مطالب

Objective: Mental health has remained an issue that affects various age groups with different levels of outcomes. One age group that needs urgent attention is the in-school adolescents. Studies have used various predictors to explore in-school adolescents’ mental health with varied results. Therefore, this study investigated parental verbal abuse, substance use and self-esteem as predictors of mental health among in-school adolescents in Lagos, Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional survey research design was adopted while purposive and convenience sampling techniques were used to select three local government areas and 200 in-school adolescents for the study. Data were collected using General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), Hare Self-esteem Scale, Verbal Abuse Questionnaire and Substance Use Scale and analyzed using multiple regression analysis. Results: The results revealed that parental verbal abuse, substance use and self-esteem jointly predicted mental health among study participants [R2=.12, F (4,199) = 6.64, p <.05]. Also, parental verbal abuse (β = -.20, p < .05) and self-esteem (β = -.20, p < .05) independently predicted mental health among study participants. However, substance use (β = -.11, p >.05) did not independently predict mental health among study participants. Conclusion: The study concludes that parental verbal abuse, substance use and self-esteem are strong predictors of mental health among study participants. The paper recommended that in order to enhance the mental health of in-school adolescents, government and other stakeholders should advocate for the development and implementation of policies that prioritize mental health support and resources for adolescents within Lagos State and Nigeria.

 Objective: This study investigated Gender-Leadership in the ivory tower, a survey of higher education institutions in Taraba State, Nigeria.Methods: A descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. A simple random sampling method was used to select a sample size of 372 academic and non-academic staff for this study. The instrument used for the study was the Gender-Leadership Questionnaire (GLQ). Hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using a t-test.Results: The findings revealed no significant difference in the mean rating scores of women representations in leadership positions in Taraba State institutions of higher learning between academic and non-academic staff. Furthermore, the findings revealed no significant difference in the mean rating scores of underrepresentation of women in leadership positions in Taraba State institutions of higher learning between academic and non-academic staff. Women's representation in leadership positions is lopsided in favor of their male counterparts.Conclusion: Factors that contribute to women's underrepresentation in leadership positions include cognitive bias, uneven access to knowledge, opportunities and administrative responsibility, and societal privileges that favor the males among others.

     In organizational interactions and communities, professional learning communities have gained more attention from managers due to their sustainable benefits for human resources and organizations, which contribute to growth and development. This research is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-correlation based on structural equations as a method. The statistical population of the study consisted of all primary school teachers in District Two of Urmia, totaling 1,236 individuals. The sample size was determined using the Krejcie and Morgan table, resulting in a selection of 291 individuals. A cluster random sampling method was employed. Data were collected based on four questionnaires: Brown et al.'s (2005) Ethical Leadership Questionnaire, Hu et al.'s (2015) Professional Learning Communities Questionnaire, Eisenberg et al.'s (2001) Normative Commitment Questionnaire, and Jangman et al.'s (2005) Teacher Decision-Making Participation Questionnaire, with Cronbach's alpha coefficients of 0.91, 0.91, 0.87, and 0.85, respectively. The validity of these questionnaires was confirmed by experts and through SPSS analysis. Data analysis was conducted using Smart PLS 3 software. The results indicated that ethical leadership has a positive and significant impact on professional learning communities, and normative commitment plays a mediating role in the relationship between ethical leadership and professional learning communities. However, participation in decision-making does not play a moderating role in the relationship between ethical leadership and professional learning communities.

The current research aimed to investigate and identify the methods of solving the shortage of teachers and the provision and professional development of teachers. The research method used was descriptive and qualitative content analysis. The statistical population included deputy heads of departments, principals and deputy heads of schools, and researchers in this field. Fourteen people were selected as a statistical sample by snowball sampling. A semi-structured interview method was used. Based on the research findings, five key codes, nine core codes, and 54 codes were identified. In the category of policies and interventions, respectively, revision of courses, removal of non-harmful subjects and titles by 13%; in the category of human resources, reduction of the number of support and administrative forces by 15%; in the category of community interaction and cooperation, upgrading the position of the teacher in society with 37.5% and in the category of recruitment strategies, hiring elite and efficient managers at all management levels with 23% and in the category of incentives and financial support for salary reform Teachers and coordinated payment system had the highest frequency with 20%. As a result, to solve the teacher shortage problem, attention should be paid to multidimensional solutions.

Purpose: This study aims to examine the structural relationships between teacher-student interaction styles, the fulfillment of basic psychological needs, and students' social competence among female middle school students in Lahijan city. Methods and Materials: A descriptive-correlational research design was employed, involving 203 female middle school students selected through cluster random sampling from two schools in Lahijan city during the 2023-2024 academic year. Data were collected using standard questionnaires: the Teacher-Student Interaction Questionnaire by Murray and Zvoch (2011), the Basic Psychological Needs Scale by Guardia, Deci, and Ryan (2000), and the Social Competence Questionnaire by Parandin (2006). Structural equation modeling (SEM) using Smart PLS software was utilized for data analysis to explore the hypothesized relationships. Findings: The study revealed significant positive relationships between teacher-student interaction styles and the fulfillment of students' basic psychological needs. Additionally, the fulfillment of these needs significantly mediated the relationship between teacher-student interactions and students' social competence. Positive interaction styles characterized by effective communication and trust were found to directly enhance students' social competence. The structural model fit indices indicated that the proposed model adequately explained the data, highlighting the critical role of supportive teacher-student interactions in promoting social competence. Conclusion: The findings underscore the importance of teacher-student interaction styles in fulfilling students' basic psychological needs, which in turn, enhances their social competence. Effective communication, trust, and support for autonomy are pivotal in creating a