Państwo i Społeczeństwo / State and Society

Polish schools are increasingly accepting foreign students, and teaching for the purpose of cultural diversity is reshaping itself. The aim of the article is to indicate the importance of intercultural education in contemporary schools, with particular emphasis on the intercultural competences of teachers. Intercultural education becomes a helpful tool in creating an individual approach to culturally diverse students and in forming skills such as mutual cultural and religious respect, acceptance or overcoming stereotypes and prejudices. Thanks to intercultural education, there is a change in the ethnocentric attitude of students towards unfamiliar cultures. The essence of well-implemented intercultural education lies in the competence of teachers. Teachers’ intercultural competencies should be formed on the basis of knowledge and skills from various academic disciplines and sub-disciplines. These competencies should be expressed in knowledge of the issues of multiculturalism and interculturalism, as well as in an attitude of openness towards people representing a different nationality, faith and culture.

The teaching profession is associated with a high risk of professional burnout. One of the ways to counteract this phenomenon is to prepare for the profession in such a way that creates conditions for the enrichment of knowledge and development of competences that constitute a protective factor. The text describes the results of a study of pedagogy students on the topic of personalisation of the educational process with elements of tutoring. A comparison of data from two measurements is presented and also categorised by means of a content analysis method of the respondents’ statements to the open questions. The obtained results indicate a positive impact of attending the classes on the level of knowledge, skills and confidence in their abilities in the surveyed students, as well as high satisfaction with the interaction with the tutors conducting the classes.

The Krzysztof Penderecki European Center for Music is a unique, world-class national artistic institution. It is a forge of talents, which arouses interest and admiration due to its specificity and methods of working with musically gifted children, as well as with their families. The article presents the nationwide educational program of the Lusławice Talent Orchestra in relation to a child who is particularly gifted musically. The text presents the role of family’s and the closest environment’s influence on the development of a talented child. The special role of the master–student relationship is emphasized as the overriding idea of the educational process. The results of research conducted among program’s participants are presented, showing the purposefulness and quality of the program implementation.

The aim of the article is to highlight the importance of physical activity for the health, well-being, and independence of seniors in the Małopolska region. Based on the author’s own research conducted among a group of 460 seniors residing in Małopolska, concerning their physical and social activity, the study seeks to identify the main barriers limiting older adults’ engagement in physical activity as well as the role of social factors in motivating them to be active. The article also aims to emphasize the need to develop and implement initiatives that support seniors through programs and exercises adapted to their individual capabilities.

The monograph by Joanna Aksman entitled Shaping life skills of pupils in the early grades in the course of innovative art workshops Science – Art – Education on the example of experimental research is an inspiration for discussing the topic of shaping children’s life skills as an inalienable structural component of social competence. The author presents issues concerning the activities of the “Science – Art – Education” project and, as a consequence, the creative activities undertaken by its participants involving the design of programmes for shaping the life skills of children in integrated early childhood education. A discussion of the research project developed and implemented by Joanna Aksman in the form of a pedagogical experiment constitutes the content of the review.

The article presents problems related to the measurement of communication efficiency using the self-description technique. It presents a self-constructed scale – Communication Activity Scale (SAK) – consisting of 42 questions and a survey of a group of 301 people. Based on the obtained results, a short variant of this scale was developed, i.e. KASK – 10 questions. Preliminary data suggest a high psychometric value for both the long and short versions. In the summary, a list of features conducive to
correct communication is presented.

The aim of the research was to check whether mental resilience and mechanisms of existential motivation, i.e. the meaning in life, subjective freedom and sensitivity to values, have a salutogenetic significance in coronary artery disease, i.e. whether despite the presence of symptoms of the disease, they are conducive to reducing anxiety and depression.
The study included hospitalized patients diagnosed with coronary artery disease (CAD group, n = 32, M age = 72.09; SD = 8.35) and a comparison group without health problems (no-CAD group, n = 32, M age = 69.44; SD = 6.77).
Demographic and clinical data interview was used. Among the clinical data, the most important was the diagnosis of coronary artery disease, which is a criterion for distinguishing the groups: CAD and no-CAD. The following psychological questionnaires were used: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Resiliency Measurement Scale (SPP-25) and methods concerning existential motivation: Attitude to Life Questionnaire, Range of Personal Freedom Questionnaire and Sensibility to Values Questionnaire.
The CAD group scored significantly higher on anxiety and depression. In terms of mental resilience, the groups do not differ, but the sense of subjective freedom and the meaning in life are lower in people with CAD. Subjective freedom, and especially its component – the sense of the meaning of one’s own will, which can be described as internal control, is a predictor of fear. In the anxiety regression equation, coronary artery disease appears as a strong positive predictor, and internal control as a negative predictor.
In clinical practice, the result should be taken into account, according to which the sense of self-importance is reduced in people with coronary artery disease, which means that they are externally controlled, i.e. psychologically dependent on the environment. This dependence goes hand in hand with strong anxiety. A patient full of fear cannot be blamed for being a nuisance, but should be cared for and at the same time rewarded, praised for every manifestation of independence, if it takes place to the extent indicated for the patient.

In the article, contemporary progressive HIV/AIDS prevention policies are examined, with the emphasis put on the critical role of education, human rights, harm reduction, and evidence-based strategies. Modern prevention approaches are increasingly shifting towards contextual ecology, community-based knowledge, and inclusive health policies. The United Nations program UNAIDS advocates for a combination prevention strategy – an integrated model that synergizes multiple risk reduction methods to enhance overall effectiveness. Situating these developments within the framework of human rights and the broader, progressively political struggle against stigma and discrimination, a claim is made that equitable access to evidence-based knowledge, community-based experience and effective prevention tools is fundamental to achieving the ultimate goal of ending the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Homelessness is a global problem that occurs in every country, regardless of the level of GDP. The phenomenon of homelessness causes negative consequences not only on the social level, but also psychologically. Homeless people struggle with various emotional problems that go far beyond meeting basic material needs. Trauma, stress, mental health disorders and a sense of isolation are the basic psychological mechanisms that significantly affect the lives of these people.
The aim of the conducted research was to diagnose the functioning of homeless people in Poland and to present their individual life experiences. The study used the Mayring narrative interview method, the NEO-FFI Personality Inventory and the Raven Matrices Test. The research was conducted in one of the Kraków clinics specializing in providing assistance to people experiencing homelessness. The analysis showed that the main causes of homelessness include, among others, arrears in rent payments leading to eviction, unemployment, divorce, loss of a loved one and serious addictions to alcohol and other psychoactive substances. The subjects generally expressed satisfaction with the help received at the Clinic.

Burnout represents a major challenge in contemporary healthcare, with physical therapists being particularly vulnerable due to the specific demands of their profession. This narrative review examines occupational burnout among physical therapists by integrating key theoretical frameworks, empirical evidence, and profession-specific work demands. The article discusses core definitions and models of burnout, with emphasis on the Maslach and Leiter framework and the Job Demands-Resources model. It outlines the multidimensional demands of physical therapy practice – physical, emotional, cognitive, organizational, and social – and their role in the development of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced professional efficacy. Empirical evidence indicates high levels of burnout and a growing intention to leave the profession among physical therapists, posing risks to workforce stability and quality of care. The review also addresses major risk factors and protective resources, including individual and organizational determinants, as well as commonly used diagnostic instruments for burnout assessment. Overall, the findings highlight the need for a comprehensive, multilevel approach to burnout prevention and intervention, encompassing individual, team-based, organizational, and systemic strategies.