Constantinos Kokkinos | Democritus University of Thrace (original) (raw)

Papers by Constantinos Kokkinos

Scientia paedagogica experimentalis, 2007

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Journal of Health Psychology, 2010

The construct of coping has received increasing attention over the past years in relation to psyc... more The construct of coping has received increasing attention over the past years in relation to psychological and physical health, yet its dimensional and conceptual understanding is not consistent across theoretical models. The present study investigates the dimensionality of coping in a sample of 1127 Greek-speaking adults using the Brief-COPE. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed a structure comprised of eight factors, four of which were broader, and included active/positive, avoidant, support seeking and negative emotional approaches. Results indicated adequate psychometric characteristics for the Greek translation of the Brief-COPE for this population. Associations between coping strategies with gender, education, and psychological symptomatology are also discussed.

Personality and Individual Differences, 2004

The five-factor inventory (FFI) is a commonly used personality test based on the NEO-personality ... more The five-factor inventory (FFI) is a commonly used personality test based on the NEO-personality inventory revised. It has been translated into several languages and validated in a number of countries. Using a sample of 1204 individuals, the present study evaluates the psychometric properties and factor structure of the Greek FFI and provides normative information for its use with Greek populations. Convergent validity is also assessed by studying the relationship between the five scales of the FFI and the Brief Symptom Inventory. Results show that although the factor scales had acceptable internal consistency, they were highly intercorrelated. Exploratory factor analyses failed to reproduce the appropriate factor structure, yielding instead numerous fragments of the five dimensions. Confirmatory factor analyses also failed to lend support to the five factor model of personality as measured by this instrument. Based on these results, the use of the instrument is recommended only with serious caution in this cultural context. Further research ought to decipher whether the failures to reproduce the five factor model using the FFI in this and other cultures represents a challenge to the universality of the theory, or merely a shortcoming of the specific instrument.

Learning Environments Research, 2009

The present study investigated the psychometric properties of a Greek translation of the Question... more The present study investigated the psychometric properties of a Greek translation of the Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction Primary (G-QTIP). A sample of 273 primary school students from 17 Grade 5 and 6 classes in Cyprus public schools, as well as their teachers, participated in the study. Students completed a self-report questionnaire consisting of demographic questions and the G-QTIP. Teachers also rated students' academic achievement in language and mathematics. The study also investigated the effects of students' demographics and academic achievement on their perceptions. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the a priori structure of the instrument, but with a reduced number of items and with the removal of the Uncertain scale. In general, the G-QTIP is valid and reliable for use in Greek-speaking contexts.

Psychology in the Schools, 2005

The purpose of this study was to assess whether burnout and personality were linked to the percei... more The purpose of this study was to assess whether burnout and personality were linked to the perceived severity of 24 undesirable student behaviors among experienced and trainee teachers. Results indicated that teaching experience, student gender, and type of behavior were important determinants of their perceptions. Burnout had a significant effect on the severity ratings of antisocial and oppositional/defiant behaviors, suggesting that the more stressed teachers are, the less tolerant they become of such challenging and aversive behaviors. With regard to personality, severity ratings of students' undesirable behaviors were associated with high levels of conscientiousness and neuroticism. Findings indicate that burnout and personality provide a lens through which teachers appraise the severity of students' behaviors.

Stress and health, 2006

... Comparison of the fit indexes of the models tested suggested that the three factor model was ... more ... Comparison of the fit indexes of the models tested suggested that the three factor model was superior over the alternative ... The present study examined the psychometric properties and factor structure of the MBI-ES among primary and secondary school teachers in Cyprus. ...

Social Psychology of Education, 2012

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between bullying, victimization ... more The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between bullying, victimization and a number of social-emotional variables such as trait emotional intelligence, empathy and self-efficacy in 206 elementary school 6th graders in Greece. Results indicated that boys reported significantly more direct and indirect bullying behaviors than girls, and higher victimization. Bullying was negatively correlated with overall self-efficacy and its academic component, trait emotional intelligence, empathy and its cognitive component, while victimization was negatively correlated with overall self-efficacy and its three dimensions, trait emotional intelligence, affective and cognitive empathy. Gender, trait emotional intelligence, and cognitive empathy significantly predicted bullying, whereas victimization was predicted by gender, trait emotional intelligence and affective empathy.

Personality and Individual Differences, 2006

This study examined the psychometric properties and factor structure of the Greek Self-Consciousn... more This study examined the psychometric properties and factor structure of the Greek Self-Consciousness Scale (SCS), and investigated the role of self-consciousness (SC), and personality in psychological distress. Factor analytic results partially supported the factor structure of the SCS. Self-consciousness, particularly the Self-reflectiveness aspect of private-SC, was widely implicated in psychological symptomatology. Neuroticism may exacerbate this association, whereas other aspects of personality, such as Openness and Extraversion may buffer the role of SC in distress.

Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 2010

This study aimed to investigate the validity of the Eysenckian personality dimensions in 1,368 ch... more This study aimed to investigate the validity of the Eysenckian personality dimensions in 1,368 children and adolescents who completed the Greek Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Junior (EPQ-J). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were employed. Controversial issues regarding the Lie and Psychoticism scales were also investigated. Finally, the predictive validity of the EPQ-J was assessed using Goodman's Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analytic results supported the four-factor structure of the scale. Results provide support for the appropriateness of the EPQ-J with Greek speaking samples and add to the international literature regarding the threefactor model of personality in children and adolescents.

British Educational Research Journal, 2011

The Model of Interpersonal Teacher Behaviour (MITB) provides a widely acclaimed framework for stu... more The Model of Interpersonal Teacher Behaviour (MITB) provides a widely acclaimed framework for studying the student-teacher interaction. However, the consistently weak psychometric properties of the instruments designed to measure the MITB in educational contexts other than the ones for which the MITB was originally developed, indicate the need for scrutinised crosscultural adaptation procedures. The present study examined the cross-cultural validity of the MITB within the Greek elementary education context. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 6 teachers and 24 students. Interviews were analysed using the method of qualitative content analysis. The findings corroborated the validity of the MITB and indicated slight repetitive patterns of differentiation in the conceptualisation of the MITB by both Greek elementary students and teachers. Ó 2011 British Educational Research Association http://dx.

Educational Psychology, 2009

Journal of Adolescence, 2011

The present study examined the role of adolescents' self-esteem and perceptions of family and cla... more The present study examined the role of adolescents' self-esteem and perceptions of family and classroom contexts on their domain specific self-perceptions. 345 Greek junior high school adolescents aged 14-16 completed measures of domain specific self-perceptions, self-esteem, parenting styles and classroom climate. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that both family and classroom contexts predicted students' self-perceptions, after students' demographics, academic achievement and self-esteem were controlled for. However, different patterns emerged in the relationship between family, classroom climate and self-esteem depending on domain specific self-perceptions. Academic selfperceptions (scholastic, mathematics and language competences) were predicted by classroom climate dimensions (order and organization, student involvement, rule clarity), whereas self-perceptions regarding relations with parents, close friends and behaviour conduct, were predicted by parenting styles. Given the fact that adolescence is a period of fluctuation in self-understanding which renders self-perceptions particularly malleable, the results support the critical role of the social environments where adolescents operate. Ó

Educational Psychology, 2004

The effective management of pupils' undesirable behaviours in the classroom represents a major ch... more The effective management of pupils' undesirable behaviours in the classroom represents a major challenge for teachers. In order to better comprehend the difficulties facing them it is important to examine how they perceive pupil behaviours at different stages of their professional development. The present study examined the effects of teaching experience and pupil and teacher gender on student teachers' perceptions of the seriousness of various forms of undesirable behaviours. A structured questionnaire was completed by 243 student teachers, regarding the perceived seriousness of 25 behaviours in boys and girls. Results indicated that both teaching experience and pupil gender were important moderators of their perceptions. For instance, novice student teachers rated overtly antisocial behaviours as serious, whereas their experienced counterparts gave higher ratings of seriousness to internalising forms of behaviour. A degree of gender stereotyping was also apparent in the perceptions of mainly novice teachers. The accumulation of teaching experience may help direct teacher attention to more subtle aspects of pupil behaviour difficulties and may reduce gender stereotyping.

Aggressive Behavior, 2004

Bullying is a common problem faced by children and adolescents in schools. One hypothesis that ne... more Bullying is a common problem faced by children and adolescents in schools. One hypothesis that needs to be examined regarding the causation of this problem is whether being a bully or a victim may stem from disparate underlying patterns of psychopathology. Results are particularly scarce regarding the association between bully-victim problems and disruptive behavior disorders. The present study sought to investigate the association between DSM-IV symptoms of Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Conduct Disorder (CD), and bully-victim problems in a sample of 202 adolescents, aged 12-15, attending two junior high schools in Cyprus, to determine whether these symptoms differentiate between bullies and victims and provide a new approach to the understanding of bully-victim problems. Students completed measures of bullying, victimization, disruptive behavior disorder symptoms, and self-esteem, along with demographic questions. On the basis of their responses, teenagers were classified as bullies, victims, or both bullies and victims. Those who were bully/victims reported greater CD symptomatology. CD and low self-esteem were predictive of bullying, whereas ODD and low selfesteem were predictive of victimization. Aggr. Behav. 30:520-533, 2004. r

The present study investigates the association between students' Eysenckian personality traits an... more The present study investigates the association between students' Eysenckian personality traits and their perceptions of teacher interpersonal behavior. A sample of 273 Cypriot public primary school fifth and sixth graders, as well as their teachers participated in the study. Students completed a three-part self-report questionnaire of: (a) a demographic questions sheet, (b) the Greek adaptation of the Questionnaire of Teacher Interaction for Primary students and (c) the Greek Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Junior. Teachers rated students' academic achievement in language and mathematics. Extraversion was associated with cooperative teacher behaviors, (i.e. leadership, helping friendly, understanding, and student responsibility freedom), whereas Neuroticism and Psychoticism, with teacher oppositional behaviors (i.e. dissatisfaction, strictness, and admonishing behavior). Regression analyses, run separately for each dimension of perceived teacher interpersonal behavior, revealed different predictors, with only Extraversion and Psychoticism explaining variance in students' perceptions, whereas academic achievement was more likely to predict all but one of the dimensions of teachers' interpersonal behavior.

Journal of Learning Disabilities, 2009

Educational Psychology, 2011

Social Psychology of Education, 2007

This study examined the association between parenting locus of control, discipline practices, and... more This study examined the association between parenting locus of control, discipline practices, and bullying and victimization experiences of elementary school children. A total of 186 children and 160 parents responded to structured questionnaires, assessing parenting locus of control and discipline practices among the parents, and bullying and victimization experiences among the children. Results indicated that parental discipline practices were correlated with specific dimensions of parenting locus of control. Although parental characteristics did not seem to predict children's behavior, the reverse was partially supported, in that involvement in bullying explained a small amount of variance in parenting practices. More importantly, parenting locus of control dimensions were significantly predictive of discipline practices, such that the more external the locus of control, the less effective the discipline practices (i.e. punishment and inconsistency) used by parents. It appears that parenting locus of control needs to be taken into consideration when attempting to understand parenting behavior.

British Journal of Educational Psychology, 2007

Background. Teaching is considered a highly stressful occupation. Burnout is a negative affective... more Background. Teaching is considered a highly stressful occupation. Burnout is a negative affective response occurring as a result of chronic work stress. While the early theories of burnout focused exclusively on work-related stressors, recent research adopts a more integrative approach where both environmental and individual factors are studied. Nevertheless, such studies are scarce with teacher samples.