Abstract:

The purpose of the study is to examine the stress resistance and viability features among first year University students.

Methods and participants:
The study was conducted on the basis of RUDN University, psychological and law department (Russia, Moscow). 60 Russian students (30 men and 30 women), 17-21 years old were engaged. There were used the following self-reported techniques: "The Dispositional Resilience Scale", Maddi S.R. (Russian adapted by Leontiev, D.A.); "Strategic Approach To Coping Scale", SACS, Hobfoll, S. (Russian adapted by Vodopiyanova, N.E., Starchenkova, E.S.). For processing of the obtained data Mann — Whitney U-test, Kruskal Wallis H-test, correlational analysis were used. The calculations were done using the SPSS 22.0 computer program.

Findings:
The comparative analysis of two groups (psychology (30) / law students (30)) has shown the differences on the coping scales: aggressive action and search for social support. It means, that law students from the studied sample are more confrontationally toward stress situation.

The group of psychology students is characterized by difficulties in social support seeking. It is maybe connected with the nature of psychological profession in opinion of students (to provide help, not to ask for it). It is revealed the differences between men and women of the whole studied sample. It shows that men are more active that women in stress resistance. The results of the comparative analysis by subgroups of students’ (specialty + gender) have shown, that male psychologists compared to male lawyers are more likely to engage in social contact, to use social oriented coping for solving various problems, while female psychologists are less likely to engage in social contact with the same goals, compared to female lawyers.

Research limitations:
The correlational analysis does not imply causation between stress resistance and viability features. Value of the results: The revealed results can be a base of psychological programs organized for Russian students in RUDN University Psychological Service (Psychology and Pedagogic Chair, Philological Department).

Acknowledgements:
The study has been supported by departments of grant initiative projects in RUDN University, the project № 051316-0-000 “Students’ ethno-cultural values and students’ motivational setups in the internationally-oriented university”.

Keywords:

Stress resistance, coping strategies, first year University students, Russian students.