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DOI: 10.12731/2218-7405-2013-8-9
TYPES OF EXPERIENCING THE CRISIS OF TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD
Sivrikova N.V.
The research presents a typology of living through the crisis of transition to adulthood. On the basis of cluster analysis of data, received by means of normative crisis symptoms checklist , semantic differential, PIL test (by D.A.Leontiev), the questionnaire of terminal values and "Life satisfaction" method (by N.N.Melnikov), three types of living through the normative crisis of transition to adulthood were distinguished: optimal, anxiodepressive and defensive. The analysis of research's results allows to set out the ways of psychological follow-up of a person in the crisis of transition to adulthood depending on individual peculiarities.
Keywords: crisis of transition to adulthood; the types of experiences crisis; values and meaning-of-life orientations, temporary transspective.
ТИПОЛОГИЯ ПЕРЕЖИВАНИЯ КРИЗИСА ПЕРЕХОДА К ВЗРОСЛОСТИ
Сиврикова Н.В.
В работе представлена типология переживания кризиса перехода к взрослости. На основе кластерного анализа данных, полученных с помощью опросника симптомов нормативных кризисов, семантического дифференциала, теста СЖО (Д.А. Леонтьева), методики ОТеЦ и методики «Удовлетворенность жизнью» (Н.Н. Мельникова), выделены три типа переживания нормативного кризиса перехода к взрослости: оптимальный, тревожно-депрессивный и защитный. Анализ результатов исследования позволяет наметить пути психологиче-
ского сопровождения человека в кризисе перехода к взрослости в зависимости от индивидуальных особенностей.
Ключевые слова: кризис перехода к взрослости; типы переживания кризиса; ценностные и смысложизненные ориентации; временная трансспектива.
Introduction.
Researching the problem of normative maturation crises is relevant due to the need to develop the strategy of age specific counseling for the adults. Upon on the latest research, there have been stated out the structure, the subject-matter and the dynamics of normative crises of adult [1; 8; 9; 10]. Alongside, counseling the individual overcoming the crisis should be focused not only on the general characteristics of the crisis, but also on its subjective forms. Thus, just a few researchers would analyze the behavior of adults overcoming maturation crisis. The authors of the article are mostly concentrated on the 30-years crisis [2; 3]. Therefore, in our work we have tried to empirically determine the types of experiencing the crisis of transition to adulthood (the 20-years crisis).
Purpose: to determine types of experiencing the crisis of transition to adulthood.
Design/methodology/approach
The study involved 253 people aged 17 to 24 years; 155 of them were females, and 98 were males. People participated in the study were Arts School students.
To collect empiric data we used the following methods: checklist of symptoms of regulatory crises (N.V. Sivrikova) [7]; semantic differential, test of life orientations (D.A. Leontiev) [4]; checklist of terminal values, "Life satisfaction" method (N.N. Melnikova) [5].
Results and Discussion
Using N.V. Sivrikova's method [7] there have been filtered out individuals in the state of acute crisis (117 in total).
Next, we performed the hierarchical cluster analysis using Ward's method.
The role of indicator to degree the similarity of study participants performed the squared Euclidean distance. With the results of cluster analysis we divided people in the state of 20-years crisis into three groups (table 1).
Table 1
Types of normative experiencing the crisis of transition to adulthood
Type of crisis experience Total amount Percentage out of the total amount
Optimal 41 35%
Anxiodepressive 29 25%
Defensive 47 40%
To identify the groups we compared the average trends reflecting the crisis symptoms, life satisfaction level, axiological and rational orientation and time transspective of individuals within the groups. Mathematical research was performed using Kruskal-Wallis test.
The first crisis type is titled "optimal", as this group associates with people in the state of favorable prognosis of crisis accommodation. These individuals comparing to the other groups are characterized by minimal activity dissatisfaction (p<0,05) and average terminal evaluation (p<0,001). The most preferable values for this type are reputation, active social life, personal achievements and high income; whereas the spiritual satisfaction is less valued (picture 1).
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к fi
fi
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к
a s
о
8,0 7,0 6,0 5,0 4,0
^ 3,0
СП ВМП
К
АСК РС
Д
ДУ ССИ
■•—Anxiodepressive
H^HDefensive
■Optimal
Symbols:
Cn - reputation,
BMn - high income,
K - creativity,
ACK - active social life,
Picturel. Evaluation orientation in
PC - self-evolution, fl - personal achievements, flY - spiritual satisfaction, CCH - individuality maintenance
types of experiencing the 20-years crisis
As shown on the Picture 2, the first-type representatives perform higher level of life meaning and sense orientation, then the rest two groups (p<0,05). The structure of such orientation is the same for both first-type individuals and individuals in the post-crisis phase. We earlier have proved that individuals who overcame 20-years crisis were mostly focused on the process rather than on goals and results [8].
Picture 3 shows positive attitude to the events in the past, present and future in the "optimal" 20-years crisis phase; which outlines the group from the rest two types that are mostly characterized by focus on the present events (p<0,01).
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Defensive
П Р
^^ Optimal
ЛКЯ ЛКЖ
■•—Anxiodepressive
Symbols: Ц - goals П - process Р - result
ЛКЯ - locus of control I ЛКЖ - locus of control Life
Picture 2. Life meaning and sense orientation for the different types of experiencing
the 20-years crisis
—CWDefensive 9 Optimal —»—Anxiodepressive
Picture 3. Attitude to the past, present and future events at any type of 20-years crisis
experiencing
So we conclude that living for today, self-confidence and the desire to achieve are to be the main features to characterize favorable crisis accomodation among individuals of the "optimal" phase.
The second type of crisis accommodation was titled "Anxiodepressive". The most common feature of people of this type is the low life satisfaction. Such individuals are constantly tired, devastated and frustrated.
The major part of the students in the group takes the classes they do not want. They do not consider their current majors to become their future professions. This could be a reason why these individuals are in the state of crisis more, then the rest two types (р<0,05), and more dissatisfied with what they do in their lives (р<0,05). People that fall under this group are in need of psychological counseling. Current crisis accommodation problems are caused by the dissolved problems in their previous development stage (youth).
Their strong point is the high estimate of terminal values compared to the other groups under consideration (р<0,001). Thus, in the list of major values they outline reputation and individuality maintenance. Sticking to these two values at the same time might lead to the intrapersonal conflict, as there appears confrontation between two opposite tendencies: the approval of others and independence.
Anxiodepressive type is characterized by low life satisfaction (р<0,01). Its time transspective is mostly focused on the future and dissatisfied with the present and the past.
Thus, we conclude that anxiodepressive type of 20-years crisis accommodation is characterized with increased anxiety and dissatisfaction, low level of life meaning and sense and focusing on the future. People of that type while accommodating the crisis might overcome intrapersonal conflicts.
The third crisis experiencing type is titled "Defensive". People of this type, unlike the rest two types, cope with the crisis on their own (р<0,05). Even in the state of crisis these people are friendly and conflict-free.
Having analyzed axiological and notional spheres of thinking people of this type perform (Picture 1) we noticed that terminal values under research are less important for them. "Reputation" and "High income" are outlined, whereas "self-development" is far less important. Such condition indicates unfavorable experienc-
ing of normative crisis, as to evolve and get education means to live full of sense life the one is satisfied with [11]. This is partly supported by the fact this group's life comprehension level is lower than that of the optimal type but higher than that of the anxiodepressed type (р<0,01).
Unlike the rest two types, defensive group's another feature is goal orientation. Upon A.V. Seriy and A.V. Yupitov studying, such locus of meaning orientation works as the defensive mechanism often by belief in compensatory illusory reality in rationalizing phenomena of objective reality and reacting back on the outside offensive type [6].
Students of the third type underestimate the past, the present and the future (Picture 3). Plus, the present is less important to them. We should know that such condition might lead the frustration improvement; and so, the crisis accommodation might grow to anxiodepressive stage. Thus, their beliefs are not based on terminal values; so they should create their own values hierarchy in the first place.
Findings
1. Under this research there have empirically been determined three main types of normative maturation crisis: optimal, anxiodepressive and defensive.
2. First type associates with self-confident young people that live for today and goal to achieve. Anxiodepressive type of crisis accommodation is featured with high anxiety and deep dissatisfaction, low level of life meaning and sense orientation and focusing on the future. People of that type while experiencing the crisis might overcome intrapersonal conflicts, based on high priority of "Reputation" and "Individuality maintenance". Third type (defensive) associates with people that while experiencing the crisis protect themselves with hiding in compensatory illusory reality that is reflected in the low importance of terminal values and the non-acceptance of the present.
3. Having analyzed the data collected we are ready to perform the strategies of psychological counseling depending on the crisis experiencing type. Thus, people experiencing optimal crisis could cope without psychological help. People in state of
anxiodepressive crisis need psychological support, as they failed to overcome the youth crisis on their own. Counseling people in state of defensive crisis should be based on reflecting their own values and formation of time transspection for this particular individual; is also should be based on their own hierarchy of values recognition.
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DATA ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sivrikova Nadejda Valeryevna
Chelyabinsk State Pedagogical University 69, Lenin Ave., Chelyabinsk, 454080, Russia
E-mail: [email protected] ДАННЫЕ ОБ АВТОРЕ
Сиврикова Надежда Валерьевна, ст. преподаватель.
Челябинский Государственный Педагогический Университет пр. Ленина, 69, г. Челябинск, 454080, Россия E-mail: [email protected]
