The purpose of this study was to identify special education teachers’ profiles in relation to their levels of burnout, work engagement and job satisfaction, following a person- oriented approach. This approach was chosen in order to provide cfombinations of attributes that shape high-risk groups of low engagement and high burnout. Additionally, it was examined whether these profiles differed with regard to special education teachers’ individual parameters and work-related characteristics, such as age, gender, marital status, number of children in family, level of education, region of employment and teaching experience. The sample included 664 in-service special education teachers (503 females and 161 males) working in primary and secondary schools. Two-step cluster analysis yielded four profiles, entitled: passionate, workaholic, operational and overworked. Differences were also noted among profiles, in terms of participants’ age, educational level, region and teaching experience. Findings are discussed with reference to implications for future research in order to early detect and support teachers at risk.

In the present study, the role of interpersonal coping strategies was examined in relation to teachers’ characteristics and burnout factors. Two hundred sixty-nine General and Special Education teachers completed the Teachers’ Interpersonal Competences Test and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Differences in the use of interpersonal coping strategies were noted on teachers’ gender, teaching experience, grade level, experience and training in Special Education. Interpersonal coping strategies predicted most of teachers’ burnout factors according to regression analyses. The importance of developing strategies that enhance interpersonal relationships and reduce conflicts at schools, in order to reduce teachers’ burnout, is discussed.

The aim of the present study was to investigate goal orientations and classroom goal structures and their relationship with strategies of self-regulated learning (SRL) in students with and without learning disabilities (LD) and reading comprehension difficulties (RCD). The sample consisted of 537 students attending the two last grades of primary school, fifth and sixth grade (Mage = 11.28 years, SD = ±0.59). Of these, 58 students were diagnosed with LD, and 70 students, after individually administered assessments in reading accuracy and reading comprehension, were assigned to the RCD group. Self-reported questionnaires were administered, assessing students’ personal goal orientations, classroom goal structures, and strategies of SRL. The results showed that students with LD and students with RCD scored lower in mastery orientation and higher in performance avoidance compared to their peers without difficulties (ND). LD students reported lower scores of adaptive strategies than their peers. In addition, the results confirmed the adaptive character of mastery-approach goals and mastery goal structures and the negative effects of performance-avoidance goals and performance goal structures on the adaptive strategies of SRL. Performance-approach goals predicted adaptive behaviors for all students, confirming the argument of an adaptive type of motivation. The findings of the current study highlight the importance of goal orientations and classroom goal structures for students’ SRL. Implications of the findings for enhancing motivation for students with LD and students with RCD are discussed.

This study explored innovative methods for teaching mathematics to seventh-grade students with persistently low performance by using an AI-driven neural network approach, specifically focusing on solving first-degree inequalities. Guided by the Response to Intervention (RTI) framework, the intervention aimed to reduce math anxiety and build academic resilience through the development of cognitive and metacognitive strategies. A rigorous pre- and post-test design was employed to evaluate changes in performance, anxiety levels, and resilience. Fifty-six students participated in the 12-week program, receiving personalized instruction tailored to their individual needs. The AI tool provided real-time feedback and adaptive problem-solving tasks, ensuring students worked at an appropriate level of challenge. Results indicated a marked decrease in math anxiety alongside significant gains in cognitive skills such as problem-solving and numerical reasoning. Students also demonstrated enhanced metacognitive abilities, including self-monitoring and goal setting. These improvements translated into higher academic performance, particularly in the area of inequalities, and greater resilience, highlighting the effectiveness of AI-based strategies in supporting learners who struggle persistently in mathematics. Overall, the findings underscore how AI-driven teaching approaches can address both the cognitive and emotional dimensions of mathematics learning. By offering targeted, adaptive support, educators can foster a learning environment that reduces stress, promotes engagement, and facilitates long-term academic success for students with persistently low performance in mathematics.

Continuous professional development refers to maintaining, enhancing, and broadening individuals’ knowledge, skills, and the personal qualities required in their professional lives. The present experimental study attempts to explore the way(s) that the Life Construction intervention: “Constructing my Future Purposeful Life” contributes to career counselors’ sustainable career development. Two groups of career counselors participating in a training program delivered by the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens were involved, namely, an experimental group (N = 33) that received the intervention and a control group (N = 27) that did not receive any intervention. The effectiveness of the intervention was verified through qualitative and quantitative analysis, including the calculation of effect sizes, of the data obtained through the Future Career Autobiography, and the Greek version of the Life Project Reflexivity Scale. The results indicate that the Life Construction Intervention improved career counselors’ reflexivity and self-awareness, while, concurrently, the need for practical training in contemporary interventions to support their sustainable career development is highlighted. The main conclusion refers to the fact that the career counselor needs to construct his or her own Self as a sustainable project beforehand, in order to be able to support individuals in their own Self construction and promote their well-being.