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Background. Family of schizophrenic patient plays a key role in their psychosocial adaptation. On the other hand, according to numerous data, adverse family relations are associated with high relapse risk. Family member’s illness is a severe stress factor for the whole family. However, families differ from each other to the degrees of emerging dysfunctions. Yet mechanisms which underlay interactional disturbances in those families remain unexplored.

Objective. The study represents complex research of the role of symptoms severity, interactional characteristics of a family, which are represented in family flexibility and cohesion parameters (FACES-3), and emotional and communicative competence (EmIn Lousin D.V.) as well as life satisfaction of main caregiver in psychosocial adaptation of a patient with schizophrenia.

Design. The paper presents the research of 122 test subjects, paired in dyads – schizophrenic patient (paranoid form) and their major caregiver. Patients gender distribution: 33 female and 28 males, average age 32.5±9.44 (M±SD), hospitalizations rate – 5.44 ±5.27, average illness duration – 9.93±6.85. Caregiver’s genders: 12 males and 49 females. Average major caregiver’s age – 53±11.91.

Results. Derived from structural equations, a model was invented showing that symptoms severity plays negative role in psychosocial adaptation of a patient with schizophrenia (p<0.001), whilst more balanced family characteristics have a supportive effect (p<0.001). Communicative competence of major caregiver increases balance of family characteristics (p<0.001).

Conclusion. The results indicate that the possibilities of social adaptation in patients with schizophrenia are determined by both objective factors (the severity of psychopathological symptoms) and the character of family dysfunctions that are closely associated with the emotional and communicative competence of main caregivers. In this way development of communicational skills in major caregivers may be the part of complex psychosocial interventions into schizophrenic patient’s families. Further research in this area may be aimed both at assessing the effectiveness of interventions, and at improving the tools to be used through experimental methods of assessing the family disruptions and emotional and communicative competence, as well as expanding the number of measured parameters (e.g. cognitive deficit of patients) for a more comprehensive understanding of the problem.

Background. In modern psychological research, auto-aggression and self-harming behavior occupies the leading position. Many researchers point out direct correlations of childhood-related violence with later auto-aggressive behaviour and other forms of abuse.

The Objective of this research is an empirical study of the relationship between sexual abuse in childhood and subsequent eating disorders, suicidal thoughts and dissatisfaction with the body image in adulthood.

Design. The following methods have been used: the method of recording eating disorders (short form) (Morgan JF et al., 1999), The Body Satisfaction Scale, The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire: Short form (2003), The Positive and Negative Suicide Ideation Inventory (1998). The sample consisted of 113 people. Average age = 19.9 years (standard deviation = 5.2): 104 females (average age = 19.8 years, standard deviation = 5.1) and 9 males (average age = 18.6; standard deviation = 4.1).

Results. The auto-aggressors who rienced sexual abuse in childhood tend to report on other negative aspects of their experience statistically much more often (p<0.05) than auto-aggressors without sexual abuse: emotional abuse of a child by adults, emotional neglect of a child by significant adults, physical (non-sexual) violence by adults, physical neglect (abandonment of a child). The results showed that autoagressors with childhood sexual abuse more often report about eating disorders than autoagressors without sexual abuse.

Conclusions. The study focuses on the influence of childhood sexual abuse on the occurrence of self-harming behavior in adulthood, and also considers the sexual abuse as a risk factor for other negative behavioural manifestations associated with auto-aggression.The results can be used for prevention, correction and psychotherapeutic work both with children and adolescents, and also with adults.

Introduction. The relevance of the subject is primarily due to the high frequency of anxiety disorders in the population. According to various schools of psychology and psychotherapy, the motivation of the patient, their deep-seated attitudes and values ​​play a significant role in the emergence and development of anxiety disorders. But nowadays there is a lack of empirical studies that consider achievement motivation and perfectionism in connection with anxiety disorders.

Objective. On the one hand, the study is focused on the relationship between the direction and the achievement motivation in motivational conflicts, and on the other hand, the authors illicit the general level and structural characteristics of perfectionism in people with anxiety disorders.

Procedure. The study involved 21 patients with anxiety disorders undergoing inpatient treatment at the Moscow Research Institute of Psychiatry, Moscow, Russia, and 20 healthy subjects. In order to measure achievement motivation, the authors used TAT (Thematic Apperception Test) modified by H. Heckhausen (Heckhausen, 1963, 1967; Magomed-Eminov, 1987). In order to identify the degree of manifestation and features of the structure of perfectionism, the Kholmogorova-Garanyan perfectionism questionnaire (Garanyan, Yudeeva, 2008, 2009) and the Hewitt and Flett Multidimensional scale of perfectionism were used (Hewitt, Flett, 1998; Gracheva, 2006). An intergroup comparison was performed in terms of the severity of the characteristics assessed, and also a correlation study of the perfectionism and motivation indicators was conducted in each group.

Results. Compared to healthy individuals, patients with anxiety disorders show a higher level of general perfectionism and socially prescribed perfectionism, as well as reduced achievement motivation. They revealed a greater discrepancy between the motives for achieving success and avoiding failure, which suggests that their activity is directed to the motive of avoidance than to the motive of achievement. The overall level of perfectionism in both groups negatively correlates with the severity of the achievement motive, however, in healthy people, perfectionism is associated with the hope of success, and in patients with anxiety disorders it is associated with the fear of failure.

Conclusion. The results can be used in psychotherapeutic practice treating patients with anxiety disorders. The study gives way for further research on patients with anxiety disorders, depressed patients, etc.

Background. Individuals who aim at changing their health behaviour do not always handle the issue immediately. This discrepancy is usually referred to as the intention behaviour gap. Implicit processes are one of the factors which mediate between intention and behaviour. Compared to cognitive and affective implicit processes, motivational implicit processes are given a very little account in the modern science. Currently it is not quite clear how implicit and explicit values are focused on within the health-related decision-making process.

Objective. The present study shows how implicit and explicit values and their congruency are focused on health-related decision-making process in dilemmas. The dilemmas were described as situations within which the subjects report on making a choice: either to avoid losses related to health, or to avoid losses related to other values. Choosing health, the participant avoids losses related to it, whereas they acquire losses related to other values, and vice versa.

Design. The participants participated in the Schwartz’s Value Survey (measuring explicit values), Implicit Association Tests (measuring implicit values) and solve three types of dilemmas (health vs benevolence, health vs self-direction, health vs achievement).

Research Results. The research shows that implicit and explicit values are not related to each other and are differently related to decision-making process in dilemmas. Namely, implicit values of achievement, benevolence and self-direction are related to decision-making in dilemmas with low potential losses. Many of these values turn to be significant to the participants, and some of the dilemmas are not solved in favour of health-related issues. Explicit values are related to decision-making process in dilemmas with high potential losses. Many of these values turn to be significant to the participants, and some of the dilemmas are not solved in favour of health-related issues. Finally, it was found that high correlation between explicit and implicit values is positively related to decision making in favor of health.

Conclusion. The research shows that explicit and implicit values are differently associated with health-related decision-making in the participants.

Background. The relevance of the study is fueled by the emergence of new types of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, “rejuvenation” of children and adolescents who use drugs. The reference literature does not provide the information about those facts that narcotic substances contribute to maladjustment and trigger deviant behavior.

The Objective is to study the risk factors for deviant adaptation associated with drug abuse, the role of information on drugs and drug addicts in choosing a solution “for” or “against” using narcotic substances.

Design. A special questionnaire of 27 questions was developed. The questionnaire was aimed at finding out the level of knowledge about drugs, drug addiction and drug addicts before the first test. The frequency of drug use that could cause addiction was identified. The possibility of quitting using drugs, the presence of addicts in the social environment and their attitude to them on a temporary interval between the first use and the beginning of drug use were analysed. The sample included 34 active drug addicts at the age of 20-29 years, who are registered as drug addicts in Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkaria.

Research Results. The data analysis makes it possible to document the characteristics of drug addiction in those who have experience in drug use. The answers of active drug addicts and ordinary adolescents revealed their heterogeneity. The data obtained show the main factors that influence the heterogeneity are the age factor and the factor of ignorance.

Conclusion. The research results show the availability and relevance of information on drugs obtained from information sources, peers and adults, advertising the safety of small doses and “light” drugs. There are only superficial representations of drug addicts about drugs and their dangers prior to their consumption in adolescents. This allows to make a conclusion about the lack of systemic prevention of drug addiction in adolescents.

Background. The increased number of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is observed worldwide today. Ambiguity of the reasons that cause the disorder, lack of the possibility to render effective medical care make actual the need of non-HCP (according to medical research full treatment cannot be found). The solution of this problem is possible by using effective mechanisms of child training in the society.

The Objective is to develop the complex model for ASD children rehabilitation in preschool education based on the analysis of various correction methods that are widely used in the USA Europe and Russia. There considered are possibilities and limitations, and their application in preschool education.

Design. The authors consider their own model for ASD children rehabilitation based on the direct practical experience with a specific ASD child suffering. The conditions for adopting this model in preschool education are described: creating a special environment that allows to compensate for missing skills and facilitate the child adaptation, psychological and educational support of all subjects of inclusive education, and teamwork of experts of different profiles (teacher, psychologist, speech therapist, and speech pathologist).

Results. Based on the analysis of foreign and domestic experience of rehabilitation, a comprehensive model for the rehabilitation of the ASD child in the conditions of an educational organization has been developed. The construction of the individual rehabilitation route of the ASD child considers specific features of mutism, child’s adaptation and behaviour, the accompanying disturbances complicating the development process, background and needs of the family, and also resources of the educational organization. The rehabilitation work emphasizes the development of the emotional sphere and communication skills.

Conclusion. Rehabilitation work with the ASD child in the conditions of the educational organization will be effective if to carry out it by the group of experts in the following ways: correctional work with the ASD child, work with peers, work with teachers and parental support.

Background. Near-death experience is an altered state of consciousness at the time when the person is on the threshold of death. Near-death experience has a specific structure which includes such elements as extra corporal experience, moving in a dark tunnel, seeing bright light, meetings with the deceased persons, panoramic life review and many others. The condition is quite common nowadays particularly due to the success of resuscitation and a high level of emergency care organization). Experience in itself and its some consequences derivate a lot of psychological problems at the person, which he is afraid to tell not only medical staff, but also relatives because of danger of interpretation his (her) near-death experiences as marks of psychic illness.

The Objective of the analytical theoretical research was to study the experience of working with such patients, accumulated in Western medicine, psychology and psychotherapy, the organization of the training process and also the organization of psychotherapeutic support for survivors and members of their families.

Design. This article analyzes the foreign (most publications on this subject is carried out in the United States) works on the problem of treatment with near-death experiencer and psychological support for them, the material contained in these works is structured and summarized on the main problems in this area.

Research results. Based on the review and analysis of the reference literature a preliminary Atwater's adaptation model of the near-death experience is proposed, the integration of this experience is viewed as the main goal to be implemented by the experiencer independently or in collaboration with a psychotherapist, the universal rules of treating near-death experiencers are elaborated. There are rules of treating different groups of experiencers and different categories of people interacting with them are identified and integrated: the rules of treating children with near-death, the experience of organizing psychotherapeutic assistance to their relatives.

Conclusion. The compliance with the rules by physicians, psychotherapists and relatives of near-death patients contributes to the decreased emotional and social problems in the patient, and sometimes even prevents their occurrence.

Background. The increase in drug use in the population of Russia and representatives of the youth in particular is a vital issue that is controlled and monitored by the federal state. The rapid rise in drug use in young citizens requires a systematic analysis of the causes, study of criteria and assessment of predisposition for drug use, and also the development of programs to prevent drug addiction in adolescents.

Objective. Determination of the psychological predisposition of young men to psychoactive substances using the personality profile of the Multidisciplinary Method of Personality Inventory (MMPI).

Research Progress. The research was conducted between 2008 and 2010 on the basis of secondary comprehensive schools, cadet corps, secondary professional educational institutions and universities in Rostov-on-Don and the Rostov region, Russia. The sample included 338 males from 15-16 to 22-23 years old, whose average age is 17-18 years. The evaluation of information reported by applicants on the fact of presence / absence of psychoactive substance samples was made based on the results of the psychophysiological test using a polygraph.

Research Results. The results of the MMPI test were statistically analyzed according to the nonparametric Mann-Whitney test, and to a single-factor analysis of variance. The research results show that the scores of the F-scale in the MMPI profile of young males who used psychoactive substances reveal a statistically significant increase (p = 0.008), compared to those who did not use psychoactive substances. The single-factor analysis of the F- MMPI scale did not show a statistically significant difference (p = 0.128).

Conclusion. The paper proposes to consider an increase in the F-scale in the MMPI profile as an indicator of individual predisposition to use psychoactive substances, but not to consider an increase in its indices as a cause that affects primary psychoactive substances in adolescence. The results obtained can be used by practical and clinical psychologists when working with adolescents and youths.

Background. The development of psychological practices has emerged such promising method for evaluating and transforming the value semantic sphere of the individual as film therapy. However, the wide dissemination of the method is held up by insufficient knowledge of the mechanisms that make up its psychological impact. The urgent task is to elaborate on the projective method for diagnosing the value semantic sphere of the individual by means of artistic cinematography, and also to develop the technologies for quasi-forming and learning technique.

The Objective is to analyze the possibilities of using film therapy for solving psychotherapeutic, diagnostic, correctional, and developmental problems.

Design. The theoretical bases of film therapy as a kind of art therapy are considered, similarities and differences with bibliotherapy are emphasized. The paper discusses the development of film therapy as a method with a wide range of tasks from coping with emotional disturbances and restoring the balance of psychodynamic forces to a wide array of issues including optimizing personal development and education. Psychological impact mechanisms in the process of cinema therapy, i.e. projection, identification with the hero, reflection, catharsis, social learning are analyzed. Basic methods of personal transformation used in film therapy are singled out. Basic topics for group and individual discussion after watching a feature film are identified. The results of a pilot study that proved the high efficiency of the film therapy method in pregnant women are presented.

Research results. Based on the analysis of the psychological practice using artistic cinematography as a method of psychological influence the following tips should be laid emphasis on. Although the method of film therapy has successfully proved itself in solving psychotherapeutic, developmental, and educational problems, the psychological impact mechanisms have not received enough focus, and the possibilities of film therapy in the development of personal potential are far from being fully employed.

Conclusion. Prospects for the development of this method are associated with the development of projective methods for investigating the unconscious implicit attitudes of the individual, which will increase the effectiveness of diagnostic work, and also the development of quasi-forming techniques of psychological impact on the human value sphere enhancing their personal potential and taking into account the actual development challenges of each age group.

Background. The paper is devoted to the development of a new approach to the study of a person's well/ill-being. Changes in economy, politics and geopolitics, social sphere in Russia and the entire world have resulted in emerging features of modern life that significantly affect the well-being of a person. In this regard, psychology interest in this issue is rising. In Western psychology, two theoretical constructs of "subjective well-being" and "psychological well-being" are clearly differentiated, and the toolkit to correspond each construct is created. However, in the national psychological science, there is a variety of terms with borrowed foreign psychodiagnostical tools.

The Objective of this research is to develop a concept of emotional well-being of a person based on the integration of existing foreign and national psychology approaches to the study of well-being within a new theoretical construct and structural model, and also transforming the models in the research tool and its empirical verification.

The paper considers emotional well-being of a person as an entire existential condition of harmony between the inner and outer world, initiated throughout the living process, activity and communication of a human.

Design. Conducting a pilot study based on the sample of 117 subjects and the analysis of reference literature allowed to build the theoretical construct of "emotional well-being of a person" that includes nine parameters: the three of them include the positive emotional component of well-being, other three ones include positive personal component of well-being, and three components indicate ill-being. These parameters lie in the basis of the research methods for self-evaluation of emotional well-being" (SEEWB) carried out using the sample of 2,229 subjects.

Conclusion. The cluster analysis identified and described groups of respondents in terms of self-evaluation of emotional well-being. The results obtained can be used both in research and in practical activities of a psychologist for diagnosing and optimizing the level of emotional and personal well-being.

Background. The functionability of the social worker, their professional competencies and the quality of interpersonal contact with the client create the background for analyzing the helping relationships as a main factor of efficacy of psychological help.

The Objective of this paper is to analyze the phenomenon of «helping relationships» in social work. The phenomenon of “helping” lies in the basis of helping relationships. “Helping” means finding a joint solution of certain problem of the client and the development of their social competencies. Client requests are given in brief, they include the provision of certain services and support/guidance in difficult life situations. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the pioneering works in the field of helping relationships, e.g. F.Biestek, H.Perlman, R.Weiss, etc. Helping relationships are viewed through the categories of communication, interaction, working alliance, form, connection. The key components of a helping relationship are reciprocity, feelings, knowledge, reality, interest, goals, impartiality, ability to offer something new and facilitation. Helping relationships are always associated with changes in both the social worker and their client. Helping relationship in the practice of social work developed for a specific purpose and terminate when the goal is achieved. Helping relationship differ from other types of interpersonal relationships. Care for the client system, expectations, empathy and clear communication, authenticity of experiences and acceptance, authority are important factors in the development of helping relationship. The main stages of helping relationship in the practice of social work are considered: the initial stage, research and evaluation, problem solving and completion.

Research Results. Despite a significant role that helping relationship plays in social work, there are still the issues that require further study, e.g. distinction of helping relationship and therapeutic relationship, expert competence, capablity of building mutual assistance and describing the quality of mutual assistance.

Conclusion. Helping relationship is a long-term relation within the framework of professionally assigned roles and statuses related to the support and assistance to a person in their development and social adjustment, incentivizing individual changes and preserving or restoring their psychological and social well-being. Building and developing mutual assistance is possible only within the relatuins based on empathic understanding, respect, positive feedback, authenticity, congruence, immediacy and warm feelings towards the client.

Background. At different stages of the development of the society, the principles that lie in the basis of rehabilitation programs and are justified by experts of various fields are changing. The opportunities that modern society possesses, the resources that it is ready to spend to solve a wide range of rehabilitation problems, are transformed, evolve and require scientific reflection.

The Objective is to discuss modern principles of rehabilitation and social integration of mentally disturbed individuals.

Design. The role of the subject of the rehabilitation program and the role of society in implementing the programs are discussed. The principle of general and targeted rehabilitation work is justified, the principle of continuity and increasing specificity of psychological assistance, the principle of the subject's own activity are identified.

Research results. The need to address not only the conscious motivation of the subject, but also the consideration of unconscious motives for participation in rehabilitation activities and in maintaining health is disclosed. The fixed notion of norm as the ideal and the difficulty of changing stereotypes towards a mentally disturbed person are discussed.

Background. Victor Frankl developed two methods based on the fundamental (spiritual) ability to self-distraction and self-transcendence, i.e. paradoxical intention and dereflection. Further development and extension of the concepts Person and Existence in the framework of existential analysis by Alfried Längle allowed to expand the scientific basis for the creation of new therapeutic interventions and their methodological description. It seems very relevant to present in the paper the analysis of the logotherapeutic and existential analytical psychotherapeutic methods that exist at the present moment.

The Objective of this paper is to give an overview of the logotherapy methods (LT) and existential analysis (EA), and to try and explain why they work. Also the author tries to clarify the logic of existential -analytical methods in correlation with EA anthropology and methodology.

Design. The review of the LT and EA methods is presented here as they are currently used in psychotherapeutic practice and are taught as part of the training program on psychotherapy and counseling of the International Society for Logotherapy and Existential Analysis (GLE-International). The explanation of how the methods of logotherapy and existential analysis operate are done by correlating the EA methods in the first part of the paper with its anthropological concept, and in the second part - with the level (or extension) of the disturbance influenced by the method used and the psychotherapeutic work accordingly.

Results. Three different levels or layers of LT and EA methods distinguished from each other by the principles of psychotherapeutic work are characterized. The first two levels are the area of action of short-term therapy including counseling on the one hand, and process-oriented therapeutic procedures, on the other hand. The third level developing the process of developing a personal dialogue is aimed at the Person concept. Being the nucleus of EA, Personal Existential Analysis (PEA) is considered to be an intra- or interpersonal dialogical process through which a person claims himself/herself through a decisive occupation of a position, being faced with a certain situation. The therapeutic method of PEA (introductory part, 3 steps including all stages) is described.

Conclusion. The methods described provide the therapist with an array of various interventions aimed at activating the patient. Interventions are designed to help the patient find themselves in an existential relationship, gain their own voice, give their strength, help them find a description and give expression to new, better ways of being.

Background. Developing criteria for distinguishing between normal and abnormal personality is one of the most important fundamental scientific problems of psychology. However, today it does not have a satisfactory explanation.

The main Objective of this paper is to propose a new criterion to identify normal and abnormal personality that refers to the works of Erich Fromm.

The methodological and theoretical analysis of E. Fromm's ideas of productive and non-productive personality was carried out.

Based on the analysis of Fromm’s accounts an existential criterion for identifying normal and abnormal personality is proposed.

Conclusion. According to this criterion, firstly normal and abnormal personalities can be identified by special features of their position regarding existential dichotomies, secondly they include particular aspects of acquiring this position. Such dichotomies are inherent, bilateral discrepancies. The position of a normal personality pre-determinates certain existential dichotomies and the necessity of searching for compromise in resolving these dichotomies. This position is actively developed by a person taking into account the rational approach. The position of an abnormal personality is to deny a contradicting predetermination of inherent in existential dichotomies and leads a person toward a consistent, noncompetitive, and eventually single way where self-determination is not taken into account. This position is imposed by other people on an irrational basis. Abnormal personality is deemed as one of the most important factors that influence the development of various kinds of psychological problems and mental disorders (e.g. neurosis).

The references are made to empirical studies, which show that the existential criterion can be successfully used to diagnose normal and abnormal personality and to identify the causes of many psychological problems in humans.

Background. The issue of preventing antisocial behavior in the juvenile is relevant nowadays as delinquent, unlawful behaviour in children and adolescents is a powerful risk factor of asocial development of the personality on the whole, and also the factor that negatively affects their entire future.

The Objective is to analyze the causes and consequences of the asocial development in children and adolescents, to consider theoretical studies devoted to the prevention of antisocial behaviour and juvenile delinquency, neglected and homeless children and adolescents, and their rehabilitation and resocialization.

Design. The paper studies the issue of adolescent aggression in modern Russian society. The paper recites a wide range of foreign and Russian research, analyses regulatory and legal documents and regional practices, and also employs the data of the author’s survey of Russian adolescents conducted in 2017.

Research results. Family reshaping in terms of psychology and relationship between family members have a direct effect on deviant or antisocial behaviour in adolescents. A significant negative correlation between the school climate and the aggressiveness of schoolchildren was revealed. High positive intercorrelations within the indicators of the school climate were found to be high: school safety and teacher-student relations. Children who are not involved in bullying, assess the climate and school safety significantly higher than the children who are bullied. This pattern is typical for all participants in the persecution, regardless of their role, i.e. the victim, the aggressor or the observer.

Conclusion. Based on the data reviewed, the recommendations given can be taken into account when establishing the state policy on preventing antisocial behaviour and the aggression in the juvenile. The significance of the joint school and family measures that can be an effective tool for preventing teenage aggression is drawn special attention to.

The paper explains the usage of the terms «personal meaning of disease» and «adherence» to describe variants of mother’s attitude to her child’s disease. Based on the analysis of 25 mothers raising infants suffering from cerebral palsy, such personal meanings in relation to the child’s illness as conflict and barrier were identified; examples of possible secondary benefits from the child’s illness were depicted. Separately, a group of mothers after IVF with a mixed (barrier and conflict) personal meaning of the disease was described. Several assumptions were made about the factors that determine the harmonious person-notional context related to the infant’s illness. Within the framework of selected groups, mothers’ suppositions about the causes of their children’s illnesses were examined. Three degrees of adherence to the treatment of a disabled infant were outlined to illustrate the process of upbringing infants with cerebral palsy. Also, their connection with the personal meaning of a child’s disease for parents and their suppositions about it was shown. The characteristic features of understanding adherence to treatment of similar diseases were marked out. The results demonstrate the necessity of psychological support programs for families with infants with cerebral palsy. Moreover, the obtained date will allow to individualize the strategy of psychological work, and it can become the basis of further research conducted in order to develop and improve the psychological support programs for families with children suffering chronic disabling diseases.

Social anxiety has a significant negative impact on the individual’s everyday life through handicapping process of social adaptation. In this regard, psychologists observe an increasing amount of research focused on coping-strategies in social phobia. Humorous reactions on stressful events are considered an important and effective coping strategy. The objective of this research is to study the impact of the humour as a coping strategy on different manifestations of social anxiety, as well as the associated feelings of guilt and shame in healthy people and patients with schizophrenia. The study involved 34 patients with schizophrenia and 102 healthy people, aged 18 to 35, males and females. As a research method we used questionnaires such as Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale, Guilt and Shame Proneness Scale. The results showed that patients with schizophrenia are less likely to use humour as a coping strategy than healthy people. The results of one-way ANOVA method demonstrated that humour as a coping strategy is effective in some, but not all, aspects of social anxiety. The results of two-way ANOVA method showed that humour as a coping strategy could be effective to cope with shame and guilt, but at low level of social anxiety. At high level of social anxiety humour could not only be ineffective to cope with shame and guilt, but also have a negative influence on these emotions. In healthy males with low level of social anxiety humour helps to cope with withdrawal actions in shame. In males with schizophrenia and low levels of social anxiety humour reduces repair actions in guilt. These results indicate heterogenic influence of humour over social anxiety, shame and guilt, and can be used for diagnostic purposes and for psychocorrection.

The literature on chronic diseases recognizes the role of illness cognition as a mediator between stress and illness. The results of testing of the Russian version of the illness cognition questionnaire. The basis for this questionnaire served as the model representations of the disease is widely developed in the foreign clinical psychology. Diagnostic procedure involves identifying the positive and negative factors to assess the impact of the disease on the psychosocial adaptation. The questionnaire assesses three ways of cognitively evaluating the stressful and aversive character of a chronic illness: helplessness, acceptance, and perceived benefits. Scale «Acceptance» and «Perceived benefits» perceived ability to diminish, live with and master the aversive consequences of one’s disease recognising the need to adapt to the chronic illness, additional positive consequences of the illness situation, such as changes in life priorities and personal goals, positive personality changes, and strengthened personal relationships. Scale «Helplessness» reflect evaluation of the illness that emphasises the negative meaning of the illness, focusing on the adverse aspects of the disease as uncontrollable, unpredictable and unchangeable. Total sample consisted of 177 women with cancer of the reproductive system, the average age was 54,7 ± 6,9 years. Questionnaire includes an 18-point Likert scale measured at designed to study the basic concepts of the disease. Russian version of the illness cognition questionnaire has sufficient internal consistency, test-retest reliability is characterized by high and complies the English version in relation to the factor structure. Convergent validity of the questionnaire is supported by significant relations between cognitive representations of the disease and locus of disease control, anxiety, depression, coping behavior.

This work is devoted to the study of coping strategies in patients after blood stroke and traumatic brain injury. The disease is considered as a critical situation in a person’s life that requires the mobilisation of personal resources and coping. It is hypothesized that the coping strategies will vary depending on the etiology of the disease and the patient’s experience. On the basis of specific nosology data, the stages of the rehabilitation process (from 0.5 years to 1 year, 1 year to 3 years, and from 3 to 14 years) were identified. The study involved 78 patients under rehabilitation (primary or repeated rehabilitation) at the Center for Speech Pathology and Neurorehabilitation. The study identified coping styles in patients with different stages of the disease: in the first period, dysfunctional coping strategies prevail in all patients; in the second period, problem-focused strategies prevail in patients after traumatic brain injury; and dysfunctional coping strategies prevail in patients after blood stroke. In the third period, emotion-focused coping strategies predominate in all patients. Significant differences in coping strategies were obtained, depending on the length of the disease and the differences in trends between the groups of patients, with the etiology of the disease considered.

The results of this research will allow to build the typology of coping behaviour, reasoning goals, objectives and methods of psychological care to patients undergoing rehabilitation after blood stroke and traumatic brain injury.

The author of the paper raises the issue concerning the need for a more profound theoretical and methodological foundations of health psychology as a new developing area of psychological knowledge, with special emphasis on the research potential of the cultural activity paradigm. The model of psychological research of health, based on the general psychological ideas of L.S.Vygotsky, A.N.Leontiev, S.L.Rubinstein, P.Y.Galperin and others, is proposed.

Human health as a higher mental function is the base of the model. Levels of regulating the individual’s interaction with the outer world are marked out. The formation of a coherent and consistent system of functioning of the levels is considered as a basis of general and psychological health of a person. According to the author the basic mental disorders of a man are connected with the change of the initial conditions of mental regulation (which were developed in the process of biological evolution) and subsequent change of the role of psyche in the conditions of social life. The author suggests a hypothesis of the connection between psychosomatic disorders and the mechanism dysfunction of mental image-based regulation of behavior. The existence of a close connection between physical and social health of a man is stated. The notion of “social physiology” is introduced.