Background. Reflection, determining the boundaries of knowledge and ignorance, is an essential component of the ability to learn and to overcome the limits of one’s own ignorance. The determining reflection can be developed in primary school students through a full range of educational activities: in the area of subject-conceptual action responding to the question “How can I do this?”; in the area of collaboration answering the question “How do others do this?”; and in the area of self-awareness replying to the questions “Can I do this? What do I need to do this?” Objective. The goal is to expand the arsenal of educational tools aimed at developing the reflective capabilities of primary school students by adding a tool that addresses the self-awareness of students when completing the teacher’s assignment. The article is meant to investigate the effectiveness of a new tool for reflective action. Study Participants. The experimental sample included 78 second-graders (47% girls); their curriculum, from the very first grade, included a new reflective development tool. The control sample comprised 55 second-graders (47% girls). Both samples studied at the same school using the same curriculum developed within the Elkonin — Davydov educational system. Methods. Genetic-modelling experiment with built-in systematic diagnostics of intermediate results was conducted. Results. Even before learning the concept of “orthogram,” children in the experimental sample ask more intelligent questions when uncertain about their spelling (hereinafter, intelligent questions are those that indicate a real problem of choice, where the person asking has no basis for making that choice). Only in the experimental sample, both before and after learning the con- cept of “orthogram,” the number of spelling errors for weak phoneme positions reveals the significant negative correlation with the number of intelligent questions concerning orthogram spelling. Conclusion. Children’s search initiatives centre on situations of uncertainty requiring a clear distinction between the known and the unknown and a request for missing information. We supplemented these “simulators” for determining reflection with the sign of doubt as a tool in educational communication. Initial evidence has been obtained that the sign of questioning, or doubt has begun to function fully, both operationally and technically, as a marker of uncertainty, and semantically, as a self- message: “I know that I don’t know this.” In the follow-up, we will proceed with the studies of the evolution of the function of doubt, the transition from interpsychic interaction in the educational community to the individualised ability to recognise one’s ignorance characteristic of a person who knows how to learn.
Background. Contemporary authors emphasise the importance of play for the development of preschool-aged children. According to L.S. Vygotsky and D.B. Elkonin, the influence of play on the development of preschoolers is comparable to the role of educational activity in the development of schoolchildren; in both cases, the zone of proximal development is cre- ated. In this context, studying the structure of play as well as considering the concepts of an imaginary situation, play role, rules and opportunities in the play are relevant for understanding child development and improving pedagogical approaches in preschool institutions. Objective. The aim of the study was to examine a specific developmental line of role-playing games associated with the con- struction of a possibility space. Methods. Theoretical analysis of the problem of play as a situation of interaction between a child and society, in the works of L.S. Vygotsky, D.B. Elkonin and other authors, thematic synthesis of ideas about play in the context of the concept of possibility. Results. It was shown that preschoolers distinguish between normative and imaginary situations. One of the findings of the analysis was that a rule is viewed not only as a prescription for action but also as an opportunity to act in a certain way, i.e., as a sanctioned opportunity. In this case, culture appears as a space of objectified possibilities. In play, the role adopted by the child, through the corresponding role-rules, determines the paths to their realisation, which form the basis of the play culture of the kindergarten as a space of possibilities. In play, two types of possibilities are defined: those set by adults and those discovered by the child. According to A.N. Leontiev, the process of activity can occur at three levels - the operational level, the level of action, and the level of activity, which presupposes the presence of corresponding possibilities. Accord- ingly, the possibilities of play activity also differ by level. Objective or objectified play possibilities are distinguished. They are set by adults in relation to play objects (toys) and are of a levelled nature. In addition, subjective possibilities, established by children, are also distinguished. Conclusions. The concept of opportunity allows us to systematically describe play in the logic of interaction between the child and society. Subjective possibilities can be objectified in play activities depending on the development of children’s abilities, allowing children to go beyond the established objective play possibilities and develop the play space.
Background. Emotional development and stress levels in preschool children largely determine their future academic and social success. Therefore, devising programmes aimed at developing emotional competence and reducing stress are considered one of the important directions in preschool education. Objective. The goal is to evaluate experimentally the effectiveness of the “Look. See. Discuss” programme, devised for emo- tional development and reduction of behavioural manifestations of stress in preschool children through a structured discussion of paintings. Study Participants. The study participants were 62 children aged 5–6 years (M = 5.34, SD = 0.35; 34 boys, 28 girls), randomly assigned to experimental (n = 30) and control (n = 32) groups. Methods. An experimental study involved a control group and two diagnostic assessments (pre-test and post-test). Children's emotional development was assessed with the Test of Emotion Comprehension; an adapted version of the Perceived Stress Scale for Children was used to assess behavioural manifestations of stress; a parent questionnaire was administered to collect necessary demographic data about the study participants. At the stage of statistical data analysis, one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with the correction for multiple comparisons was used as the main criterion. Results. After completing the “Look. See. Discuss” programme, participants in the experimental group demonstrated a statisti- cally significant greater increase in emotion understanding and a significantly greater reduction in behavioural manifestations of stress compared to the control group. Conclusions. The “Look. See. Discuss” programme is an effective tool for emotional development and reduction of behavioural stress indicators in preschoolers. The work contributes to the development of the cultural-historical approach by demonstrating the possibility of operationalising the phenomenon of perezhivanie in the design of a formative experiment.
Background. Recent studies show a significant increase in childhood mental disorders. This indicates the need for early differentiation between psychological well-being and maladjustment through the use of validated and reliable tools to enable subsequent psychological support for the groups at-risk. Objective. This study aims to identify the factor structure, validity, and reliability of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire based on the maternal assessment of behavioural characteristics in preschool and early school-age children. Study Participants. The final sample comprised 884 participants. 686 were mothers of preschoolers whose age was between 24 to 50 years (M = 35.90, SD = 4.92) — their children being aged 55 to 91 months (M = 72.87, SD = 4.70), 51% of which were boys. The other 198 participants were mothers of first-graders whose age was between 26 to 52 years (M = 38.43, SD = 5.01) — their children aged 82 to 104 months (M = 94.71, SD = 4.56), 48% of which were boys. Methods. Data collection was performed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), the Childhood Executive Functioning Inventory (CHEXI), and the Perceived Stress Scale for Children. Data analysis was performed using exploratory, confirmatory, and multi-group factor analysis, reliability coefficients (McDonald’s omega, Cronbach’s alpha, Guttman’s lambda), descriptive statistics, correlation analysis (Spearman’s coefficient), and comparative analysis (Mann — Whitney U test). Results. The three-factor structure of the SDQ demonstrated the most acceptable indices compared to the five-factor model. The SDQ showed measurement invariance across the child’s gender and age, while reliability and validity analyses of its scales yielded acceptable results. The SDQ scales showed associations with both the child’s level of perceived stress and regulatory characteristics. Gender and age differences were found: first-graders and girls of all ages showed lower level of externalising problems. Moreover, girls demonstrated a higher level of prosocial behaviour than boys. Conclusions. The three-factor structure of the SDQ, which comprises the scales of externalising behaviour problems, internalising behaviour problems, and prosocial behaviour, is more appropriate for identifying psychological well-being at preschool and early school age.
Background. The question of the nature of magical thinking has long remained a subject of debate in psychology. The classical view of J. Piaget, which regards magical thinking as a dominant feature of preschool age that disappears with maturation, con- tradict the findings of contemporary research. The relevance of this study is driven by the need to reconsider the role of magical thinking in cognitive development and everyday life, as well as to explore possibilities for its practical application in education, communication, and advertising, given the persistence of magical and superstitious beliefs even in highly industrialised societies. Objective. The aim of this study is to analyse the phenomenon of magical thinking in children and adults, to examine the func- tions of magical thinking and belief in the magical, and to investigate the potential practical applications of this phenomenon. Methods. The study employed a review of classical and contemporary research on the phenomenon of magical thinking, includ- ing cross-cultural comparisons. Results. It is demonstrated that magical thinking does not disappear with age but rather undergoes transformation, coexisting with rational beliefs. In preschool-aged children, despite verbal rejection of magic, they exhibit genuine belief in it through practical actions. Among educated adults, magical thinking persists in a latent form, becoming activated in situations of high uncertainty or personal significance (such as health or life risks). Key functions of magical thinking are identified: the fulfill- ment of unrealised desires, the liberating role of fantasy, animism as a mechanism for understanding the world, the creation of meaning, and the illusion of control. It is shown that incorporating magical elements into tasks fosters creativity and improves the distinction between fantasy and reality in children, while in adults, it enhances brand recall in advertising. Conclusions. Magical thinking is a fundamental feature of the human psyche that persists throughout life and coexists with rational thought. Magical thinking performs numerous positive functions and may find practical applications in psychotherapy, education, commercial advertising, medicine, politics, and the entertainment industry.
Background. In recent years, stress levels have been steadily rising worldwide, leading to negative consequences such as reduced self-regulation, conflicts, and lower academic performance in schoolchildren. It is necessary to identify cultural tools for coping with such situations as early as preschool and primary school age. A sense of humor is one coping strategy that helps children deal with stress and it also improves social connections. The development of a sense of humor is becoming a pressing issue, as humor is one of the most productive and environmentally friendly cultural means of self-regulation. Objective. The study aims to identify the factors that make the greatest contribution to the development of a sense of humor (e.g., humor production) in children of older preschool and primary school age. Study Participants. The study involved 390 children aged 52 to 116 months, divided into two groups: 154 preschoolers (76 boys) and 236 primary schoolchildren (111 boys) from educational institutions in Moscow and Kazan. Methods. The children underwent assessments of executive functions and theory of mind, emotion comprehension, dialectical thinking skills, and imagination. They also constructed stories based on a series of pictures and invented funny stories based on pictures. The obtained data were statistically processed to build regression models of the contribution of the considered factors to humor production in children, separately for preschool and primary school age groups. Results. The results showed that the factors making the greatest contribution to the development of humor production in preschool- ers are age, working memory, inhibitory control, coherent speech skills, and imagination. In primary schoolchildren, the greatest contribution to humor production is made by dialectical thinking, emotion comprehension, and verbal working memory. Conclusions. The study demonstrated how cognitive and emotional factors contribute to the development of humor production at different stages of childhood, which can facilitate the development of effective tools for fostering humor in children aged 5 to 9 years.
Background. The article is written on the eve of the 100-th anniversary of L.S. Vygotsky’s monograph “The Historical Mean- ing of the Psychological Crisis” (HMPC), in which the issue of building a general psychology occupies a significant place. The appeal to L.S. Vygotsky’s ideas is especially relevant against the background of the loss of general psychology’s leading posi- tions in the modern system of psychological knowledge and the transfer of the function of generalising scientific knowledge to interdisciplinary research. Objective. The article is focused on the consideration of Vygotsky’s concept of general psychology in the context of the ideas and criticism of general psychology of his time and in connection with the current state of psychological science. Methods. The methods of theoretical reconstruction and comparative analysis are used. Results. Vygotsky’s call for the construction of a general psychology was put forward in the context of the crisis of existing general psychology. As an alternative, programmes of real psychology (A.R. Luria) and concrete, or dramatic psychology (G. Politzer) were suggested. Vygotsky’s approach was focused on retaining the category of the general in psychology and finding the general principle for explaining all mental phenomena. Vygotsky’s understanding of the general changed from the “abstract-general” in the HMPC to the “concrete-general” in the cultural historical theory. There is a division of cultural psychological functions into elementary (common to most people) and higher (personality functions). This corresponds to the ideas of existentialists about two modes of human existence — anonymous and private. The question of the relationship between general psychology and personality psychology remains unresolved. Conclusions. Vygotsky’s concept of general psychology is one of the options to understand general psychology in the history of science. This project was not implemented either by Vygotsky himself nor by his followers. Moreover, in the works written after the HMPC, Vygotsky puts forward the idea of creating a discipline general to the group of sciences, including psychology. This allows us to consider L.S. Vygotsky as the forerunner of an interdisciplinary approach in modern psychology. At the same time the functions of general psychology in the system of scientific disciplines need to be re-interpreted.
Background. In contemporary school education, as well as in adult education, there is a noticeable shift in the attitude towards learners’ errors. Both researchers and practitioners increasingly argue that errors are beneficial, as they provide insight into the di- rection for further progress. However, there is no unified understanding of the exact mechanism through which an error leads to a new method or new knowledge. At a theoretical level, the issue of error functions reflects the current state of the problem of the development of scientific concepts, originally posed by L.S. Vygotsky, since the development of concepts presupposes a change in prior, erroneous conceptions. Objective. The goal is to identify the main functions of errors in the process of learning, on the one hand, and in the process of creative thinking, on the other, from the perspective of L.S. Vygotsky’s Cultural-Historical approach. Methods. A comparative analysis of psychological theories and studies of learning and thinking from the perspective of the role attributed to errors in the process of problem-solving. Results.The analysis identified functions of errors common to both learning and thinking research: (1) the absence of a positive function (error as an artifact that hinders the search for a solution); (2) the stopping function (error signals an incorrect action and requires its termination); (3) the specifying function (error allows for clarifying the boundaries of the applicability of the method being used); and (4) the transformational function (analysis of the content of the error leads to the generation of a new method).It is demonstrated that in most approaches, errors primarily serve to refine and specify “prior” knowledge or method. Only the transformational function ensures a substantive transition from the old to the new, a process identified in Marxist dia- lectics and the cultural-historical approach as “sublation” (Aufhebung / snyatie). Conclusions. A comparison of studies on learning and thinking reveals a similar understanding of the functions of errors within them, among which the transformative function should be considered as the most interesting. The implementation of this func- tion in education requires a shift from simply provoking errors to designing learning tasks in which the error becomes a source of transforming an old way of task solving into a new one. Further development of this problem is connected with turning to the category of ‘sublation’ (Aufhebung / snyatie) as a mechanism for transition between systems of concepts.
Background. Most research on play focuses on peer interactions or educational contexts, whereas the phenomenon of parent-child co-play remains understudied. It is this co-play that is a key factor in emotional well-being, providing emotional connectedness and establishing a foundation for parent-child communication. The adult, by organising the play environment, acts as a cultural mediator: in the process of interaction, values, beliefs, and behavioural models that influence the child’s personality develop- ment are transmitted. Objective. To identify types of family gaming practices that differ in the degree of congruence between the preferences of parents and preschool-aged children. Study Participants. 42 864 parents (96.9% women) of children aged 2–7 years (M = 4.68). Methods. Congruence of gaming preferences was analysed based on parents’ responses to two survey questions. Firstly, about the child’s gaming preferences and secondly, about their own preferences for co-play. Additionally, questions about parenting style, leisure activities, and attitudes toward play were used. Latent family profiles were identified based on 12 binary indicators of congruence; the χ² test was used to compare clusters (using SPSS 27). Results. Five clusters were identified. Cluster 1 (58.9%) is characterised by minimal overlap between parents’ and children’s game preferences, a tendency towards authoritarian parenting styles, and a preference for passive forms of leisure. Cluster 2 (“creative”, 5.7%) reflects a gender-specific pattern of socialisation for girls. Cluster 3 (“intellectual”, 22.4%) focuses on structured games such as puzzles and board games. Cluster 4 (4.2%) records the maximum coincidence of game preferences, democratic parenting style, and high parental involvement. Cluster 5 (“physically active”, 8.8%) reflects the gender-specific pattern of boys’ socialisation. Conclusions. The degree of interest congruence is associated with parenting style and leisure organisation. Polar models range from perceiving play as a child’s space to a field of partnership. Gender stereotypes influence the content of parent-child interac- tion. The identified types allow for the identification of family practices to develop recommendations for expanding shared play experiences and enhancing psychological well-being.
Background. The assessment of auditory-verbal functions in children is important for understanding the general patterns of their development. It is also necessary for identifying children with weaknesses in this area and providing them with appropriate correction and development. Despite the existence of numerous diagnostic methods for evaluating these functions, the develop- ment of novel tools and the estimation of their sensitivity persist as significant and pertinent endeavours. Objective. The objective of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a developed procedure for reproducing pseudo-words (PW) in evaluating the state of auditory-verbal functions in primary school children. Study Participants. The study involved 129 elementary school students, including 54 second graders and 32 third graders without learning disabilities (LD) and 23 second graders and 20 third graders with LD. Methods. All children completed the “Pseudowords” methodology developed by the authors. This method included two sets of PW with varying degrees of similarity to real words, varying in length (two- and three-syllable PW) and number (presented individually or in pairs). The auditory stimuli were presented to the subjects, who were instructed to reproduce them with the maxi- mum degree of accuracy. The responses of the subjects were recorded and subsequently analysed. The children also underwent a neuropsychological assessment including evaluation of their auditory-verbal information processing and executive functions. Results. An analysis of the data demonstrated that, in general, children with learning disabilities tend to reproduce PW less accurately. In addition, the success of reproduction decreased with increasing length of the stimuli and their number in both groups. However, this effect was more pronounced in the LD group. A comparison of the two types of PW — those similar to real words and those dissimilar to real words — revealed that PW close to real words are reproduced better than those far from real words. Furthermore, the effects of PW length and number are more pronounced when reproducing PW that are dissimilar to real words. The expected correlations between the results of the method and neuropsychological indicators of auditory-verbal information processing and executive functions were also identified. Conclusion. The proposed method demonstrates sensitivity to the evaluation of auditory-verbal information processing func- tions in children with developmental disorders. Due to the variety of stimuli (pseudowords of different types and lengths), it can be utilized to study the patterns of development and conduct a detailed assessment of the state of auditory-verbal information processing functions in primary school children with normal and abnormal development.
Background. The article is devoted to the analysis of the problem of values among modern youth. The authors emphasise the relevance, pointing out the inconsistency of existing studies on this issue, as well as the instability of the socio-cultural context and the presence of negative factors that can destabilise the value system of the younger generation, complicating their socialisation. Objective. The aim is to identify the dynamics of changes in the values of young people, as well as the transformation of the structure of value orientations in the years 2018–2024. Study Participants. 450 respondents aged 17 to 35 years (M = 21.6; SD = 4.1), including 307 girls and 143 boys, comprising 4 groups: the first group is a section studied in 2024 (n1 = 184), the second group is a section studied in 2022 (n2 = 110), the third group is a section studied in 2020 (n3 = 75) and the fourth group is a section studied in 2018 (n4 = 81). Methods. The questionnaire of Schwartz for studying personal values, adapted by V.N. Karandyshev, 2004 was applied. Results. It was found that in 2024, young people experienced an intensification of the degree of expression of the values of normative ideals as compared to 2022 and 2020. Differences in the expression of the values of individual priorities are also present, though less expressed. When analysing the structure of value orientations in young people, its relative resistance to transformation was established, although the values of security and hedonism have specific dynamics. Conclusions. Changes in the orientations of society and its priorities that occurred from 2018 to 2024 were directly reflected in the intensification of the values of normative ideals among young people in 2024. The structure of values is more stable: the priorities of the values of kindness and independence at the individual and normative levels remain stable.
Background. The work of oncologists is characterised by high professional responsibility, significant cognitive load and constant emotional stress. In the context of rapid development of medical technologies and chronic shortage of personnel associated with a long period of specialist training, medical workers are forced to continuously improve their skill, while providing assistance. It is assumed that it is the personal perception of work that is the key factor in professional well-being, regardless of organisational conditions. This approach allows us to consider burnout syndrome as a result of a complex interaction of objective working conditions and their subjective assessment. Objective. The goal is to study the relationships between burnout symptoms and work motivation characteristics among medical workers of the oncology service. Study Participants. The study involved medical workers of the oncology service of 53 institutions of the Russian Federation, a total of 335 respondents from 22 to 75 years old. Methods. The study was conducted on the basis of a survey design using three questionnaires: an autobiographical questionnaire, questionnaire “Diagnostics of professional burnout” by K. Maslakh, S. Jackson, adapted by N.E. Vodopyanova, E.S. Starchenkova (2001), Diagnostics of work motivation by R. Hackman and G. Oldham adapted by I.N. Bondarenko (2010). Results. The results confirmed the risk of burnout among oncology healthcare workers. Three groups of respondents were identi- fied, each with a different severity of symptoms. Respondents not experiencing burnout (123) and those experiencing burnout (71) demonstrated different patterns of relationships between subjectively significant components of work. Meanwhile, both groups equally valued meaningful work and interaction at work, the main difference was in maintaining autonomy among the “well-off” respondents. Conclusions. Understanding the relationship between the level of burnout and the assessment of subjective characteristics of work activity opens up new opportunities for working with different categories of personnel in a medical organisation, in particular, recruitment, assessment of involvement, subsequent development, as well as improving the system of motivation.
Background. The significance of cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia is the subject of modern psychiatric and cognitive research. In particular, some authors propose to consider cognitive impairments as “core” symptoms of schizophrenia. The cog- nitive status affects the functional outcome and the level of social readaptation. The investigation of changes in the cognitive status of patients with schizophrenia at various stages of the disease, as well as the prognostic and differential role of cognitive diagnostics of patients, remains an urgent task. Objective. The aim is to structure information on the current state of cognitive impairment at various stages of schizophrenia. Methods. The research presents a literature review of studies on cognitive functions and their impairments at various stages of schizophrenia (premorbid, prodrome with high risk for psychosis, the first episode of schizophrenia). Publications were selected from the Russian Science Citation Index (RSCI), Web of Science, and PubMed databases according to the PRISMA-ScR guide- lines, using the following keywords: cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia, cognitive impairment in schizophrenia, the first episode, attenuated psychotic symptoms, ultra-high risk for psychosis. The review included articles on empirical research, meta- analytic studies, and systematic reviews. Results. The obtained research data indicate that cognitive dysfunction manifests itself in the premorbid period, long before the manifestation of the disease. Patients with an extremely high risk of psychosis demonstrate a significant severity of cogni- tive deficit associated with the severity of erased psychotic symptoms. Cognitive deficit is not a consequence of past psychotic episodes and does not depend on the duration of an untreated psychosis. Conclusions. The level of cognitive functioning in patients at the pre-psychotic states of schizophrenia development has an im- portant prognostic significance along with the criteria of extremely high risk and familial risk. Cognitive deficit is a separate, “core” group of symptoms for schizophrenia, not secondary to productive symptoms.
Background. Working memory (WM) declines with ageing. Despite a large body of relevant studies, changes in verbal and nonverbal WM, relevant specifically for healthy aging, and their brain correlates, remain understudied. Objectives. Our study aimed to analyse changes in maintenance and updating of verbal and nonverbal material in WM in healthy ageing (i.e., the absence of cognitive decline, neurological and mental disorders, as well as the history of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events and oncological diseases). Study Participants. The final groups were equivalent in terms of education level and gender composition and comprised 16 older (65.7 ± 4.4 years) and 16 younger (23.3 ± 4.9 years) right-handed participants. Methods. We analysed the behavioural data from the project wherein the brain activity was registered via functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) while the participants performed maximally comparable verbal and nonverbal versions of the Sternberg and n-back tasks developed by us earlier. This was done to overcome the methodological limitations of previous studies which used verbal and nonverbal WM tasks that addressed different processes (e.g., updating of verbal or maintenance of non-verbal material in WM), and had different structure, stimuli, and difficulty. Neurophysiological data were not analysed in the current article. Results. Older participants demonstrated slower responses in all tasks than the younger participants. Response accuracy in the Sternberg task and the 0-back task was independent of age, whereas it decreased in the 2-back task by 5–10% in the older participants compared to the younger group. Some evidence in favour of a more prominent decrease of nonverbal vs. verbal WM in older participants was observed. Conclusions. Maintenance of material in WM is not affected by healthy ageing. Decline in updating observed in high WM load may be considered as a true age-related change of WM.
Background. The analysis of the statistics of requests shows the high demand for medical and psychological assistance among young people with the experience of self-harm. Every year in the Republic of Tatarstan, the department of medical and psychological assistance of the Republican Clinical Psychiatric Hospital processes more than 10,000 telephone calls to the Helpline. The proportion of cases with a high suicide risk is 5.3%, of which adolescents and youth account for almost 40%: 12–17 years old (9.2%), 18–19 years old (7.5%) and 20–29 years old (22.2%). Objectives. The aim of the work is to identify psychopathological predictors of suicidal and non-suicidal self-injurious behaviour in adolescence and young adults who sought for the help of a psychotherapist in the department of medical and psychological assistance with the Helpline. Study Participants. 103 patients aged 12 to 25 years, of which 38 were male (36.9%) formed the research sample. The age groups of 12–17 years and 18–25 years were analysed separately. Methods. Analysis of the statistics of appeals, study of anamnesis, standardised clinical diagnostic interview developed on the basis of the questionnaire Symptom Check List-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) were applied. Results. The nosological analysis in the sample of 18–25 years old patients revealed the highest prevalence of borderline personality disorder in the group of patients with mixed suicidal and non-suicidal self-injurious behaviour. A depressive episode is a specific predictor of auto-aggressive behaviour in general, though it does not predict the suicidal or non-suicidal nature of self-harm. Gender is a risk factor for suicidal behaviour (young men 12–17 years old) and for suicidal and non-suicidal self-injurious behaviour (girls regardless of age). The symptomatic analysis revealed signs that can be used as markers of an auto-aggressive pattern. Conclusions. The clinical predictors and psychopathological predictor-markers represent a predictive value in the working conditions of medical and psychological care departments with a telephone format of counselling to assess the risks of suicidal and non-suicidal self-injurious behaviour. The specific markers are “feeling of hopelessness of the future”, “restless and anxious sleep”, “thoughts about not wanting to live” and “feeling of worthlessness”.
Background. The growth of the user activity of teenagers in the digital social environment, namely in social networks and messengers, captures the tendency of destructive manifestations to consolidate as communicative stereotypes. Objectives. This study is aimed at studying the structural organisation of destructive messages of teenagers in social networks. Study Participants. The research was conducted in the Telegram messenger. The chat was selected based on the content of the messages (based on school and student topics). The total number of analysed speech messages was 10016 units. 98 users participated in the study. Methods. The research methods included content analysis, the functional pragmatics method, the complex procedural method, as well as the еmethods of quantitative and qualitative data processing, namely descriptive statistics methods, the Mann-Whitney U-test, and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. Results. As a result of the conducted research, it was found that the size of a destructive speech message is 3.4 (SD = 3.1) linguistic units (number of words), and of a constructive one is 3.5 (SD = 3.03). In the destructive and constructive categories of messages, the presence of obscene vocabulary is recorded in all parts of speech. The presence of obscene, aggressive, and pejorative vocabulary, as well as of certain expressive forms (interjections and slang) is significantly associated with an increase in the likelihood of destructive speech messages. It has been revealed that destructive speech messages form repetitive semantic and pragmatic patterns expressed through direct or indirect aggression. Conclusions. Teenagers’ speech messages in a digital social environment are characterised by a shortened grammatical structure. A high frequency of speech units such as obscene vocabulary, obscene interjections, insults, and speech units containing sexual and physical aggression is observed in destructive speech messages. The combination of certain parts of speech and speech units forms stable constructions that can act as linguistic and semantic markers of destructive communicative behaviour.
Background. Civic identity is increasingly viewed as a key psychological resource, determining young people’s willingness to engage in socially significant projects and assume responsibility. In a context of institutional turbulence, it is important to under- stand the extent to which a sense of belonging to civil society is linked to prosocial behaviour. Prosocial behaviour is one of the most important components of social well-being. It helps to strengthen social ties, to increase life satisfaction, and group cohesion. Furthermore, it is known that people prefer to help those with whom they identify themselves, demonstrating the importance of social identity in this regard. Given the multinational and multi-religious composition of the Russian Federation’s population, factors associated with the positive development of social relations, increased loyalty, and mutual support among citizens are of particular interest. Therefore, it is important to explore the relationship between Russian civic identity and prosocial behavior. The theoretical relevance of the study lies in clarifying the mechanisms of the connection between civic identity and altruism, solidarity and civic activity of young people, as well as in developing the concepts of social identity and prosociality in relation to the Russian cultural and historical context. Objectives. The goal is to study the relationship between Russian civic identity and forms of prosocial behaviour of young people in order to establish the possibility of further application of the identified patterns. Study Participants. The total sample consisted of 355 people (N = 355), aged 18 to 35 years (M = 22.78, SD = 3.65), of which 298 were women (83.94%), 57 were men (16.06%). All respondents lived in Russia and had the citizenship of the Russian Federation. Methods. The study was carried out on the basis of a survey design using the following methods: “Measuring Prosocial Tenden- cies” (G. Carlo and B.A. Randall), adapted by N.V. Kukhtova; “Identification with All Humanity” (IWAH) by S. McFarland, adapted by T. A. Nestik, questionnaire of socio-demographic characteristics. To process quantitative data, the following coef- ficients are used: α-Kronbach and ω-McDonald coefficients, structural equation modeling methodology (SEM), in particular, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results. As a result, a CFA model was built that confirmed the hypothesis of a connection between civic identity and forms of prosocial behaviour of Russian youth. Statistically significant associations of moderate effect size were found between civic identity and compliant, emergency, altruistic, and anonymous prosocial behaviour. Conclusions. Civic identity is indeed a factor in the prosocial behaviour of Russian youth and can be used to strengthen relevant socially significant trends. Conformal, emergency, altruistic, and anonymous forms of prosocial behaviour appear to be the most promising, suggesting their potential enhancement through the activation of a shared civic identity among Russian citizens. The identified associations may reflect the high salience of group norms in the consciousness of Russian youth, as well as age-related characteristics, including an increasing awareness of social responsibility.
Background. The article presents the results of the development and psychometric validation of the author’s methodology for express diagnostics of university students’ academic well-being. Assessing students’ academic well-being is a pressing issue for university psychological services and youth policy departments. This is essential for the effective planning and implementation of educational and psycho-preventive work at universities. Objectives. The focus of the study is on the development and psychometric substantiation of the methodology for express diagnostics of university students’ academic well-being. Study Participants. The study was conducted on a sample of 754 undergraduate, specialist and master’s students of different years. Mage = 20.24; SD = 1.88; (girls were 86.73%, and boys 13.27% of the sample). Methods. The methodology consists of 21 items, making up six content scales of well-being in the situations of academic interaction that are significant for students. The scales included assessments of the situations in the classroom -with teachers of disciplines in the specialty, with teachers of other disciplines, with other students, with the university administration, and in extracurricular activities. To test convergent validity, the Well-Being questionnaire developed by Butler and Kern namely the PERMA-Profiler (adapted by Isaeva et al.) and the Shamionov and Butler method for diagnosing subjective well-being of an individual were used. Results. The questionnaire showed good internal consistency: Cronbach’s alpha is 0.85; RMSEA = 0.08; CFI = 0.93; AGFI = 0.8; GFI = 0.86; CMIN/df = 3.9; TLI = 0.91; SRMR = 0.04. Test-retest reliability r = 0.72 at p < 0.05. Validity is confirmed by correlations (r = 0.35 to 0.5 at p < 0.05) with thematically close diagnostic constructs. Conclusions. The questionnaire can be used in universities as a tool for monitoring students’ academic well-being for both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies; as well as for establishing the characteristics of academic well-being in different groups.
Background. The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), developed by Gratz and Roemer, is one of the essential measures for the assessment of emotion dysregulation. The scale has been translated into various languages, though it has not been validated in Russia. Objectives. The study aimed to validate the Difficulties of Emotion Regulation Scale in the Russian sample. Study Participants. The overall sample was comprised of 733 participants aged 17–45, including 648 women and 85 men (Mage = 23.4, SD = 6.24). Methods. The participants filled out the following questionnaires: The DERS by Gratz and Roemer, The Emotion dysregulation questionnaire by Polskaya and Razvaliaeva, the Russian adaptation of Gross’ Emotion Regulation Questionnaire by Pankratova and Kornienko, and the Symptom Checklist 90 — Revised as adapted by N.V. Tarabrina. Results. The 6-factor structure of the DERS with 32 items was confirmed in the Russian sample: (1) non-acceptance of emotional responses, (2) difficulties with goal-directed behaviour while experiencing negative emotions, (3) difficulties with impulse control while experiencing negative emotions, (4) lack of awareness about one’s emotions, (5) limited access to emotion regulation strategies, and (6) lack of emotional clarity. The scales of the Russian version of the DERS showed high internal and retest reliability (Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega starting at 0.87, Spearman’s r coefficient and intraclass correlations starting at 0.7). All the scales of the DERS negatively correlated to the strategy of cognitive reappraisal, and were positively related to expressive suppression, rumination, avoidance, mentalisation difficulties and the global severity of psychopathological symptoms index. These results correspond to the general pattern of emotion dysregulation, which is characterised by the deficit of adaptive and the prevalence of dysfunctional means of self-regulation. Conclusion. The Russian version of DERS is a reliable and valid measure which can be used to assess emotion regulation dysfunction.
Background. Subjective well-being (SWB) is a key factor in mental health and sustainable societal development. Positive creativity (creative activity for the benefit of others) is considered as a way to enhance SWB though the mechanisms linking them remain understudied. Objectives. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between engagement in positive creativity and subjective well-being, and to test the hypothesis that satisfaction of basic psychological needs mediates this relationship. Study Participants. The study involved 177 adult participants (from 19 years old, average age was 31 years, 94 women) who completed an online questionnaire. Methods. Engagement in positive creativity was measured using a scale developed by the author. Satisfaction of basic psycho- logical needs was assessed using the short version of the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction Scale (BPNSS) with instruction adapted for creativity context, and subjective well-being was measured using the short form of the Mental Health Continuum — Short Form (MHC-SF). Data were analysed using path analysis with mediation testing. Results. The findings indicated that engagement in positive creativity is positively associated with subjective well-being. This relationship is mediated by the satisfaction of basic psychological needs, with different aspects of well-being being mediated by the satisfaction of different needs. Conclusions. Positive creativity contributes to subjective well-being by enhancing the satisfaction of basic psychological needs. The results highlight the importance of fostering conditions for positive creative self-expression as a resource for psychological health.
