A structural model of psychological readiness of penal cadets for professional activity: verification and effectiveness of a contextual program

Introduction. The relevance of the study is determined by increasing requirements for professional training of penitentiary system employees, their personal qualities and ability to act under high psycho-emotional tension. The problem acquires particular significance in the context of staffing difficulties, professional maladjustment of young employees and insufficient readiness of graduates of departmental educational institutions for the specific conditions of service. The aim of the article is empirical verification of the author's structural model of psychological readiness of penitentiary cadets and evaluation of the effectiveness of the developed formative program.
Materials and methods. The article presents psychodiagnostic tools determining the baseline level of psychological readiness of cadets for future professional activity in the penitentiary system: methodology "Questionnaire of Professional Readiness" (L. N. Kabardova); L. Michelson's Test of Communication Skills (adaptation by Yu. Z. Gilbukh); Multilevel Personality Questionnaire "Adaptability" (MLO-AM) by A. G. Maklakov and S. V. Chermyanin; methodology for diagnosing the level of reflexivity by A. V. Karpov; Questionnaire of Terminal Values (OTeTs) by I. G. Senin.
Results. The study involved 460 cadets of 3–5 years of study from the Academy of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia (Ryazan) and the Vologda Institute of Law and Economics of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia (Vologda), enrolled in the specialty 37.05.02 "Psychology of Service Activity." The results of the conducted study: every fourth cadet demonstrates a harmonious profile of psychological readiness for future professional activity. Cadets exhibit pronounced professional motives and the value of service, as well as a sufficient level of neuropsychic stability. Such key components of readiness as reflexivity and communication skills in situations of professional interaction are insufficiently developed.
Discussion and conclusions. The conducted study allowed identifying a typology of psychological readiness profiles of cadets and developing a formative program in accordance with the author's structural-level model. The effectiveness of the program in developing the professional identity of cadets has been proven. The obtained results can be used in the educational process of departmental universities of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for the prevention of professional maladjustment and emotional burnout of young employees.

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