Magdalena Leszko

University of Szczecin · Institute of Psychology

Over the past 20 years, empirical evidence has brought about a change in the view on how, or even whether, personality traits change or develop in adulthood and later life. Now we know personality can and does change for many people, if not most. Changes in personality may occur due to biological or environmental factors. This paper presents key em...

With 38 million residents, Poland has the eighth-largest population in Europe. A successful transition from communism to democracy, which began in 1989, has brought several significant changes to the country's economic development, demographic structure, quality of life, and public policies. As in the other European countries, Poland has been facin...

Cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption during pregnancy can have detrimental effects on the developing fetus, including fetal alcohol syndrome and low birth weight. Surprisingly little is known about the association of personality traits with smoking and alcohol consumption in the specific subpopulation of pregnant women. This study analyzed dat...

Objectives With the increasing popularity of CBD-based products, especially CBD oil, it is increasingly important to understand what motivates caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) to use CBD oil as part of treatment. The purpose of this study was to identify the attitudes and beliefs of caregivers of individuals with AD toward CB...

Background The growing body of research on narrative identity, while helpful, rarely focuses on people with dementia. In this paper, we explore how individuals living with advanced dementia construct their narrative identities in relation to their family experiences, which play a crucial role in shaping identity as shown by recent studies. Methods...

Objectives: Aging populations and an increasing number of immigrants in recent years have led to numerous changes in intergenerational relationships. While many studies have investigated the impact of providing care to a parent with dementia, little is known about the impact of caregiving activities provided from a distance, such as in the case of...

It is unclear whether socio- and individual-factors are uniquely related to adolescent BMI or capture the same underlying process or whether environment amplifies relationships between traits and BMI. We estimated the independent contributions of SES and individual factors to BMI percentile in a sample of 9,481 US adolescents. Across all models, SE...

The aim of this study was to understand caregivers of individuals with dementia attitudes toward CBD oil. Thematic analysis was conducted with 67 posts (570 comments) about CBD oil selected from a Polish online support forum for caregivers. We identified caregivers’ expectations, motivations, and practices of using CBD oil. Caregivers expected CBD...

It is unclear whether socio- and individual-factors are uniquely related to adolescent BMI or capture the same underlying process or whether environment amplifies relationships between traits and BMI. We estimated the independent contributions of SES and individual factors to BMI percentile in a sample of 9,481 US adolescents. Across all models, SE...

Introduction: Taking into account a progressive increase in the number of individuals affected by dementia and the importance of being knowledgeable about its symptoms, it has become crucial to develop well-validated instruments for measuring knowledge about dementia. The aim of this study was to translate and validate the Frontotemporal Dementia...

Social support is essential for mental and physical health and plays an important role in reducing the risk of returning to prison. The main sources of prisoners’ social support are relatives with whom they have the right to communicate using a variety of forms. The frequency of contact depends on the type of prison. However, little research examin...

Introduction: In the context of increasing numbers of older adults and an increased prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases, the early diagnosis of dementia has become an important issue. Poland's population is aging, and the growing number of individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) may pose challenges for families and the health-care system. W...

Previous studies have shown that certain personality traits such as neuroticism and conscientiousness influence dietary choices. Pregnancy is a unique period in a woman’s life during which most women are highly intrinsically and extrinsically motivated to start a diet rich in fruit and vegetables. Yet, an adequate consumption of fruits and vegetabl...

Więźniowie opieki: doświadczenie samotności pośród opiekunów osób cierpiących na chorobę AlzheimeraPrzystosowanie się do choroby Alzheimera jest złożonym procesem. Opiekunowie doświadczają samotności i izolacji, co może niekorzystnie wpływać na ich samopoczucie. Mimo iż negatywny wpływ, jaki może wywrzeć sprawowanie opieki na zdrowie psychiczne i f...

This study investigates (1) the importance of online communication for female caregivers (2) the impact of this form of maintaining social contact on well-being among 48 Polish spousal female caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and self-completion questionnaires. Caregivers’ onlin...

In recent years we may observe increasing interest in the development of social innovation both regarding theory as well as the practice of responding to social problems and challenges. One of the crucial challenges at the beginning of the 21st century is population ageing. Various new and innovative initiatives, programs, schemes, and projects to...

Individuals with certain personality traits employ adaptive coping strategies. Little research, however, has examined coping strategies among incarcerated individuals. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 465 males who served time in five different prisons in Poland. We examined the relationship between the Big Five personality dimensions an...

The rapid increase in immigration to the United States in the past decades has resulted in an influx of individuals who have to familiarize themselves with a completely new health care system and practices, often in a new language. The purpose of this study was to assess health literacy and investigate its correlates among older U.S. Polish immigra...

The aging of the population and the increased rate of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease represents an increased challenge not only for older adults but also their caregivers. Sibling caregivers face multiple challenges associated with their role. Caring for individuals with Alzheimer’s poses a significant burden and is associated with increased...

Background and Objectives The goal of this study is to create data-driven guidelines and tools for caregivers and health care professionals that will enable caregivers to be prepared for future caregiving-related challenges and decrease their levels of stress. Research Design and Methods A total of 60 spousal caregivers of individuals with Alzheim...

Researchers and health-care professionals recognize the importance of both physical and social factors of the environment as contributing to well-being and improve the residents’ quality of life. The aim of this article is to review the literature relevant to the influence of environmental design on psychological and physical well-being among peopl...

This volume—“Selected Contemporary Challenges of Aging Policy”—is the most international of all published monographs from the series “Czech-Polish-Slovak Studies in Andragogy and Social Gerontology.” Among the scholars trying to grasp the nuances and trends of social policy, there are diverse perspectives, resulting not only from the extensive know...

Adults aged 65 and above comprise the fastest growing sector of the world's population. In the context of increasing numbers of older adults, employment policies have become a prominent issue. Governments recognize the importance of increasing participation in working age population and providing them with equal workplace opportunities. Yet, it app...

The nature of professions has changed and as a new generation joined the work force, a number of young individuals find it difficult to define themselves within the boundaries of one profession. This article provides an overview of the most common characteristics of three generations that are currently working side by side, discusses the importance...

The graduate schools in the U.S. are well-known for their professional opportunities and prestige but they can also be costly. Therefore before or during your graduate career you might consider applying for scholarships. Scholarships provide a great opportunity to share research ideas and build a network with other researchers. In addition, they en...

Grief encompasses emotional, behavioral, cognitive, and physical responses to a loss. Western notions of grief have been heavily influenced by a medical model that views grief as a form of illness in need of intervention, although no clear consensus exists on what constitutes normal versus abnormal grief. Societal norms and rules prescribe how a be...