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Psychology and Law
2026. Vol. 16, no. 1, 116–128
doi:10.17759/psylaw.2026160108
ISSN: 2222-5196 (online)

Belief in the achievability of a positive future among penal system staff

 
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Abstract

Context and relevance. The article presents the results of a theoretical and empirical study of the belief in the achievability of a positive future among employees of the penal correction system. The belief in the achievability of a positive future is considered as a psychological and existential phenomenon, the manifestations of which are optimism, self-efficacy and innovativeness of personality. Objective. To study the belief in the attainability of a positive future among employees of penitentiary institutions who directly carry out criminal enforcement functions. Hypothesis. Belief in self-efficacy and optimism are positively correlated with employees' innovation and belief in the ability of each individual to make positive changes. Methods and materials. The empirical study involved 78 active employees of the Russian penal system. The following methods were used as diagnostic tools: the questionnaire of general self-efficacy by R. Schwarzer and M. Yerusalem; the test of dispositional optimism by C. Carver and M. Scheyer; the scale of self-assessment of innovative personality qualities by N.M. Lebedeva, A.N. Tatarko and the author's questionnaire. Results. It is shown that employees of the penal enforcement system are characterized by pronounced optimistic attitudes, self-efficacy, creativity, and a focus on the future in a galaxy of innovative qualities. At the same time, female employees are significantly more optimistic than male employees. Three factors were identified, including combinations of optimistic attitudes among the respondents. Conclusions. It is summarized that the study of faith in the achievability of a positive future, consideration of the real positive attitudes of employees of the penal correction system in conjunction with other psychological realities is a promising line of research in the implementation of an interdisciplinary approach to the practical problems of optimizing their activities while serving and performing professional tasks.

General Information

Keywords: belief in a positive future, self-efficacy, optimism, innovativeness, personality of an employee of the penal correction system, professional activity

Journal rubric: Psychology of Professional Activity

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/psylaw.2026160108

Received 23.02.2025

Revised 23.03.2025

Accepted

Published

For citation: Kaluzhina, M.A., Pukhareva, T.S. (2026). Belief in the achievability of a positive future among penal system staff. Psychology and Law, 16(1), 116–128. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/psylaw.2026160108

© Kaluzhina M.A., Pukhareva T.S., 2026

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

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Information About the Authors

Marina A. Kaluzhina, Doctor of Law, Docent, Professor of the Department KB-12 "Legal Support for National Security", Russian Technological University, Associate Professor of the Department of Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, and Law Enforcement, Law Institute, Russian University of Transport, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4603-4129, e-mail: kaluzhina.marishka@yandex.ru

Tatiana S. Pukhareva, Candidate of Science (Psychology), Docent, Associate Professor, Department of Social Psychology and Sociology of Management, Faculty of Management and Psychology, Kuban State University, Krasnodar, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2833-1034, e-mail: puchareva@bk.ru

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