RUDN Journal of Psychology and Pedagogics

Effectively translating research into practice-and ensuring that practitioners can both implement findings and provide feedback on their real-world relevance-is a vital yet complex endeavor. In today’s fast-paced research environment, where new studies emerge rapidly and policy decisions are expected to be evidence-based, the gap between scientific knowledge and educational practice is becoming increasingly pronounced. Unfortunately, the field of education offers limited guidance on how to facilitate this kind of two-way exchange. In the absence of such structured translation, misconceptions can take root-among both researchers and practitioners-fueling persistent misunderstandings. This narrative review addresses several enduring myths in gifted education that have emerged from this disconnect. These myths, often grounded in outdated or misinterpreted research, have contributed to the formation of self-fulfilling prophecies in gifted and talented education (GATE), reinforcing inequities and limiting student potential. Some of these beliefs have become deeply embedded in educational culture, making them exceptionally resistant to change. The paper concludes with a call to action: to foster more deliberation and reciprocal communication among researchers, educators, and families. Only through such collaboration can we dismantle entrenched myths, correct misunderstandings, and ensure that the most current and accurate research insights lead to meaningful, equitable practices in classrooms and beyond.

The relevance of this study is determined by the demand for socially useful activities of school students, which is confirmed by Russian legislative norms and social practice. The accumulation and transfer of experience of socially acceptable behavior is the task of Russian society, law and the education system. This task requires methodological and legal support for the process of studying and developing personal sociality in new socio-cultural conditions. The purpose of this work is to systematize the accumulated knowledge and practical experience of socially useful activities of the younger generation in Russia, as well as to identify potential areas for the development of this activity as a tool for preventing deviations. The study included an analysis of scientific literature and regulatory documents. The results of the study suggest that, according to current Russian legislation, unpaid student labor is not only a type of activity, but also arrangements for implementing socially significant goals that contribute to the formation of an active civic position in young people. In social practice, schoolchildren learn through socially useful activities to better understand their needs, analyze social laws, build a program for their behavior, and see its causes and consequences. The authors of the article argue for the need for schoolchildren to participate in socially useful work as a prerequisite for preventing deviant behavior. They also analyze the goals and results of schoolchildren’s socially useful activities from the perspective of Russian law enforcement and social experience. Finally, they substantiate the fact that schoolchildren’s socially useful activities can be carried out in educational institutions, at home, and beyond. In the Russian experience, socially useful activities serve as a link between the socio-legal and pedagogical components of preventing schoolchildren’s deviations. In any case, they must have a specific social addressee and solve a specific social and/or socio-cultural problem.

This study presents the results of the development and validation testing of a retrospective questionnaire for adolescents aimed at assessing play activity in preschool age. The relevance of the study is driven by the lack of standardized methods for retrospective assessment of play as the leading activity in preschool age, which hinders the investigation of its role in subsequent human development. The study involved 743 adolescents aged 14-18 years ( M age = 16.6, SD = 1.04) from four regions of the Russian Federation, including 440 girls and 321 boys, with two participants not specifying their gender. Psychometric testing revealed an acceptable factor structure of the questionnaire, sufficient internal consistency of the scales, and confirmed criterion validity. The developed questionnaire includes five scales: Interest in Play Activity, Play with peers, Play with adults, Role play, Digital play. Significant correlations were found between the indicators of retrospective assessment of play activity and psychological wellbeing parameters measured by the EPOCH (Engagement, Perseverance, Optimism, Connectedness, Happiness) questionnaire. The strongest associations were identified for the scales characterizing peer play, play with adults, and interest in play activities. The digital game scale did not demonstrate significant associations with psychological well-being, whereas role play showed a weak but statistically significant correlation. The obtained data confirm the potential of using the retrospective questionnaire on childhood play to investigate its predictive role in development and highlight the need for further refinement of the instrument and its validation on larger samples.

The widespread adoption of the Agile approach to project management has significantly changed the nature of IT specialists’ work. This approach implies high levels of team member autonomy, flexibility and responsiveness to change, customer involvement in the process, and regular feedback. Agile is assumed to have a positive effect on job satisfaction and psychological well-being of IT specialists. However, the scientific literature does not provide a systematic analysis and convincing data on such an effect. The aim of this study was to analyze work-related stressors in the organizational environment as well as the occupational well-being of software developers practicing Agile. The study sample consisted of 127 persons, including team leaders (19%) and engineers (81%), 80 men and 47 women, with an average experience of 7 years and mean age of 31 years. The data were collected using the Professional well-being assessment tool by E.I. Ruth and L.I. Avgustova, the “Professional Burnout” questionnaire by N.E. Vodopyanova et al., and a survey developed by the authors to assess various characteristics of professional activity. The results have shown that the main stressors for software developers in Agile work practices are tight deadlines, frequent communication with colleagues, other teams, and clients, multitasking, and a high level of job uncertainty. The team leaders reported significantly higher levels of occupational well-being than the engineers; the software developers working remotely reported significantly lower scores for Positive relationships and Personal accomplishment scales compared to those working in a hybrid format. The results indicate that the risk factors for software developers’ occupational wellbeing include emotional exhaustion due to multitasking, uncertainty, and tight deadlines, as well as reduced achievement in professional relationships.

October 23-25, 2025, the RUDN University Department of Psychology and Pedagogy once again held its annual key International Scientific and Practical Conference, “Commitment to Mental Health Issues.” It was more than a conference, it was a scientific and practical dialogue on mental health issues, held over three days by 798 registered participants, including respected scholars, practitioners, and emerging researchers. The conference included a plenary session and 10 thematic sessions, accompanied by an extensive program of master classes, roundtables, open lectures, an art festival, and cultural and educational events.