2019_International Journal of Psychology 2019_23_Book 1.indb EDITORIAL NOTE 6 EDITORIAL NOTE Laura Šeibokaitė Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania The Editorial Board of International Journal of Psychology: A Biopsychosocial Approach proudly introduces for readers this new vo- lume of the journal in 2019. We have selected eight articles which cover a wide range of important topics in psychology and other social sciences addressing relevant issues of theoretical framework of biopsychosocial nature of human beings. Topics of the selected articles vary from atti- tudes towards mental illnesses, satisfaction with life, psychological fac- tors of neurological trauma, and teachers’ perceptions of novel teaching methods, to psychometric and methodological discussions regarding the instruments and materials that might be used in psychological re- search. We hope that the content of this volume engages the scientific community and specialists working in the field in insightful reading and fruitful scientific discussion. The authors of the first article, Chandra Díaz, Po Hu, Douglas R. Till- man, and David D. Hof, analysed the concept of mental health stigma. The article named Factors influencing attitudes toward mental health sti- gma in a teacher education program stresses the importance of psycholo- gical factors of describing stigma regarding mental health among future teachers. Empirical data have shown comfort in being around people with mental health issues and low resistance to communicating with such people, as well as some environmental and demographical featu- res, might predict the willingness of pre-service teachers to seek help or recommend visiting a professional for others who suffer from mental health issues. From our point of view, data obtained by this research are important as they revealed the possibilities of higher education institu- tions to strengthen awareness of mental disorders and work with na- turally occurring resistance to dealing with people suffering from these problems. International Journal of Psychology: Biopsychosocial Approach 2019 / 23 ISSN 1941-7233 (Print), ISSN 2345-024X (Online) https://doi.org/10.7220/2345-024X.23 7 Kamonwan Tangdhanakanond and Teara Archwamety, in their ar- ticle Teachers’ misconceptions and current performance in implementing student portfolio assessment in elementary schools in Thailand, introduce a relatively new method of students’ achievement evaluation. Authors argue that portfolio method allows assessing learning outcomes syste- matically and increases the variety of evaluation measurements. Howe- ver, teachers might be not ready to implement new forms of learning outcomes assessment. Therefore, through this research authors aimed to evaluate what beliefs regarding portfolio method implementation te- achers had when instructed how to use the method, and when not so instructed. Results revealed that all teachers had misconceptions related to various aspects of portfolio method implementation in a real eva- luation process. Still, teachers who attended training courses on portfo- lio succeeded more in implementing the method than teachers with no training. Data from this research stressed the need for life-long learning for teachers and other professionals. The role of education in people’s lives is studied in the next article, named Importance of length of studying and attitudes toward others for satisfaction with life, by Andrius Šmitas and Loreta Gustainienė. The strength of this study is its representative sample of adults in Lithuania. This research is a good example of big data implementation in the sci- ence of psychology. Authors of the study were interested in how length of education relates to life satisfaction. They propose the hypothesis that the greater length of education is related to more positive attitudes to- wards other people that increase one’s satisfaction with life. Analysed data supported the authors’ hypothesis, as well as showing the direct effect between the length of studying and life satisfaction. The obtained relationships were relevant to the people of different socio-economic background. Based on the results of this study it might be concluded that education affects a person’s wellbeing because of different mecha- nisms. Therefore, longer time of studying should be encouraged. Marija Aušraitė and Kristina Žardeckaitė-Matulaitienė, in the ar- ticle The relationship between irrational relationship beliefs and conflict resolution strategies in young adulthood, focus on irrational beliefs that people possess in romantic relationships. Authors presumed that irra- tional beliefs might be related to strategies that couples use to manage conflict. In the study of a small sample of young people Aušraitė and 8 Žardeckaitė-Matulaitienė were able to confirm their hypothesis. Young people tended to deal with couple conflict in the way they believed in their relationship or human nature. Authors suggest taking into account relationship related beliefs in couple counselling as a source of treatment. The next few articles are devoted to development, construction, and validation of psychological instruments. The article Development of scenarios for leadership psychology research to reveal the relationships between leaders’ Dark Triad traits and full-range leadership styles, by Tadas Vadvilavičius and Aurelija Stelmokienė, validated the created set of sce- narios to assess Dark Triad type personality in combination with different styles of leadership. It is argued in the text that simulative techniques to assess Dark personality in a leadership context are necessary for fu- ture experimental research. Authors succeeded in providing evidence of construct validity for most of scenarios but agreed that some further improvement is still needed. They recognised that created scenarios might be used as independent techniques for assessing Dark Triad traits in leadership research, or even employed as a training tool in leadership training activities. A methodological issue is addressed in the publication Psychometric properties of the Lithuanian version of Acceptance of Disability Scale – Revi- sed (ADS-R): pilot study by Laura Alčiauskaitė and Liuda Šinkariova. When introducing the scale authors state that research in disabled people and their problems is quite rare in Lithuania. They were aiming to fill the gap by presenting a tool for assessing adaptation to one’s own disability. The study involved only mobility impaired participants, therefore the results could not be generalized for other disabilities. Data from the current re- search confirm comparable factorial structure as it was obtained in rese- arch across other countries. The Lithuanian version of the Acceptance of Disability Scale has an acceptable level of internal consistency. Authors recognise that the current data are not sufficient to ensure the validity and reliability of the scale; they call for further research as well. In the next article, a group of American authors advocate for an Al- ternative Peer Group Model for adolescents at high risk of substance use problems. Christina L. Chasek, Judith A. Nelson, Rochelle Cade, Kristen Page, Bryan Stare, and George Stoupas entitled their publication Advo- cating for adolescent substance use recovery: an alternative model and present a theoretical discussion on how the model could be beneficial 8 EDITORIAL NOTE during the recovery period. Authors highlight the need to consider the developmental issues when working with youth. They propose the em- ployment of community resources in substance use problems rehabi- litation processes. Positive peer relationships seem to be a promising support system when recovering. The Alternative Peer Group Model adapts the idea of 12-step meetings for adolescents and their families to benefit from social support in the whole community. Authors of this article agree that the model is insufficiently empirically tested and must be examined by rigorous research. The final article of this volume, named Neuropsychological and/or psychological factors of children traumatic behavior under the age of 10 years, presents the problem of diagnostic scrutiny of attention deficit/ hyperactivity problems in children with physical trauma. Ekaterina Zak- harchuk, Evgeniy Dotsenko, Tamara Khvesko, and Julia Andrejeva invite consideration of both biological and psychological factors that might lead to repeated traumatization in children up to 10 years. Authors pre- sent empirical data where they compare psychological indicators in chil- dren with first trauma, repeated trauma, and no trauma. They conclude that repeated trauma was associated with lack of daily routine, poor at- tention to own child, inconsistent parental requirements, and emotio- nal rejection. Parents and even specialists tended to see children with trauma as having attention deficit/hyperactivity problems, but less than five percent of them meet the diagnostic criteria for the syndrome. On behalf of the Editorial Board, I thank the readers of International Journal of Psychology: A Biopsychosocial Approach appreciatively for your sustained attention to the content we publish. I believe you will find some new and challenging materials in this volume as well. 9 CONTENTS EDITORIAL NOTE SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS Chandra Díaz, Po Hu, Douglas R. Tillman, David D. Hof CONCEPTS INFLUENCING ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS TOWARD MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IN A TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM Kamonwan Tangdhanakanond, Teara Archwamety TEACHERS’ MISCONCEPTIONS AND CURRENT PERFORMANCE IN IMPLEMENTING STUDENT PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN THAILAND Andrius Šmitas, Loreta Gustainienė IMPORTANCE OF LENGTH OF STUDYING AND ATTITUDES TOWARD OTHERS FOR LIFE SATISFACTION Marija Aušraitė, Kristina Žardeckaitė-Matulaitienė THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN IRRATIONAL RELATIONSHIP BELIEFS AND CONFLICTRESOLUTION STRATEGIES IN YOUNG ADULTHOOD Tadas Vadvilavičius, Aurelija Stelmokienė DEVELOPMENT OF SCENARIOS FOR LEADERSHIP PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCH TO REVEAL THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN LEADERS’ DARK TRIAD TRAITS AND FULL RANGE LEADERSHIP STYLES Laura Alčiauskaitė, Liuda Šinkariova PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES OF THE LITHUANIAN VERSION OF THE ACCEPTANCE OFDISABILITY SCALE - REVISED (ADS-R): PILOT STUDY Christina L. Chasek, Judith A. Nelson, Rochelle Cade, Kristin Page, Bryan Stare,George Stoupas ADVOCATING FOR ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE USE RECOVERY: AN ALTERNATIVE MODEL Ekaterina Zakharchuk, Evgeniy Dotsenko, Tamara Khvesko, Julia Andrejeva NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL AND/OR PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS OF CHILDREN’S TRAUMATIC BEHAVIOR UNDER THE AGE OF 10 YEARS INFORMATION THE 22nd INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM IN PSYCHOLOGY AT UNK & VMU: ABSTRACTS CONTRIBUTORS REVIEWERS 2019 INSTRUCTIONS FOR AUTHORS