The features of social and autonomic adaptation to study conditions depending on age, gender and socio-pedagogical educational environment

Abstract

The study is concerned with a pressing issue of assessing social adaptation (SA) and autonomic stability (AS) in the young people studying in various educational institutions. It is necessary to determine the students’ social adaptation and autonomic stability at different ages. The study included 100 schoolchildren who living in the big city; 89 schoolchildren living in rural areas; 70 schoolchildren living and studying in the city boarding school. The schoolchildren were aged 14–15. The group of youth included 248 first‑year students aged 17–18 and 136 6th year students aged 22–23. The study was performed with the use of the two‑factor personality questionnaire by M. Gavlinova approved by the European Union for School and University Health and Medicine and adapted to Russian conditions. The authors provide data for determination of social adaptation and autonomic stability in young people aged 17–23. When analyzing the findings, it was found that the differences in social adaptation and autonomic stability between schoolchildren were partially dependent on their gender, type of learning, and place of residence. Given equal starting opportunities in young males and females in the beginning of high school training, young males showed higher SA and AS values compared to young females by the end of training. A group was distinguished that included students showing low SA and AS values, which, in our view, required psychological and medical rehabilitation. Given the findings, we believe that physicians should further examine the patients with low AS values, and psychologists (neuropsychiatrists) should further assess patients with low SA values during medical check‑ups in order to ensure prevention and management of the disorders identified in schoolchildren and students.