Psychology

The growing field of empirical studies on child’s resilience encouraged us to conduct a meta-analysis in order to integrate the findings across studies targeted at child’s adaptive functioning after experiences of maltreatment. In face of substantial and unbiased empirical evidence (published in scientific databases before 2010), research questions were raised about extant verifiable explanatory knowledge as well as implications for countries just starting such research. Domain-specific resources accounted for the majority of attributes of resilience. The aim of the study was to investigate the attributes of a child’s positive functioning in face of maltreatment. We used the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis V2 software program and applied the guidelines for psychometric meta-analysis. Attributes of resilience were treated as moderator variables and assigned to one of three categories according to the framework of the study, namely, individual characteristics (classified through the domains of child cognition, self-perception and temperament / personality traits), characteristics of Interpersonal relatedness (domain of close relationships within family, domain of relations outside family, i. e. connectedness with peers and other competent adults), and characteristics of Community. Our findings suggest that a child’s individual characteristics are somewhat more related to resilience than his / her interpersonal relations or the setting of a community network. The overall effect sizes are small, the total number of participants is 19 300. Empirical evidence does not support the linear increase of resilience with the child’s age. At present, the measurement is of crucial importance for studies of resilience considered as a dynamic characteristic of functioning. In the studies of early childhood development, it is difficult to differentiate between correlates of post facto resiliency outcomes and attributes of age-appropriate positive functioning. Statements can be made only with regard to the overall quality of life of a child.
Key words: resilience, child maltreatment, development, meta-analysis

NETINKAMĄ ELGESĮ PATYRUSIŲ VAIKŲ ATSPARUMAS: EMPIRINIŲ STUDIJŲ METAANALIZĖ
Dalia Nasvytienė, Tomas Lazdauskas, Teresė Leonavičienė

Vaikų psichologinio atsparumo tyrimų gausa paskatino mus atlikti metaanalizę, apibendrinančią iki 2010 m. atliktų empirinių studijų rezultatus. Iki šiol nėra vienodo teorinio supratimo apie veiksnius, nulemiančius netinkamą elgesį patyrusių vaikų sėkmingą psichologinį prisitaikymą ir praktinių to įrodymų. Tyrimo klausimais siekta išsiaiškinti, kokie kintamieji – individualios vaiko savybės, tarpasmeniniai saitai ar bendruomenės kontekstas – labiausiai siejami su psichologinio atsparumo išraiška iki šiol atliktuose tyrimuose. Empirinių studijų, nagrinėjusių 19 300 vaikų psichologinį atsparumą, rezultatus apibendrinome programine įranga (Comprehensive Meta-Analysis V. 2), papildomai taikydami psichometrinės metaanalizės kriterijus. Kodavome šešis vaiko ir jo aplinkos kintamuosius, svarbius psichologinio atsparumo išraiškai. Metaanalizė išryškino, kad visų kintamųjų efektų dydžiai yra maži, tik individualaus konteksto kintamieji kiek stipriau susiję su psichologinio atsparumo išraiška. Išsami anksčiau atliktų studijų apžvalga mums leidžia manyti, kad iki šiol atliktų tyrimų metodologija neatspindi dinaminės psichologinio atsparumo esmės. Ankstyvosios vaikų psichologinės raidos tyrimams nuolat kyla uždavinys rasti takoskyrą tarp amžiaus tarpsniui būdingo sėkmingo funkcionavimo ir psichologinio atsparumo patyrus netinkamą elgesį. Iki 2010 m. atliktų vaiko psichologinio atsparumo tyrimų aiškinamąją galią riboja nepakankamas dėmesys bendrajam vaiko raidos kontekstui.
Pagrindiniai žodžiai: atsparumas, netinkamas elgesys su vaiku, raida, metaanalizė.

CHILD’S RESILIENCE IN FACE OF MALTREATMENT: A META-ANALYSIS OF EMPIRICAL STUDIES  901.22 KB

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Šiuo metu savireguliacijos samprata vaidina vieną iš pagrindinių vaidmenų raidos psichologijos ir raidos psichopatologijos srityje. Neabejojama dėl savireguliacijos įgūdžių svarbos vaiko pažintinei, socialinei ir kognityviai raidai. Nepaisant gausios empirinės duomenų bazės, ankstyvosios savireguliacijos raidos vaizdas vis dar yra nenuoseklus ir fragmentiškas, o savireguliacijos ankstyvoje vaikystėje samprata stokoja koncepcinio ir empirinio aiškumo. Šiuo straipsniu siekėme plačiau išanalizuoti savireguliacijos turinį ir struktūrą ir taip išryškinti bei aptarti probleminius ankstyvosios savireguliacijos sampratos klausimus. Straipsnyje yra analizuojamos priežastys, lėmusios savireguliacijos sampratos difuziškumą ir problemiškumą, pristatomas savireguliacijos tyrimų istorinis kontekstas, aptariami su savireguliacija susiję konstruktai. Taip pat plačiau panagrinėjome tris, mūsų požiūriu svarbias, savireguliacijos ankstyvoje vaikystėje sampratos problemas: 1) savireguliacijos daugiapakopiškumą; 2) savireguliacijos lygių dinaminę sąveiką; 3) reaktyvios ir valingos kontrolės diferenciaciją. Teorinėje diskusijoje palietėme su savireguliacijos sampratos problemiškumu susijusius metodologinius iššūkius matuojant kūdikių ir mažų vaikų savireguliaciją.
Pagrindiniai žodžiai: savireguliacija, ankstyvoji vaikystė, valinga kontrolė, reaktyvumas, emocijų reguliacija.

SELF-REGULATION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD: ANALYSIS OF THE CONCEPT
Rima Breidokienė, Roma Jusienė

Summary
The concept of self-regulation plays one of the major roles in the field of developmental psychology and psychopatology. The importance of self-regulatory capacities for developmental outcomes and behaviors has been well documented in the literature. Contemporary researches on early self-regulation have the roots in the study of W. Mischel and colleagues (1989) who pioneered the studies on the ability of preschool-aged children to delay gratification and exert self-control in the face of strong situational pressures and emotional temptations. Research on the topic of self-regulation in early childhood has increased exponentially in the past 30 years since the first works of W. Mischel and his colleagues. In spite of the growing empirical data, the concept of self-regulation lacks empirical and conceptual clarity, and the developmental picture of self-regulation is fragmented and sometimes inconsistent. Thus, it is very important to make a regular review of the latest research data, integrate it with the existing knowledge and systems, and highlight the main characteristics of self-regulation in early childhood.
The aim of the study was to analyze the content and structure of self-regulation and to highlight and discuss the problematic issues of the concept of self-regulation in early childhood.
The theoretical discussion of the article covers the historical context of studies on self-regulation in early childhood and the analysis of the constructs conceptually related to self-regulation. The lack of the conceptual clarity of self-regulation is due to multiple perspectives of researchers on self-regulation and the multidimensional nature of this concept. Moreover, different tasks and tests are used to measure the self-regulatory skills of infants and preschool-aged children.
The analysis of theoretical and empirical research on early self-regulation has shown that the concept of self-regulation is multidimensional and covers a continuum from effortful and controlled regulation to unconscious and automatic regulation. It is purposeful to conceptualize self-regulation as a unitary construct with multiple levels rather than a construct with multiple definitions. We have revealed several problematic aspects of the concept of self-regulation in early childhood: 1) the multilevel nature of self-regulation structure; 2) a dynamic interplay among self-regulation levels; 3) the differentiation of effortful and reactive control. The methodological challenges while measuring infants’ and preschool-aged children’s self-regulatory capacities as well as implications for future research are also discussed.
Key words: self-regulation, early childhood, effortful control, reactivity, emotion regulation.

SAVIREGULIACIJA ANKSTYVOJE VAIKYSTĖJE: SAMPRATOS PROBLEMATIKA  585.01 KB

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Patyčios – labai paplitęs tarp paauglių reiškinys, kuris daro didžiulę įtaką paauglio psichologinei gerovei. Tyrimai rodo, kad patyčių padariniai gali būti įvairūs, tačiau jos labai stipriai sąveikauja su paauglio savęs vertinimu ir pasitenkinimu savo kūnu. Šiuo tyrimu siekta paieškoti sąsajų tarp patiriamų patyčių, dalyvavimo jose, tiriamųjų lyties, kūno masės indekso ir savo išvaizdos vertinimo. Rezultatai parodė, kad patyčiose aktyviai dalyvauja beveik pusė tiriamųjų, daugiausia jų teigia, kad tyčiojasi iš kitų mokinių. Mergaičių, patiriančių patyčias, yra beveik dvigubai daugiau nei berniukų. Taip pat išsiaiškinome tiriamųjų savo išvaizdos vertinimo ypatumus. Paaiškėjo, kad mergaitės išvaizdai skiria daugiau dėmesio nei berniukai ir jos kur kas dažniau yra nepatenkintos per dideliu kūno svoriu. Pavyko nustatyti, kad yra ryšys tarp kūno masės indekso ir savo išvaizdos vertinimo, taip pat tarp kūno masės indekso ir dalyvavimo patyčiose. Didesnio kūno masės indekso mokiniai yra labiau linkę stebėti savo kūno svorio pokyčius, laikytis dietos ar kitaip vengti svorio padidėjimo. Didesnio kūno masės indekso mokiniai dažniau tampa patyčių aukomis nei mažesnio kūno masės indekso jų bendraamžiai. Detalesnė tyrimo duomenų analizė parodė, kad patiriantys patyčias mokiniai savo išvaizdą vertina prasčiausiai ir skiria jai daugiau dėmesio nei patyčiose nedalyvaujantieji. Savo išvaizdą prasčiau vertina ir tie mokiniai, kurie klasėje turi mažai arba neturi nė vieno draugo. Mažiausiai orientuoti į savo išvaizdą tie mokiniai, kurie linkę tyčiotis iš kitų vaikų.
Pagrindiniai žodžiai: patyčios, paauglys, kūno masės indeksas, kūno vaizdas, pasitenkinimas kūnu.

BODY-IMAGE AND BULLYING EXPERIENCE IN ADOLESCENTS
Indrė Padarauskaitė, Albinas Bagdonas

Summary
Bullying is a very common behaviour among adolescents, which has an effect on a child’s psychological well-being. Research has shown that there are many different ways how bullying may affect children, and usually the children that experience bullying report a lower self-esteem and body dissatisfaction. The purpose of this study was to find a relationship among bullying, gender, body mass index and self-image. The study involved 101 participants (age 15). All the participants were given a questionnaire containing two parts: one part consisted of questions about bullying experience, and appearance scales from Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire were used in the second part. The results have shown that almost half of the participants are actively involved in bullying. Most of them have reported being bullies themselves. There were twice as many girls who were victims of bullying as compared with boys. The children that are victims of bullying have less friends than those who are not involved in bullying at all. Our findings have also shown how children perceive their appearance. Girls place more importance than boys on how they look. Girls also reported dissatisfaction with their weight more often than boys did. We also found a link between the body mass index and appearance evaluation and between the body mass index and bullying. Those whose body mass index is higher are more inclined to watch their weight, diet or in any other way avoid weight gain. Those whose body mass index is higher also more often reported to be victims of bullying than those with a lower body mass index. A more detailed analysis has indicated that those who are victims of bullying more often feel unhappy about their physical appearance and are more oriented to their physical appearance than those who are not involved in bullying. The children that have less or no friends in their form also tend to feel less satisfied with their appearance. Those who are bullies themselves place least importance on how they look.
Key words: teenager, bullying, body mass index, body image, satisfaction with body.

PAAUGLIŲ KŪNO VAIZDAS IR PATYČIŲ PATIRTIS  568.25 KB

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Didėjant internetinės komunikacijos pritaikymo populiarumui, internetas tapo svarbiu socialiniu paauglių raidos kontekstu. Paskutiniais duomenimis, Lietuvoje „Facebook’o“ vartotojų yra jau daugiau kaip 1 mln., o penktadalis jų – 13–17 metų paaugliai. Naudojimosi socialiniais tinklais motyvus nagrinėję tyrėjai teigia, kad pagrindinis motyvas, skatinantis individus naudotis interneto socialiniais tinklais, yra poreikis palengvinti psichosocialines problemas, pavyzdžiui: vienišumą, tačiau nesutariama, ar internetas praplečia realaus bendravimo ribas, ar užima jo vietą, ar padeda išspręsti individo psichosocialines problemas, ar sukelia naujų problemų. Šio tyrimo tikslas – ištirti paauglių naudojimosi interneto socialiniu tinklu „Facebook“ pobūdžio sąsajas su jaučiamu vienišumu bei asmenybės bruožais.
Tyrime dalyvavo 175 paaugliai, kurie mokosi 8–10 klasėse. Tiriamųjų amžius nuo 13 iki 18 metų (M = 15,44; SD = 1,102). Tiriamieji pildė anketą apie naudojimąsi interneto socialiniu tinklu „Facebook“, ULCA vienišumo skalę (3 versija, Russell, 1996), Asmenybės bruožų klausimyną NEO-FFI (Costa and McCrae, 1992).
Tyrimo rezultatai parodė, kad „Facebook“ socialiniame tinkle yra užsiregistravę 81,1 procento tirtų paauglių, kurie tam tinklui skiria labai daug savo laiko, skelbia daug asmeninės informacijos tinklo profiliuose, nepakankamai dėmesio skirdami privatumo išsaugojimui. „Facebook’e“ paaugliai susiranda daug „draugų“, nors vyrauja santykių perkėlimas iš realybės į internetą. Tyrimas parodė, kad paauglių veikla tinkle yra dvejopo pobūdžio: socialiai aktyvi ir socialiai pasyvi. Asmenybės bruožai taip pat turi įtakos paauglių elgsenai: neurotiškų paauglių veikla „Facebook“ tinkle yra socialiai pasyvaus pobūdžio; ekstravertiškiems paaugliams neužtenka tik internetinio bendravimo, todėl jie linkę realiai susitikti su žmonėmis, su kuriais susipažino tame tinkle; paaugliai, kurių stipriai išreikštas sąmoningumo bruožas, yra neaktyvūs „Facebook’o“ naudotojai, o tarp vienišumo jausmą išgyvenančių paauglių labai išryškėjo socialiai pasyvios veiklos.
Pagrindiniai žodžiai: „Facebook“ socialinis tinklas, asmenybės bruožai, vienišumas, veikla socialiniame tinkle.

ADOLESCENT ACTIVITY VS PASSIVITY ON SOCIAL NETWORKING WEBSITES AND ITS RELATIONS WITH LONELINESS AND PERSONALITY TRAITS
Birutė Pociūtė, Erika Krancaitė

Summary
With the growing popularity of Internet communication among adolescents, the Internet has become an important social context of their development. Recent data have revealed that there are already are over 1 million Facebook users in Lithuania; one-fifth of Facebook users consists of adolescents 13–17 years old. Investigators have assumed that one of the main reasons encouraging individuals to use social network websites is to facilitate psychosocial problems such as loneliness. Scientists are discussing the Internet possibilities to extend the limits of real communication or to take its place. The aim of this investigation was to reveal the features of adolescents’ use of the social networking website Facebook and its relations with loneliness and personality traits.
The study included 175 adolescents, age 13 to 18 years (M = 15.4; SD = 1.102). They filled in a questionnaire on the use of social website Facebook, UCLA loneliness scale (version 3; Russell, 1996), the personality traits questionnaire NEO-FFI (Costa and McCrae, 1992).
The results show that 81.1% of teens are users of the social network site Facebook and spend very much time on Facebook, publishing a lot of personal information in the web profiles without paying due attention to privacy preservation. On the website, adolescents accumulate large amounts of “friends”, although relationship transfer from the reality to the Internet prevails. The study revealed two main activity types: socially proactive and socially passive. The results also show that the personality traits have an impact on teenagers’ behaviour on Facebook: neurotic teenagers’ activity on Facebook is socially passive; extraverted adolescents support the social enhance attitude, but they are not enough to communicate online and tend to actually meet people that first were met on Facebook. Teenagers with a highly expressed consciousness, in general, are not active Facebook users, and do not try to compensate their loneliness by using the social network website Facebook. Very lonely teenagers show a socially passive activity, or a passive activity dominates, or in combination with a social activity. At the time, loneliness decreases, depending on how much time per day adolescents use the Facebook website.
Key words: Social Network Site Facebook; personality traits; loneliness; activity on social Network Site.

PAAUGLIŲ AKTYVUMAS VS. PASYVUMAS INTERNETO SOCIALINIAME TINKLE „FACEBOOK“ IR SĄSAJOS SU JAUČIAMU VIENIŠUMU BEI ASMENYBĖS BRUOŽAIS  690.83 KB

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Straipsnyje pristatomi 73 asmenų prieš ortognatinę operaciją penkių kategorijų – fizinio Aš (išvaizdos, sveikatos, grožio, atvaizdo), santykių, žinių ir supratimo, profesijos, laisvalaikio – pasitikėjimo / nepasitikėjimo savimi, lyginimosi ir perfekcionistinių siekių Aš reprezentacijų duomenys, gauti pusiau struktūruoto interviu metodu. Aš reprezentacijų kategorijos išskirtos atlikus kokybinę empirinės medžiagos analizę. Lygintos tiriamųjų grupės suskirstytos remiantis objektyvia (amžius, išsilavinimas) ir subjektyvia (pagal santykių su tėvais ir patyčių patyrimą) informacija. Prieš operaciją visi tiriamieji yra susirūpinę santykiais – nepasitiki ir neigiamai lygina save su bendraamžiais, o po operacijos labiausiai tikisi atitikti dabarties patrauklios išvaizdos ir geros sveikatos standartus.
Pagrindiniai žodžiai: sąkandžio anomalijos, veido patrauklumas, pasitikėjimas savimi, savęs lyginimas, ortognatinė chirurgija.

MANIFESTATIONS OF SELF-CONFIDENCE, COMPARISONS AND PERFECTIONISTIC ASPIRATIONS BEFORE ORTHOGNATIC SURGERY
Ilona Makauskienė

Summary
An interest to psychological factors involved in malocclusion appeared thirty years ago. The most frequent aspect of research is self-evaluation. However, up to date, there is no empiric half-structured interview investigations with subjects of this group, in which manifestations of confidence, comparison and perfectionistic aspirations would be explored wider and in more detail. No studies with orthognatic subjects were conducted in Lithuania, so we hope the data of our research will help to fill this gap.
Seventy-three subjects with some kind of malocclusion were involved. The research lasted from 2006 to 2010. Self-representations were investigated by means of a half-structured interview based on self-in-relation theory. Self-representations of the past, presents and future were explored, three significant others (mother, father, and best friend) were distinguished.
A qualitative analysis of self-representations was conducted, and six categories were singled out. Self- representations of comparison were estimated considering the ideal and standards of the self, peer, father, mother or partner. The assessments were divided into positive and negative. The subjects were grouped and compared according to parents’ relationship experience, age group, education, taunting experience.
The data suggest that in subjects just before the surgery statistically significant changes occurred according to taunting experience; positive comparison representations diminished, more of statistically significant differences between the standpoints of mother and father self-representations showed up, unconfident representations increased. Based on the research results, we can predicate that the biggest risk pre-operative group comprised subjects with taunting experience and subjects with the experience of violence in the family, as these subjects expressed most negative self-representations of distrust and comparison. These subjects expressed statistically significantly more adolescent and actual distrust in mother representations. Comparison of data according to subjects’ age has revealed that subjects of the oldest group most of all seek to meet health, appearance, and profession perfectionist standards. Subjects of the youngest group most often compare themselves with standards of peers and father. Subjects aged 26–30 years after the surgery statistically significantly expect to be more satisfies with one’s own appearance. While comparing subjects according to education, appearance, self-representations of knowledge and comprehension diverged. Self- representations of confidence / distrust and perfectionistic aspirations were most expressed in adolescent and actual time spans, while manifestations of comparison were expressed in all life time spans.
Key words: malocclusion, face attractiveness, self-confidence, self-comparison, orthognatic surgery.

ASMENŲ, BESIKREIPIANČIŲ DĖL ORTOGNATINIŲ VEIDO OPERACIJŲ, PASITIKĖJIMO SAVIMI, LYGINIMOSI IR PERFEKCIONISTINIŲ SIEKIŲ AŠ REPREZENTACIJOS  685.79 KB

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Sutelktumas, pasitikėjimas komanda, patiriamas stresas bei suvoktas Aš ir kolektyvinis efektyvumas laikomi svarbiais komandų veiklos efektyvumo veiksniais. Vis dėlto nėra aišku, kokia šių veiksnių tarpusavio sąveikos kryptis ir kokia jų reikšmė prognozuojant karinių komandų veiklos efektyvumą. Apklausus 160 profesinės karo tarnybos karių, kurie priklausė 28 komandoms (skyriams), nustatyta, kad didesnis komandos sutelktumas, pasitikėjimas ja, suvoktas Aš ir kolektyvinis efektyvumas yra susiję su didesniu komandos veiklos efektyvumu. Atlikta kelių analizė parodė, jog komandos sutelktumas ir pasitikėjimas ja numato veiklos efektyvumą per tarpinį kintamąjį – suvoktą kolektyvinį efektyvumą. Suvoktas Aš efektyvumas su komandos veiklos efektyvumu taip pat susijęs ne tiesiogiai, o per suvoktą kolektyvinį efektyvumą.
Pagrindiniai žodžiai: karinės komandos, sutelktumas, pasitikėjimas komanda, suvoktas Aš ir kolektyvinis efektyvumas.

THE INTERACTION BETWEEN COHESION, TEAM TRUST, PERCEIVED SELF AND COLLECTIVE EFFICACY, STRESS AND PERFORMANCE EFFICACY IN MILITARY TEAMS
Vita Mikuličiūtė

Summary
Even though it is usually inferred that team work is associated with positive findings (higher engagement in organizational matters, higher satisfaction with work, better performance results), this is not always true. In some occasions, team work results in poor performance outcomes because of social loafing or interpersonal conflicts. Therefore, it is important to know what psychological factors of the team determine its performance. We indicate that the main factors clearly associated with performance results are team trust, cohesion, stress, perceived self- and collective efficacy. Even though a lot of empirical studies have been made, there is still a lack of information about the interaction between these variables and the way they contribute to performance results. Besides, usually short-term artificially composed teams are under the scope of researchers. That’s why the results do not fully reflect the essence of long-term teams functioning in real-life situations. In respect to the problems mentioned above, we raised the aim of this research: to investigate the interaction between performance results and team trust, cohesion, stress, perceived collective and self-efficacy in military settings. A hypothetical model in which team trust influences cohesion and the collective efficacy acts as a mediating variable between cohesion and performance results was created. The hypothetical model has also stated that self- and collective efficacy are associated with performance results not directly, but through the perceived stress.
In this research, 160 military men of professional service took part. Of them 94.4% (151) were males and 3.8% (6) females. The age of the participants ranged from 19 to 37, mean 24.6 years. The participants belonged to 28 teams (military sections) and were selected based on the information about their team functioning. Only the teams in which their members were constantly working together were included in the research. Aggregated results were used in the statistical analysis. For the purpose of the research, three questionnaires were developed: the Military Stress Questionnaire (Cronbach α = 0.92), the Questionnaire of the Perceived Military Collective Efficacy (Cronbach α = 0.93), the Questionnaire of the Perceived Military Self-efficacy (Cronbach α = 0.94). Two scales used in this research were developed by other authors: the Intrateam Trust Scale (DeJong and Elfring, 2010; Cronbach α = 0.88) and The Perceived Cohesion Scale (Bollen and Hoyle, 1990; Cronbach α = 0.85). Team performance results were based on the evaluations of the field training.
The results indicate that almost all variables of our research are intercorrelated at a statistically significant level. Performance results positively correlate with the perceived self- and collective efficacy, team trust and team cohesion. No statistically significant correlation was found between stress and performance results. Besides, a high correlation between cohesion and team trust was revealed, which indicates the multicollinearity problem between these two variables. Cohesion and team trust were united, and a hypothetical model was developed using the path analysis. It shows that cohesion and team trust influences performance results not directly: the perceived collective efficacy acts as a mediating variable. Besides, self-efficacy influences the perceived collective efficacy, and the collective efficacy influences the stress level. Several important conclusions from the obtained results could be made. First, a high collective efficacy can diminish military stress and thus act as a protective factor against the formation of PTSD and other psychopathologies. Secondly, the perceived collective efficacy is the only variable that influences the performance results directly. In order to improve the results of the team, it is important to monitor and raise the levels of collective efficacy. Thirdly, cohesion and team trust have important implications not only for the perceived team capabilities, but also for the perceived one’s own capabilities.
Key words: military teams, cohesion, team trust, perceived self and collective efficacy.

KOMANDOS SUTELKTUMO, PASITIKĖJIMO JA, SUVOKTO AŠ IR KOLEKTYVINIO EFEKTYVUMO, PATIRIAMO STRESO IR VEIKLOS EFEKTYVUMO SĄVEIKA KARINĖSE KOMANDOSE  615.97 KB

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Senėjimo problemos kontekste pažintinių gebėjimų prastėjimas tampa vis aktualesnė tema. Yra duomenų, kad APOE ɛ4 genotipas prognozuoja prastesnius pažintinius gebėjimus. Taigi, kyla poreikis išsiaiškinti, kurie pažintinių gebėjimų komponentai ir jų pokyčiai siejasi su APOE ɛ4 genotipu. Šio straipsnio tikslas – sisteminės analizės metodu apžvelgti mokslinius tyrimus, analizavusius pažintinių gebėjimų ir APOE ɛ4 genotipo sąsajas.
Ankstesnių tyrimų rezultatai atskleidžia, kad turintieji APOE ɛ4 alelį pasižymi prastesniais pažintiniais gebėjimais, palyginti su asmenimis, neturinčiais APOE ɛ4. Dauguma tyrimų įrodo, kad APOE ɛ4 genotipas susijęs su prastesne atmintimi ir vykdomosios funkcijos rezultatais. Kiek rečiau aptinkami APOE ɛ4 ir dėmesio ryšiai. O verbaliniai ir samprotavimo gebėjimai su šio geno polimorfizmu dažniausiai nesiejami. Manoma, kad APOE ɛ4 genotipas gali turėti įtakos pažintinių gebėjimų prastėjimui, tačiau lieka neaiški šio geno polimorfizmo įtaka pažintinių gebėjimų prastėjimui, pasireiškus Alzheimerio ligai.
Taigi, APOE ɛ4 genotipas gali būti rizikos veiksnys, susijęs tiek su natūraliu, tiek su patologiniu pažintinių gebėjimų prastėjimu. Tačiau tolesni APOE ɛ4 genotipo ir pažintinių gebėjimų sąsajų tyrimai yra būtimi.
Pagrindiniai žodžiai: pažintiniai gebėjimai, APOE ɛ4 genotipas.

ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS AND APOLIPOPROTEIN E Ɛ4 GENOTYPE: SYSTEMIC REVIEW
Laura Sapranavičiūtė, Abdonas Tamošiūnas

Summary
Deterioration of cognitive functions is becoming more and more important issue in context of aging. So there is the growing interest in studies looking for the risk factors of deterioration of cognitive functions. Apolipoprotein E is a plasma protein whose major function is lipids transportation. APOE ɛ4 allele of the Apolipoprotein E gene is known as a risk factor of Alzheimer disease. Previous researchers stated, that APOE ɛ4 also might be related to cognitive performance in normal aging. However results of previous studies are quit confusing: different studies established various associations between APOE ɛ4 and specific cognitive functions. Moreover, longitudinal studies failed to establish prognostic value of APOE ɛ4 genotype to different levels of cognitive functions deterioration. So the purpose of this study is to review prospective, observational, cohort studies that had researched association between APOE ɛ4 and cognitive functions using systematic analysis method.
The weight of evidence suggests that APOE ɛ4 is associated with cognitive functions in healthy adults. APOE ɛ4 carriers are likely to have lower level of cognitive functions. Associations between specific cognitive functions and APOE ɛ4 genotype are quit confusing. The most consistent finding was a negative relationship between APOE ɛ4 genotype and performance of memory and executive functioning. Presence of APOE ɛ4 and attention test results was less likely to be associated. Reasoning and verbal abilities were mostly not connected to APOE ɛ4 genotype. Associations between APOE ɛ4 and cognitive function differ in the groups of healthy adults, adults with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer disease. There were established that APOE ɛ4 is associated with cognitive functions in cognitively impaired population. People with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer disease more often tended to be APOE ɛ4 carriers in comparison with people who are not cognitively impaired. Longitudinal studies revealed different links between APOE ɛ4 and cognitive functions. Although APOE ɛ4 might be a risk factor of deterioration of cognitive functions in healthy and impaired cognitive functions groups. Yet prognostic value of APOE ɛ4 in deterioration of cognitive functions in Alzheimer population is confusing.
The current review suggests that APOE ɛ4 has an effect on cognitive functions. It might be a risk factor for deterioration of cognitive functions in healthy adults and cognitively impaired population. However further researches are needed to establish specific associations between APOE ɛ4 genotype and different cognitive functions in healthy adults and disease populations.
Keywords: cognitive functions, APOE ɛ4 genotype.

PAŽINTINIŲ GEBĖJIMŲ IR APOLIPOPROTEINO E Ɛ4 GENOTIPO SĄSAJOS: SISTEMINĖ APŽVALGA  598.45 KB

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In this essay, the advantages and disadvantages of single case and group study research design methodologies are discussed. The arguments supporting one or the other study design are introduced relying on most prominent scientific opinions in the field. The terms of single and double dissociation are introduced. Examples from relevant neuropsychological studies are provided in order to illustrate the use of case and group study methodologies for single and double dissociation. The two study designs are shown to deal with single and double dissociations in their own way and to contribute significantly to the advancement of neuropsychological sciences. It is concluded that the research design method selected should be tailored to deal with the specific problems raised by the nature of the question under research and fit in the realm of the chosen cognitive theory.

VIENETINIO IR GRUPINIO ATVEJŲ NEUROPSICHOLOGINIŲ TYRIMO PLANŲ PRANAŠUMAI IR TRŪKUMAI
Ramunė Margevičiūtė

Santrauka
Šis apžvalginis straipsnis skirtas vienetinio (single case study) ir grupinio (group study) atvejų neuropsichologinių tyrimo planų (design – schemų) pranašumams ir trūkumams analizuoti. Straipsnyje perteikiami žinomų autorių požiūriai į vienetinio ir grupinio atvejų tyrimų planus, jų pranašumus ir trūkumus, naudojant viengubo atsiejimo (single dissociation) ir dvigubo atsiejimo (double dissociation) schemas. Pateikiama vieną ar kitą tyrimo planą palaikančių klasikinių ir šiuolaikinių tyrimų pavyzdžių, kaip vienetinio ir grupinio atvejų tyrimų planai gali būti kiekvienas savitai naudojami viengubo ir dvigubo atsiejimo schemose. Apžvalgoje iliustruojama, kaip abu tyrimo planai, jei naudojami tinkamame kontekste, gali savitai prisidėti prie neuropsichologijos mokslo žinių gausinimo. Apžvalga baigiama rekomendacija tyrėjui, kad, įsigilinus į neuropsichologinių tyrimų planų pranašumus ir trūkumus, reikėtų rinktis tokią tyrimo plano kombinaciją, kuri derėtų su tyrėjo pažiūras atitinkančia kognityvia teorija ir būtų tinkamiausia atsakyti į planuojamo tyrimo klausimą.

THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF SINGLE CASE AND GROUP STUDY DESIGN IN NEUROPSYCHOLOGY  490.27 KB

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