Peculiarities of Professional Deformation of Instructor-Officers of Higher Educational Institutions

Abstract

The probability of professional deformation is the highest among representatives of socio-economic professions, which include the activities of instructor-officers of higher educational institutions with specific training environments. Professional deformation contributes to negative changes in the psychological traits of the individual. Over time, this phenomenon becomes an important obstacle in the further service and pedagogical activities of instructor-officers. The article aims to investigate the peculiarities of manifestation and levels of professional deformation in instructor-officers depending on the experience of their pedagogical activities. The research involved 136 instructor-officers aged 25-55 years with different experience in their pedagogical activities. It is determined that deformational changes in the personality occur under the constant influence of the conditions and experience of the mastered training profession and penetrate various areas of service and off-duty realization of instructor-officers. Professional deformation involves cognitive distortions and disorientation of the individual in the prospects of his or her life-sustaining activities; it leads to the development of specific (perhaps even deviant) manifestations. It can be manifested at the initial, intermediate, and advanced levels. It is proved that with the experience of pedagogical activities, deformational changes of instructor-officers only intensify, moving from the initial to intermediate and even advanced levels. The results of the research indicate the need to determine the level of deformational changes in instructor-officers of higher educational institutions with specific training environments in the early stages of their service to timely and comprehensively carry out measures for psycho-prophylaxis and psycho-correction, preventing further development of their professional deformation.