Gender differences in personal qualities which define maladaptation of younger adolescents ¹⁰⁵⁹

The article is an experimental research of interrelation between personal psychological qualities and maladaptations among pupils aged from 9 to 12. It is a transition period from the elementary school to the middle tier which causes the most difficulties in adaptation. R.B.Cattell’s 12-factor questionnaire and V.Michal’s “Unfinished sentences test” were used for psychodiagnostics. The results of psychodiagnostics of pupils from these two methods were processed jointly using factor analysis. Main psychological factors which influence maladaptation of boys and girls in 3rd-5th grades were identified. It was discovered, for example, that all types of maladaptation among boys (family, interpersonal, school, intrapersonal) are directly related to the behavior self-control. Maladaptation among girls is differentiated. Consequently, main gender characteristics of maladaptation of younger pupils were defined. The aggregate of psychological qualities responsible for maladaptation of pupils aged from 9 to 12 is defined as the “fifth grade maladaptation syndrome”. The research was done with financial support of the Russian Humanities Fond, project № 10-06-2260a/B.

Keywords: maladaptation, emotional and volitive characteristics, development dynamics, factor analysis, gender characteristics, pupils aged from 9 to 12.

Column: Developmental Psychology