Ph.D. A.V. Kabachkova
National Research Tomsk State University, Tomsk

Keywords: physical culture, physical education, university, psychoemotional state, wellbeing, activity, mood.

Introduction. Properly organized physical education of students is a widely accepted and indisputable means of health promotion [3, 8 et al.]. Regular physical exercises contribute to adaptation of individual systems and the body in general to the increasing physical loads and optimization of its functional state [1, 7, 8]. Besides, physical culture is an effective preventive measure against various negative phenomena such as mental tension, stress, anxiety [4, 10 et al.]. This ensures targeted development of the body's adaptive capacities, mental processes and their optimal behavior (intellectual, emotional, sensual and sensory). In this regard, first-year students deserve particular attention [5, 2, 9]. Most of them are influenced by different stress factors (for instance, changes in living conditions, reconsideration of own habits, changes in working hours or conditions, relocation, etc.) [7]. Against the background of the ever-increasing intensification of the educational process and significant mental work load and emotional stress in terms of the limited motor mode, this promotes neuro-psychological disadaptation.

The purpose of the research was to study the traits of the psychoemotional state (wellbeing, activity, mood) of first-year students when attending physical education classes during the 2014/2015 fall semester.

Materials and methods. The study involved the first-year students of Tomsk State University (n=467, 17-18 years, males) from the departments of humanities, physics and technology, and mathematics. On health grounds all the surveyed male students were attributed to the basic medical group; they attended physical education classes 2 times a week. The effects of stress factors, associated with tests and exams, were balanced out.

The traits of psychoemotional state of first-year students were studied using the WAM (wellbeing, activity, mood) questionnaire - a type of the profile of mood states questionnaire [6]. This method is widely used to assess the mental state of patients and healthy people, their psychoemotional response to loading, and to determine individual characteristics. The respondents were offered to complete the questionnaire before and right after physical education classes (during the first week of classes, at the end of September, at the end of October, and at the end of November).

The statistical data processing was made using the STATISTICA 8.0 software and implied determination of the sampling descriptive parameters, assessment of the normality of data distribution (Shapiro-Wilk’s test) and comparative analysis of the dependent samples (t-test for dependent samples, Wilcoxon matched pairs test). P0.05 was taken as statistically significant difference.

Results and discussion. Year over year, more than 3.5 thousand 1st-3rd-year students get involved in physical education classes at Tomsk State University (of which about 0.1% do not attend physical education classes for various reasons). Prior to training sessions, all students are divided into two health groups - basic and special medical groups, and from 2010 onwards there is also a group of physical therapy. During the 2014/2015 academic years, 70% of students were referred to the basic medical group.

The process of physical education in the basic medical group is based on the traditional approach (body conditioning) and implies the use of the personality-centered technologies of selected types of physical culture and sports activities (aerobics, basketball, bodybuilding, volleyball, karate, cross-country skiing, swimming, football, fitness, chess). The benefits of the personality-centered educational technologies implemented in the process of physical education of students are convincingly demonstrated in the works of V.G. Shil'ko (2004-2014). In the 2014/2015 academic years, 20% of students from the basic medical group attend conditioning classes, most have been grouped according to the selected types of physical culture and sports activities.

According to the questionnaire, about 66% (308/467) of students live in dormitories, 17% (79/467) rent apartments, 17% (80/467) live with their parents. Consequently, nonresident students make 83% (387/467) of the total sample. 82% (383/467) of young males had been engaged in sports before entering the university. Among them, 32% (122/383) had a junior category. Thus, in our sample, the amount of young males without sports category equaled 74% (345/467). About 95% (442/467) of students noted that physical activity helped them deal with stress.

The main components of the functional psychoemotional state are wellbeing, activity and mood. Wellbeing is a complex of subjective sensations that reflect the level of comfort physiological and psychological state of a person, his/her line of thinking, feelings and so forth. Wellbeing can be presented in the form of generalizing characteristics (unwellness/good health, vigor/malady), and can also be localized towards particular forms of sensations (sensation of discomfort in different body parts). During the subjective assessment of the level of general fatigue after physical education classes on the five-grade scale, only 24% (108/467) of the testees mentioned the above-average level. The results of the WAM questionnaire according to "Wellbeing" scale in all phases of measurements before and after the classes (during the first week of classes, at the end of September, at the end of October, at the end of November) exceed 4 points, which indicates a favorable state of first-year students (Table 1). It should be emphasized that, on the average, throughout the semester wellbeing is rated at 5.0-5.5 points. This testifies to a normal psychoemotional state. By the end of the semester, the wellbeing index decreases, but does not fall outside the range of 4.0 points. However, physical training has a significant effect on this index and it increases by 1 point.

Activity is a trait that all living beings have in common, and it is organized in accordance with the probabilistic forecasting of the course of events in the environment and the body position in this environment. During the subjective assessment of the performance level after physical education classes on the five-grade scale, 2% (9/467) of the respondents mentioned performance decrement. The results of the WAM questionnaire according to the "Activity" scale in all phases of measurement before and after the classes (during the first week of classes, at the end of September, at the end of October, at the end of November) exceed 4 points, similarly to the "Wellbeing" scale, which indicates a favorable state of first-year students (Table 1). By the end of the semester the "Activity" index decreases, but does not fall outside the range of 4.0 points. However, physical education classes render a significant influence on this index and it increases by 1.3 points.

Table 1. Wellbeing, activity, mood of first-year students when attending physical education classes during the fall semester according to WAM questionnaire, Me (Q₂₅; Q₇₅)

Mood is a relatively permanent, steady state of a person. It could be presented as an emotional background (liveliness or depression) or a clearly identifiable state (boredom, sadness, passion, joy, delight, etc.). Mood, being caused by a specific reason, specific occasion, manifests itself in the peculiarities of the human emotional response to effects of whatever nature. Mood is always directed at a particular object. During the subjective assessment of their mood after physical education classes on the five-grade scale, first-year students describe it as excellent and good (5 and 4 points, respectively). In all phases of measurement "mood" increases significantly (p≤0.05) by 0.4-0.5-0.6-1.1 points (during the first week of classes, at the end of September, at the end of October, at the end of November, respectively) after physical education classes. Similarly to the previous indices, the "Mood" values exceed 4 points, which testifies to a good state of first-year students (Table 1). By the end of the semester, this index slightly decreases, but on the average it does not fall outside the range of 5.0 points.

Conclusion. Physical exercises have a positive effect on the psychoemotional state (wellbeing, activity, mood) of first-year students during the semester. According to the WAM questionnaire, individual index values and their ratio correspond to a favorable state. We detected a statistically significant increase (р≤0.05) in the "Wellbeing" and "Activity" scales by the end of the semester, "Mood" - throughout the semester.

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Corresponding author: kapil@yandex.ru