Adaptive Potential of Young People as a Factor af Mental Health-Preserving

The adaptive potential is now represented in researches as a certain combination of constitutional-morphological, physiological, bioenergetic, neurodynamic, psychic, psychological and other properties of a person. It is noted that the corresponding properties determine the ability of a person to adapt to certain activities and to the natural and social environment. It should be mentioned, that the transformational processes in the modern social environment require the actualization of the personal potential in the way appropriate to its challenges, which in the first instance draws the attention of researchers and experts in social work to the modern youth both on the level of the scientific generalization and socio-psychological support. Thus, the main attention is given to the sociopsychological context of the problem explored. The important line of the problem under exploration is related to the study of the adaptive potential in one’s system of resources as a factor of preserving one’s psychological health.


Theoretical assumptions of the research
Numerous researches explore certain issues of the adaptive potential in the scope of the concepts: the constancy of the internal environment (Bernard, 1974) and homeostasis (Cannon, 2010); the stress concept, the psychosomatic concept and the concept of the functional system by P. K. Anokhin (1980). The bioplastic, biographical, psychic and individually-regulatory components of the adaptive potential are being explored, as well as the latency of the adaptive abilities, their timeliness and the vector of their realization (Maklakov, 2001).
There are different approaches to psychological health, its genesis, structure, criteria, levels and mechanisms of its development: as a multifactorial integrative system of structural-procedural mental health and psychological health, which is the precondition of an active lifestyle (Galetska, 2006); which functionality is determined by the principle of balance-disbalance between its components (Budiyansky, 2018) and the levels of its functioning: creative, adaptive, assimilatoryaccommodative (Khomulenko, 2018). The adaptive abilities of a person are considered to change with age in the process of one's ontological development (Vainer, 1998).
Herewith it is stated that the terms of reference of psychological health studies are often opposed to mental health (Maksymenko, 2012;Lefterov, 2013), as an attempt to humanize the approaches to psychiatry and biologized concepts of a person's social behaviour (Rushton, 1988). It is stated that a big number of psychological health researches is based on the ideas of the psychological balance criteria, which makes the concept of psychological health related to the concepts of adaptation and adaptive potential, thus strengthening the position of medicalization and ignoring the socio-psychological factors of its functioning.

Aim of the research
To define socio-psychological aspects of the adaptive potential of young people as a factor for preserving their psychological health.

Adaptive potential, adaptation, adaptive abilities
In our research, we have considered the following views on the problem of the adaptive potential, such as: C. Bernard's (1974) theory on the constancy of the internal environment and its interpretations in the concept of "homeostasis" by Cannon (Kokun, 2012), the concept of homeostasis, the stress concept, the psychosomatic concept and the concept of the functional system by P. K. Anokhin (1980). The scope of notions has been conceptualized: adaptability, adaptive abilities, adaptive potential. Adaptability is viewed as a level of a person's actual adjustability, his social status and selfconsciousness -satisfaction or dissatisfaction with oneself and one's life (Maklakov, 2001). Adaptive abilities are defined as a combination of constitutional-morphological, physiological, bioenergetic, neurodynamic, psychic, psychological and other personal qualities, which are organized according to the principle of interaction and determine a person's ability to adapt to certain activities and to the natural and social environment (Kokun, 2012). Adaptive potential is seen as an integral formation, which is made up of the following components: bioplastic, biographic, psychic and individuallyregulatory (Posokhova, 2010).
The author's view to the adaptive potential of young people implies, that it is a sociopsychological, integral, hierarchic-equal formation, which provides homeostasis of a person's mature functioning amidst social stress, due to the activity of bioplastic, biographical, psychic and individuallyregulatory components of the adaptive abilities, their latency, timeliness, matching one's resources and vectors of one's social actualization.

Psychological health
The concept of psychological health is based on the ideas of "the Human Potential Movement" (USA) and the ideas of humanistic and existential psychology, where the concept of the "positive mental health" was proposed. The analysis of scientific literature resulted in a thought, that the concept of "psychological health" has its roots in humanistic psychology, which studied a healthy personality (G. Allport, 1961).
We define the structure of psychological health as an integrative system, which preconditions an active lifestyle. We have analyzed its four levels, which provide the unity of integration and differentiation: the mental level, including the elements of one's self-acme, the level of his selfactualization; the subjective level, including a person's resilience and psychological well-being; the individual level, which defines the stability of the whole system of one's well-being and one's adaptive abilities; and the psycho-physiological level, including different forms of a person's adaptability (Budiyansky, 2018).
In our research we emphasize the interchangeability of the concepts of healthy and mature personality; preservation of psychological health is determined by the person's stable psychic functioning and the lack of psychic disorders and diseases, in particular, the concordance between one's age and psychic development, and by a person's maturity.

The correlation between the adaptive potential and psychological health (well-being)
We suggest the following model (picture 1) of predication-effect of the adaptive potential as a factor of a person's psychological health, which in general methodology is based on the principles of existential-humanistic psychology (J. Bugental, A. Langle, A. Maslow, K. Rogers, E. Fromm), positive psychology (N. Peseschkian, O. Lytvynenko), resource-based approach (B. Biron, Lasarus, N. Rodina) and continuum of the hedonistic-eudemonistic phenomenology.
From the perspective of concrete-psychological methodology there are the following concepts considered: adaptive potential as an integral factor, made up of focal (vicarious), contextual and residual social stimuli, which define the individual norm towards the scope of response to the stimuli and the corresponding type of adaptation; hierarchic-equal system of a person's adaptabilities: intrapersonal, interpersonal adaptability, the lack of maladaptive dysfunctions, personal sociopsychological potential and competency-based adaptability (Lytvynenko, 2019); flourishing (Fredrickson, 2005) as a resource characteristic of the adaptive potential, in particular, regarding predication of the adaptive potential (resource of social acceptance, social actualization, social contribution, social concordance, social integratedness); authentic happiness (Seligman, 1975) as a meaningful characteristic of psychological health: nice living, enjoying life, meaningful life; subjective well-being (Diener, 1984) as social indication of the adaptive potential: happiness, satisfaction with life and positive affectation; subjective vitality (Ryan & Frederick, 1997) as a dynamic characteristic of psychological health, which is determined by the subjective resilience (somatic factors, main personal features and affective dispositions).The model explains the system of social stimulation, resources, predication, levelness, indication of adaptive potential, as well as states and experiences typical for a healthy personality. Thus, psychological health is viewed as a person's full self-realization in certain life conditions and circumstances of socialization, reached by achieving a creative synthesis between a wish to correspond to social demands and a wish to develop one's own personality.

Picture 1. Model of predication-effectation of adaptive potential as a factor of psychological health of youth
Note: predictors -factors, which determine adaptive potential of youth; effectors -newly formed socio-psychological structures, which are determined by the factors of adaptive potential, in particular, psychological health of youth.
Thus, we have analyzed the approaches, which can be differentiated in psychological health studies. It has been established, that preservation of psychological health is connected with a person's stable psychic functioning, the lack of psychic disorders and diseases, concordance between age and psychic development, personal maturity, effective adaptation to new situations and different life circumstances, and well-being. It has become evident, that it is impossible to limit the understanding of psychological health only by three approaches.

Materials and methods
The research was made during 2015-2019 on the basis of the higher education institutions of the Central, Southern and Western parts of Ukraine. There were 249 respondents aged 17-25, involved in the research.

Systems of adaptabilities:
intrapersonal, interpersonal adaptability, lack of maladaptive dysfunctions, personal sociopsychological potential and competence adaptability As a part of the study of socio-psychological aspects of adaptive potential of young people the following psychodiagnostic methods were used: projective technique "A person in the rain", adapted by E. Romanova and T. Sytko, the Russian version of the English "The Draw-a-Person in the rain" technique by J. S. Verinis, E. F. Lichtenberg and L.Henrich, which helps to evaluate the adaptive abilities and resistance to stress factors; T. Leary's questionnaire for the types of relationships with others, interpersonal relationships and attitude to oneself (self-evaluation and inter-evaluation); a questionnaire "The Ryff scales of psychological well-being", the adapted Russian version of the English test "The scales of psychological well-being", created by K. Ryff, was used to define subjective selfexperience of wholeness and meaningfulness of one's existence; the technique "Resilience" by Leontyev-Raskazov, the adapted Russian version of the English method "Hardiness" by S. Maddi, used to estimate the level of involvement, control and taking risks; the technique of socio-psychological adaptation diagnostics by K. Rogers and R. Dymond for the particular qualities of socio-psychological adaptation.

Results and discussions
It has been empirically established, that there are 2 main ways of communication among the participants in small groups: the first one is striving for domination, and the other one is focused on the prevention of conflicts. Both ways demonstrate how the adaptation works in adolescents, and how they interact within a group. It should be mentioned, that the participants showed their readiness to fulfil the duties implied by the environment, although they are not ready yet to take the responsibility and to manifest their personality in their social group, which indicates the psychological immaturity of this age group.
With the help of the "A person in the rain" technique and descriptive analysis it has been established, that the descriptive statistical data indicating the index of the perceived stress (M = 2,518; SD = 1,264) are nearly equal to the descriptive statistical data indicating actual coping-resources (M = 2,727; SD = 1,282). The established general trend is as follows: the level of actual stress corresponds to actual coping-resources and the average group level of stress resistance exceeds the index of stress intensity.
The descriptive statistical data analysis by the method of K. Ryff shows that the scale "Personal growth" (M = 38,000; SD = 4,924) has the highest average group values, while the lowest is found with the scales of "Autonomy" (M = 29,916; SD = 5,657) and "Self-acceptance" (M = 29,112; SD = 5,378), which proves that adolescents within higher educational institutions are not yet aware of how the personal growth happens, as they understate the importance of autonomy and self-acceptance.
The parameter of the positive attitude to others is characterized by the lowest value of the standard deviation (M = 32,952; SD = 4,390), and the highest value is found with the index of autonomy (M = 29,952; SD = 5,657). According to our opinion, it proves that students are interested in comfortable friendly communication and are ready for cooperation, showing such behavioural aspects on the socio-psychological level of the adaptive course.
The "Resilience" technique by Leontyeva-Raskazova was applied to define the level of inner resources, personal potential and stress-resistance. Thus, the students under study turned out to be less involved (М = 22,008; SD = 3,094) while the standard values are: М = 80,72; SD = 18,53, less able to control (М = 17,815; SD = 2,811), while the standard values are: М = 37,64; SD = 8,08, less prone to take risks (М = 6,635; SD = 1,047), while the standard values are: М = 29,17; SD = 8,43. Resilience by the average group values was also low (М = 46,458; SD = 5,822), while the standard values are (М = 13,91; SD = 4,39). Nevertheless, by comparison with standard values it should be considered, that they were calculated on the basis of the adults samples. It is proved, that modern young people start their separate life at the later age and thus demonstrate the lack of mature attitude when facing risks, stress situations and constant problems.
The aspects of socio-psychological adaptation were identified with the help of the Rogers-Dymond method. According to the results of the descriptive analysis the highest average group values were found with the scale of self-acceptance (М = 69,166; SD = 15,459), which, to our opinion, proves the positive I-concept among modern students. The lowest average group value was found with the striving to dominate (М = 52,007; SD = 13,490), which shows the wish to take a submissive position in the process of adaptation and corresponds to low octants received as the result of the research by Leary's method.
By the level of adaptation (partition by quartiles) the respondents were divided into four groups: low level of adaptation (< 56,043 points); below the average (56,043 -62,570 points); above the average (62,5671 -71,493 points); high level of adaptation (> 71,493 points). The discrepancies in characteristics of self-attitude between the groups of students with different levels of adaptation were examined with the help of the criterion χ2. The statistically significant differences were established by the following criteria. It relates to the criterion "the one who agrees with everybody" (χ2 = 9,131; p = 0,028) -the proportion of such persons grows with the increase of the adaptation level, "critical to oneself" (χ2 = 19,142; p = 0,001) -the proportion of such persons grows with the increase of the adaptation level, "able to be strict" (χ2 = 8,225; p = 0,042) -the proportion of such persons goes down with the increase of the adaptation level, "doesn't stand to be controlled" (χ2 = 8,225; p = 0,042) -the proportion of such persons is high in the groups of students with the average levels of adaptation, "self-assured, tenacious" -the proportion of such persons is high in the groups of students with the average levels of adaptation (χ2 = 8,450; p = 0,038).
Thus, it was proved that more adaptive students in the aspects of self-attitude are characterized by more critical self-attitude and ability to look for compromises, so they are able to defend their opinions. At the same time, students with the average level of adaptation to the most extent believe they own such features as self-sufficiency, self-assuredness, tenacity, unwillingness to obey others' opinions.
The correlations between the indices of socio-psychological adaptation were analyzed. The results of the correlational analysis by the Pearson correlation coefficient r are shown on Picture 2. Path analysis, resulted in the path diagram, is a form of multivariate analysis, with the help of which we have tested the connections between the studied predictors: adaptation, self-acceptance, acceptance of others, emotional comfort, internality and striving to dominate. With the help of path analysis, we have traced the causal mechanism of direct and indirect impact of these indices.

Picture 2. Structure of correlations between the indices of socio-psychological adaptation of modern young people.
When analysing the presented results of the frequency analysis, it should be noted that the students under study consider themselves straight and open, humble, sincere and veracious. Thus, the positive attitude to own personality prevails. At the same time, they note to have some ambiguous features. They believe to be complainers, who often feel sad and ask for others' help, who comply with everybody, don't stand to be controlled, critical to themselves and who may show indifference to others. Creating the average profile of a student's personality self-attitude, it is necessary to mention, that it combines the opposite qualities and is ambivalent.
We have made the distribution of the adaptation index and division of the studied groups by quartiles. The division by quartiles allowed to define students with different levels of adaptation index intensity. Thus, with the help of this procedure it was possible to describe the adaptation level by four categories: low level of adaptation, below the average, above the average and high.
Thus, it turned out, that the most adaptive students in the aspect of self-attitude are prone to be more critical to themselves and are more able to find compromise and defend their opinions. In its turn, students with the average adaptation level mostly consider themselves to have such qualities as self-sufficiency, self-assuredness, insistence and unwillingness to obey others' opinions.
The elaboration of the adaptive potential's structure model of a student implied a statistical procedure of the analysis of the main components. As a result of the analysis of the main components, we have created a universal complex model. The model is delineated in Picture 3 and it allows to see the components of the adaptive potential of modern Ukrainian young people.
According to the distribution of the studied components in the structure of adaptive potential of a modern student, there is a certain hierarchy -there are central and peripheral blocks. We define the central block as a "core" of the socio-psychological adaptive potential. Having analyzed the preliminary data we identified the most important indices, of which the adaptive potential consists. It includes emotional comfort, acceptance of others, self-acceptance, and internality -all these components are always a part of one component in all models and are the most important qualities of the realization of adaptive potential of youth as a factor of their psychological health preservance.
The defined core of the adaptive potential is detached from the other components of the adaptive potential. The connection between its components is provided indirectly through striving to dominate. These components are power-leading, autonomous-dominating, passively-shy octants, as well as autonomy and considering oneself an open and straight person.

Picture 3. Model of socio-psychological coordination level of the adaptive potential (diagram).
Note: Components of socio-psychological adaptation are marked in dark colour, other components -in light colour. Solid lines show positive correlations between the components, and dashed lines show negative correlations between the components. In the format of preserving psychological health.
We have defined the predictors of socio-psychological level of the adaptive potential. It has been established, that the predictors are positive, which characterizes the direct correlation with the criterion variable. Thus, the older the students were, the higher their adaptation level was.
We have distinguished the reactions to stress depending on the ratio of the perceived stress index and students' coping resources. Students, who experience both the perceived stress and the coping resources activity as mild, belong to the first group.
There were 119 such persons under study (47,8% of the total sample). In the other group there are students, who, having relatively low level of the perceived stress, show high level of coping resources. The number of such persons made up 6 (2,4% of the total sample. In the third group there are students, who have high level of the perceived stress and low level of coping resources. The forth group includes students, who have high level of the perceived stress along with the developed coping resources -103 persons (41,7% of the total sample).
The value of the adaptation index of the socio-psychological method has been calculated for each subgroup. Here is the descriptive statistics for this index in the subgroups: low perceived stress, weak coping resources (M = 62,948; SD = 9,873); low perceived stress, strong coping resources (M = 73,897; SD = 6,341); intense perceived stress, weak coping resources (M = 68,612; SD = 12,870); intense perceived stress, strong coping resources (M = 63,784; SD = 10,789).
The discrepancies between the groups were statistically significant, which is proved by the results of dispersive analysis ((F = 3,719; p=0,012).
Welch's correction also proved the statistically significant discrepancy between the groups (V=6,056, p=0,004). Thus, the highest level of adaptation was found among the respondents with low perceived stress and strong coping resources.
It has been proved, that emotional comfort is an important and significant factor, which is directly correlated with striving to dominate. The level of the dominance need satisfaction is defined by high level of emotional comfort. So, young people feel emotional comfort, they are ready to accept others in their environment, they have high level of self-acceptance and internality, when their dominance need can be actualized.
The value of the interpersonal behavioural style has been proved to be a factor, which determines the effect of adaptive potential on a person's psychological health.
We have described the predictors, which define the effect of the interpersonal behavioural styles on the index of the perceived stress. The positive and statistically significant predictor of the perceived stress is autonomous-dominating style of interpersonal behaviour (β = 0,177; p = 0,043). We have established the predictors, which show the effect of the interpersonal behavioural style aspects on the index of coping resources. The statistically significant predictors of the perceived stress are autonomous-dominating (β = 0,107; p = 0,033) and straight-aggressive (β = -0,167; p = 0,048) interpersonal behavioural styles. We have also framed the predictors, which define the effect of interpersonal behavioural styles on the positive attitude to others. It has been shown, that the statistically significant predictors of the positive attitude to others are passively-shy (β = -0,205; p = 0,018) and responsibly-generous (β = 0,296; p <0,001) styles of interpersonal behaviour.
We have summed up the predictors, which define the effect of interpersonal behavioural styles on autonomy. It has been established that the statistically significant predictors of autonomy are cooperative-conventional (β = -0,254; p = 0,002) and responsibly-generous (β = 0,337; p <0,001) styles of interpersonal behaviour.
There are also the predictors described, that define the effect of interpersonal behavioural styles on the control of the environment. The statistically significant predictors of the environment control index are power-leading (β = 0,197; p = 0,018) and suspiciously-skeptical (β = -0,224; p = 0,003) styles of interpersonal behaviour.
Thus, we have explored the parameters of the interpersonal behavioral styles as variables, which determine correlations between the adaptive potential aspects and the parameters of a person's psychological health. It has been stated that such complex styles of interpersonal behaviour as active effective responsibility and uncompetitive leadership are able to be the predictors of the psychological health components and contribute to its strengthening.

Conclusions
On the basis of the theoretical-empirical research, we have established the socio-psychological contents of the adaptive potential of young people as a factor of preserving their psychological health; we have also defined the aspects of socio-psychological features and qualities, which influence psychological health of modern students; we have described the indices of socio-psychological abilities of modern students depending on the abilities to adapt to the social environment; we have elaborated the model of the socio-psychological level of interaction of adaptation courses; we have specified the predictors of socio-psychological level of the adaptive potential; we have proved the importance of interpersonal behavioural styles as a factor determining the effect of the adaptive potential on a person's psychological health.
We have proved that interpersonal behavioural styles are a factor that determines the effect of adaptive potential on a person's psychological health. We have specified the predictors, which define the influence of interpersonal behaviour features on the perceived stress index.
We have elaborated the model of socio-psychological adaptation of modern youth, in accordance to which the adaptive potential is determined by such factors as: self-acceptance, striving to dominate, internality, emotional comfort, acceptance of others; and the hierarchic model of sociopsychological level of the adaptive potential interaction.
We have specified the predictors, which define the influence of interpersonal behavioural styles on the coping resources index, positive attitude to others, autonomy, environment control, personal growth, life goals, self-acceptance, psychological well-being, involvement, taking risks.
The perspectives of the future research. The perspectives of the research of the announced subject are related to the detailing of the dynamics, socio-psychological mechanisms and factors of preserving the youth's psychological health on the different stages of professionalization, under conditions of regulatory and social crises, determined by transformations of the social environment.