Specific features of the volitional regulation in the process of foreign studets’ adaptation to the cross-cultural environment

Kuts Anna Vyacheslavovna, Vorobieva Kristina Igorevna

The article presents the results of an empirical study in the field of specific features of the volitional regulation in the process of foreign students’ adaptation to the cross-cultural environment. A hypothesis is put forward about the relationship between the level of development of indicators of the volitional regulation and the success of the process of adaptation to a new socio-cultural and educational environment. The study involved 250 foreign students of Penza State University (ethnic community - Arabs; age structure of respondents: from 17 to 24 years old, average age - 20.1; gender of the respondents: men - n = 125, women - n = 125). In the current research there was used a set of diagnostic methods such as: "Questionnaire for identifying the severity of self-control in the emotional sphere, activity and behavior" (G.S. Nikiforov), "Action control scale" (Yu. Kuhl); “Formalized modification of the self-assessment method (SA)” (Dembo-Rubinstein); “Test of meaningful life orientations” (D.A. Leontiev); a questionnaire concerning a number of demographic characteristics of respondents and an assessment of the level of satisfaction with new conditions in the cross-cultural environment (climate, culture, food, living conditions, education, leisure, etc.). It has been found that the success of the adaptation process of foreign students to the cross- cultural environment is interconnected with a number of indicators of the volitional regulation: OD-disposition of the personality, social self-control, meaningfulness of life goals and a certain set of volitional qualities. The applied aspect of the problem could be integrated in the development of well-timed aid to build a system of socio-psychological support and to support the individuals in situations of social or life changes.

Keywords:adaptation, volitional regulation, volitional qualities, self-control, foreign students, cross-cultural environment.