PREDICTORS OF COPING BEHAVIOR OF FOREIGN STUDENTS

Abstract

This article presents the results of an empirical research aimed at studying the coping strategies in difficult life situations and the factors that determine their choice among foreign students. The main group consisted of foreign students from Iraq (N=108 people), and the comparison group consisted of Russian students (N=80 people). The study used descriptive statistics, Student's parametric t -test, r -Pearson’s correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis. It is established that foreign students tend to use the strategy of “positive reassessment” to a greater extent, to look for a positive meaning in difficulties, to comprehend them from the point of view of personal growth. They often use the strategy of "planning to solve problems", resort to a strategy of maintaining control over feelings and behavior, and to a lesser extent use the strategy of "finding social support" and "confrontational coping". It is revealed that foreign students are very religious, have high self-esteem, high willpower. With negative expectations, they try to extract more positive experiences and not focus on the bad ones. In difficult life situations in relationships with others, foreign students resort to collective coping and coping to avoid problems.