discuss the results for each study individually and also together. Also, avenues for future research are discussed. The study's second purpose is to develop a short version (10 items) of the original instrument (34 items). It was possible to find a selection of ten items that represent the factors of the MAILS and show a good model fit when tested with confirmatory factor analysis. Further research will be needed to validate the short scale. This paper advances the knowledge about the validity and provides a short measure for AI literacy. However, more research will be necessary to further our understanding of the relationships between AI literacy and other constructs.

Exploring Teachers' Perspectives on Utilizing Local Resources to Address Substance Abuse within Schools

The purpose of this study was to identify the conceptual foundations that underlie school teachers' preferences for the utilization of personal resources to address the problem of substance abuse at the school level. Also, it was examined whether there is a relationship between the school teachers’ perceived approaches with their gender, school type, and socioeconomic status. The participants in the study consisted of school teachers working in secondary schools located in four densely populated districts of Karachi, Pakistan. The research was conducted using a mixed-method methodology. Data were collected by using semi-structured interviews through personal visits. A qualitative analysis method was used to find out the perceptions of school teachers regarding their preferred approach to deal the issue of drug abuse. In addition, a quantitative analysis was performed to ascertain the relationship, if any, between participants' demographics and their preferred approach. The results show that the school teachers selected effective strategies to address this issue at the school level within their means, including emotional competence, psychological competence, religion, and monitoring.

Toward Certification of Bilingual School Psychologists: Process, Competencies, and Visions

A critical shortage of bilingual school psychologists (BSPs) prepared to provide high quality services to Multilingual Learners (MLs) has driven the work of the California Consortium for Bilingual School Psychology (CCBSP). CCBSP members collaborated to develop the 13 bilingual school psychology competencies presented in this paper, which are organized into four major areas: (a) Foundations in school psychologists’ service delivery with MLs, (b) School-wide practices that promote learning with MLs, (c) Direct and indirect services for MLs, families, and schools; and (d) Specific skills, knowledge, and practices. Each competency is described herein, and the alignment with the NASP domains of practice and the School Psychology Performance Expectations in California are highlighted. Challenges to certification are discussed, along with a brief example illustrating the process undertaken by one consortium subgroup to prepare BSPs in accordance with competencies. Additionally, a vision for next steps in the journey to certify BSPs is articulated. Impact Statement The California Consortium for Bilingual School Psychology (CCBSP) has identified 13 competencies bilingual school psychologists (BSPs) must demonstrate to provide high quality services to the increasing Multilingual Learner (ML) population. In this paper, we present each of these competencies. One goal of the CCBSP is to create a way to certify BSPs who demonstrate these competencies.

Уровни коммуникативной компетентности у педагогов: исследование с использованием кейс-метода и наблюдательных техник

<p><em>The work is devoted to the study of the levels of communicative competence among teachers. The study involved teachers (N = 36) working in colleges and lyceums of Bukhara and Bukhara region, with higher education and various work experience. The purpose of the study was to identify factors contributing to the development of professional psychological competence, the formation of which increases the professional and personal growth of teachers. The study included the diagnosis of communicative competence and personal characteristics of teachers, the development and implementation of a training program for the development of communication skills. The results showed the effectiveness of training and diagnostic methods in the development of communicative competence of teachers, a relationship was found between initiative in social contacts and emotional balance with the motivation for achievement, indicating the orientation of teachers towards internal personal development and self-realization. The author emphasizes that communicative competence is a key element of professional activity, it develops in the process of labor activity and contributes to the personal development of the teacher.</em></p>

Wellbeing of parents raising the children with autism spectrum disorder and the role of psychologists

IntroductionRecent research show the rise of the prevalence of the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) worldwide. At the same time, care for ASD children was found to affect the psychological health of parents or guardians of ASD children. The aim was to identify the wellbeing of parents raising the ASD children and to explore the experiences of primary care (PHC) psychologists in providing support to them.Material and methodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study. Parents of ASD children took part in the survey. Wellbeing was assessed using Parental Well-Being Scale including physical and emotional health, stress, social support, and quality of life. Ten primary care psychologists were also interviewed.Results327 parents of ASD children participated in our study. Mean wellbeing score for all parents was 52.6±15.65 pts. The highest aspect of wellbeing was enjoyment in looking after child (mean 7.29 pts) and quality of life (mean 6.87 pts). The strongest predictor of parental wellbeing was presence of disability diagnosis for ASD child related (6.33 pts), lower parental wellbeing (Beta=0.20, p<0.001). The interview results show the insufficient competence of psychologists to work with parents of children with ASD.ConclusionsOn the parental well-being scale, the highest scores are observed for enjoyment in looking after child and quality of life. Insufficient work is carried out by PHC psychologists with parents of children with ASD. There is a need for future training of psychologists in the management of children with ASD and their parents

Defining and developing operational psychology competency.

Establishing competency in new or emerging areas of psychological practice is always difficult. For practitioners of operational psychology, it is even more challenging due to the requirement for highly specialized skills, novel applications, and the fact that many organizations employing operational psychologists operate in classified or sensitive settings. Despite the ethical obligation to do so, operational psychologists may face challenges in establishing and maintaining their credentials and competency. This article outlines the core competencies of operational psychology based on the extant literature, provides case examples illustrating their application, and identifies recommendations for training and consultation necessary for establishing and maintaining competence. Given the scarcity of current training opportunities, limited mentorship, and the lack of training standards, many operational psychologists may develop only some, but not all, of their specialty's core competencies. Furthermore, establishing and maintaining competency may take years of post-graduate study and experience for most practitioners. To accelerate this process and codify core competencies and training standards, the formation of an operational psychology society or association may be necessary. Such actions could create a collective agency among practitioners, securing advocacy for the needs and equities of this practice community, and advancing its policies, practices, and scholarship.

Life Skills - The 21st Century Skills

“Skills have become the global currency of the 21st century, but this currency can depreciate if it isn’t used” said Andreas Schleicher, Deputy Director for Education at the OECD Forum (25 May 2012). Our educational system gives more importance to learning of 3 R’s- reading, writing and arithmetic. It is concentrated more on the cognitive dimension rather than on reflective and psychological dimensions. It is achievement oriented than child oriented. But today changes and challenges of fast-growing society demands more contextual approach in education to meet actual use in real life situations. In 21st century India there is raising problem of unemployment, inequality, violence and environmental destruction, etc., demands a new set of skills, and creative problem-solving potential. Life skills are group of psychological competencies and interpersonal skills that help people make informed decisions, communicate effectively and develop coping and self-management skills to lead a healthy and productive life. Life skill learning should be made integral part of the curriculum to promote the well-being of the youth

Тенденция к психологизации в оценке общественной опасности

<p style="text-align: justify;">The article reflects the results of a study of controversial issues of assessing public danger. Conclusions are drawn about the current trend towards psychologization in the assessment of social danger, both in law enforcement practice and in expert activities in assessing the danger of a person to himself or others. The author considers psychologization as a negative phenomenon, comparable to a violation of the boundaries of the professional competence of psychologists. This phenomenon, according to the author, “erodes” the criteria for an objective assessment of social danger due to the introduced subjective signs - the danger of the person who committed the crime. The article notes that the category “public danger” is a conventional criminal law category that does not fully coincide with the generally accepted interpretation of this term. The author believes that the legislative interpretation of concepts is a priority in the research of legal psychology (as opposed to other branches of psychology) and expert practice. The article points out that from the methodological aspects, psychologization is a reduction (reduction) of the complex to the simple, a violation of the laws of logic. The tendency towards psychologization can lead to the state starting to fight not against crimes, but against persons accused of committing crimes.</p>

The problem of psychologist certification: A comparative analysis of international experience

As the war in Ukraine poses a significant threat to national mental health, professional psychological support has become more crucial than ever for Ukrainians. The need to regulate the profession and establish a safe environment for consumers of psychological services has led to the implementation of psychologist licensing and certification. In Ukraine, this system is imperfect and requires optimisation, one of the ways to achieve which is to study and adapt the best international experience. In light of this, the aim of this article was to examine the characteristics of psychologist certification in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and China to identify prospects for developing the psychologist certification system in Ukraine. The methodological tools used included the dialectical method, as well as systemic, informational, theological, and functional approaches, which allowed for the presentation of the features of certification in the current conditions of professionalisation of psychological activities. It has been established that certification has historically been one of the methods for measuring competence in professional psychology. For this purpose, professional associations create voluntary certification systems. The features of the most developed psychologist certification systems (USA, Canada, and the United Kingdom) were examined, and an attempt was made to compare them with similar certification models in the European Union and China. Common requirements for psychologist certification in these countries were identified, including requirements for the content and duration of specialised education; requirements for supervised psychological practice; requirements for professional development in both practical and research areas; and requirements for the moral and ethical qualities of the psychologist. Conceptualising and measuring psychologist competence is an ongoing dynamic process as the field of psychological practice continues to evolve. The practical value of the results lies in their potential use to identify ways to improve the national psychologist certification system and the possibilities for transitioning from voluntary certification to mandatory certification

Tracking trainee development: preliminary validation of a tool designed to evaluate clinical psychology competencies over time

ABSTRACT Objective Competency-based assessment on placement ideally involves evaluation of a trainee performing clinical skills using fit-for-purpose tools that are simple for clinical supervisors to use and informative to the trainee. The current study examined the potential utility of a new tool, the Psychology Competency Evaluation Tool – Summative (PsyCET-S), designed to assess the attainment of professional competencies in clinical psychology trainees. Method Twelve experts tested the inter-rater reliability of the vignette ordering, before the tool was used to assess performance of clinical psychology trainees on placement by both supervisors and trainees. Ninety-nine placement reviews of 45 trainees at different stages of training were analysed. Results Strong inter-rater reliability in the rank ordering of vignettes within each domain indicated their ability to capture competence development. Supervisor and trainee ratings showed a gradual increase in competence from early to later stages of training in all domains, with performance plateauing for the final placement. Evidence of both the leniency bias and halo effect were evident, with supervisors appearing more lenient than the trainees themselves. Conclusion The PsyCET-S encourages supervisors to evaluate the development of professional competencies in their trainees in a way that can optimise trainee learning and future practice as a Psychologist.

DEVELOPMENT OF FUTURE FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHERS’ INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE IN THE CONTEXT OF EDUCATION GLOBALIZATION

The article presents the research of the development of future foreign language teachers’ intercultural communicative competence in the context of education globalization. The aim of the article is to define the essence of intercultural communicative competence, its structure and components as well as to outline the peculiarities of its development in future foreign language teachers in the context of education globalization. The research methodology is based on the use of relevant scientific research tools, including analysis, synthesis, generalization, interpretation of empirical data and theoretical concepts present in the relevant scientific literature.Firstly, the essence of intercultural communicative competence was outlined, in contrast to intercultural and communicative competences, as well as the distinguishment between intercultural competence in a broad and a narrow sense was given. Secondly, such aspects of intercultural communicative competence (cognitive (including linguistic, sociocultural and discourse competence); affective (including psychological competence); behavioural (including communicative, strategic and pragmatic competence)) and components (linguo-cultural, socio-linguistic, socio-cultural, general cultural, pragmatic and thematic) were clarified and categorized. Thirdly, the characteristics of the development of intercultural communicative competence in future foreign language teachers in the context of education globalization (global thinking, tolerance and knowledge of foreign languages and awareness of diversity of cultures) were found out in the result of the research work.

Teaching the mana model—a Māori framework for reconceptualising student success and thriving

This article explores how schools and educators can create learning environments that foster the innate mana of students. Mana is a concept that comes from a Māori worldview and refers to a person’s sense of authority, influence, self-efficacy, purpose, pride, and belonging. The mana model contends that student thinking, behaviour, and wellbeing are motivated by the desire to achieve a sense of mana. The mana model explains how student connectedness, belonging to place, cultural identity, academic efficacy, and willingness to develop diverse academic, cross-cultural, social, and psychological competences are crucial foundations for learning and should be central to learning environments, teaching pedagogy, and practice.

Online Teaching and COVID-19 era: Positive Experience Regarding Health-Education and Psychological Competencies of Education Students in the Context of Global Burden

The aim of this study was to estimate the level of knowledge, health-education and psychological competencies of education students regarding COVID-19 circumstances and to determine whether they can be improved if the teaching and facilitated discussions were delivered in a virtual way, employing online learning platform Microsoft Teams. The sample was composed of 43 participants, who were thought crucial topics essential for improving their knowledge and competences related to the most common infectious diseases (chain of infection, the concepts of epidemics/pandemics, prevention) and mental health (resilience, readiness to face various challenges). Wilcoxon‘s rank test revealed a statistically significant difference in all three subsets – knowledge segment, health-education competencies and psychological competencies. The magnitude of the impact was 0.6, 0.57 and 0.45 respectively, which is considered to be of great influence. The results demonstrated that online teaching during the pandemic was successful in the context of the acquired knowledge and competences.

Psychological Prevention of Suicidal Behavior in Adolescents

The article is devoted to the analysis of psychological factors in the formation of suicidal behavior in adolescents. The following personal characteristics of adolescents are considered that predispose them to suicidal behavior, such as emotionally labile, cycloid and hysterical types of character accentuation. Character traits of adolescents with borderline personality disorders, such as instability of emotions, impulsivity, and a tendency toward self-aggression, can provoke suicidal intentions and attempts. Social isolation, rejection by peers, and conflicts in the family can lead to psychological trauma and suicidal reactions in adolescence. Suicidal behavior in adolescence can be a reaction to traumatic situations associated with violence, abuse, and sexual harassment. Various methods of psychological prevention of suicidal behavior are considered. An effective method for preventing suicidal behavior in adolescents is the formation of resilience and resource states of the individual, and early diagnosis of risk groups plays an important role in the prevention of suicidal behavior. The emphasis is on the need to increase the psychological competence of parents, teachers and specialists in recognizing and preventing suicidal behavior, as well as on interdepartmental interaction and coordination of services at all levels of the prevention system.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT OF FUTURE SOCIAL WORKERS: FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE

The relevance of the topic is revealed through the definition of the essence of professional and personal development of future social workers. The author indicates the stages of professional development of an individual, defining this process as long and dynamic at the same time, which involves the individual passing through seven stages: growth; clarification; stages of professional adaptation and stabilization; stages of development of professionalism and pseudo-professionalism; as well as the final stage of post-professionalism. Among the mandatory qualities and skills of a social worker are the following: empathy, psychological competence, delicacy and tact, humanity, mercy, the presence of organizational and communicative abilities, as well as spiritual and moral culture. The article focuses on interactive training of students studying social work, it is indicated that training can be a successful form of training for modern students. Conducting classes in the form of training will allow classroom learning to be brought closer to situations, the course of which can be practiced practically. Training work, as the author emphasizes, has its advantages due to the fact that group interaction of students will allow them to acquire new skills. The training will enable experimentation with different styles of relationships among equal partners, which will be positive in gaining professional experience for the future social worker. It is emphasized that the group is an imprint of society in miniature, where participants in different ways gain the experience of identifying themselves with other people.

The Role of Psychological Competence of the Teacher as a Key Resource in Achieving Success of Students in the Educational Process

The Role of Psychological Competence of the Teacher as a Key Resource in Achieving Success of Students in the Educational Process

High performing male and female engineering students in Chile: accounting for mental health and well-being from a developmental paradigm

ABSTRACT Mental health and well-being among high-performing male and female engineering students were investigated to account for variance. A self-report survey was used to assess mental health and well-being, and the results of the end-of-year evaluation were used to measure academic accomplishment. This study was unique in that it created the self-reported survey from a developmental viewpoint (i.e., developmental strengths, constructive skills, and psychological competencies) using the normative-crisis model and the psycho-social model of development. Of the 152 (121 male, 31 female) University students from Chile, twenty high-achieving male and female students were randomly selected. The findings showed that female students scored lower in all subjects, reported lower levels of hope and reported more mental health concerns than male students. Structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis of female students’ results found that lower hope levels and higher developmental strengths were associated with high academic achievement. However, mental health issues and psychological competencies among females did not influence higher achievement. In contrast, SEM analysis of male students’ results found no correlation between academic achievement and mental well-being, which suggests that high academic achievement is independent of sex differences, mental health and well-being. Insights, implications and recommendations are discussed.

Development of Alternative Thinking Strategy Curriculum Design to Improve Academic, Social and Emotional Competence

The majority of curriculum designs focus on academic competencies, and only very few curricular are designed that not only improve academic abilities but also improve students' social emotional and psychological competencies. In this research, the researcher designed an alternative thinking strategy curriculum and investigated its impact in improving students' social emotional competence, psychological health and academic competence. Quasi-experiment design was used involving 30 secondary schools who participated in the study. The research sample was divided into two groups, a control and experimental group, from a random cluster. The experimental group received the alternative thinking strategy curriculum (15 schools) and the control group followed the regular national curriculum (15 schools). The subjects investigated are science and language. Two-level hierarchical linear model analysis was used to investigate the impact of an alternative thinking strategies curriculum. Findings of this research show that alternative thinking strategy curriculum design is not only able to improve students’ social and emotional competence, but is also able to increase students' academic achievements. This can be seen in the average increase in student academic achievement and better student attitudes compared to students in the control group who received the national curriculum intervention. The most superior in providing an impact on each aspect is the cluster with medium frequency or the second cluster (C2). Another cluster shows that the implementation of the alternative thinking strategy curriculum is less than optimal regarding aspects of suitability, quality, responsiveness and reach of the curriculum. This is due to differences in the duration of implementation time. This alternative thinking strategy curriculum design also needs to consider students' cultural aspects related to geographic location. This is important to do as content for intervention in improving students' social and emotional competence.

Feasibility and practicality of a simulated placement: an exploratory pilot of a novel training method for postgraduate psychology students in the wake of COVID-19

ABSTRACT Objective In 2020, COVID-19 caused a drastic interruption to face-to-face postgraduate psychology placements in Australia, prompting the development of a simulated placement. This pilot project represents a preliminary evaluation of the program by exploring the feasibility of a simulated placement as a novel training modality for competence development in postgraduate psychology training. Method Students enrolled in a simulated postgraduate psychology placement in 2021 completed an online survey at the end of the placement. Acceptability, perceived competency and experience of the placement were assessed. Chi-square goodness of fit tests were used to evaluate the difference between rates of completion and the length of time it took to complete placement requirements between students enrolled in face-to-face placements in 2019 and 2020, and the simulated placement in 2021. Results The results showed an increase in proportion of students who completed the simulated placement than previous face-to-face placements and that students were able to complete training and meet competence in shorter time frames. Students reported increased psychological competency and confidence to practice at the completion of the simulated placement. Conclusions A simulated psychology placement is a novel teaching modality that may be feasible in the development of perceived psychological competence and confidence in postgraduate psychology students.