Life sense orientation and self-regulation as psychological correlates of constructive coping in adolescence

Abstract

Background. The crisis state of the modern world and due to it — the increased level of stress threatening to the psychological and physical health of people make the problem of identifying the psychological factors of coping with stress especially urgent. Young people are among the most psychologically vulnerable social groups in times of crisis, as evidenced by research conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Life sense orientations and conscious self-regulation are considered as personality factors associated with constructive coping with stress. 

Objective. The study had its purpose to investigate the role of self-regulation and life sense orientations in coping with stress in adolescence. 

Methods. The study implemented the following methods: Crumbaugh and Maholic’s “Purpose-in-Life Test” (PIL) adapted by D. Leontyev, Morosanova’s Self-Regulation Profile Questionnaire (SRPQM), WSQ adapted by T.L. Kryukova, E.V. Kuftyak, COPE Stress Coping Inventory adapted by E.I. Rasskazova, T.O. Gordeeva, E.N. Osin. Mathematical and statistical data processing was carried out in Excel program by means of correlation analysis. 

Sample. The study involved university students in St. Petersburg aged 18 to 23 years (N = 60, 50% of girls). 

Results. Correlation analysis of the data obtained demonstrated that life meaningfulness is positively correlated with active coping (r = 0.440, p < 0.01), problem solving (r = 0.333, p < 0.01), social distraction (r = 0.357, p < 0.01) and negatively correlated with behavioral avoidance of the problem (r = –0.442, p < 0.01) and emotion-oriented coping (r = –0.500, p < 0.01). Self-regulation level is positively correlated with problem solving (r=0.606, p<0.01), planning (r=0.510, p<0.01), active coping (r=0.369, p<0.01), inhibition of competing activity (r = 0.334, p < 0.01). 

Conclusion. The study revealed that in adolescence, constructive ways of coping with stress correspond to high rates of meaningfulness of life and self-regulation. Young people who have a higher level of life meaningfulness and a higher general level of conscious self-regulation are less likely to give up their goals when faced with difficult life circumstances. On the contrary, their purposeful activity is aimed at finding an optimal solution to the problem. 

The data obtained empirically confirm the important role of life meaningfulness and self-regulation in constructive coping with stress. Analysis of the relationship of these psychological factors with coping strategies gives reason to conclude that while self-regulation allows to mobilize one’s resources for a quick and effective solution to the problem, meaningfulness of life helps to cope with long and intractable situations that require the preservation of physical and mental resources for a long time.

References

Bartsalkina, V.V., Volkova, L.V., Kulagina, I.Y. (2019). Features of the Value-Semantic Sphere in Experiencing a Difficult Life Situation in Maturity. Konsul’tativnaya psikhologiya i psikhoterapiya (Counseling Psychology and Psychotherapy), 27 (2), 69–81. (In Russ.). 

Borisova, N.M., Shapovalenko, I.V. (2018). Personal determinants of coping behavior in middle age. Psikhologo-pedagogicheskie issledovaniya (Psychological-educational studies), 10 (3), 115–125. (In Russ.). 

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2020). Flow. The psychology of optimal experience M.: Al’pina non-fikshn. (In Russ.). 

Glaz’ev, S. (2016). The economy of the future. Does Russia Have a Chance? (“Izborsk club collection”). M.: Knizhnyi mir. (In Russ.). 

Kavčič, T., Avsec, A., Kocjan, G.Z. (2021). Psychological functioning of Slovene adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: does resilience matter? Psychiatric Quart, 92, 207–216. 

Kitaev-Smyk, L.A. (2021). Stress. Emotions and somatics. M.: Akademicheskii proekt. (In Russ.). 

Kondratyuk, N.G., Morosanova, V.I. (2021). Reliability of conscious self-regulation as a resource of psychological safety of the individual under conditions of stress and uncertainty. In V.I. Morosanova, Yu.P. Zinchenko (Eds.), Psychology of self-regulation in the context of actual problems of education (pp. 156–161). M.: Psikhologicheskii institut RAO. (In Russ.). 

Krylova, M.A. (2019). Young people’s attitudes toward difficult life situations: mental representation and coping behavior. In the collection Methodology, theory, history of personality psychology. M.: Izd-vo “Institut psikhologii RAN”. (In Russ.). 

Kryukova, T.L., Kuftyak, E.V. (2007). The Questionnaire of Coping Techniques (adaptation of WSQ methodology). Zhurnal prakticheskogo psikhologa. (Journal of Practical Psychologist), 3, 93–112. (In Russ.). 

Leont’ev, D.A. (2000). Meaningful Life Orientation Test (MLOT) (2nd ed.). M.: Smysl. (In Russ.). 

Lengle, A. (2021). A Life of Meaning. Logotherapy as a means of assisting in life (5th ed.). M.: Genezis. (In Russ.). 

Morosanova, V.I. (1995). Individual style of self-regulation in the voluntary activity of a person. Psikhologicheskii zhurnal (Psychological journal), 4 (16), 26–36. (In Russ.). 

Morosanova, V.I. (2017). Conscious self-regulation as a meta-resource for achieving academic and professional goals. In the collection Personality, intelligence, metacognition: research approaches and professional practices. Materials of the II International Scientific and Practical Conference. Kaluga State University K.E. Tsiolkovsky. Kaluga: Politop. (In Russ.). 

Morosanova, V.I. (2021). Conscious self-regulation as a meta-resource for achieving goals and solving life problems. Vestnik Moskovskogo universiteta. Seriya 14. Psikhologiya (Moscow University Psychology Bulletin), 1, 4–37. (In Russ.). 

Odintsova, M.A., Semenova, E.M. (2011). Coping strategies in Belarusians and Russians. Kul’turno-istoricheskaya psikhologiya (Cultural-historical psychology), 7 (3), 82–89. (In Russ.). 

Rasskazova, E.I., Gordeeva, T.O., Osin, E.N. (2013). Coping strategy in the structure of activity and self-regulation: psychometric characteristics and application of the COPE methodology. Psikhologiya. Zhurnal Vysshei shkoly ekonomiki (Psychological Journal of the Higher School of Economics), 10 (1), 82–118. (In Russ.). 

Rohr, S. et al. (2020). Psychosocial impact of quarantine measures during serious Coronavirus outbreaks: A rapid review. Psychiatrische Praxis, 47, 179–189. 

Sapolsky, R. (2015). Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers. SPb.: Piter. (In Russ.). 

Seçer, I., Ulaş, S. (2021). An investigation of the effect of COVID-19 on OCD in youth in the context of emotional reactivity, experiential avoidance, depression and anxiety. Internat. J. Ment. Health and Addiction, 19, 2306–2319. 

Sinelnikova, E.S. (2021). Emotional response and coping on self-isolation of students with different levels of situational life satisfaction. Voprosy psikhologii (Questions of psychology), 6 (67), 43–50. (In Russ.). 

Talevi, D., Socci, V., Carai, M., Carnaghi, G., Faleri, S., Trebbi, E., Di Bernardo, A., Capelli, F., Pacitti, F. (2020). Mental health outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rivista di Psichiatria, 55 (3), 137–144. 

Wang, C., Pan, R., Wan, X., Tan, Y., Xu, L., Ho, C.S., Ho, R.C. (2020). Immediate Psychological Responses and Associated Factors during the Initial Stage of the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Epidemic among the General Population in China. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 17, 1729. 

Zinchenko, Yu.P., Morosanova, V.I., Bondarenko, I.N. (2021). Conscious self-regulation as a resource for self-organization of life and overcoming of negative emotional states during the pandemic. In Yu.P. Zinchenko (Eds.), Psychological support of the COVID-19 pandemic (pp. 133–164). M.: Izdatel’stvo Moskovskogo universiteta. (In Russ.).