Vol. 11 No. 2 (2024)

This study focused on the field of imagination and creativity in the classroom by proposing a creative learning experience to a group of 92 fine arts students. Following a theoretical reflection on strategies of unpredictability in artistic creation, participants were asked to develop an artistic project in which chance intervened at some point in the creative process. Our objective was to evaluate the influence of image control, creative thinking, and creative experiences on the realization of an artistic project. Two expert judges measured the originality, the elaboration, and the total score of each project. The results demonstrated the importance of mental imagery and creative thinking in artistic creation. Image control and creative thinking influenced the originality of the project. It can be interesting to develop creative learning experiences that involve imagination and creative thinking in the classroom. In addition, future research work is proposed.

This study explores the perceptions of formerly institutionalized adults in Portugal regarding the challenges they faced after leaving residential care. It aims to understand the feelings experienced upon leaving the institution; to infer the facilitating and inhibiting factors of post-institutionalization transition, and to outline proposals for improving support during this transition. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 adults aged 24 to 39. The first and second-order categories were identified within three thematic axes. Results highlighted that the cessation of care was essentially remembered with negative feelings. Facilitating factors included academic commitment, social support, having or going to start a professional activity, and the transition to an independent living apartment emerged as facilitating factors. Poor functional skills, economic struggles, limited reality understanding, lack of formal support during the transition out of institutions, and social stigma emerged as inhibiting factors. Multiple personal and contextual factors influenced coping with transition challenges, emphasizing the need for qualified support and investment in promoting autonomy and self-confidence.

Instruments that assess the interactions between parental practices and behaviors together are rare, but the RE-HSE-P offers these capabilities. This study aimed to expand on the psychometric properties of the RE-HSE-P with two main objectives: (1) To verify the internal validity and consistency of the RE-HSE-P through confirmatory factor analysis, focusing on the internal structure of the original model defined by exploratory factor analysis with two factors—positive and negative—concerning the interactions between parental practices and behaviors; and (2) To assess the instrument’s discriminative validity across two age groups, children (preschoolers and schoolchildren) and adolescents, by referencing percentile distributions that identify interaction patterns in parental practices and behaviors. Participants were 360 parents/caregivers of boys and girls, aged between 4 and 16 years, who responded to instruments assessed on educational practices and children's behaviors. Confirmatory factor analysis was carried out, taking as reference the indices of structural equation models and the parameters of a good fit; for internal consistency, Cronbach's alpha was calculated and percentiles by groups were used to estimate cutoff points for risk/non-risk interactions. The results indicated good psychometric indicators, confirming the two-factor structure (Total Positive and Total Negative). The RE-HSE-P can be used for tracking risk/non-risk family interactions of parents/caregivers with children and adolescents and can help promote preventive and remedial interventions.

This study presents the translation and initial validation of the Sexual Prejudice in Sport Scale (SPSS) for use in Brazil and Portugal. The scale includes 19 items and is organized into 3 subscales: Open Rejection, Denial of Visibility, and Gender Performance. The participants were 618 university student athletes (348 Brazilian and 270 Portuguese), who completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the SPSS, and the Multidimensional Scale of Attitudes towards Lesbians and Gays (MSATLG). Confirmatory factor analyses, reliability tests, convergent and discriminant validity tests, and an assessment of invariance between countries were conducted. The Open Rejection and Gender Performance subscales showed adequate psychometric properties in both countries. However, the Denial of Visibility subscale demonstrated issues with discriminant validity, particularly in the Brazilian sample. Correlations with the MSATLG provided evidence of satisfactory convergent validity. Significant differences in levels of prejudice were observed between countries, with higher scores in Portugal. It is concluded that there is preliminary positive evidence regarding the psychometric qualities of the SPSS, particularly in Portugal.

A didactic approach using high-quality film material, specifically 12 Angry Men (1957), was introduced in a university social psychology course (N = 146) in Cartagena de Indias (Colombia). The study aimed to determine if viewing this classic film would enhance academic outcomes and student satisfaction, and reduce dropout rates. This objective was addressed through a comparison of natural class (two classrooms per semester) over one and a half years. Initially, all students took a film comprehension and interpretation assessment along with a knowledge test (pre-test). In smaller classrooms, traditional lectures were conducted (control group), while in larger classrooms, the course was taught using the film (experimental group). At the end of the intervention, academic scores and a mixed-method satisfaction survey (post-test) were recorded. Results across three semesters showed that students exposed to the film: (1) exhibited lower dropout rates, and (2) provided more positive qualitative feedback. (In addition, they obtained better academic grades and higher satisfaction scores, although the differences were not statistically significant. Despite the limitations of the quantitative data, the results support the continued use of high quality film material in the Colombian university setting to illustrate social psychology concepts.

This research examines how teachers‘ creativity-fostering behaviours and emotional intelligence can predict their students’ performance in circular geometry. The study was guided by two research questions and two hypotheses, and the research methodology employed was that of a survey. The starting population consisted of a total of 2056 people, and a multi-stage sampling procedure was used to draw a sample of 384 respondents, female and male: 336 students aged 15-19 and 48 teachers aged 35-58. The Teacher Creativity Fostering Scale (TCFBS), the Teacher Emotional Intelligence Scale (TEIS) and the Circular Geometry Performance Test (CGPT) were used to obtain the research data. For the statistical analysis of the data, correlations and analysis of variance were carried out. Teacher creativity-enhancing behaviours were found to predict 58% of student performance in circular geometry, while teachers' emotional intelligence explained 41%. These findings highlight the importance of fostering creative problem-solving strategies and designing tasks tailored to students' individual strengths.

There is a paucity of research on university dropout that examines mental health and university adjustment together. While university adjustment is identified as a key variable in both classic and contemporary models of dropout, mental health has received less attention in the scientific literature. However, high levels of stress, anxiety and depression have been reported among university students, which may have an impact on academic success. The present research aims to investigate the relationship between the intention to drop out of university and mental health, as measured by stress, anxiety and depression, as well as to examine the moderating effect of adjustment. A sample of 581 Spanish university students (female and male) was selected, and contingency tables and simple slope analyses were conducted with the SPSS and Jamovi statistical packages. The results indicate elevated that over 20 % of the student sample reported severe symptoms of stress, anxiety, and/or depression, with students intending to drop out exhibiting elevated levels of these symptoms. Furthermore, the results indicate that a positive moderating effect of adjustment is present, whereby lower levels of adjustment are associated with a greater influence of stress, anxiety and depression on the intention to drop out. These findings underscore the considerable distress experienced by students and the protective role of university adjustment. Therefore, it is recommended that programmes be developed to facilitate university adjustment, enhance academic success and reduce the number of students who leave university early.

Parental burnout is a physical and psychological state of exhaustion characterized by overwhelming fatigue caused by daily caregiving activities. It can lead to negligent and even violent behaviors, acting as a risk factor for children's development. This study aimed to examine the relationships between parental burnout, parental monitoring, and children's behavioral and social skills. A quantitative, cross-sectional study was conducted with 108 caregivers and their children aged 6 to 10. Data were collected using the Parental Burnout Inventory, the Social Skills Rating System and the Parental Monitoring Questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis were carried out, with the help of JASP software. Results revealed significant signs of parental burnout, especially in the exhaustion dimension. Caregivers reported their children having medium-to-high levels of social skills but also exhibiting behavioral problems, particularly externalizing behaviors. These findings highlight the importance of preventive interventions aimed at reducing parental exhaustion and promoting positive caregiving practices. Such initiatives could enhance children’s social skills and mitigate behavioral problems, contributing to improved family dynamics.

This article develops the concept of boniteza, inspired by the theories of the great intellectual Paulo Freire, to argue how the aesthetic experience is produced in art and education. Boniteza is the beauty of the things we see, observe and feel, but from a profound relationship between its ethics and aesthetics. In an attempt to demonstrate this relationship, an analysis was made of the aesthetic experience present in contemporary art and in everyday objects and how it interferes with people's cognition. To justify this thesis, a scoping review methodology is developed to expose the advances from neuroaesthetics. Several scientific studies were analysed and selected that explain, significantly, how aesthetic experiences are produced from the visual arts, performance, painting, music or photography, among other disciplines. In conclusion, a new scientific field in art education is opened to explore new lines of research on the aesthetic experience from the neurohumanities.

The book 13 Perspectives on Leadership by Aurelio Villa Sánchez provides a comprehensive analysis of various theories and approaches to leadership in organizational and educational contexts. Throughout its thirteen chapters, the author and his collaborators explore topics such as emotional, resilient, ethical, and servant leadership, emphasizing the importance of a leader's adaptability to different environments. The work includes perspectives on the emerging role of artificial intelligence in leadership, as well as the significance of strength-based leadership and the inclusion of women in leadership roles. The book effectively combines theory and practice, offering valuable tools for aspiring leaders and professionals aiming to enhance their leadership competencies in a contemporary setting.