Bullying, maltreatment and uncivil faculty member behaviors at universities

Objective: Bullying and uncivil behaviors frequently happen in higher education lecture halls. This study aimed at exploring college students bullying incidents and mistreatments by faculty members, witnesses, and the type of bullying, where bullying and exploitations mostly happen. Method: A total 2646 (1493 female & 1185 male) students from a mid-size state university studying at every accessible department voluntarily participated to fill out a survey. A survey instrument and a social demographic information form is used to collect data. A chi-square test and several descriptive statistics were run to analyze the data. Results: Results revealed that 10 % of student were threatened being graded lower or being failed, 21 % stated that they did not believe in fair investigation even when they could complain to the relevant authorities in the university. Among them, 31 % of the students witnessed a faculty member threatening students' in an uncivil manner. Male faculty members were 4 times more likely to bully student or act uncivil behaviors than female faculty members. Assistant professor or younger faculty members tend to behave more negatively than higher ranking or older professors. Conclusions: Most of the incidents happen during the class. Results show that bullying is a universal phenomenon and it appears in every level and field of education. Even though there are cultural and departmental differences, and department-specific misbehaviors, it is still common in every level of education in every culture.

Objetivo: Este estudio tuvo como objetivo explorar los incidentes de intimidación y maltrato de estudiantes universitarios por parte de miembros de la facultad, testigos, el tipo de hostigamiento, dónde se producen principalmente los acosos y los maltratos, cómo se han enfrentado a estos hechos, cómo han resuelto el incidente, las razones del hostigamiento y los malos tratos, frecuencia de los mismos, el tipo observado de bullying y similitudes culturales. Diferencias en los comportamientos de bullying y características de los miembros de la facultad que realizan el bullying. Metodología: Un total de 2646 estudiantes de una universidad estatal de un tamaño mediano que estudiaban en las distintas facultades de la universidad seleccionada. Participaron voluntariamente para realizar una encuesta impulsada por el concepto de intimidación de Olweus. Resultados: Los resultados revelaron que el 10 % de los estudiantes fueron amenazados con una calificación inferior o reprobada, el 21 % dijo que no creía en una investigación justa, incluso si podían presentar una queja ante las autoridades pertinentes de la universidad. Solo el 5 % de los estudiantes mencionó haber presentado una queja verbal informal. El 18 % informó que el acoso era muy importante y muy estresante para ellos. Entre estos, el 31 % de los estudiantes fue testigo de la amenaza de un miembro de la facultad a los estudiantes de una manera poco correcta. Los varones de la facultad eran 4 veces más propensos que los miembros femeninos de la misma a intimidar a los estudiantes, o comportarse de manera no cívica. El profesor asistente o los miembros más jóvenes de la facultad tienden a comportarse de manera más negativa que los profesores de mayor rango o más antiguos. Parece que la mayoría de los incidentes ocurren durante la clase (11 %) o antes de que comience la misma (1,6 %). Conclusiones: Los resultados muestran que el acoso académico es un fenómeno universal y aparece en todos los niveles de la educación. A pesar de que existen diferencias culturales y departamentales, el acoso todavía es común en todos los niveles de educación de todas las culturas. El bullying tiene consecuencias negativas en los estudiantes; afecta perniciosamente su salud mental, integración escolar y logros académicos. Por lo tanto, los responsables de la administración escolar deben establecer pautas claras para las relaciones entre el profesorado y los estudiantes; y proporcionar ayuda de asesoramiento y acompañamiento para quienes lo necesiten.

Associated factors of professional burnout among faculty members of graduate stricto sensu programs in language teaching and linguistics: a cross-sectional study

Abstract BACKGROUND: The burnout syndrome can be avoided and/or have its signs and symptoms reduced by knowing the five associated factors that help identify the health and working conditions of the professors of graduate programs. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the factors associated with burnout among faculty members of graduate stricto sensu programs. DESIGN AND SETTING: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 585 faculty members of Graduate Programs in Language Teaching and Linguistics in Brazil. METHODS: Data were collected through an online questionnaire. The outcomes were the dimensions of burnout and its related factors identified through multiple templates of logistic regression. RESULTS: Faculty members with increased chances of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization mentioned the use of medications due to labor activities. The negative influence of pace and intensity of work, thoughts about quitting the program, and having to produce three or more scientific articles were associated with higher chances of emotional exhaustion, while having to achieve nine hours per week in undergraduate programs was related to reduced personal accomplishment. Having a conjugal relationship, satisfaction with health and work, post-doctoral degree, autonomy, and good interpersonal relationships with faculty members of the program reduced the chances of emotional exhaustion. Reduced chances of depersonalization occurred among those who were satisfied with work, had good interpersonal relationships with advisees and faculty members, and received productivity funding. CONCLUSION: Sociodemographic, health, and occupational factors related to the dimensions of burnout were identified.

Bem-estar subjetivo e comprometimento com a carreira: examinando suas relações entre professores de Ensino Superior / Subjective well-being and compromise with the faculty career: examining their relations

As mudanças pelas quais o ensino superior enfrenta no Brasil acontecem em compasso com aquelas ocorridas no cenário mais amplo do mundo do trabalho, salientando a ocupação de professor universitário como unidade de análise relevante para as investigações na área da psicologia organizacional e do trabalho. Os estudos sobre comprometimento no trabalho destacam a relação com a carreira como um foco cada vez mais significativo na vida das pessoas, cujos ambientes de trabalho estão cada vez mais incertos e mutantes. Esta pesquisa buscou examinar as associações entre o comprometimento com a carreira e o bem-estar subjetivo, em professores universitários. Realizou-se para tanto estudo transversal e quantitativo, através de questionários fechados auto-aplicáveis respondidos por 551 professores de todo o território nacional. Os principais resultados indicam altos níveis de comprometimento com a carreira, assim como a correlação positiva e significativa entre o comprometimento e o bem-estar subjetivo dos professores, confirmando as tendências apontadas na literatura internacional e ampliando o leque de associações entre o comprometimento e variáveis extra-trabalho. Estudos intensivos e qualitativos são recomendados a fim de que os significados destes vínculos indiquem as formas pelas quais as duas variáveis estão inter-relacionadas.

The changes faced by the university education in Brazil take place simultaneously with those occurred on a broader view in the world of work, especially regarding the occupation of faculty members as units of important analysis for investigations in the arena of organizational and work psychology. Studies addressing compromise with work highlight the relation with the career as a focus of continuous growing significance in the lives of individuals, which work environments are becoming increasingly uncertain and mutant. This objective of this study was to examine the associations between compromise with career and subjective well-being among faculty members. For such purpose the author carried out a quantitative cross survey using self-applicable closed-type questionnaires responded by 551 teachers throughout the national territory. The main results include the high level of compromise with the career, as well as a positive and significant correlation between the compromise and the subjective well-being of faculty members, thus confirming the trends reported by the international literature and broadening the possibilities of associations between the compromise and non-work variables. Intensive and qualitative studies are recommended in order to understand the meaning of these associations and how those two variables are correlated.

Health problems awareness during travel among faculty members of a large university in Latin America: preliminary report / Preocupação com problemas de saúde durante viagens em professores de uma grande universidade na América Latina: descrição preliminar

Health safety during trips is based on previous counseling, vaccination and prevention of infections, previous diseases or specific problems related to the destination. Our aim was to assess two aspects, incidence of health problems related to travel and the traveler's awareness of health safety. To this end we phone-interviewed faculty members of a large public University, randomly selected from humanities, engineering and health schools. Out of 520 attempts, we were able to contact 67 (12.9%) and 46 (68.6%) agreed to participate in the study. There was a large male proportion (37/44, 84.1%), mature adults mostly in their forties and fifties (32/44, 72.7%), all of them with higher education, as you would expect of faculty members. Most described themselves as being sedentary or as taking occasional exercise, with only 15.9% (7/44) taking regular exercise. Preexisting diseases were reported by 15 travelers. Most trips lasted usually one week or less. Duration of the travel was related to the destination, with (12h) or longer trips being taken by 68.2% (30/44) of travelers, and the others taking shorter (3h) domestic trips. Most travelling was made by air (41/44) and only 31.8% (14/44) of the trips were motivated by leisure. Field research trips were not reported. Specific health counseling previous to travel was reported only by two (4.5%). Twenty seven of them (61.4%) reported updated immunization, but 11/30 reported unchecked immunizations. 30% (9/30) reported travel without any health insurance coverage. As a whole group, 6 (13.6%) travelers reported at least one health problem attributed to the trip. All of them were males travelling abroad. Five presented respiratory infections, such as influenza and common cold, one neurological, one orthopedic, one social and one hypertension. There were no gender differences regarding age groups, destination, type of transport, previous health counseling, leisure travel motivation or pre-existing diseases. Interestingly, the two cases of previous health counseling were made by domestic travelers. Our data clearly shows that despite a significant number of travel related health problems, these highly educated faculty members, had a low awareness of those risks, and a significant number of travels are made without prior counseling or health insurance. A counseling program conducted by a tourism and health professional must be implemented for faculty members in order to increase the awareness of travel related health problems.

A segurança sanitária em viagens é baseada no aconselhamento, vacinação e orientação do viajante para a prevenção de doenças em viagens, genéricas ou específicas de seu destino. Visando avaliar a preocupação, providências preventivas e problemas relativos à saúde e à prevenção de doenças, entrevistamos professores universitários de uma grande universidade pública, distribuídos aleatoriamente entre as áreas de Exatas, Humanidades e da Saúde, selecionados por interesse e por relato de problemas de saúde em viagens no ano antecedente à pesquisa. Após amostragem e sorteio, foram tentadas 520 entrevistas por telefone, sendo encontrados 67 (12,9%) docentes e 46 (68,6%) concordaram com a entrevista, sendo que dois foram excluídos por ausência de viagem no ultimo ano. Esta amostragem tinha predominância de homens (37/44, 84,1%), entre os 40 e 50 anos de idade (32/44, 72,7%) todos com educação superior como esperado. A maioria era sedentária ou referia exercício ocasional, com apenas 15,9% (7/44) informando exercício regular. Doenças pré-existentes foram referidas por 15 viajantes. A maioria das viagens durou uma semana ou menos no destino. A duração da viagem estava relacionada ao destino sendo que viagens com mais de 12 h eram sempre relacionadas a destinos no exterior, 68,2% (30/44) das viagens, sendo mais rápidas (< 3h ) as viagens domésticas. A maioria das viagens foi aérea (41/44) e o lazer motivou 31,8% (14/44) delas. Aconselhamento de saúde anterior à viagem foi descrito apenas por 2 (4,5%) e a maioria (61,4% ou 27/44) referia vacinação embora 11/30 apenas descrevia vacinação não atualizada. 30% (9/30) viajaram sem nenhum tipo de seguro de saúde. Como um grupo total, seis homens (13,6%) viajando ao exterior apresentaram pelo menos um problema de saúde atribuído à viagem. Cinco apresentaram problemas respiratórios, como influenza ou resfriado, sendo que ocorreram problemas neurológicos, ortopédicos, de hipertensão em viajantes isolados, com um caso de problema de crime. Não houve diferenças quanto ao gênero ou grupo etário, destinos ou tipo de transporte, aconselhamento prévio, motivação da viagem, ou doenças preexistentes. É interessante notar que os dois aconselhamentos prévios foram feitos apenas para viagens de destinos nacionais. Nossos dados mostram que há problemas de saúde em viagens em um número significante de viajantes altamente educados, apesar da pequena amostra, e eles têm despreocupação com saúde, com número significante de viagens sem aconselhamento prévio ou seguro de saúde. Sugere-se a implantação de um programa de aconselhamento para segurança quanto aos problemas de saúde em viagens.

Percepciones conocimientos actitudes: sobre el tabaco y su uso: en docentes y empleados de una escuela de ciencias de la salud / Insights knowledge and attitudes: on tobacco and in use: in a teaching staff and employees of a school of health sciences

Se espera que las Escuelas de Ciencias de la Salud contribuyan, más intensamente, en el control de la epidemia del tabaquismo. Este estudio investigó sobre el consumo de tabaco en docentes y empleados del Decanato de Medicina de la Universidad Centroccidental Lisandro Alvarado, Barquisimeto, Venezuela. Fue un estudio transversal, aplicando una encuesta autoadministrada, anónima, exploró la prevalencia de tabaquismo, percepciones, conocimientos y actitudes, acerca del tabaquismo y sus efectos sobre la salud. Todo el personal fue invitado a participar. Los resultados se presentan en porcentajes y odd ratio (IC:95 por ciento). 63,5 por ciento de las encuestas distribuidas, fueron respondidas, (68,5 por ciento docentes y 31,5 por ciento empleados). La edad promedio fue 45,6 años en docentes y 37,9 años en el otro grupo. 50,7 por ciento de los docentes fueron mujeres y 53,8 por ciento en los empleados. La tasa de fumadores fue en los docentes 8 por ciento y en los empleados 19,8 por ciento. Intentaron dejar de fumar 73 por ciento y 54,5 por ciento respectivamente. Los factores más importantes para consumir tabaco fueron: fumar en casa sin problema, percepción de que a la familia no le importa si el o ella fuma, tener amigos o pareja que fumen y la percepción de que fumar da sensación de relax e imagen sensual positiva. El estudio aporta evidencias importantes para el diseño y evaluación de programas de promoción de salud para la comunidad universitaria. Este estudio puede considerarse un paso inicial hacia un sistema de vigilancia epidemiológica en tabaquismo.

Schools of health science are expected to contribute to a greaten extent in the process of curbing the tobacco epidemic. This study explores issues concerning tobacco among faculty members and employees at the Lisandro Alvarado School of Medicine (LA-SM) in Barquisimeto-Lara State, Venezuela. This is a crooss sectional self-administrated anonymous survey that explores prevalence of: Tobacco use, attitudes, beliefs, knowledge about tobacco use and how tobacco affects health. All faculty members and employees were invited to participate, only 63.5% answered. Results are showing in percentages and odds ratio (OR-95% CL). Participation: 68.5% faculty members and 31.5% of employees of the universe, mean age: 45.6 faculty members; employees 37.9%. Female gender: 50.7% faculty members and 53.8% employees. Current smokers: 8% faculty members and 19.8% employees. Ever attempted to quit: 71.4% faculty members; 62.5% employees. Desire to quit: 73% faculty members and 54.5% employees. The most important factors associated with CM: being abble to smoke at home without trouble, perception that the family doesn't care if he/she smokes, having friends or lover that smokes and having a positive sociological perception of smoking (feeling of "relax") but also; pleasure, anhance of sensual positive self-imaging. The results of this study provide the pertaining evidence for the desing and evaluation of health promotion programs targeted this university community. This should see as the first step toward and epidemiological surveillance system.

Speculation on the Continuing Education for the Faculty Members of Medicine in the New Era / 中华医学教育探索杂志

To push up the quantity of faculty member in higher medical education,and acclimatize them to the social economic development of 21st century,the significance,instructions,contents,approaches and administrations of continuing education for medical faculty members are discussed.The re-education for medical faculty members should be based on the motivation of activity and spontaneity,and the goal of continuing education should be high quantity,differentiated standard and individuation.