Process of age-related mental changes in cadets of higher military educational institutions and its influence on the ability for self-education

Introduction. Modern personal socialization has become more complex and prolonged, and the criteria for social maturity have changed. The armed forces have been fully affected by this. The analysis shows that cadets' adaptation to new conditions of service is related to psychological load, their ability to resist moral pressure and relations in the team. It is assumed that cadets’ psychological readiness influences the development of self-regulation, motivation, as well as it can be a threat to young people’s ability for self-education. Unstable emotional state, low motivation or lack of self-discipline can hinder the process of self-education and require additional support. In a military team, these problems are especially crucial. Materials, Results and Discussion. The study uses the survey and analytical method, which consists of theoretical analysis of scientific sources on the research problem; the empirical method, including observation and description, as well as analysis of the obtained data. The Krasnodar Higher Military School named after Army General S. M. Shtemenko became the basis for the study conducted in the period from 2020 to 2023. More than 750 cadets of the above-mentioned educational institution participated in the study. When mastering the profession, new, previously not typical for a serviceman, self-consciousness emerges, which manifests itself in the formation of new meanings and attitudes to life, which in turn is the main component of personal readiness for the military profession.