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5Peculiarities of psychophysiological adaptation of students to conditions of enforced self-isolation during distance learning
UDC 796.011.3
H
Corresponding author: [email protected]
PhD, Associate Professor Y.S. Sergeeva1 PhD, Associate Professor T.R. Lebedeva1 PhD E.A. Lubyshev1 S.S. Kubenin1
''Peoples' Friendship University of Russia, Moscow
Abstract
Objective of the study was to determine the influence of the academic day in terms of distance learning during self-isolation on the psychophysiological state of students attributed to the preparatory health group.
Methods and structure of the study. Sampled for the study were the 1st-year students (17-19 years old) studying at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at People's Friendship University of Russia, majoring in "Philosophy" and "Sociology". The students were split into 2 groups: Group I - boys (37 subjects) and Group II - girls (46 subjects). The study was conducted at the beginning of the academic year in the autumn and spring periods, that is, under the stressful impact the enforced self-isolation.
The girls' cardiovascular system functionality was assessed by measuring the main hemodynamic parameters at rest (heart rate per minute (HR), blood pressure (BP) - using the auscultatory method according to N.S. Korotkov) and by recording an electrocardiogram in the second standard lead at rest and in orthostasis.
Hypoxic-hypercapnic tolerance was evaluated based on the results of the Stange's and Genchi's tests. The anxiety level was determined using C.D. Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory tests, YL. Khanin Anxiety Scale, V.A. Doskin Well-being, Activity, Mood Scale. H. Eysenck Personality Inventory was applied to test self-assessment of mental conditions. Physical working capacity was determined using the Ruffier test.
The academic distance physical education classes were organized in view of the students' medical indicators, which implied the division of students into the study groups: basic, preparatory, and special. The classes for the students from the preparatory health group were conducted using videos and presentation materials prepared by the Department of Physical Education and Sports for posting on the MS TEAMS platform. Semester class attendance was mandatory.
Results and conclusion. The study enabled to identify a "critical period" in mastering the university curriculum: the initial period of adaptation, as a response to new learning conditions for students and the proposed curricular and extracurricular workload in a non-standard format.
Keywords: distance learning, self-isolation, pandemic, psychological adaptation, adaptation, physical health, female students.
Background. Today, a systematic comprehensive study of students' state during their educational activities occupies a key place among the theoretical and practical problems solved by psychologists and physiologists. It is mandatory to assess students' health as a result of a complex interaction of demographic, biomedical, social, economic, environmental, and other factors.
Due to the Decree No. 34-UM of the Mayor of Moscow dated 29 March 2020, resolutions of the Govern-
ment, the President, the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation related to the measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COV-ID-19) [3-6], all full-time students of Peoples' Friendship University of Russia were moved to distance learning.
The atypical way of life that arose due to the enforced self-isolation contributed to the formation of protective mechanisms and the launch of adaptation processes. The human body is a dynamic combination
of stability and variability, where variability serves its adaptive reactions and, consequently, the protection of its inherited fixed constants [7].
Objective of the study was to determine the influence of the academic day in terms of distance learning during self-isolation on the psychophysiological state of students attributed to the preparatory health group.
Methods and structure of the study. Sampled for the study were the 1st-year students (17-19 years old) studying at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at People's Friendship University of Russia, majoring in "Philosophy" and "Sociology". The students were divided into groups: Group I - boys (37 subjects) and Group II - girls (46 subjects). The study was conducted at the beginning of the academic year in the autumn and spring periods, that is, under the stressful impact the enforced self-isolation.
The functional state of the cardiovascular system of the girls was assessed by measuring the main hemodynamic parameters at rest (heart rate per minute (HR), blood pressure (BP) - using the auscultatory method according to N.S. Korotkov) and by recording an electrocardiogram in the second standard lead at rest and in orthostasis. First, an integral indicator - the adaptive potential of the cardiovascular system (G.L. Apanasenko, 1988) - was calculated.
Hypoxic-hypercapnic tolerance was evaluated based on the results of the Stange's and Genchi's tests. The anxiety level was determined using C.D. Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory tests, YL. Khanin Anxiety Scale, V.A. Doskin Well-being, Activity, Mood Scale. H. Eysenck Personality Inventory was applied to test self-assessment of mental conditions. Physical working capacity was determined using the Ruffier test (30 squats for 45 sec).
The distance physical education classes at the university were organized taking into account the students' medical indicators, which implied the division of students into the study groups: basic, preparatory, and special. The classes for the students from the preparatory health group were conducted using videos and presentation materials prepared by the Department of Physical Education and Sports for posting on the MS TEAMS platform. Semester class attendance was mandatory.
Results and discussion. The analysis of the subjects' anthropometric parameters revealed that in 89% of the students, the body weight rates changed upwards during the self-isolation period. The data obtained indicated that the body length and weight of the
girls were significantly higher in the spring (p<0.05). The boys' height (175.1 0.3 cm) and weight (73.8 0.06 kg) indices were also significantly higher than in the autumn period. A comparative analysis of the data obtained showed that the students did not have any significant differences depending on their age.
Under conditions of relative rest, the hemodynamic parameters in the students complied with the age standards. The margin of fluctuations of the studied indicators did not go beyond the normal limits in this case. At the same time, the difference in the heart rate and blood pressure rates was primarily due to the cy-clicity of the functions, which is based on the genetically programmed ability of the body to switch its molecular mechanisms from one biosynthesis to another in accordance with the internal biological clock [2, 7].
The assessment of the students' physical condition showed that their indicators corresponded to a high level. At the same time, the adaptive potential in the groups was characterized as "satisfactory" and ranged within 1.50-2.59. However, it should be noted that the lowest rates were registered in the boys, regardless of the study period.
The analysis of the deviations from the value characterizing the state of satisfactory adaptation (up to 2.1 points and below) towards the tension of its mechanisms revealed that the maximum number of the subjects, whose adaptive potential was assessed as satisfactory, was found in the group of healthy students (88.6%), in Group I - less by 12.8% (75.8%) and in Group II - significantly less than in Control Group -by 20% (p<0.05). Thus, the tension of the adaptation mechanisms increases with the increase in the degree of violations in the usual academic day mode due to the enforced self-isolation.
The assessment of the physical development level should be primarily based on the evaluation of the reserves of the bodily systems, identified by the response of the physiological systems of a person to physical loads of different intensity and functional tests. The degree and dynamics of changes in the physiological parameters during testing, as well as the speed and completeness of recovery, reflect the adaptive abilities of a person and the reserve capabilities of his body [4].
The analysis of the Stange's test results [1, 5] showed that a longer breath holding time was typical for the male students in the autumn period, which indicated their higher tolerance to hypoxia and hyper-capnia.
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At the same time, the breath holding time in the female students from Group I in the second semester decreased as opposed to the first semester by 9.7% and in those from Group II - by 12.8%, respectively. This indicated a greater degree of stability of the respiratory system regulation among the female students in the autumn period.
Based on the results of testing the psychophysiological state of the subjects in different periods of the academic year, it should be noted that there were significant changes in the indicators of self-assessment of their mental condition. In terms of self-isolation, there was a decrease in the indicators of well-being in Group I. The girls were found to have changes similar to those in the boys - self-esteem, well-being, and mood. At the same time, in Group II, there was a sharp downward trend in the indicators of well-being, while the activity level was lower in the boys compared to the girls, and their mood was higher in the enforced self-isolation period. In terms of the level of state anxiety, the girls were found to have higher values as opposed to the boys, and this indicator was higher in the spring period. In addition, during this period, the highest levels of trait anxiety were revealed, which indicated an increase in the subjects' degree of anxiety, concern, and nervousness.
When determining the physical working capacity of the IRD in the students of both groups, a satisfactory result (6.0-8.00) was obtained. However, in the spring period, this indicator in the boys was characterized as "bad" and amounted to 8.2 c.u.
Conclusion. The study enabled to identify a "critical period" in mastering the university curriculum: the initial period of adaptation, as a response to new learning conditions for students and the proposed
curricular and extracurricular workload in a nonstandard format.
The study was supported by the Strategic Academic Leadership Program of Peoples' Friendship University of Russia
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