https://www.journals.vu.lt/STEPP/gateway/plugin/WebFeedGatewayPlugin/atomSocialinė teorija, empirija, politika ir praktika2024-02-26T07:42:48+00:00Eugenijus Dunajevaseugenijus.dunajevas@fsf.vu.ltOpen Journal Systems<p>Founded in 2001 and dedicated to publishing articles on the issues of social work and social policy. Indexed in the <em>Web of Science</em> since 2021.</p>https://www.journals.vu.lt/STEPP/article/view/34728Preface2024-02-26T07:44:17+00:00Eugenijus Dunajevas
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2023-12-28T00:00:00+00:00Copyright (c) 2023 Authorshttps://www.journals.vu.lt/STEPP/article/view/34727Editorial Board and Table of Contents2024-02-26T07:44:17+00:00Eugenijus Dunajevas
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2023-12-28T00:00:00+00:00Copyright (c) 2023 Authorshttps://www.journals.vu.lt/STEPP/article/view/33768Problems and Possibilities of Implementing Resocialisation in Lithuanian Prisons2024-02-26T07:44:17+00:00Jolanta AleknevičienėIgnė Kalinauskaitė
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">Lithuania‘s strategic documents point out that the main purpose of the execution of sentences is the resocialisation of convicts. The article analyses the problems and possibilities of the implementation of resocialisation of convicts in Lithuanian prisons today, based on the ideas of positivist and critical criminology. The research comprised an analysis of scientific literature and strategic documents in Lithuania, and an empirical qualitative study, which included twenty semistructured interviews with Lithuanian prison staff and experts from the penitentiary system. The data analysis was based on thematic analysis. The study reveals that resocialisation as a priority becomes a secondary goal of imprisonment during implementation, pursued in a demotivating and desocialising prison environment and punitive culture. The gap between the prison‘s stated objectives of resocialising prisoners and the human and financial capacity to achieve this is noted. Positivist and critical criminology ideas broaden the perception and analysis of resocialisation as a phenomenon and make it possible to rethink the functional and institutional distinction between the punishment of convicted persons and their treatment, assistance, and motivated personal transformation as different activities. The study suggests that the success of resocialisation of an individual requires the disaggregation and implementation of the stages of resocialisation, not only in prison but also in institutions that focus on helping without retribution and punishment.</span></p>
2023-12-28T00:00:00+00:00Copyright (c) 2023 Jolanta Aleknevičienė | Ignė Kalinauskaitėhttps://www.journals.vu.lt/STEPP/article/view/33749Searching for a Balance between Work and Leisure from the Perspective of Generational Change in Lithuanian Society2024-01-04T09:25:05+00:00Aida Savicka
<p class="ISSN-abst-vidus" style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Work and leisure are interlinked and mutually determining spheres of human life, both of which are socially constructed concepts that depend on a variety of cultural, social and economic factors. In contemporary society, the balance between work and leisure is particularly relevant in the light of various social, economic and technological changes, such as the intensification of work, the constant accessibility of workers to smart communication devices, the blurring of the boundaries between professional and private time, the introduction of flexible forms of work organisation, etc. The pursuit of work-life balance is therefore even becoming a kind of cultural value imperative aimed at ensuring individual and societal well-being.</p> <p class="ISSN-abst-vidus" style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Using empirical data from the European Values Survey spanning almost three decades (1990-2017), this paper analyses the dynamics of value orientations related to work and leisure in Lithuania, in order to see how the importance of these areas of life and the perception of their relationship to each other is changing in different groups of the population, and how this is related to the change of generations. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, factor analysis, nonparametric covariance analysis and multiple group comparison test and revealed significant differences in value attitudes related to work and leisure and their interrelationship in different social generations in Lithuania, suggesting that, while the importance of work itself has remained essentially unchanged, we are witnessing a profound cultural change, manifested as a broadening of the spectrum of expectations related to work and a search for a better work-life balance.</p>
2023-12-28T00:00:00+00:00Copyright (c) 2023 Aida Savickahttps://www.journals.vu.lt/STEPP/article/view/33632The Welfare State: The Challenges of Sustainability2024-01-04T09:25:05+00:00Stein Kuhnle
<p>It is nothing new that ‘the welfare state’ faces serious challenges. Ever since the 1970s, Western welfare states have by many researchers been regarded as being in crisis, but despite many policy adjustments and important variations among Western welfare states, the overall scope of the welfare state, as measured by social expenditure per capita, has by and large increased. At the same time, we can observe a globalization of social policy and the emergence of a more active social role of the state in many parts of the world during recent decades.</p> <p>But new challenges due to a variety of new security issues and new dimensions of uncertainty have appeared, not least following the unanticipated Russian large-scale invasion of and war on Ukraine and concomitant international political developments. Political unease about the future of the welfare state and scope of social policies in different parts of the world has escalated. Welfare political priorities must compete with increased priorities for defense, cyber security, and issues related to energy, climate, food, and the environment.</p> <p>Motivations for state responsibility for citizen welfare and well-being – as well as for the type and scope of responsibility - vary. The fate of the welfare state and social policies is clearly a question of political and normative commitment to what kind of socially active state is desired. The paper addresses the following topics: Why should a state be socially active? What were historical reasons for developing welfare states? What are current motivations for developing and maintaining welfare states? What are the economic, political, and moral dimensions of welfare state sustainability? In addition to possible national political responses to social challenges, it is argued that in a globalized world reinforced international cooperation, coordination and regulation may be necessary to achieve sustainability of (national) welfare states.</p>
2023-12-18T00:00:00+00:00Copyright (c) 2023 Stein Kuhnlehttps://www.journals.vu.lt/STEPP/article/view/33631Digital Engagement of Older Adults in Lithuania: Obstacles and Support Opportunities2024-03-13T12:15:35+00:00Margarita Gedvilaitė-KordušienėGražina Rapolienė
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">While Lithuania advances rapidly in the ICT sector, a digital divide persists among older adults. A study of 289 elderly Internet users highlighted key barriers and facilitators in digital engagement. Motivation stemmed from personal qualities like curiosity and past work experience with digital tools. Major barriers included language challenges, technical jargon, limited support, device comprehension issues, and emotional factors. Formal and informal training, peer support, gaming‘s role, and family, particularly younger members, emerged as crucial learning aids. The study underscores the need for strategies tailored to enhance digital inclusion of older people in Lithuania.</span></p>
2023-12-28T00:00:00+00:00Copyright (c) 2023 Margarita Gedvilaitė-Kordušienė | Gražina Rapolienėhttps://www.journals.vu.lt/STEPP/article/view/33629Perceptions of Older Immigrants About Health Care in the Host Countries: A Narrative Review2024-03-13T12:15:35+00:00Aysegul Ilgaz
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">Older immigrants may have different needs regarding health and care services compared to other age groups. There are suggestions for adapting health services to the elderly and even immigrant elderly in order to provide equal service to everyone. There are studies indicating that with advancing age chronic diseases increase and functional capacity decreases, resulting in poorer physical and psychosocial health in immigrant elderly than in the general elderly population. It is stated that immigrants’ use of health services is lower than that of general population. Cultural and social factors influence health behaviors, opportunities, wishes and barriers for patients to access and use health and care services. Studies stated that elderly immigrants not knowing how to apply for health services, having language problems and being ineffective in communication with healthcare professionals, and experiencing lack of/insufficient social, community and family support, are lead to isolation and inadequate use of health services. In the narrative review, it is aimed to explore the existing research which was conducted on the experiences and perspectives of older immigrants, formal and informal caregivers and healthcare workers regarding health and care services and as well as interventions for better adaptation of health and care services among older immigrants.</span></p>
2023-12-28T00:00:00+00:00Copyright (c) 2023 Aysegul Ilgazhttps://www.journals.vu.lt/STEPP/article/view/33628“Survival” of Older Persons in the Labour Market: the Case of Lithuania in the EU Context2024-03-13T12:15:35+00:00Jekaterina NavickėŽeimantė Straševičiūtė
<p>The rapidly ageing populations are a source of concern, but they also provide new opportunities. The purpose of this article is to analyse the factors which affect the participation of older persons in the Lithuanian labour market. The research method is based on data from SHARE (7-8 waves). The research shows that the factors of participation of older persons in the Lithuanian labour market can be mainly linked to the group of involuntary "stuck" factors. Older persons in Lithuania mostly want to leave the labour market as soon as possible. Retaining older persons in the labour market often depends on financial motives. The main challenges for employment in old age are related to the reduction of involuntary motives and to the promotion of positive voluntary motives to stay in the labour market. </p>
2023-12-28T00:00:00+00:00Copyright (c) 2023 Jekaterina Navickė | Žeimantė Straševičiūtėhttps://www.journals.vu.lt/STEPP/article/view/33430Knygos „A European Health Union“ (Europos sveikatos sąjunga) recenzija2024-02-26T07:44:17+00:00Romas Lazutka
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2023-12-28T00:00:00+00:00Copyright (c) 2023 Romas Lazutkahttps://www.journals.vu.lt/STEPP/article/view/33412A Systematic Literature Review on the Relationship Between Quality of Work and Intentions to Retire Among Individuals Aged 50 and Older2024-03-13T12:15:35+00:00Antanas KairysRaimonda SadauskaitėOlga ZamalijevaHalldór S. GuðmundssonIeva ReineLuule SakkeusSigne Tomsone
<p><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">Europe, notably in countries like Lithuania, is facing substantial demographic shifts due to aging, impacting various systems, including the labor market. In this context understanding retirement intentions is crucial. Quality of work is a key determinant of retirement intentions, yet other factors such as financial situation, health, or family pressures also play a role, and a comprehensive understanding of their interactions remains a research gap. Therefore, the aim of this study was to conduct a systematic literature review of research on the relationship between retirement intentions and quality of work, with a specific focus on potential control factors, moderators and mediators of this relationship. This systematic review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses (PRISMA). Articles were electronically retrieved from Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and EBSCO databases. Studies selected were full-text, peer-reviewed articles in English from 2003 to 2023, which used quantitative methodologies and focused on the relationship between retirement intentions and quality of work for workers aged 50+. The quality of the selected publications was assessed using the Appraisal Tool for Cross-Sectional Studies – AXIS tool. Of the initial 776 sources, after removing duplicates and irrelevant articles, 91 were fully screened, and 17 met the criteria for inclusion in the systematic review. This systematic literature review provided further insights into the relationship between retirement intentions and quality of work, highlighting the roles of moderators, mediators, and control factors in this relationship.</span></p>
2024-02-01T00:00:00+00:00Copyright (c) 2024 Antanas Kairys | Raimonda Sadauskaitė | Olga Zamalijeva | Halldór S. Guðmundsson | Ieva Reine | Luule Sakkeus | Signe Tomsone