Papers by Sofia Mastrokoukou
Child Abuse & Neglect, 2024
Background: Childhood traumatic experiences can profoundly impact individuals, posing risks to th... more Background: Childhood traumatic experiences can profoundly impact individuals, posing risks to the physical and psychological well-being of children and influencing their psychological development. Teachers in primary schools play a critical role in identifying and reporting suspected cases of child abuse and maltreatment (CAM), which initiates child protection interventions. However, the psychological factors that influence teachers' likelihood of reporting suspected CAM cases remain largely unexplored. Aim: This study investigates the influence of teachers' childhood traumatic experiences and psychological factors (i.e., cognitive empathy and psychological detachment) on their reporting behavior regarding child abuse and maltreatment, addressing an important social issue. Participants: The study involved 1380 primary school teachers from Italy (88.3 % female; aged 21-69, M age 46.7, DS 10.3). Results: The results reveal that teachers with a history of childhood emotional abuse tend to report a higher number of suspected child abuse and maltreatment cases. Other forms of traumatic childhood experiences were not significantly associated with teachers' reporting suspected cases of CAM. Additionally, cognitive empathy and psychological detachment emerge as significant predictors of teachers' reporting behavior. Conclusions: This research contributes to the existing literature by providing unique insights into actual reporting behavior within an unexplored cultural context.
American Journal of Sexuality Education, 2024
Our aims were to examine the relationship between the attitude toward sexual consent and sext dis... more Our aims were to examine the relationship between the attitude toward sexual consent and sext dissemination perpetration (that is the act of sharing received sexting messages with audiences other than their original recipient) and explore the role of empathy as possible mediator variables of this relationships. We conducted cross-sectional research employing an online survey. Our convenience sample consisted of 940 young adults (79.4% females, 20.6% males, 98.0% Italian, 69.5% heterosexual) with mean age of 24.29 years (SD ¼ 2.89). Our findings indicated a relationship between sext dissemination perpetration and both (a lack of) perceived behavioral control (r ¼ .068) and a positive attitude toward establishing consent (r ¼ −.105). In addition, the relationship between a positive attitude toward establishing consent and sext dissemination perpetration was found to be mediated by empathy, specifically the subdimension of emotional contagion. These findings highlight the complexity of interplay between attitudinal and emotional factors in dissemination of sex, which should be taken into account when designing interventions as well as further research. The implications of these findings for both practice and research are discussed.
Frontiers in Education, 2023
Introduction: Mindfulness at Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) may enhance personal developmen... more Introduction: Mindfulness at Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) may enhance personal development, learning, and entrepreneurial thinking. Thus, this scoping review investigates the effects of mindfulness on HEI entrepreneurship education, focusing on teaching, learning, and entrepreneurial intention. Method: To identify relevant articles for inclusion, the study used a predetermined set of keywords and a descriptive search algorithm in six electronic databases. The process of study selection adhered to the principles outlined in the Preferred Reporting of Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement and resulted in the inclusion of eleven (11) studies. Said studies spanned several nations and employed various research methods, with an emphasis on quantitative approaches.
Frontiers in Education, 2023
Introduction: This study investigated the relationship between teachers’ sentiments about physica... more Introduction: This study investigated the relationship between teachers’ sentiments about physical appearance, student–teacher relationships, psychological adjustment, and the risk of becoming a victim of bullying.
Method: Participants consisted of 995 students (471 females, 47.3%; Mage = 11.3, SDage = 1.49) and 64 teachers (56 females, 87.5%; Mage = 47.59). Students reported their levels of psychological adjustment and their involvement with bullying victimization, while teachers rated relationship quality with their students and reported their sentiments about students’ physical appearance. Teachers’ sentiments about physical appearance were analyzed using the NRC Emotion Lexicon. Correlation and mediation analyses were conducted with Mplus, using a multicategorical antecedent.
Results: Results indicate that teachers’ positive ratings of students’ physical appearance were correlated with close teacher–student relationships, less conflictual relationships, whereas negative ratings were correlated with more conflictual student–teacher relationships and increased bullying victimization risk. Psychological adjustment mediated the relationship, with positive adjustment associated with closer relationships and negative adjustment associated with more conflict.
Discussion: This study suggests the importance of teachers’ sentiments about students’ physical appearance. Positive sentiments promote supportive relationships and reduce the risk of bullying victimization, while negative sentiments erano correlate ad una relazione studente-insegnante netagativa and increased risk of bullying victimization. Promoting positive interactions between teachers and students and addressing appearance biases are critical to creating inclusive educational environments. Further research should focus on understanding and examining the impact of teacher attitudes on student well-being and bullying dynamics.
Computers in Human Behavior, 2023
Social media addiction (SMA) among adolescents is associated with many maladaptive developmental ... more Social media addiction (SMA) among adolescents is associated with many maladaptive developmental outcomes and thus has been a concern in many countries. Guided by the bioecological systems theory and the selfdetermination theory, this study examined the associations between social relationships (i.e., parentadolescent, teacher-student, and peer relationships) and SMA among adolescents, as well as the underlying mechanisms. Valid participants were 844 Italian high school students (358 boys, 42.42%), aged from 13 to 20 years old (M = 16.89, SD = 1.58). Latent profile analysis identified four relationship profiles: the mixed (6.04%), the adequate (57.35%), the vulnerable (29.74%), and the highly vulnerable (6.87%). The mediating role of psychological need satisfaction was found in the association between social relationships and SMA using both variable-centered and person-centered approaches. These findings highlight the impact of interpersonal and psychological factors on adolescent SMA.
Findings indicate that the perception that teachers have of students' appearance may influence th... more Findings indicate that the perception that teachers have of students' appearance may influence the way they look at the students and thus the quality of the relationship they develop with them. Moreover, the relationship that children have with their teacher may influence students' social status among peers. Driven by these considerations, in the present study, we explored the association between teachers' sentiments about the physical appearance of primary school students, student-teacher relationship quality and student popularity among classroom peers. We recruited a convenience sample consisting of 474 students attending primary school in Northern Italy. Teachers reported about the quality of their relationship using a self-report questionnaire, while their sentiments about students' physical appearance was evaluated by applying a popular sentiment analysis lexicon to a textual response to an open-ended question. Children's social status in the classroom was assessed with a sociometric questionnaire. Correlation and regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Students who received a positive description from their teachers had higher student-teacher closeness, while receiving a negative description was related to increased student-teacher conflict and lower closeness. Moreover, student-teacher conflict showed a negative effect on the students' social preference scores. Finally, we found evidence that teachers' negative sentiment about their students' appearance had a negative effect on students' social preference by means of an increase in student-teacher conflict-i.e., a mediation effect. This finding highlights the importance of teachers' attitude toward students' appearance in shaping the relationship they have with their students and on students' acceptance by classroom peers.
Higher Education Quarterly, 2021
Transition into higher education (HE) has received increased interest in recent years, since it r... more Transition into higher education (HE) has received increased interest in recent years, since it represents a challenging period for students. The aim of this study was to further
understand the associations between self-efficacy, academic achievements, and regulation in first-year university students during their transition into HE. The convenience
sample consisted of 374 first-year university students (230 females, 61.5%), aged from 18 to 33 (M = 19.86, SD = 1.51) and recruited from an Italian university. Self-efficacy
was assessed using the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire; regulation strategies were assessed with the Inventory of Learning Patterns of Students; and a self-reported grade point average was taken as an indicator of each student's academic performance. Result shows that students' self-efficacy was positively associated with self-regulation and negatively associated with a lack of regulation.
Students with higher self-efficacy and self-regulation strategies had better academic performance. Female students performed better in academic activities and adopted
more external regulation strategies. The findings represent an opportunity for university institutions to consider the interventions they provide to first-year students in order to
facilitate the successful transition from secondary school; they also provide researchers with further knowledge about the effect of self-efficacy, and regulation strategies
on students' adjustment to HE.
Frontiers in Education, Mar 28, 2022
Although teacher effectiveness plays a critical role in the learning process, little is known abo... more Although teacher effectiveness plays a critical role in the learning process, little is known about its conceptualization and assessment, particularly in higher education (HE). This review aims to fill this gap by (a) listing the literature on teacher effectiveness, (b) identifying the instruments that have been used to assess teacher effectiveness (HE), and (c) highlighting the most effective teaching approaches based on the relevant literature. The selection process considered studies published since 1990 and conducted in higher education contexts with students. The research articles measured instructional processes and faculty effectiveness in terms of student outcomes, focusing on student achievement and student satisfaction. In reviewing the international research, special attention was paid to Southeastern Europe and Greece in particular. After a thorough review, the analysis revealed 26 studies. The results show that there is no universal definition of effective higher education teaching. Effective teaching may manifest itself in high scores on student performance assessments or in rewarding classroom interactions. Based on this principle, the way teacher effectiveness is defined is closely linked to proposed solutions in educational policy. Furthermore, research has shown that student-centered teaching styles are perceived by students as more effective, engaging, and performance-enhancing. However, several studies have not clarified why different teachers use different teaching styles in similar contexts. This review represents a step forward in our understanding of teacher effectiveness in HE. Nonetheless, effective teaching strategies could be better conceptualized through future research aimed at assessing the contextual nature of teaching along with student perceptions of effectiveness and expectations for an effective classroom climate.
International studies focus on the successful transition into higher education, which is consider... more International studies focus on the successful transition into higher education, which is considered crucial for both the students and the educational institution in the context of students' learning and adjustment in higher education. The aim of the current study was to identify student profiles that include cognitive, metacognitive, and motivational aspects of learning, but also aspects of resilience, emotion dysregulation, and anxiety. The sample consists of 316 Greek undergraduate students (18.7% males and 81.3% females). The results showed four different (meta)-cognitive-emotional learner profiles: the emotionally stable and highly adaptive learner; the emotionally dysregulated and at risk learner; the emotionally dysregulated and highly adaptive learner; the emotionally stable and at risk learner. Emotionally dysregulated and at risk learner has a lower GPA than the emotional stable and highly adaptive learner, the emotionally dysregulated and highly adaptive learner and th...
This volume presents comparisons of adult education and lifelong learning with a focus on educati... more This volume presents comparisons of adult education and lifelong learning with a focus on educational policies, professionalization in adult education, participation in adult learning and education, quality in adult education, and educational guidance and counselling. The essays are based on comparisons discussed at the international Winter School «Comparative Studies in Adult and Lifelong Learning», held in Würzburg, Germany, February 2015. Sub-topics of lifelong learning were chosen for an in-depth comparison and analysis of the situation in various European countries and beyond.
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Papers by Sofia Mastrokoukou
Method: Participants consisted of 995 students (471 females, 47.3%; Mage = 11.3, SDage = 1.49) and 64 teachers (56 females, 87.5%; Mage = 47.59). Students reported their levels of psychological adjustment and their involvement with bullying victimization, while teachers rated relationship quality with their students and reported their sentiments about students’ physical appearance. Teachers’ sentiments about physical appearance were analyzed using the NRC Emotion Lexicon. Correlation and mediation analyses were conducted with Mplus, using a multicategorical antecedent.
Results: Results indicate that teachers’ positive ratings of students’ physical appearance were correlated with close teacher–student relationships, less conflictual relationships, whereas negative ratings were correlated with more conflictual student–teacher relationships and increased bullying victimization risk. Psychological adjustment mediated the relationship, with positive adjustment associated with closer relationships and negative adjustment associated with more conflict.
Discussion: This study suggests the importance of teachers’ sentiments about students’ physical appearance. Positive sentiments promote supportive relationships and reduce the risk of bullying victimization, while negative sentiments erano correlate ad una relazione studente-insegnante netagativa and increased risk of bullying victimization. Promoting positive interactions between teachers and students and addressing appearance biases are critical to creating inclusive educational environments. Further research should focus on understanding and examining the impact of teacher attitudes on student well-being and bullying dynamics.
understand the associations between self-efficacy, academic achievements, and regulation in first-year university students during their transition into HE. The convenience
sample consisted of 374 first-year university students (230 females, 61.5%), aged from 18 to 33 (M = 19.86, SD = 1.51) and recruited from an Italian university. Self-efficacy
was assessed using the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire; regulation strategies were assessed with the Inventory of Learning Patterns of Students; and a self-reported grade point average was taken as an indicator of each student's academic performance. Result shows that students' self-efficacy was positively associated with self-regulation and negatively associated with a lack of regulation.
Students with higher self-efficacy and self-regulation strategies had better academic performance. Female students performed better in academic activities and adopted
more external regulation strategies. The findings represent an opportunity for university institutions to consider the interventions they provide to first-year students in order to
facilitate the successful transition from secondary school; they also provide researchers with further knowledge about the effect of self-efficacy, and regulation strategies
on students' adjustment to HE.
Method: Participants consisted of 995 students (471 females, 47.3%; Mage = 11.3, SDage = 1.49) and 64 teachers (56 females, 87.5%; Mage = 47.59). Students reported their levels of psychological adjustment and their involvement with bullying victimization, while teachers rated relationship quality with their students and reported their sentiments about students’ physical appearance. Teachers’ sentiments about physical appearance were analyzed using the NRC Emotion Lexicon. Correlation and mediation analyses were conducted with Mplus, using a multicategorical antecedent.
Results: Results indicate that teachers’ positive ratings of students’ physical appearance were correlated with close teacher–student relationships, less conflictual relationships, whereas negative ratings were correlated with more conflictual student–teacher relationships and increased bullying victimization risk. Psychological adjustment mediated the relationship, with positive adjustment associated with closer relationships and negative adjustment associated with more conflict.
Discussion: This study suggests the importance of teachers’ sentiments about students’ physical appearance. Positive sentiments promote supportive relationships and reduce the risk of bullying victimization, while negative sentiments erano correlate ad una relazione studente-insegnante netagativa and increased risk of bullying victimization. Promoting positive interactions between teachers and students and addressing appearance biases are critical to creating inclusive educational environments. Further research should focus on understanding and examining the impact of teacher attitudes on student well-being and bullying dynamics.
understand the associations between self-efficacy, academic achievements, and regulation in first-year university students during their transition into HE. The convenience
sample consisted of 374 first-year university students (230 females, 61.5%), aged from 18 to 33 (M = 19.86, SD = 1.51) and recruited from an Italian university. Self-efficacy
was assessed using the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire; regulation strategies were assessed with the Inventory of Learning Patterns of Students; and a self-reported grade point average was taken as an indicator of each student's academic performance. Result shows that students' self-efficacy was positively associated with self-regulation and negatively associated with a lack of regulation.
Students with higher self-efficacy and self-regulation strategies had better academic performance. Female students performed better in academic activities and adopted
more external regulation strategies. The findings represent an opportunity for university institutions to consider the interventions they provide to first-year students in order to
facilitate the successful transition from secondary school; they also provide researchers with further knowledge about the effect of self-efficacy, and regulation strategies
on students' adjustment to HE.