ASPECTS OF SOCIAL-PSYCHOLOGICAL ADAPTATION OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN TO MODERN REALITIES

Abstract

The article is dedicated to the pressing issues of preschoolers' adaptation to modern realities caused by war and its consequences. It analyzes the essence of the concept of social-psychological adaptation and its characteristics in the personality of preschool children. The phenomenon of adaptation is examined, along with its types, forms, and significant features. Emphasis is placed on understanding the phenomenon of adaptation as both a process and a result. Preschoolers' adaptation is viewed as the first level of socialization, involving the assimilation and reproduction of the social experience of society and the acquisition of qualities necessary for further life experiences in social groups. Indicators and manifestations of preschoolers' adaptability are analyzed. Four criteria of adaptability are described: physiological, cognitive, emotional-valuable, and behavioral, along with their characteristic positive and negative aspects. The levels of children's adaptation to the conditions of preschool educational institutions, the duration of the process, and qualitative and quantitative changes occurring during this time are outlined. Based on this, the individuality of the adaptation process is characterized by phases and stages. The current conditions in which the country finds itself undoubtedly negatively impact the process of children's social-psychological adaptation, hindering their full socialization. During air raid alerts, when children are in shelters that are usually not designed to accommodate such a large number of kids, they are less active, unable to move freely, and experience stiffness, anxiety, fear, and stress. The uncertainty of the duration of time spent in shelters exhausts children and prevents them from feeling stability and comfort. The sound of an air raid siren can occur at any moment, always unexpectedly, and within a short time frame, children must listen to the caregiver's instructions on how to act. They need to quickly interrupt their activities or sleep, grab their belongings (drinks, snacks, possibly toys), and move to the shelter in an organized manner. In such conditions, the situation regarding social-psychological adaptation becomes aggravated, leading to a decline in children's independence, behavior, and communication skills, with manifestations of uncontrolled aggression emerging.