The Course of Life Concept Development in Students Inclined to Deviant Behavior

Objectives: Deviant behavior has become a global issue of great concern and requires immediate attention. This study aimed to investigate the course of life concept development in students inclined to deviant behavior. Methods: This experimental and empirical study was performed by a structural correlation as a quasi-experimental design in 2019-2020. The study setting was the Belgorod National State Research University, and the target population was the students aged 18 to 21 who tended toward deviant behavior. The samples were selected based on real groups’ involvement and polar groups’ isolation and comparison. The variables were the correction program aimed at developing personal notions about the life path in students and the qualities that make up the content of the “temporary” and “value-semantic” aspects of the subjects’ notions about the life path. Data on deviant behavior were collected using the questionnaires of a tendency to deviant behavior and the deviant behavior questionnaire of Robinson and Bennett. The structural equation modeling, partial least squares method, and SmartPLS software were used to validate the original model and test the hypotheses. Results: Only 27% of students tended towards deviant behavior (group 1), and 73% were normal students (group 2). The students in group 1 had a higher tendency to nonconformism (P≤0.01), moderate inclination to addictive behavior (P≤0.01), and more aggressive tendencies (P≤0.01) compared to the students in group 2. Also, in the students in group 1, “present” and “past” times were described as joyful, light, real, close, calm, voluminous, bright, and active, but “future” time as passive, motionless, empty, little, flat, petty and narrow. In terms of value-semantic measurement of students’ life concepts, the students prone to deviant behavior did not have meaningful purposes in the future that give life meaningfulness and direction. Discussion: Based on the study findings, a higher tendency for nonconformism, addictive behavior, and aggressive tendencies was found in the students with a tendency to deviant behavior. Also, these students lack meaningful purposes in the future that give life meaning and direction, and they live for today or yesterday. It is suggested that the correctional and development work under a program aimed at the personal course of life concepts development reduce the students’ inclination to deviant behavior.