Kristina Žardeckaitė-Matulaitienė

Pradedančiųjų vairuotojų psichologinės charakteristikos ir jų svarba kelių eismo taisyklių pažeidimams : mokslo studija

The study was funded by the grant from the Research Council of Lithuania (grant No. GER-005/2015). EISBN 978-609-467-337-5

Difficulties in emotion regulation and risky driving among Lithuanian drivers

ABSTRACT Background: Risky driving is a common cause of traffic accidents and injuries. However, there is no clear evidence of how difficulties in emotion regulation contribute to risky driving behavior, particularly in small post-Soviet countries. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between difficulties in emotion regulation and self-reported risky driving behavior in a sample of Lithuanian drivers. Methods: A total of 246 nonprofessional Lithuanian drivers participated in a cross-sectional survey. Difficulties in emotion regulation were assessed using the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS; Gratz and Roemer 2004), and risky driving behavior was assessed using the Manchester Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ; Lajunen et al. 2004). Results: Males scored higher than females in aggressive violations and ordinary violations. Females scored higher for the nonacceptance of emotional responses, whereas males had more difficulties with emotional awareness than females. More difficulties in emotion regulation were positively correlated with driving errors, lapses, aggressive violations, and ordinary violations for both males and females. Structural equation modeling showed that difficulties in emotion regulation explained aggressive and ordinary violations more clearly than lapses and errors. When controlling for interactions among the distinct regulation difficulties, difficulties with impulse control and difficulties engaging in goal-directed behavior predicted risky driving. Furthermore, nonacceptance of emotional responses and limited access to emotion regulation strategies were related to less violations and more driving errors. Conclusion: Emotion regulation difficulties were associated with the self-reported risky driving behaviors of Lithuanian drivers. This provides useful hints for improving driver training programs in order to prevent traffic injuries.

Are Acculturation Strategies and Perceived Social Justice Important for Work – Life Balance of Immigrants? The Case of Immigrants from Lithuania

The study aimed to investigate the extent to which Lithuanian immigrants experience work – life conflict, taking into consideration different life domains, and to test how acculturation strategies and perceived social justice predict different types of work – non-work conflict. 503 Lithuanian immigrants (76% females; mean age 32.28 years; length of immigration 5.24 years) working in different European countries participated in this study. They completed the self-report online questionnaire that included Work Spillover into Family Life scale, Acculturative Behaviour scale, Perceived Social Justice scale, and socio demographic questions. The results showed that work – home management conflict significantly dominated over a work – leisure conflict in the group of working immigrants, and only those Lithuanian immigrants who have children reported higher work – parent conflict compared to other types of work – non-work conflict. Higher assimilation level predicted lower work – leisure and lower work – home management conflict while higher integration level was related to higher work – home management conflict. Higher scores of Perceived Social Justice scale were related to lower work – non-work life conflict.