International Journal of Educational Psychology

Gender, Age and Violence in Intimate Partner Relationships in Student Teachers

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0200

This study aims to determine the differences or similarities between the violence suffered by student teachers in their intimate partner relationships, as well as the implications for their training as teachers. The method used was cross-sectional, quantitative, non-experimental, the sample, selected from a probability sampling by clusters, was made up of 520 university students, 367 women and 153 men whose mean age was 20.5 years (SD=3.5), from the Faculties of Education Sciences of the University of Granada, Spain. As a data collection tool, we used the questionnaire on violence in young couples (VIREPA), in order to know the different forms of violence suffered by the participants according to gender and age. Regarding the differences between men and women and the pre-established age groups, it was determined that women suffered more violence in 4 of the 5 dimensions studied, although no significant differences were identified. The results show that the violence suffered by young people is to a greater extent towards women, but without discarding the bidirectional character of violence, independently of gender and age. This leads us to rethink the educational implications that this generates in their training from the approaches to education for equality.

Personality Shadows: Dark Triad Traits and Academic Major Choices Among Greek University -Students

Constantinos M. Kokkinos, Ioanna Voulgaridou, Costas N. Tsouloupas — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0200

This study examined the link between academic majors and Dark Triad personality traits in 2,387 Greek university students. Utilizing Bifactor Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling, we identified a general dark factor (D-factor) and three specific traits. Latent Profile Analysis revealed four personality clusters: self-centric personalities, ambitious manipulators, tactful manipulators, and omni-dark personalities. Self-centric personalities exhibited low D-factor levels but high narcissism, typically choosing majors like Humanities, Law, and Social Sciences that spotlight personal success. Tactful manipulators, with moderate Machiavellianism and narcissism but low psychopathy, opted for majors in Humanities, Law, Social Sciences, Economics, and Information Sciences, suitable for roles demanding influence and leadership. Ambitious manipulators displayed high Machiavellianism and narcissism with lower psychopathy, favoring competitive fields like Maths, Natural/Technological Sciences, and Health/Life Sciences, which offer opportunities for personal advancement and leadership. Omni-dark personalities scored high across all Dark Triad traits, gravitating towards majors linked with power and competitive hierarchies. The study also found a higher prevalence of omni-dark personalities among males, suggesting potential biological, social, and cultural influences. These insights inform potential interventions to support students in their educational and developmental paths.

The Interplay between Social Environment, Perceived Stress and Coping among Students: A Case of Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences

Sufyan Rashid, Flemmings Fishani Ngwira, Janet Chikoja — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0200

The social environment plays a crucial role in shaping students' learning experiences and mental well-being, ultimately impacting their academic performance. The study examined the interplay between social environment, perceived academic stress and coping strategies. The study participants were 374 undergraduate students enrolled at the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences in Blantyre, Malawi. The students completed an online self-administered questionnaire, which was designed through Google Forms, a cloud-based data management tool, and was sent through different social media channels. The collected data were computed using IBM® SPSS® Statistics version 26. Reliability tests for the scales, descriptive and inferential statistics were conducted. The results indicated that the perceived stress is generally high among the students, but they used both functional and dysfunctional strategies to cope with their stress. Further, only support from lecturers, which is a functional coping strategy, negatively predicted academic stress, and dysfunctional coping strategies, such as alcohol abuse, positively predicted academic stress. These findings highlight the importance of reinforcing effective coping mechanisms and support networks to improve students' well-being and academic achievement.