Matti Meriläinen

Internet use and addiction among Finnish Adolescents (15–19 years)

This study investigates Internet use among Finnish adolescents (n = 475) combining qualitative and quantitative research. Internet use was evaluated using the Internet Addiction Test (Young, 1998a, 1998b). The data was divided into three parts according to the test scores: normal users (14.3%), mild over-users (61.5%), and moderate or serious over-users (24.2%). The most common reason for use was having fun. While half the students reported disadvantages associated with their use, further qualitative analysis revealed that students with serious overuse did not report any harm caused by using the Internet. As disadvantages of using the Internet, students reported that it is time-consuming and causes mental, social, and physical harm and poor school attendance. Four factors of Internet addiction were found, and for two of them, a statistical difference between females and males was found.

Bullying at a university: students' experiences of bullying

This study focuses on bullying at a Finnish university. In May 2010 an e-questionnaire was sent to each university student (N = 10,551), and 27% of these students (N = 2,805) responded. According to the results, 5% of the university students had experienced either indirect public bullying or direct verbal bullying on campus. In most cases, the bully was another student, although almost as often a member of the teaching personnel was reported to be the bully. Bullied students had resolved the unpleasant situations by using either active or passive responses. One example of an active response was to interrupt studies or avoid situations in which bullying occurred. Passively, students responded by submitting to the bullies, which resulted in psychic symptoms such as weakening of capacity, motivation and self-confidence, low spirits and even depression.

Bullying and inappropriate behaviour among faculty personnel

This study focuses on the degree, nature and consequences of bullying or inappropriate behaviour among faculty personnel (n = 303) in a Finnish university. A total of 114 (38%) faculty members answered the email questionnaire. According to the results, 15% of the respondents had experienced bullying; in addition, 45% had experienced inappropriate behaviour. The person behind the bullying or inappropriate behaviour was a member of the teaching personnel (f = 26), a member of the administration staff (f = 23), a student (f = 13) or a member of the research personnel (f = 8). Bullying or inappropriate behaviour occurred during research work (f = 21), personnel meetings (f = 19), interaction situations (10), teaching (f = 7), counselling (f = 7) or during leisure time (f = 1). Factor analysis revealed three dimensions of bullying: exclusion and discrimination, person-related belittlement and professional undermining. These dimensions were consistent with the categories of the consequences of bullying or inappropriate behaviour based on open-ended answers. The consequences of bullying or inappropriate behaviour primarily have an influence at the individual level as affective disorders and as a decrease in professional self-confidence and work performance. These consequences are also temporally and communally linked to a declining working environment and further to a reduction in the profitability of the faculty.

Students' Suggestions for Eliminating Bullying at a University.

Students’ suggestions for how to eliminate bullying at universities were gathered as part of an e-questionnaire sent to each university student (N = 10,551) at a Finnish university. The suggestions (n = 2804) regarding how to address bullying at universities were divided into the following four classes: support (944), punishment (78), support and punishment (65), and no suggestions (1717). Further analysis concerning support revealed the following five categories according to Houses’ (1981) classification: instrumental/material support (n = 265), informational support (n = 263), emotional support (n = 139), and appraisal support (n = 69). In addition, there were 208 inexact suggestions regarding how to stop bullying. Analysis concerning resources for help revealed the following five categories: Finnish Students Health Service/student association/police/university priest (120), university teachers (49), other students/peer support (41) and administration (36). In this classification, there were 698 inexact suggestions. This is a sign of the difficulty in addressing bullying situations.

Theoretical Dimensions of Bullying and Inappropriate Behaviour among Faculty Members

ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to determine the features of bullying in Estonian universities. In the spring of 2014, 864 faculty members answered our e-mail questionnaire. This questionnaire was based on the Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised (NAQ-R22); eight additional items dealt with sexual harassment, cyberbullying, and work-related malpractice. Structural equation modelling was used to confirm a model composed of five first-order factors as well as a second-order model that encompassed these five first-order factors. According to these models, representative forms of bullying in Estonian universities included personal insults, work-related blame, professional understating, unreasonable work-related demands, and work-related malpractice. The Academic Bullying Inventory (ABI-10) that was developed is a reliable and valid instrument with which to measure workplace bullying in universities.

Factors affecting study-related burnout among Finnish university students: teaching-learning environment, achievement motivation and the meaning of life

This study of a large sample (n = 3035) examined relationships between study-related burnout and components of the teaching-learning environment, achievement motivation and the perceived meaning of life. The overall model, tested with structural equation modelling, revealed that the factor of the teaching-learning environment correlated with both student conceptions of perceived proper workload and achievement motivation. No direct relationship between university students’ conceptions of the teaching-learning environment and burnout was found. In addition, the relation between workload and burnout was minor. Achievement motivation mediates student perceptions of the teaching-learning environment (as well as the perceived workload and the meaning of life). This finding stresses the meaning of teachers’ daily pedagogical decisions. Those are essential for students’ positive perceptions that in turn support efficacy beliefs and increase motivation and, indirectly, well-being. This implication should be taken into account in further research concerning study-related burnout and in university teachers’ pedagogical training.

Adolescents’ internet use in relation to self-esteem and adaptability in career decision-making

ABSTRACT This study investigates Internet use in relation to self-esteem and adaptability in career decision-making among Finnish adolescents (N = 336). Decision-making and adaptability were evaluated using a questionnaire on career decision style, self-esteem was assessed with a self-esteem test, and Internet use was measured by an instrument that determines Internet addiction. In accordance with the Internet Addiction Test scores, the data were categorised into three groups: below average scores (20–39.99; n = 146; 43.5%); average scores (40–49.9; n = 113; 33.6%) and above average scores (50–100; n = 77; 22.9%). Results show that with increasing Internet use, the adolescents’ self-esteem declines, their adaptability in career decision-making process weakens and the decision-making process proceeds at a slower rate than it does for adolescents who use the Internet for less time.

Vocational Career Decision-Making of Finnish Upper Secondary School Students.

The aim of this research was to clarify the characteristics of Finnish upper secondary school students as vocational decision-makers. The focus was especially on what skills and competences were related to decision-making at different phases of the decision-making process. Altogether, 216 upper secondary school students filled in the e-questionnaire. The clustering of generic competences and dimensions of the career decision-making profiles revealed three different kinds of decision-makers: followers, cautious decision-makers, and goal-oriented decision-makers. Even though the division into clusters in relation to decision-making was mixed, characteristics of these decision-maker groups will help understanding of personal features that promote or delay adolescent vocational decision-making.

The relation between Finnish university students’ perceived level of study-related burnout, perceptions of the teaching–learning environment and perceived achievement motivation

This study examined the relation between university students’ perceived level of study-related burnout (SRB) and their perceptions of the teaching–learning environment (TLE), as well as their perceived achievement motivation (AM). The data are based on a survey of nine Finnish universities in the spring of 2009. Altogether, 3035 university students completed the online survey. Results show that the more negative the students’ perceptions concerning TLE are, the higher their level of burnout is. However, the role of AM, which includes studying abilities, study success and appreciation of studies, is even more significant for the students’ well-being. University teachers should understand the phenomenon of SRB and how teaching and overall pedagogical decisions are related to stress. If the teachers’ and students’ ways of understanding these components vary significantly, this may lead to dissatisfaction and perhaps even burnout. The students have a responsibility to improve their studying skills, which would help them cope with stress, and to find self-generated or active solutions instead of reacting passively to stressful situations and tasks.