Assessment of psychophysiological potential under adaptation to educational activity

The authors investigate new approaches to the search of integral psychophysiological characteristics that allow determining the ability of an individual to adapt to specific conditions of the educational environment. Aim: The paper aims to assess the psycho-autonomic status of a person involved in educational activities depending on the mechanisms of autonomic and neuropsychological regulation. Materials and methods: 253 students (1-4 year) of the biological faculty of the Kemerovo State University took part in a two-stage study. The following psychophysiological indicators were used for the purpose of the study: variation heart rate monitoring, interhemispheric asymmetry, description of the nervous system, psychological and personal traits; the data obtained as a result of variation heart rate monitoring and measuring response to mental load and stress were examined twice. The data obtained were used for forming groups depending on the strength of nervous processes and stress index. Results: The authors obtained the data on the correlation between educational activities and psychophysiological characteristics in university students. The following indicators are considered as of the best prognostic value: the strength of nervous processes, cardiovascular system response, interhemispheric asymmetry. The differences in response direction were detected depending on the initial stress level and allowed to determine the influence of heart rate on the so-called strategy and price of adaptation. The most favorable qualities for academic success were found in students with a predominance of right motor and left sensory asymmetries: good adaptation, high concentricity, better autonomic balance, mental stability and low personal anxiety. Students with a high stress index at rest and worse academic performance were characterized by high situational anxiety, increased adequacy of regulatory processes responsible for the activation of central heart rate regulation, and significantly reduced psychosocial adaptation after the exam. Conclusion: The results obtained suggest that the assessment of potential academic success in students should take into account psychophysiological potential that consists of both the specific functional system (psycho-emotional sphere, cognitive sphere, personal qualities, neurodynamic sphere and interhemispheric asymmetry) and non-specific functional system (regulation of autonomic functions at rest and under stress, psychosocial adaptation).