Coping Strategies in the Situation of Adaptation of International Students to Study at a Medical University

Abstract

Introduction. The relevance of the research is determined by the search for scientific data, the practical use of which allows us to optimize the process of adaptation of international students receiving a medical education/ occupation in Russia. Success on this path is an additional factor in the competition in the global market of educational services. The purpose of the study: following the analysis of the adaptation resources of international students, to identify the main coping strategies in the situation of adaptation to learning at a medical university. Materials and Methods. The theoretical and methodological basis of the research rests on the works by R. Lazarus and J. Amirkhan. To determine the degree of socio-cultural adaptation, we conducted a survey of international students. The questions of the authorʼs questionnaire were compiled on the basis of the L. V. Yankovsky’s test on the adaptation of the individual to the new socio-cultural environment. The repertoire of coping strategies of international students was determined after the method of analysis of coping methods by R. Lazarus and S. Folkman. In the course of the work, methods of analysis, synthesis, and generalization were also used. Results. Based on the study, the main factors of socio-psychological adaptation that affect the choice of coping strategies are identified and described. It is noted that the personality structure and its components such as the level of intelligence, self-esteem and internal beliefs determine the degree and nature of the adaptation process of international students: internal resources of the individual (upbringing, moral guidelines, religion) and social factors (family, friends, etc.). It is established that favorable indicators of external environmental factors contribute to the choice of productive coping strategies, and, conversely, the lack of adaptive resources leads to ineffective coping with the unfavorable circumstances of new academic and living conditions. Discussion and Conclusion. The conclusions made on the basis of the conducted research contribute to the development of scientific ideas about the process of adaptation of international students studying at a Russian medical university.