FEATURES OF ADAPTATION

V. V. GLEBOV

Candidate of Psychological Sciences (RUDN University)

Adaptation processes Keywords:, international students, ecology, megapolis, education, cross-cultural communication

The article uses research materials based on surveys of Chinese and African students studying at the Peoples ' Friendship University of Russia and Lomonosov Moscow State University. Features of adaptation processes and socio-economic, cultural and environmental factors influencing them are considered.

Modern processes of globalization and the accelerating pace of scientific and technological development concern not only the economy and politics, but also the education system.

Among the most important aspects of studying in higher education institutions are the processes of adaptation of students, who are a special social group with specific living conditions and face a large mental and psychological burden, to a new mode of work and recreation.¹ Students ' academic performance largely depends on their state of health, and, as is well known, many diseases begin in adolescence.

Psychological and psychophysiological tests and questionnaires were used as research methods to identify the features of adaptation of African and Chinese students to life in the metropolitan megalopolis ².

The questionnaires included questions related to the social environment, interpersonal communications, living conditions, leisure activities, and the impact on the body of certain environmental features of the capital. A survey of 353 African and Chinese students aged 18-26 years studying in different courses showed that most of them prefer to have their fellow countrymen as a close friend or just a comrade (Chinese-99.7%, Africans-94.4%).

Relations with teachers are the second most important aspect of adaptation. The majority of the surveyed students (98.7% - Chinese, 92.1% - African) wanted to see their teacher not just as a person who imparts knowledge to them, but also as an "older friend", a kind of "parent" who can create a cozy, "home" atmosphere for their students.

Students of both groups answered the questions "How do you solve your problems and who helps you when you have difficulties in dealing with the environment?" as follows: 52.8% - "we solve our own problems", 32.3% - "friends help", 6.2% - "teachers help", 8.7% - "we ask the embassy for help."

As for the negative factors that can lead to maladaptation, according to the estimates of the foreign students surveyed, most of all in Russia they are dissatisfied with the teaching style, which they consider to be largely authoritarian; the climate; the living conditions in the hostel (unacceptable sanitation, difficulties in relations with the administration and security, lack of peace and security), and also often aggressive behavior of Russians.

The most difficult area of adaptation is the educational process, which requires a high level of Russian language proficiency, which is necessary for acquiring professional knowledge, skills and abilities. Most African and Chinese students rate their knowledge of Russian as acceptable for everyday communication, but not sufficient for studying. Therefore, the main wishes of students to the university management are to create conditions for preparing for classes in the dorm rooms and to increase the number of hours of teaching the Russian language.

Based on the results of our research, we can conclude that the absolute majority of foreign students in Russia face difficulties both physiological (getting used to the climate, ecology) and socio-psychological (adapting to living conditions, behavioral norms and requirements of the educational process).

All international students, regardless of the length of their stay in a metropolitan city, have difficulties getting used to a new environment, primarily in the field of communication. This was indicated by the absolute majority of students. In second place are domestic problems associated with the need for independent management of the "economy" and the lack of adequate living conditions. Finally, all respondents said they missed their family and close friends.

Individual psychological characteristics of Chinese students (tendency to show anxiety, frustration and low self-esteem) and African students (less tendency to show anxiety and frustration, some aggressiveness, overestimated self-esteem) lead to a reduction in the reserves of psychophysical health.

The study of temporary (with emphasis on "s" - author's note) aspects of adaptation (duration of stay in Russia) showed that stable habituation among foreign students occurs only by the third year of study at a Russian university.

^{Evsev'eva M. E.} 1 V tsentre nauchnogo poiska - problema zdorovya molodezhi [Youth health problem in the center of scientific search]. 2005, N 1.

² Vitkovskaya M. I. Trotsuk I. V. Adaptatsiya inostrannykh studentov k usloviyam zhizni i uchebi v Rossii (na primere RUDN) [Adaptation of foreign students to the conditions of life and study in Russia (on the example of RUDN University)].

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