Psychological abilities as a predictor of personal and professional self-development of future educational psychologists

Abstract

The article examines psychological abilities as predictors of personal and professional self-development of future educational psychologists in the context of the transformation of modern education. The relevance of the study is determined by the increasing demands placed on psychological activity, subjectivity, and internal resources of helping professionals. The aim of the research is to provide theoretical justification and experimental verification of the assumption that psychological abilities serve as a significant foundation for the personal and professional self-development of future educational psychologists. The scientific significance of the study lies in clarifying the content of the concept of “psychological ability” and substantiating its component structure as an integrative construct that includes personally and professionally significant qualities. The practical significance is associated with the possibility of applying the obtained results in educational settings, in the professional training of educational psychologists, and in the development of programs aimed at enhancing students’ self-development and psychological activity.

The methodological basis of the research includes a theoretical analysis of philosophical, psychological, and pedagogical sources, as well as an empirical study conducted using V. Andreev’s “Assessment of Self-Development Ability” methodology. The experiment involved 361 students (future educational psychologists and students of other academic programs). Data were processed using descriptive statistics and Student’s t-test for independent samples. The results showed that the mean level of self-development ability among future educational psychologists corresponds to a below-average level (M₁ = 39.74), while among students of other academic programs it corresponds to an average level (M₂ = 40.12). No statistically significant differences between the groups were found (p > 0.05). It was established that in both groups the distribution of self-development ability levels was predominantly concentrated within the average range. The study contributes to the development of an integrative approach to the analysis of abilities, combining cognitive, social, and life resources of personality. The practical value of the findings lies in their potential application in designing educational programs focused on fostering students’ self-development and psychological activity, as well as in professional rehabilitation and further comparative research in related fields.

Keywords: skills, intelligence, professional qualities, ability, self-development, psychological ability, personal qualities.