Life Experience and Resources for Overcoming the Difficulties of Social Isolation in the First Period of the COVID-19 Pandemic among Students

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Abstract

Objective. Analysis of the resources for overcoming difficulties by students in connection with the new life experience in the first weeks of self-isolation and distance learning in the context of the CO¬VID-19 pandemic. Background. The study is focused on identifying the current psychological state, the characteristics of the perception of the world, as well as the strategies and resources of the individual to overcome negative aspects in connection with changes in everyday life. Study design. The study was built in the format of a socio-psychological survey to study the lifestyle and psychological state of students in self-isolation. Research was conducted in the middle of April 2020. Participants. 56 people, residents of Russia (8% of men, 92% of women) from 20-23 years old university students of the 2nd (77%) and 5th (23%) courses of psychological specialties (Σav=21.12, Me=21, SD=1.37). Measurements. The research is based on quantitative and qualitative methodology. We used the method of content analysis for written discourses about the lifestyle in connection with self-isolation and the SAN method, which allows one to draw conclusions about the degree of psycho-emotional state. Results. Lifestyle changes were recorded by 93% of respondents. The most transformed spheres are activity (educational) and social. The spatio-temporal characteristics of life are of great importance. Assessments of negative and positive changes show parity. Minor manifestations of anxiety and negative emotional states were revealed. The average and medium-high level of psychoemotional state was recorded. Conclusions. Resources for overcoming difficulties are represented by strategies: 1) “I”: comprehension, self-organization, maintaining physical fitness, self-development; 2) “Others”: help, emotional support for loved ones and strangers; 3) “Living space”: working with the space of the house for arrangement under his “I”, expanding its multifunctionality, maintaining cleanliness.

General Information

Keywords: pandemic COVID-19, life experience in a situation of self-isolation, experiences, adaptation resources, personality development, self-esteem, self-awareness, psychological reactions

Journal rubric: Empirical Research

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/sps.2021120102

For citation: Baranova V.A., Dubovskaya E.M., Savina O.O. Life Experience and Resources for Overcoming the Difficulties of Social Isolation in the First Period of the COVID-19 Pandemic among Students. Sotsial'naya psikhologiya i obshchestvo = Social Psychology and Society, 2021. Vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 10–25. DOI: 10.17759/sps.2021120102. (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)

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Information About the Authors

Victoria A. Baranova, PhD in Psychology, Associate Professor of the Department of Social Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0481-6501, e-mail: bva06@mail.ru

Ekaterina M. Dubovskaya, PhD in Psychology, Associate Professor at the Department of Social Psychology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2923-1422, e-mail: Dubovskaya13@gmail.com

Ol’ga O. Savina, PhD in Psychology, Associate Professor, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3326-4841, e-mail: savindm2006@gmail.com

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