M. Gouva

The Relationship of Basic School Skills and Psychological Characteristics in Roma

Introduction The relationship between basic educational skills andpsychological characteristics in Roma is not fully explored. Objectives This study examined the potential association amongbasic skills of reading and writing and psychopathology, shame, hostility andanxiety as trait in Romani community members. Aims To test the link between basic school skills and psychologicalcharacteristics in Roma citizenships in Greece. Methods In this study 361 Roma residents in region of Greece were participated. The sample consisted of 125 men and 236women with mean age 34 years (SD = 13, ranged 18-73)The participants completed:a) question for the recording of social-demographic characteristics a) The Symptom Checklist-90-Revised, b) The Other as Shamer Scale, c) The Experience of Shame Scale, d) The Hostility and Direction of Hostility Questionnaire, and e) The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Results One hundred thirty two out of361 Roma have the skill of reading while 131 out of those have the ability towriting. There were no statistical significant differences between the twosexes (reading p=.094 and writing p=.127) We did not found any significantassociations among the skill of reading and the psychological characteristicsthat investigated in the present study, by using general linear models (MANCOVA). Regardingskills of writing statistical significant associations were found in terms ofdepression (p=? Conclusions The analysis of Roma education related to theirpsychological profile is important, as it tries to reveal the ambivalence ofthe psychological situation in which the Gypsies may exist.

Family Environment and Quality of Life Among Graduate Students

Introduction Studies have revealed that graduate education isassociated with high risk for the development of physical and psychologicalhealth problems. Objectives This study examined the potential differences amongstudents from 6 higher education departments. Aims To investigated family environment and quality oflife of post graduate students. Methods In this study 164 post graduate students from varioushigher education departments were participated. More specifically, 61 (37.2%rate) from the Department of early & infant childhood, 36 (rate 22.0%)students from medical schools, 30 (total of 18.3%) students from nursingschools, 15 (rate 9.1%) students from school of speech 12 (rate 7.3%) studentsfrom kindergarten sections and 10 (6.1%) students from pedagogical faculties. The sample completed a)Family Environment Scale(Form R-FES) b) Short-Form Health Survey (SF- 36). Results Using one way analysis ofvariance we found statistical significant differences in terms of family conflict(F=2.665, p=0.036), total family environment (F=2.481, p=0.041), physical functioning (F=3.847, p=.006), role-physical(F=3.551, p=.009), mental health (F=3.165, p=.016) and physical component summary(F=4.305, p=.003). Multiple comparisons shownthat graduates students of early & infant childhood reported lower levelsof family conflicts, better role-physical, mental health and physical healththan graduates students of nursing schools, whereas students from medicalschools have better total family environment than graduates students of early& infant childhood. Finally graduates students of nursing schools reportedlower physical functioning than students from medical schools. Conclusions Our results may promote studies on psychological wellbeing in higher education, and may provide support for their positive psychologicalhealth care.

Perceptions of Roma People Towards Public Health System and a Classification into Homogeneous Groups Using K-means Cluster Analysis

Background The our knowledge about the attitudes of the Romatowards health system has not been fully investigated. Objectives To present theperceptions, the feelings and the beliefs of Roma people towards public healthsystem. Aims To investigate the attitudes of the Roma towards public health system Methods Participants were 361 Romani, living in the centralGreece area. The Others as Shamer Scale, Experience of Shame Scale, State/TraitAnxiety Inventory, Family Environment Scale and Symptom Check List wereadministered to collect the data along with a detailed questionnaire whichrecorded the social and economic factors that may affect the psychologicalcharacteristics studied. Perceptions and beliefs of Roma people towards publichealth facilities were recorded using the PBQ questionnaire that was designedand administered for first time in this study. Results Feelings of abandonment and social discriminationcorresponded to higher scores of shame. The inability to understand medicalinstructions, the feeling of being different and the need to surrounded byrelatives while in the hospital are correlated with psychopathology and shameindexes whereas strong family structure corresponds to improved perceptionstowards public health system. As an attempt to classify the respondents inhomogeneous groups towards their responses in PBQ questionnaire we appliedcluster analysis and a three group solution is proposed. Lack of education andharder living condition characterize the cluster with the most negativefeelings towards public health system. Conclusions . The results ofthis paper may be useful in policy makers and persons looking to create interventionsin this minority.