Volume/Issue :

Article type :

Case study

Page No :

93-100

Abstract :

This article provides a theoretical analysis of students’ social and psychological adaptation to higher education as a dynamic process of entering and functioning within a new system of academic, social, and normative relations. The conceptual foundations and principal characteristics of social and psychological adaptation are examined, with particular attention to its interrelationships with socialization, academic functioning, interpersonal interaction, and professional development. The principal social and psychological, professional, and societal dimensions of student adaptation are outlined. Particular emphasis is placed on the initial period of university study as a critical stage characterized by the restructuring of established behavioral and activity patterns, the formation of new interpersonal relationships, the acquisition of institutional norms, and the development of student autonomy. Active and passive forms of adaptation are analyzed in terms of their psychological content and potential implications for subsequent social integration, personal development, and self-realization. A systemic perspective on adaptation is considered, according to which adaptive outcomes emerge from the interaction of environmental conditions, interpersonal relationships, and personal resources. Findings from Ukrainian and international studies are synthesized with respect to the roles of coping strategies, attachment patterns, academic and psychological support, characteristics of the social environment, and interactions with teachers and peers. Particular attention is given to the specific challenges of student adaptation under conditions of the full-scale war in Ukraine, including heightened social uncertainty, psychological strain, changes in living and learning conditions, disruption of established social networks, and a shift in life priorities toward safety and basic security. The analysis supports the development of an integrated framework of psychological, academic, and social support aimed at strengthening students’ adaptive functioning and sustaining their educational engagement under conditions of prolonged instability.

Keywords :

social and psychological adaptation, university students, adaptation strategies, higher education, educational environment, psychological support, martial law, war-related stress

References :

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Cite as :

Breian, A. (2026). Social and psychological adaptation of students to higher education: Theoretical approaches and specific features under martial law. Švietimas: politika, vadyba, kokybė / Education Policy, Management and Quality, 17(1), 93–100. https://doi.org/10.48127/spvk-epmq/26.17.93