Psychological Health and Subjective Well-Being of Youth Students in Conditions of Uncertainty

Abstract

The study is dedicated to identifying the impact of uncertainty stress on the psychological health and subjective well-being of an individual. The concept of “psychological health” is interpreted by the authors as a certain type of well-being, in which a person perceives his life as full of meaning, has enough mental strength and desire for moving forward, personal growth and carries out purposeful activities in accordance with his(her) goals and values. Psychological well-being is considered as a key element of mental and psychological health of a person, as well as a criterion of the life quality. The situation of uncertainty which is becoming more and more inherent in modern society occurs due to the rapid growth of the variety of changes taking place in it. Social instability is reflected in a person’s consciousness and leads to a feeling of uncertainty about the future, fears and anxieties. The situation of uncertainty places increased demands on a person’s activity and can potentially affect his(her) normal functioning, acting as a powerful stressor that negatively affects physical, mental and psychological health. The research hypothesis was put forward that experiencing the stress of uncertainty has a negative effect on the psychological health indicators of the individual and the level of his subjective well-being. An empirical study was conducted with the participation of 316 respondents – students and cadets. Three psychological tests were used: 1. E. Diner’s Satisfaction With Life Scale; 2. Test “Individual model of psychological health” by O.V. Kozlov; 3. USS-10 (10-item Chinese Uncertainty Stress Scale). The results of the conducted empirical research showed the negative impact of the situation of uncertainty on the level of subjective well-being of the individual, as well as such components of his(her) psychological health as goal setting, self-confidence, the desire for intellectual development, orientation towards social interaction, which testifies to the confirmation of the proposed hypothesis. Key words: psychological health, psychological well-being, uncertainty, uncertainty stress, life satisfaction.