CONCERNING THE ISSUE OF STRESS RESISTANCE OF FUTURE MARITIME OFFICERS

Abstract

Today, the issue of stress resistance of future maritime officers is extremely up-to-the-minute one from the perspective of the required level of competence as well as from the perspective of entry of Ukraine into the European context of socio-economics changes. The issue being discussed is not a new one and has an interdisciplinary nature. The essence and meaning of the concept of "stress resistance" of future maritime officers have been considered in the professional activities. Stress resistance is defined as an individual ability of a seafarer to maintain an adequate work performance at the time of stressor exposure. It has been proved that low-stress resistance leads to emotional disorders of maritime officers, reduction of physiological and mental resistance in extreme conditions of the professional situation. The number of social and personal factors influencing survival when exposed to stressors is considered here. The significance of the personal resources of future seafarers is being investigated. Personal resources may intensify or deemphasize seafarers’ respondence to stress, influencing its type, intensity, duration as well as improve their psychological resistance when in stressful situations. Personal resources include the following components: an active attitude to life, clearly differentiated goals, subjective-action intentions, ability to choose, locus of control, responsibility for their own lives, life strategies, creativity, etc. The main hypothesis of the empiric investigation has been proved. According to the latter, cadets (68%) have been mostly attaching importance to the progress of their own lives, their own self-esteem of how they got through life so far, its fruitfulness, content. The indicators of the respondents on the scales of the internal locus of control were low, which may be correlated with the low values of the indicators of the respondents, in particular on the parameter: "completeness of the situation - lack of prospects." Thus, disbelief in the ability to control the events of one’s own life, elements of fatalism cause dependence on the relevant situation. According to the results of the empiric investigation, the conclusion has been drawn about the relevance of timely diagnostics to be carried out at maritime higher educational institutions, and further correction of psychological personal factors of cadets, which are important resources of stress resistance and provide the necessary level of individual mental resistance when exposed to extreme professional situations.