Investigating changes in prevailing mental states among students with different levels of academic performance

Introduction. The difficulties of the adaptation period increase the level of anxiety and psychological stress in students and negatively affect academic performance of first-year students. Despite the fact that recent studies have identified a wide range of conceptually different correlates of academic success, the problem of mental states of first-year students in the context of assessing their learning outcomes remains insufficiently studied in theoretical and empirical terms. Therefore, the problem of identifying a risk group for academic underachievement and maintaining the student population does not lose its relevance. The purpose of the study is to identify students’ mental states determining levels of academic performance. Materials and Methods. In order to identify the characteristics of students’ mental states, mental states were assessed at psychophysiological, psychological and socio-psychological levels. The authors used the following methods: Lemur-Tessier-Fillion ‘Psychological Stress Scale PSM-25’ adapted by N.E. Vodopyanova (2009), PSM-25 scale, method for determining neuropsychic stability, risk of maladaptation in stress ‘Forecast-2’ (V. Yu. Rybnikov), reactive (situational) and personal anxiety scale (Ch. D. Spielberger, 1973), adapted by Yu.L. Khanin, (1978), L.V. Kulikova’s methods for identifying the dominant and current states, methods for evaluating socio-psychological adaptation by K. Rogers, R. Diamond, (1954), adapted by T. V. Snegireva (1987) and by A. K. Osnitsky. The study involved 56 1st year full-time students of the Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics, Physics and Technology at Omsk State Pedagogical University. Results. The authors identified scales of methods for mental states assessment: ‘tone’, ‘activation-deactivation’, ‘situational anxiety’, ‘psychological stress’, which revealed statistically significant changes in students demonstrating different levels of academic performance. The authors revealed differences in prevailing mental states in students with different academic performance. Conclusions. The mental states of students identified in this study can be used in designing a programme of socio-psychological support for first-year students aimed at identifying the risks of maladjustment and a decrease in academic performance. Limitations. Limitations of the study include a small sample of students of one faculty and one-time use. It is necessary to check the possibility of extending the hypothesis to students of other faculties.