Beginning Psychologists: Entering The Profession, Professional Fears, Self-Concept

Introduction . The article is aimed at analyzing and summarizing the identified features of professional self-awareness of novice psychologists. The relevance of the study is explained by the increased interest in psychological services, which increases the demand for specialists in this field. In this regard, the graduation of young psychologists by educational institutions is also increasing and they may postpone starting work despite the education they have received. This can be explained by fears about the working process, which arise due to certain peculiar professional self-concepts. Objective. To analyze and generalize the data on the specificity of psychologists’ entry into the profession, which is expressed in the peculiarities of professional self-concept. The phenomenon of professional self-concept and its importance in the system of professional development of personality . The authors provide the main theoretical data regarding the phenomenon of self-concept of a person and its variety - professional self-concept of a person. Thus, professional self-concept is defined as a part of the general self-concept, which includes the attitudes of a person regarding his/her profession (its requirements, society’s expectations from it) and himself/herself in it (place, role, his/her professional qualities, personal qualities that are necessary for the profession), which are expressed in the cognitive, emotional and behavioral component of this phenomenon. Formation of professional self-concept and mature professional identity as a desired developmental outcome. The authors describe the main stages of development and changes in the professional self-concept of an individual, such as the stage of awakening, research, consolidation, preservation and retirement. As the main phenomenon reflecting professional self-consciousness, the authors single out professional identity, understood as an individual’s value orientation to a certain profession. Discussion. The authors’ ideas about the existence of specific features of professional self-concept in novice psychologists are confirmed by the data of other researchers. Fatalism, somewhat pessimistic views of the world and people around them, inflated standards for a specialist in psychology, and aspiration for professional development stand out among the peculiarities of young specialists’ professional self-concept. The author’s position is expressed in the position that these features can lead to the following fears of young professionals: fear of not helping or helping incorrectly, fear of violating moral norms, fear of snapping at the client, fear of remaining unrecognized, fear of revealing oneself, fear of setting a price for work, fear of change.