INCREASED ANXIETY AS A SIGN OF PERSONAL HEALTH DISORDERS IN THE CONDITIONS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC (ON THE EXAMPLE OF STUDENT YOUTH)

Abstract

The article examines the problematic aspects of the psychological health personality in a coronavirus pandemic on the example of student youth. Particular attention is paid to the study of anxiety. We understand psychological health as a process of harmonious personal development of life experience in the direction of self-actualization, self-knowledge, humanity and viability. For the empirical study, we used the following methods: “The scale of psychological well-being” by K. Riff in the adaptation of T. Shevelenkova and T. Fesenko, “Test of hardiness” by S. Muddy in the adaptation of D. Leontiev, O. Razkazova, “Scale of reactive and personal anxiety” by Ch. Spielberger, Yu. Khanin and the author’s questionnaire “The attitude of the individual to being in a pandemic COVID-19”. We formed an empirical sample of 71 people. The survey was conducted among students of 1–4 courses of the Faculty of Philology of Vasyl Stus Donetsk National University. The study revealed a decrease in the overall level of vitality, deterioration of emotional well-being, which is manifested in increased anxiety and aggressive reactions. Some respondents show distrust of others, difficulties in establishing interpersonal relationships, low levels of empathy. On the other hand, it was found that students’ anxiety is more due to concern for the health and well-being of their loved ones. Adverse reactions are caused by the possibility of quarantine restrictions. Instead, the subjects show such manifestations of psychological health as interest in personal growth and selfknowledge, a fairly high level of self-acceptance. Most of the respondents managed to master their condition through the conscious use of measures to prevent the spread of infection, the use of self-regulation techniques, dosing negative information.