Volume 2, Issue 1, 2012

Part of the IJEPC series:

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New international exchange programs between the United States and the former Yugoslavia: Cross cultural public higher education collaborations Csapó-Sweet, R. M., Slapac, A., & Panjeta, L. Pages 7-24

Summary/Abstract: The present report describes new international student and faculty exchange programs between Bosnia and Herzegovina’s (BiH’s) public universities in Sarajevo and Tuzla, the University of Dubrovnik (Croatia) and America’s public University of Missouri- St. Louis. Building the program from the ground up, challenges and successes are reviewed associated with creating the student and faculty exchanges between the United States and BiH and Croatia after the end of the 1990s Balkan wars. Decades of communist central planning (1945-1992) immediately after World War II needed to be reformed in former Yugoslavia, amounting to a regional revolution in higher education. The present article summarizes recent developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s and Croatia’s Bologna-compatible, educational and civil institutions after the 1990s Balkan war of aggression, and the role of the United States in that process. Download full article

Keywords: case study; teacher education programs; curriculum changes; program development; economic impact
Summary/Abstract: The article will describe the challenges and changes across time in the teacher education programs at Marist College, a small liberal arts university in the North-East of the United States. Changes took place due to modifications in the State education requirements, resource allocation, and the interest to increase enrollment in a time of economic down turn and competition. Starting with a very small number of graduate students, and a small number of faculty in the Teacher Education Department; the education program has changed and expanded. The Advanced Certificate program was changed into a full Master of Education program for graduate students seeking the initial teaching certificate. The Master of Arts in Educational Psychology program was developed for those preparing for professional teaching certification, which in the New York state requires candidates to have a Masters degree. This degree is offered on ground and in hybrid format to attract those students who are working full-time, or do not live and work in proximity. Beside these two programs a more recent format of the MA in Educational Psychology was developed to allow undergraduate students to begin graduate study as they complete the Bachelors degree and then continue with the completion of the Masters degree in a fifth year of study. This new program seems to be very successful and is attracting a good number of students. Changes across history will be presented along with results from discussions and survey with graduate students in these education programs. Download full article

Subject(s): Psychology

Issue: II - 1/2012

Page Range: 44-62

No. of Pages: 19

Keywords: family; technology; social media; interactions; well-being

Summary/Abstract: This study asked four families to engage in interviews and to keep a log to document the use of technology in the home. The findings indicate that families are in conflict about the appropriate technology to use and amount of time spent using it at home. All families used a variety of electronic devices for various reasons and discussed the rules established for use in the home. Families are also in conflict about what role technology plays in their lives and whether the immediate access to information is worth the potential distraction. Finally, families also discussed the use of social media and its impact on their children. Although this study is limited in the number of participants, the findings indicate that families continue to be conflicted about the use of technology in the home. Download full article

Podea, D. Pages 63-78

No. of Pages: 16

Keywords: obsessive-compulsive disorder; brain system; CBT; medication

Summary/Abstract: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic anxiety disorder with an estimated lifetime prevalence in adults of 2-3%. Our aim is to provide an overview of the development of effective psychological treatments for OCD, together with a systematic review of the latest research in the field. Controlled treatment trials have demonstrated that cognitive - behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for OCD. CBT has been at least as effective as medication and shows good benefits at follow up. Nevertheless, more studies are still needed, mainly those focusing on long-term follow-up, group-treatment and the combined use of CBT with SSRIs. A prefrontal cortico-striato-thalamic brain system is implicated in the mediation of symptoms of OCD. Recent research has demonstrated that CBT for OCD can systematically modify cerebral metabolic activity in this cortico subcortical circuit in a manner that is significantly related to clinical outcome.
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Roşeanu, G. Pages 79-92

Issue: II - 1/2012

Page Range: 79-92

No. of Pages: 14

Keywords: time perspective; perceived control personal over personal time; social problems; problem orientation; problem solving skills

Summary/Abstract: In this study we were primarily interested in identifying the extent to which time perspective and perceived control over personal time contributed to the way individuals solve their social problems. The research sample was composed of 160 participants from different educational and socioeconomic levels. For the assessment of the variables involved we used the following instruments: Time Perspective Inventory, Perceived Control over Personal Time (subscale derived from the Time Management Inventory), Social Problem Inventory and Survey of Life Experiences (14 items that address social problems). Our results revealed that the problem orientation component of social problem solving is an important factor for the individual’s responsibility in the occurrence of social problems. This factor was shown to be highly influenced by the interaction of three temporal dimensions: (a) negative view of the past; (b) future orientation; and (c) perceived control over personal time.
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Subject(s): Psychology

Issue: II - 1/2012

Page Range: 93-101

No. of Pages: 9

Keywords: loneliness; fidelity and validity D.L.S.

Summary/Abstract: In this article we evaluated the psychometric properties of The Differential Loneliness Scale. Using data from prior studies on college students, analyses of reliability, validity, and factor structure of this new version of The Differential Loneliness Scale were conducted. Results indicated that the measure was highly reliable, both in terms of internal consistency and test-retest reliability over a 4 weeks period. Convergent validity for the scale was indicated by significant correlations with other measures of loneliness. Construct validity was supported by significant relations with measures of the adequacy of the individual's interpersonal relationships, and by correlations between loneliness and measures of health. Implications of these results for future measurement research on loneliness are discussed.
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Modified dental anxiety scale: A validation study on communities from the west part of Romania Mărginean, M., Filimon, L. Pages 102-114

Summary/Abstract: To test the Romanian version of the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (M.D.A.S.), the instrument was translated into Romanian and administrated to 198 young adults. The M.D.A.S. is a brief self-complete questionnaire consisting of five questions and it is easily scored by summing individual item scores (from a=1 to e=5), for a total score ranging from 5 to 25. The M.D.A.S. has been translated into a number of world languages, many of which have reported adequate psychometrics. The objectives of our study were to check the Romanian translation of the M.D.A.S., to determine its reliability and validity in a sample from the Western part of Romania, and to provide norms to clinical practice. The M.D.A.S. was applied with other psychological tests, the Current Thoughts Scale (C.T.S.), the Trimodal Anxiety Scale (T.A.Q.), the McGill Pain Questionnaire, (McGill P.Q.) and the Dental Fear Survey (D.F.S.). Our hypothesis was the existence of possible correlations between these scales. Since dental anxiety is present with all social categories and with all ages, accurate assessment is one of the premises of the intervention for reducing the prevalence and intensity of dental anxiety. For this, measurements with adequate psychometrics are needed, applied in a doctor - patient communication context based on trust and collaboration.
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