Professional self-awareness as a factor of personal and professional self-development of university students

Introduction. The article analyzes the problem of professional self-awareness, and the influence of this phenomenon on the process of personal and professional self-development of students. A theoretical study of this problem has shown that professional self-awareness is one of the most important prerequisites for the self-development and self-improvement of university students. Materials and Methods. The article presents the results of an empirical study of the characteristics of self-awareness and self-development of students of the Mordovian State University. A set of methods was used: questionnaire “Ability for self-development” I. V. Zvereva, methodology “Readiness for self-knowledge and self-development” T. A. Ratanova, N. F. Shlyakhta, test “Determination of the level of development of reflexivity” by A. V. Karpov, “Questionnaire of self-attitude” by V. V. Stolin, S. R. Pantileev, methods of researching self-assessment by S. A. Budassi, test “Assessment of self-control in communication” by M. Snyder, questionnaire “The style of self-regulation of students’ behavior” by V. I. Morosanova. Results. Statistically significant correlations between the reflexive, affective and regulatory components of students’ self-awareness and the level of their personal and professional self-development were revealed. It has been found that a high level of development of students’ reflective qualities is associated with their desire for self-knowledge. The connection between self-regulation and readiness for self-knowledge and self-development determines the ability of students to carry out systematic and purposeful work on themselves. It is shown that students with high and above average levels of self-development are aware of the changes taking place in the structure of their personality in the process of vocational training. These students are characterized by higher indicators of reflexivity, self-attitude and self-esteem compared to students with low and below average levels of self-development. Discussion and Conclusion. The results obtained confirm the assumption that personal and professional self-development is conditioned by the students’ ability to reflect and realize their personal and professional qualities.