Social and environmental assessment of emotional state of Russian and foreign students

BACKGROUND: Higher-education implies exposure to multiple stress factors for students while studying, communicating with group-mates and teachers, or when regular environments change. These stress factors contribute to untoward symptoms of emotional state. AIM: To analyze untoward symptoms of emotional state among students and to develop preventive measures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Questionnaires completed by 273 Russian and 239 foreign students were analyzed. Mean values, error of the means, intensive and extensive properties were calculated, a method to compare relative values and identify statistically significant differences was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Untoward symptoms of emotional state were found to be significantly more common in foreign than in Russian students. CONCLUSION: Individual and/or group sessions with a psychologist are needed to minimize untoward symptoms of emotional state in students.