Lykova Tatyana A.

Background. The relevance of the article topic is determined by the obvious difficulties the disabled people face in employment, as well as insuffi cient development of the problem of professional self-determination and professional plans of people with disabilities. 

Objective. The aim of the study is to investigate the specificity of art students’ ideas about their professional prospects taking into account their life satisfaction level and peculiarities of health. It is assumed that the certainty of professional plans of students with disabilities is related to their general sense of themselves as successful, prosperous and happy. 

Design. The research was conducted on the basis of Russian State Specialized Academy of Arts with the students of all faculties (theater, music, fine arts). Methods: author’s questionnaire to study various aspects of attitudes towards education, Diner’s Life Satisfaction Scale, Lubomirsky’s Scale of Subjective Happiness. Sample: 165 students, including 98 with preserved health and 67 with disabilities (hearing, vision, etc.). 

Results. A lower level of confi dence in a successful job search in their specialty was revealed among students with disabilities and impairments who fix their self-perception as “unhappy”. It is shown that students with disabilities are focused on helping people with various types of health impairments and also show a pronounced desire to perform socially signifi cant activities.

Conclusion. The analysis demonstrated that a high level of life satisfaction and subjective happiness among students with disabilities is associated with a higher level of aspirations when choosing a job. At the same time the study revealed the orientation of students with disabilities on social paternalism (benefi ts, good team, closeness to home) when searching for a job. The results obtained can be used in the development of vocational guidance and professional rehabilitation programs for people with disabilities.