The Relationship of Irrational Beliefs with Aspects of Self-Attitude and the Severity of Learning Resistance Determinants

Introduction. Despite the significant number of works devoted to learning motivation and the factors influencing it, the interconnections between deep psychological determinants — irrational beliefs, aspects of self-attitude, and learning resistance determinants — have not been sufficiently studied to date. The scientific novelty of this research lies in the study of psychological barriers hindering successful student learning. This will help identify mechanisms of cognitive-emotional factors’ influence on academic performance, going beyond the traditional study of motivation.

Objective. To identify manifestations of irrational beliefs among students and determine their relationships with aspects of self-attitude and the severity of learning resistance determinants.

Materials and Methods. The study involved 75 students aged 18 to 54 years. A complex of psychodiagnostic methods was used: the irrational beliefs methodology (adapted by A. G. Kamenyukin and D. V. Kovpak), the self-attitude research methodology by S. R. Pantileev, and the questionnaire of learning resistance determinants severity by S. M. Yakushin. For statistical data processing, Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was used with the SPSS Statistics program.

Results. Correlation analysis revealed statistically significant connections between irrational beliefs, aspects of self-attitude, and learning resistance determinants. The strongest direct relationship was found between self-confidence and frustration tolerance. Frustration tolerance positively correlates with most adaptive aspects of self-attitude. The strongest negative connections were revealed between internal conflict and frustration tolerance, as well as the degree of rationality of thinking. Academic anxiety demonstrates significant negative correlations with evaluative attitude, rationality of thinking, and catastrophization. The obtained data confirm the presence of significant connections between irrational beliefs and self-attitude, as well as student academic functioning factors.

Discussion. The results confirm that irrational beliefs (especially low frustration tolerance and evaluativeness) are closely related to negative aspects of self-attitude and reinforce key determinants of learning resistance, such as academic anxiety. The findings are consistent with the works of domestic and foreign authors. The results substantiate the need to develop psychological programs aimed at correcting irrational beliefs and forming rational thinking among students to improve their academic well-being.

1. Asmolov, A. G. (1979). Activity and Attitude. Moscow University. (In Russ.)

2. Bakulin, A. V. (2009). Psychological and pedagogical characteristics of value and context characteristics of senior school children. Russian Psychological Journal, 6(2), 63–66. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.21702/rpj.2009.2.9

3. Bashkatov, S. A., Shakhov, A. A., & Prudnikov, V. B. (2022). Personality Traits of Students Prone to Making Errors Due to Irrational Attitudes and Cognitive Distortion. Society: Sociology, Psychology, Pedagogy,, 12 (104), 107–115 (In Russ.) .https://doi.org/10.24158/spp.2022.12.17

4. Bodnar, A. M., & Bodnar, E. L. (2019). On the role of irrational beliefs in the productivity of students’ educational activities. In Well-being and Safety in Conditions of Social Transformations: Proceedings of the X International Symposium (pp. 117–125). Humanitarian University. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.35853/LAU.WS.2019.SP12

5. Browne, C. M., Dowd, E. T., & Freeman, A. (2010). Rational and irrational beliefs and psychopathology. In Rational and irrational beliefs: Research, theory, and clinical practice (pp. 149–172). Oxford University Press, Inc.

6. Bystrushkina, N. G., &Titova, O. A. (2021). Studying irrational beliefs among medical university students. Bulletin of the Chelyabinsk State University. Education and Healthcare, 2-3 (14–15), 46–50. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.24411/2409-4102-2021-102-304

7. Chan, H. W. Q., & Sun, C. F. R. (2021). Irrational beliefs, depression, anxiety, and stress among university students in Hong Kong. Journal of American College Health, 69(8), 827–841. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2019.1710516

8. Ellis, A. (2002). Humanistic Psychotherapy: Rational-Cognitive Approach. SOVA. (In Russ.)

9. Ellis, L. (1994). The cognitive element of depression that is unfairly neglected. Consultative Psychology and Psychotherapy, 3(1). (In Russ.)

10. Ellis, A. (1962). Reason and emotion in psychotherapy. Lyle Stuart.

11. Goncharova, A. E., & Novikova, K. P. (2024). Relationship between students’ stress levels and academic performance. North Caucasus Psychological Bulletin, 22(4), 25–40. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.21702/ncpb.2024.4.2

12. Ionina, O. S. (2021). Studying the irrational attitudes of students (on the example of a pedagogical university). Journal of Shadrinsk state pedagogical university, 2 (50), 225–230. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.52772/25420291_2021_2_225

13. Kamenyukin, A. G., & Kovpak, D. V. (2012). Stress Management. Piter. (In Russ.)

14. Kacha, I. S. (2024). Catastrophization as a cognitive foundation of anxiety-phobic disorders. In Proceedings of the XXV International Scientific and Practical Conference «Fundamental Scientific Research: Theory and Practice» (pp. 12–22). Siberian Federal University Publishing House. (In Russ.)

15. Pantileev, S. R. (1993). Methodology for Studying Self-Attitude. Smysl. (In Russ.)

16. Pantileev, S. R. (1991). Self-Attitude as an Emotionally-Evaluative System: Special Course. Moscow University Press. (In Russ.)

17. Tolkach, I. F. (2021). Irrational attitudes of technical university students. Era of Science, 26, 158–161. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.24412/2409-3203-2021-26-158-161

18. Yakushin S.M. Developing of psychological questionnaire for studying factors that cause learning resistance among students of higher education institutions. World of Science. Pedagogy and psychology, 13(1). (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.15862/15PSMN125

19. Yakushin, S. M., & Fomin, A. E. (2023). Concept and types of learning resistance. World of Science. Pedagogy and Psychology, 11(6). (In Russ.)

20. Valiullina, M. E. (2020). Students’ Self-esteem and Self-attitude as Factors Influencing the Experience of Cognitive States during an Exam. ARPHA Proceedings, 3, 2663–2681. https://doi.org/10.3897/ap.2.e2663