157 INFORMACIJA DVYLIKTASIS TARPTAUTINIS SIMPOZIUMAS „Aktualūs tyrimai psichologijoje: tarptautinė patirtis“ Vytauto Didžiojo universiteto Teorinės psichologijos ir Bendrosios psichologijos katedros kartu su ilgamečiu partneriu Nebraskos Kearney universitetu (JAV) tęsia tra- dicija tampančių vaizdo konferencijų, skirtų psichologijos studentų darbams pristatyti, seriją. 2013 m. gruodžio 11 d. įvyko dvyliktoji tarptautinė vaizdo konferencija – Tarp- tautinis simpoziumas „Aktualūs tyrimai psichologijoje: tarptautinė patirtis“. Šioje kon- ferencijoje pranešimus skaitė Vytauto Didžiojo universiteto, Nebraskos Kearney uni- versiteto ir Black Hills State universiteto (Spearfish, Pietų Dakota) (JAV) psichologijos bakalauro studijų absolventai, magistro studijų programų studentai ir doktorantai. Tarptautinio simpoziumo „Aktualūs tyrimai psichologijoje: tarptautinė patirtis“, įvykusio 2013 m. gruodžio 11 d. Kaune, Kearney ir Spearfish pranešimų santraukos Abstracts of the International Symposium “Recent Research Topics in Psychology: International Experience”, December 11, 2013, Kaunas, Kearney and Spearfish USING DEMOGRAPHICS AND MEASUREMENT ACADEMIC PROGRESS (MAPS) SCORES AS PREDICTORS FOR THE NEBRASKA STATE ACCOUNTABILITY READING EXAM Daphne Dar ter University of Nebraska at Kearney, USA The purpose of the present study was to determine whether demographics and fall MAPS reading test results of third, fourth and fifth grade relates to the outcomes of the Nebraska State Accountability Reading Test (NeSA) exam. An archival data set of scores from 199 elementary school students from the Midwest was analyzed to determine whether the Fall MAP score predict NeSA-R amongst third, fourth, and fifth graders and whether F/R (free and reduced lunch) versus F/R +ELL (free and reduced + English language learners) predict NeSA state reading test among third, fourth, and fifth graders combined. Results indicate that there is a positive correlation between MAPS and NeSA-R scores and students who receive free and reduced lunch perform better on the NeSA-R test than those students who receive both free and reduced lunch and are English language learners (F/R+ELL). The data also indicated that MAPS, and demographics are predictive of NeSA-R performance. 158 Informacija RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STYLES AND ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP SELF-EFFICACY AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS Rūta Skučaitė, Visvaldas Legkauskas Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania Scientific problem: As over 50% of marriages end in divorce, research on factors contribu- ting to constructive management of conflict in romantic relationship continues to be relevant. While choice of conflict management styles has been linked to self-efficacy in other context, it has not been studied in the context of romantic relationships. The construct of relationship self-efficacy is not yet widely studied. The purpose of this study was to examine possible links between student’s romantic relationship self- efficacy and conflict management styles. Method: Conflict management styles were measured using Rahim Organizational Conflict Inventory-II. Romantic relationship self-efficacy was measured using Relationship Self-Efficacy Scale developed by Lopez and colleges. Subjects of the research were 194 students (128 females and 66 males) of Vytautas Magnus University. The hypothesis of the research was: Compared to subjects scoring low on relationship self-efficacy, subjects scoring high on relationship self-efficacy are more likely to use compromise, integrating and dominating conflict management styles and will be less inclined to use the obliging and avoiding conflict management styles. First, it was examined whether there is a difference between men and women in relation to particular relationship self-efficacy aspects and use of conflict management styles. Analysis revealed that there was a significant difference between women and men groups in use of avoiding and obliging conflict management styles. Women scored higher than men on differentiation and mutuality aspects. Men scored higher than women on the emotional control aspect. Furthermore, men tended to use avoiding and obliging conflict management styles more often than women. Thus further results will be presented separately for both genders. Scores of self-efficacy aspects scales were split into three groups using terciles – low, medium and high separately for both genders. Findings: It was found that women scoring high on mutuality aspect of relationship self- efficacy were more likely to use compromising and integrating conflict management styles than those scoring low. With the regard to the emotional control aspect of relationship self-efficacy, high-scoring women were more likely to use integrating, avoiding, and obliging conflict management styles and less likely to use dominating style than those scoring low on emotional control. Women scoring high on the differentiation aspect of relationship self-efficacy were more likely to use integrating style and less likely to use avoiding style than those scoring low on this aspect. Men scoring high on mutuality aspect of relationship self-efficacy were more likely to use integrating conflict management style than those scoring low. Men scoring high on emotional control measure were more likely to use integrating or obliging conflict management style than those, who scored low. Men scoring high on differentiation were more likely to use integrating conflict management style than those scoring low. International Journal of Psychology: A Biopsychosocial Approach Tarptautinis psichologijos žurnalas: biopsichosocialinis požiūris 159 2014, 14, 157–168 p. Conclusions: For both, men and women mutuality and differentiation aspects of relationship self-efficacy are related to use of constructive conflict management styles – compromise and integrating. Emotional control aspect of relationship self- efficacy is related to use of both constructive and destructive conflict management styles – compromise, integrating, dominating, avoiding and obliging. SI SE PUEDE… THE EFFICACY OF DUAL LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION5 Jenna Rycek , Marissa McCloud, Christa Anderson, D oris Younes & Jessica Spors University of Nebraska at Kearney, USA This study will focus on Dual Language Learners (DLL). Research has shown that children in bilingual programs score higher on English tests than children in traditional programs. It is anticipated that the dual language students will have equivalent scores to their traditional peers, while gaining proficiency in two languages. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL SUPPORT FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND ACCEPTANCE OF DISABILITY AMONG MOBILITY IMPAIRED PEOPLE Laura Alčiauskaitė, Liuda Šinkariova Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania Introduction: Since inclusion of disabled people is in progress, it is essential not only to name the problems of disabled people but also analyze the resources they possess. Perceived social support is one of the resources which play the key role in helping individuals to solve disability-related problems. Social support as a multidimensional concept can be divided into emotional support, socializing support, financial assistance, practical assistance and advice/guidance, such support is usually provided by family and friends. All these types of support are important for any individual but it is still unclear which of them are the most related to acceptance of disability. The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between perceived social support from family and friends and acceptance of disability among mobility impaired people. Methodology: The study included 275 people with mobility disabilities, aged between 18 and 79 years old. The sample consisted of 104 men and 171 women. According to the mean of age, individuals were divided into two groups of younger and older individuals. Two instruments were used in the study. Perceived social support was assessed with a Social Support Behaviors Scale (Vaux, Riedel, Stewart, 1987), measuring five modes of social provided family and friends separately. Individual’s adjustment to disability was accessed using an Acceptance of disability scale (Linkowski, 1971). Results: The results revealed that individuals who perceived higher socializing support and practical assistance from family and higher all types of social support from friends reported higher scores of adjustment to disability than individuals who perceived 160 Informacija lower social support, regardless of age. Older individuals who perceived higher emotional and financial support and higher scores of advice/guidance from family also reported higher scores of acceptance of disability compared to older individuals who perceived lower social support. The results of regression analysis revealed that greater socializing support from friends and higher scores of advice/guidance from family make the contribution to the explained variance in acceptance of disability. All other types of social support were not statistically significant to acceptance of disability. Conclusions and implications: These results might be useful for improving rehabilitation and inclusion programs for people with mobility disabilities. Firstly, family members should be included into rehabilitation process, since their support is acceptance of disability. Social support from friends is also necessary, so during rehabilitation process disabled people should be encouraged to actively participate in social life. Second, equal opportunities for disabled people to participate in social life should be provided and the society should be informed about importance and mutual benefit of communication with disabled people. COUNSELOR DEVELOPMENT OF SPIRITUAL COMPETENCE: A GROUNDED THEORY UNDERSTANDING D ouglas Tillman University of Nebraska at Kearney, USA The process of how counselors develop spiritual competence was explored using a qualitative, grounded theory framework. A total of five themes, among 12 participants, were identified in the study. These themes formed the foundation of the theory constructed to explain this phenomenon. These findings suggest that spiritual competence in counselors is developed and shaped by their own on-going spiritual journey, socially constructing knowledge and skill with others, a general reverence and respect for spirituality, an internal drive or passion to be spiritually competent, and are skilled at traversing common pitfalls in this realm with clients. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL ANXIETY AND ALCOHOL USE AMONG FIRST YEAR STUDENTS Arlandas Maziliauskas, Aidas Perminas Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania Introduction: The relation between social anxiety and alcohol variables (problem drinking, alcohol frequency and quantity) is inconsistent in non-clinical student samples (Battista et al. 2010). The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between social anxiety and alcohol use among first year students. Methodology: Self report survey was used to collect data. Social anxiety was assessed using Social Phobia Scale (SPS) and Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS) which are International Journal of Psychology: A Biopsychosocial Approach Tarptautinis psichologijos žurnalas: biopsichosocialinis požiūris 161 2014, 14, 157–168 p. companion measures by Mattick, Clarke (1998). Alcohol related problems were assessed using Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index (RAPI) by White, Labouvie (1989). Alcohol frequency and quantity according to the type of beverage were assessed using questions by Gostautas (1999). Participants were 342 first year students of Kaunas University of Technology (176 male and 166 female first year students). The mean age of participants is 19.27 (SD = 0.694). According to Norberg et al. (2011) recommendations high social anxiety was defined as one or more standard deviations above SPS or SIAS means of current student sample. Low to moderate social anxiety was defined as all other scores bellow those cut−offs (Norberg et al. 2011). The main results: Research suggests that there were no significant relationship between social anxiety and alcohol related problems among first year students in both male and female samples. Socially anxious women (scoring high rates in Social Interaction Anxiety Scale) reported drinking significantly less frequently than their female counterparts which reported lower levels in Social Interaction Anxiety Scale. This relation was not found in male sample – there were no significant difference in alcohol frequency between high social anxiety and low social anxiety men. Socially anxious women (scoring high rates in Social Phobia Scale) consumed significantly less wine per drinking episode than their female counterparts which reported lower rates in Social Phobia Scale. This difference was not significant for other types of beverage in female sample. There were no significant difference in quantity of alcohol consumed per drinking episode between socially anxious men and their non-anxious male counterparts. Socially anxious men reported significantly higher scores of alcohol related problems than socially anxious women in first year student sample. However, this relation was also significant among male and female students while not controlling for social anxiety. Conclusions and implication: In this study social anxiety acted as a protective factor against more frequent and heavy drinking only in socially anxious women first year student sample. The current study suggests that the year of the study (e.g. first year student comparing to last year student) may be an important variable understanding the complex relation between social anxiety and alcohol variables. Social anxiety may act as protective factor for first year students which may have not learned to consume alcohol to alleviate their anxiety in social situations yet, but may act as a risk factor for socially anxious senior students which may have already developed more adverse drinking patterns. SUMMER SUSTAINABILITY OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AMONG FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE Carly Jones, Hillar y Veerhusen, Kelsey Rocker, Shellee B ecker & Connie Rocker University of Nebraska at Kearney, USA Although there have been summer school programs in elementary schools for years, the introduction of No Child Left Behind in 2001, has necessitated the improvement of academic achievement. In accordance with this act, if students perform below proficiency in the required testing then the school could possibly be labeled as failing 162 Informacija among other consequences (Brown, 2005). In recent years, the use of high stakes testing has increased which in turn, has been associated with an increase in summer school programs (Keiler, 2011). Schools wish not to obtain a failing label and have used programs such as summer school to help reduce that possibility. Due to high stakes testing, teachers are concerned about any form of academic loss particularly over the summer months. This study of a Midwestern public school reports a possible way to address this loss. This poster board visual presentation will describe a research project that will examine the efficacy of summer school in sustaining math and reading achievement among students in fourth and fifth grade. It will be predicted that attending summer school would help sustain math and reading achievement of students from spring to fall. Overview of summer school program: The Midwestern school district, in which the archival data for this study will be obtained, operates its summer school Monday through Thursday from 8:15 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The summer school takes place the whole month of June and three weeks into July. Students who participate in the program either choose to participate, are recommended to enroll, or have been mandated to attend based on their assessment results. This program consists of an hour and a half of each for math and reading. Students also get to take part in special activities such as cooking, gardening, physical education, art, music, crafts, swimming, and experiences with technology. A special education coordinator is assigned to help coordinate summer services in each elementary school in the district. Measures: The measure to be used for this study is the Measures of Academic Progress standardized test (MAP) in both reading and math. This test has been used to help measure school quality and assess student academic skills for educational decision making, screening, progress monitoring, and intervention planning (Beckman & Merino, 2010). Developed by the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA: 2012), MAP has provided schools with information for over 30 years in high stakes assessment. Project Design: The researchers of this study will examine MAP math and reading scores of fourth grade and fifth grade students in the spring of 2012 and again in the fall of 2012. Students included in this study are known to have diverse abilities, ethnic groups, socioeconomic levels, and English language proficiency levels. To examine whether attending summer school helps sustain academic achievement of students from spring to fall, the researchers will compare MAP math and reading scores of students who attended summer school and students who did not attend summer school. Data will be subjected through a factorial analysis of variance with repeated measures to test the hypothesis that summer school can sustain academic achievement. Analysis will be done by grade level and overall. Participants of the presentation can expect to learn how summer school can prevent academic achievement slippage.