Features of international students’ adaptation (On the basis of a russian higher education institution)

Abstract

© 2016 Pyrkova.The growth of students’ international mobility and difficulties which international students meet, state of maladjustment manifested, first of all, at the psychophysical level suggests the relevance of the paper. In this regard, the paper is aimed to reveal features of international students’ adaptation (in case of students from India) in comparison with native students. The leading method to the research is experimental-psychological testing aimed to identify features of international students’ adaptation according to the following criteria: level of stress, qualities of life and indicators of psychological-symptomatic status. The paper covers features of international first-year students’ adaptation: low degree of stress load (with tendency to threshold resistance); higher values of quality of life indicators and adaptation indicators in comparison with control groups. Analysis of psychological symptomatic status revealed a tendency to “somatization”. Indicators of adaptation are directly connected with the state of mental and physical health. Materials from the paper can be useful in practical and theoretical work of teachers, heads of educational institutions; specialists in educational and social work, psychologists participating in programs of psychological and social support of international students.